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Choose Your Genre, Find a Title

Before you write your first sentence there are a number of important decisions that you must make. You can still start off by asking yourself what kind of book do I want to write? And what category or genre will it fit into? If you are not sure about where you want to go with your book it may be a good idea to obtain a list of subjects that are available and popular, for example;

Diet and weight loss

Gardening

Recipe books

Marriage and relationships

Child rearing

Health and fitness

Biographies or autobiographies

If the first part of the list does not hold your attention or create any excitement in your mind, you need to move on until you find what you are looking for, trust me, when you find it you will know. Your eyes will widen, your heart will beat faster and you will develop the odd habit of talking to yourself. Don’t be alarmed this will be one of the best experiences you will ever have, in fact it will compare favorably with another experience that is much too delicate to be mentioned in this article. When this happens you are on your way.

The second category of books that you may want to check on are;

Text books

Children’s adventure stories

American historical (political)

World historical (political)

Travel

History of slavery (America)

History of slavery (the world)

Religion (Christianity)

Religion (Islam)

Religion (Hinduism)

Religion (Buddhism)

If the bells are not ringing in your head so far you can take a deep breath and move on, and by the way, I would recommend a recognized bookstore for this type of search (Barnes and Noble, Borders etc). Browsing the shelves of a bookstore or library is a habit I developed many moons ago, and I have always considered them to be a superior alternative to a computer insofar as the search for inspiration is concerned. You will find eye-catching titles, beautiful covers, and interesting information about the books and their authors. Time spent in library or a bookstore is time well spent.

If you are in the process of writing a book or planning to do it, it is a reasonable assumption that you enjoy reading and that you are well read. My suggestions should be viewed from the perspective of focus. To put it bluntly you are hunting for that part of your psyche that had lain dormant for some time but is now demanding attention. You must find the environment that will nourish your inner being and you will blossom and grow from strength to strength.

The final category happens to be my favorite;

Action adventure

Spy stories

Crime and true crime, and

Terrorists, danger and death

This genre covers a multitude of sins and I crafted a novel to create a mix of American and Middle Eastern warriors with differing positions, beliefs, and points of view. The characters that you will need to lend credibility to your story must be carefully created and easily recognized. Most authors consciously or subconsciously fall back in their personal experiences when they are writing any kind of book. Childhood experiences will influence the story line and the characters. The same goes for the Gardener who will share his skills with the readers and the politician who will inject many private and personal experiences into his or her memories. It is natural to do so and it adds flavor and interest to your work. A highly respected and admired employee was murdered on my watch many years ago, and I was unable to resist the temptation to add a disguised version of her story along with others to my book.

Bernard Steele is a veteran law enforcement officer (operational and administrative), now retired. He was the former chief security officer of the National Banking System of Guyana S.A. To learn about his new book visit Death in Small Doses.

Beehives Destroyed by Pesticides and Felling

Residents of Thar and several mountainous regions as well as arid zones and forests in Karachi have recently enjoyed new prosperity. However climate change does not bode well for honeybees. In many areas of Sindh, beehives have all but disappeared.

Environmentalists believe that climatic change, receding water flow in the River Indus and dried lakes and pesticides all contribute to the endangerment of the insect. Pesticides are accused of contributing greatly to the massive destruction of beehives in the region.

Farmers are said to use pesticides indiscriminately on vegetables, fruits and crops, including grains. This has an adverse effect on insects, birds and reptiles in the area. Bees are highly sensitive and select particular trees, plants and bushes to protect themselves from extreme heat and cold winds.

Environmentalists say bees cannot survive in this poisonous environment.

Dwindling groves, increasing deforestation and shortage of fresh water in rivers are also blamed for the destruction of beehives.

Reports say 53,000 acres of forest have been allotted to people with political clout, amidst strong protests by environmentalists. Groves have since begun disappearing at a staggering rate on both sides of the River Indus.

The remaining scattered groves along the River Indus are unable to sustain livestock or provide fuel, honey and water vegetables.

Ishaque Mangrio, an environmentalist from Sanghar said that climate change has affected rivers and forests but the excessive use of pesticides has also contributed to the destruction of beehives.

He said many people, who collect honey from these forests and make a living out of it, have since lost their source of income. As a result, there is hardly any pure honey in the local markets.

However, it can still be found in some areas of Thar, including Mithi and Nagarparkar, which attracts tourists.

Mangrio also said that honey per liter is being sold in Thar markets at Rs300 to Rs350 but the same product in Hyderabad and other towns is only available at Rs500.

Aziz Ahmed of the Matiari district recalled the days when the Indus was hardly two to three kilometres away from where he lives. Now, he says the entire forest area is being cultivated after chopping down trees. “There are hardly any groves in the area. People, who earned money by selling fresh honey, have been rendered jobless. The price of a one-litre bottle is Rs500 now but four to five years ago, it used to be a fifth of that.”

Others chimed in that there were beehives in the neighbourhood, the source of their livelihood.

Many people would visit these communities to regularly obtain honey for curing open wounds, eyesores and herbal remedies. Honey was also kept at home because it is thought to be a quick fix for coughs, colds and other health-related issues.

Fishermen on Karachi’s coast link the loss of beehives to the shortage of fresh water.

There are some NGOs, however, that claim to have started breeding bees in mangroves and other forests areas near the Indus. The results, as yet, are not visible from a commercial point of view. Beekeeping is said to be one of the better avenues to provide employment to young people.

Despite the claims made by the government and NGOs, promoting bee farming (apiculture) in Sindh is still a dream. The government needs to protect forests and flowering plants and train people for beekeeping at the Union Council level.

L. S. Sya [please visit Deforestation Watch.] Deforestation Watch was established to drive sustainability mainstream. Striving to be a center of green news, solutions and all things green, we also help corporations looking for green guidance.

Green Carpet

The environment has new champions: Hollywood stars who walked down a biodegradable green carpet with eco-activists at the first screening of The 11th Hour in Canada. The documentary, produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio encourages political action to deal with environmental issues. Marlee Matlin was just one local star who sent a postcard to British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell urging him to save the province’s temperate forests, home to the endangered mountain caribou at the premiere. Other activists followed suit.

A private screening was followed by an after-party with organic beer and finger food from all organic ingredients was served.

Tzeporah Berman, founder of the eco-group ForestEthics is one of 50 leaders and scientists who appears in the film. She chose to go the distance, wearing an eco-certified wood fibre called Tencel.

She said, “I kid you not. The top I am wearing is made from ecologically, responsibly harvested wood.”

In a speech, she called for stiffer government action on carbon emissions, a halt to oil and gas subsidies and a new strategy with a goal of ending old-growth logging while protecting critical ecosystems.

DiCaprio, who was not at the screening, describes it as a movie not about doomsday, but about solutions.

The 11th Hour refers to the last moment when change is possible. The film makes notes of the issues facing the planet’s life systems: global warming, deforestation, species extinction, and depletion of the ocean’s habitats. The film also investigates how humanity impacts the earth’s ecosystems and what can be done to change the decline.

The Canadian forest industry said the film draws attention to the importance of sustainable management of forests.

Andrew Casey, vice-president of communications for the Forest Products Association of Canada said, “Canada has a rate of zero, for the most part, in terms of deforestation. But there is significant deforestation in countries like Brazil and Indonesia that are emerging as strong forest products suppliers. Until you do something about global demand, that demand is going to have to be met by somewhere. And if you shut stuff down here, it’s going to move to places where there is deforestation and that’s a bigger worry in the context of climate change.”

Berman addresses the state of the world’s forests, insisting 70 countries no longer have enough intact forests to maintain biodiversity. In contrast, three countries - Canada, Russia and Brazil - have the most remaining intact forests where biodiversity can be protected.

Berman, who was at the film’s Hollywood premiere earlier this month with DiCaprio promoted her drive to protect more forests in Canada with stars like Paris Hilton.

She said she welcomes the involvement of celebrities in her lifelong cause, adding, “I’d rather have my teenaged niece reading about Paris Hilton’s concern for Canadian forests than reading about what she is wearing. Hollywood becoming interested in green issues is taking these issues to a whole new level.”

“I don’t think this has changed my role,” she said of the film. “For over a decade I have done everything I can to raise awareness about the importance of Canada’s forests and how quickly our old-growth forests are being logged.

“It has taken me to a lot of strange places, from blockades to the boardrooms of some of the largest corporations in the world and now to the red - I mean green - carpet.”

Lawrence Soriano [please visit Deforestation Watch.] Deforestation Watch was established to drive sustainability mainstream. Striving to be a center of green news, solutions and all things green, we also help corporations looking for green guidance.

What is New in My Book?

Some of what is new in my book, RETURN TO THE MIDDLE KINGDOM, reveals historical details about China unknown in the West, or even in China itself, for that matter. For example, I highlight my late father-in-law Eugene Chen’s role in the “Russia-oriented” policy of Sun Yatsen. Eugene was the key, the historical hinge, that led to the alliance of Sun Yatsen’s Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) and the Communist Party in early 1920s. This policy opened the door for communists, including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, to join the Kuomintang; it also gave the governed, for the first time in Chinese history, the right to have their say in the governing, and this began to unleash a power in the vast peasant population never seen before.

For another example, through Jack’s and my experiences in the purge called Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), this book sheds light on the infighting between the Party moderates led by Zhou Enlai and the hardliners led by Mao Zedong, thus challenging the unanimous view among scholars and historians that Zhou was a yes man to Mao. Toward the end of 1969, my husband Jack had a pretty clear idea of what the purge was about: Should China join the international community or keep its door closed. He wrote to Zhou Enlai, applying for exit visas to go on the long overdue speech tour in the United States, to speak about China’s wish to co-exist in peace and trade with the West.

Zhou granted the exit visas, but the Red Guards, Mao’s creation, exiled us to Upper Felicity Village in Henan Province, cut off our recourse for help and plotted to kill us in this backwoods. For nine months we lived as though on death row, struggling minute by minute, to dodge the summary execution. By the fall of 1970, Zhou Enlai intervened. He went to the Foreign Languages Bureau himself and told the Red Guards flatly that they were attacking him through Jack Chen. Case closed, and we returned to Beijing and prepared to leave for Hong Kong.

My experience in the Cultural Revolution was not like any others.’ I did not lie low and let the storm blow over my head. I fought back tooth and nail against the Red Guards. I nearly died several times. But it was worth it. I fought my way out and I, who, never got one word published during Mao’s reign, have found a publisher in my adopted country.

This is not my only gratification. I have more freedom to move around and broaden my horizons. I went to Spain, and for the first time I swam in the Sea of my Dreams, the Mediterranean. The blue of the Mediterranean is not like the color of any other sea; its magic hue can match Heaven’s own blue. While traveling and learning and absorbing different cultures, I went on an internal journey and discovered my strength and frailty. The more I know about myself, the less judgmental I am. I hope that will help me become a better person and better writer.

Yuan-tsung was born in China, and immigrated to USA in 1972. Her first book, THE DRAGON’S VILLAGE, (was published by Pantheon, and) its Penguin paperback sells an average of 3,000 copies per year since 1981. Her latest book (nonfiction), RETURN TO THE MIDDLE KINGDOM, is now available through the Union Square Press of Sterling Publishing. Visit Yuan-tsung Chen.

Movado Watches Series 800. The Ultimate Luxury Sports Watch

For over 125 years the Movado company have been creating watches. For most of that time they have also been winning awards for their legendary watches. These timepieces have always been associated with the finest of movements and accuracy that Swiss watches are famous for. Movado has recently launched a new series of watches, the Movado Series 800. This range is the ultimate in luxury sports watches and is available in both mens and ladies watches.

The Movado 800 Series has been designed specifically to appeal to the younger market looking for a more practical luxury watch, those that are seeking to purchase a watch in the $500-$1500 range, and the Movado watch owner who is looking for a sports watch.

All of the watches in the Movado Series 800 feature the easily recognized, large and luminous, Movado dot at 12. The Movado dot has become symbolic of Movado watches and pays homage to the very famous Movado Museum Series. Other practical, athletic, and special features that you would expect of a Movado watch are:

* performance steel, a higher grade of stainless steel, is used in the production of these watches for even better durability and strength. The low nickel content in this surgical steel quality offers improved hypoallergenicity.

* water resistant to 200 meters, or 660 feet. This watch will survive any fall into a swimming pool.

* wrist bands are available in either black Thermoresin, which has inbuilt UV protection, or the stainless steel bracelet. Both wrists straps have a fold over safety bar at the clasp for added security while participating in active pursuits. The stainless steel bracelets come equipped with a diver deployment clasp that allows your watch to be worn safely over your wetsuit.

* variety of colored watch faces to suit your individual style ranging from traditional black or white through to the more sporty red, yellow, and blue.

* various sized watches are available in 28, 38, and 43 mm.

* chronograph watches are available in the 800 Series and will add extra elegance along with the added benefit of split second timing. The three extra round dials on the face of the watch will allow you to time your personal bests in minutes, seconds, and tenths of seconds.

* screw down crown to provide a more water resistant watch.

* Swiss quartz movement for precise timekeeping, which is accurate to 60 seconds per year.

* one way, or unidirectional rotating bezel for more accurate recording of passed time.

* wave textured dial and a wave contoured face continue the legendary Movado sleek and clever watch architecture.

* 2 year Movado warranty.

The Movado Series 800 watch is the latest range from a company who has prided themselves on winning over 200 awards in the watch industry. Movado also hold over 100 watch patents. Innovative creativity combined with Swiss accuracy and high end luxury is the end result.

The Movado Series 800 is perfect for the individual seeking the combination of an eye-catching luxury watch with the practicalities of a sports watch. Dress it up, dress it down. Strap one of these Movado watches to your wrist and leave it there.

Andy Moquin has spent 20 years in the jewelry business buying and selling over $20,000,000 in diamonds, engagement rings and custom designed jewelry. He as traveled to Belgium and Israel to work with international diamond dealers and works as an adviser for DBC Diamonds an international consortium of diamond dealers. His experience in the jewelry business has become invaluable to consumers and business owners. He can be contacted at 1-888-296-4890 or to learn more about Movado 800 Series visit Rokstok.

Aluminum Tubes Are Available in Abundance

Aluminum tubes have many applications, and correspondingly, are available in various shapes and sizes. They are found as round tubing, triangular tubes, square tubes and if required, it is possible to have aluminum tubes made in unique shape combinations.

Besides differing in their shapes, aluminum tubes are also different in terms of their wall thickness. You have to choose the size, shape and wall thickness of the aluminum tube, based on what you intend to use the tube for.

Though most metals can be made into tubes, it is the characteristics of aluminum that makes it the preferred choice for most industries. These characteristics include its resistance to corrosion, it being a ductile metal and its affordability.

The marine industry needs aluminum tubes

In fact, it is in the past few years that big industries have started using aluminum tubes, because it is possible to create the required design and shape with these aluminum tubes and because it is possible to create aluminum tubes with the right wall thickness and diameter, as per specifications.

Aluminum tubes have wide scale applications in various fields. The high strength aluminum tubes are used in the marine industry, and in the production of nuclear weapons. It is used in the manufacture of huge ferries, submarines, boats, ships and other aquatic vehicles and equipment.

It is not only the many characteristics of aluminum that make aluminum tubes the preferred choice in industries. It is also because these huge industries require huge metal resources to construct their structures. And with aluminum being one of the most widely available metals of the world, it is cheaply available and just right for use in these industries.

Use the internet to order aluminum tubes to your specifications

There are many industries that cater to the manufacture and shipping needs of aluminum tubes. And one way you can find them is through the internet. It is better to work with the more famous and reputed companies as you are insured of receiving the best from them. Your business partners are also great people to ask for referrals for aluminum tube manufacturers.

Just ensure that you state your requirements and specifications properly when placing your order, so that you receive the right aluminum tubes. Of course, clarify payment and shipping issues and charges, so that there are no complications over the shipment of your aluminum tubes.

So varied are the applications of aluminum tubes. They are used for their strength in the manufacture of aircraft frames and in the bodies of rocket launchers. In the meantime, they also have applications in computers, because of heat conductivity of aluminum.

And it is because of its malleability that it is used by designers in the door and window frames of houses and buildings, and its high resistance to corrosion makes them the perfect choice for the transport of mining waste from mine fields. What more reason is required to prove that aluminum tubes are the chosen choice in most industries.

http://www.alfiniti.com

The Many Uses of Aluminium Extrusions

Designers and constructors prefer using aluminium extrusions for the many benefits it offers in both its manufacture and for its qualities, making them perfect for use in construction.

The process of making aluminium extrusions is a very economical means of creating parts with a constant cross section as designers can use them wherever required. It is expensive to fabricate different shapes by welding as each piece has to be welded, where there is no reduction in cost with volume. In fact, sometimes, using a welding jig is much more expensive than using an aluminium extrusion die used for creating the same shape.

Aluminium extrusions are cheap to manufacture

Roll forming dies are much more expensive to use than extrusion dies. In addition to this, it is not possible to use roll forming in structures where there is varying wall thickness. This is because its thickness remains constant even after bending.

If sand and permanent mould casting is used in construction, the resultant product has to undergo extensive finishing before being used. However in the case of aluminium extrusions, wrought structures are created that have close dimensional control.

Moreover, aluminium extrusion dies are cheap and cost about a few hundred dollars and are finished with less lead time than the forming and casting dies. Moreover, these dies cost thousands of dollars.

Aluminium extrusion machines are cheap to install

Another benefit of aluminium extrusions is that its extruder machines stores and maintains dies without any additional expenses on your side. Moreover, these long lasting dies can be installed in presses quickly, with nominal set up charges. Though it is possible to extrude all metals, aluminium is the most popular option for extrusion for its unique combination properties.

Aluminium extrusions are preferred in construction because it has a high strength to weight ratio. In fact, its weight is about a third of the weight of copper, steel or brass but it is equally strong.

It also exhibits corrosion resistance properties with the protection of its own thin and transparent oxide film. It is also possible to enhance the protective properties and color of aluminium with the help of chemical or electrochemical means.

Aluminums extrusions can be bonded with adhesives too

Aluminium extrusions are preferred in construction as they can easily be soldered, brazed, welded, fastened mechanically by stakin, nuts, bolts and rivets. They can also be bonded using adhesives if required.

Conventional equipment is sufficient to form and bend extruded shapes from aluminium extrusions. However the composition of the alloy, its temper, shape and wall thickness all factor in the minimum radii and other features of the resultant aluminium extrusion.

Aluminium extrusions are fine heat shields

When compared to copper weight wise, aluminium conducts twice the amount of electricity. However if you compare them based on size, aluminium can carry two-thirds the amount of electricity copper carries.

In addition to being a good conductor of electricity, aluminium is also a good heat conductor and reflector, making a wise choice in heat transfer applications. Aluminium extrusions are also great for using as a heat shield; as it is highly light reflective.

http://www.alfiniti.com

Why Aluminum Tubings Have Extensive Uses

Aluminum tubings have many applications in both commercial and industrial fields. The main reason for the increased demand for aluminum tubings is because of the durability, strength and versatility of aluminum. Moreover, as aluminum is a malleable metal, it can easily be machined into aluminum tubings.

In fact, it is possible to use any form of metal fabrication technique, ranging from roll forming to stamping on aluminum. In fact, most types of aluminum tubings are also corrosion resistant, because of the thin oxide skin that forms on the tubing with exposure to the atmosphere.

It is this oxide coating that provides protection against the extreme wear and tear conditions to ensure that the aluminum tubing remains intact unless and up till it is exposed to excessive temperatures or chemicals.

Choose your aluminum tubing according to its use

As various types of alkali, and some metals are effective in starting a degradation of oxide coating or galvanic corrosion on aluminum, you have to choose your aluminum tubing carefully based on the metals and substances it will come in contact with in its application.

Aluminum tubings have extensive uses in aerospace, chemical and food processing industries. Despite their reduced resistance to corrosion, there are some copper enhanced aluminum alloys around that make these tubings great for use in aerospace applications because of their additional strength.

To make it easy for you to choose your aluminum alloy tubings, these alloys are divided by numbers like 2024 and 7075.

Each of these different numbers represent a specific composition in an alloy.

Aluminum tubings can be created to any desired shape

Aluminum tubings have wide applications in automotive components, sensor systems, some types of marine construction and in medical equipment. The reason for the wide applications of aluminum tubings is because it is available in various shapes like circular, rectangular and square tubing.

Moreover, this tubing is available in various bends and angles. And if you have any custom tubing solutions, there are many machine shops that can create your aluminum tubing in any irregular shape you may require. These shops use roll-forming devices, numerous cutting and welding tools and CNC machining centers to create aluminum tubings.

Aluminum tubings bring you your TV shows

If you want your aluminum tubing in any particular color to match your appliance, it is possible to do so using anodizers. It is possible to dye aluminum into various colors and increase the resistance capability of the outer coating of the aluminum tubing with the help of anodizing.

As manufacturing plants need large equipments and have a huge production and assembly line, this equipment has to be sturdy and durable for all these actions, and affordable for the company. It is for all these reasons that these companies prefer using aluminum tubing in the manufacture of this equipment and assembly line.

You have to be thankful to aluminum tubings for providing the TV shows that you watch everyday. This is because the antenna that is used for capturing and translating these TV signals into images is made using aluminum tubings.

It can thus be said that aluminum tubings have and will remain an important part in most of our day to day activities.

http://www.alfiniti.com

Public Speaking - Top 10 Tips Part I

Know that public speaking is the number one human fear. So if you have ever been or are a bit nervous about giving presentations in public, realize you are not alone. Most people have the same problem.

In a survey from the Book of Lists, people were asked, “What are you most afraid of?” Public speaking was the number one answer. In fact, fear of death was sixth on the list. In other words, you are not alone.

So we congratulate you on taking the first step to improving yourself in this area. Let’s talk about the Ten Tips and how they can begin to help you right away.

Tip No. 1: Eye contact.

When the majority of people are up in front of a group they start their physical activity by rapidly scanning the room with their eyes. They spray the audience with their vision. Look: adrenaline is already shooting through your body, you’re anxious and nervous. Spraying the room with your “aerosol eyes” simply compounds the problem. It makes it worse. Very quickly your brain becomes overwhelmed with all of this visual input: different faces, different colors, different clothes, different countenances.

What you need to do is find an anchor and to lock in on one individuals eyes. You need to slow down, get your bearings. You will then have a chance to channel your nervous energy.

In other words: look at just one person, look at their eyes, speak to one person at a time. Then pause, and find the next individual. Instead of speaking to a group… have a series of one-on-one conversations with the individual members of the audience. And if your eyes aren’t locked, your jaw must be!

Tip No. 2: Gesturing:

What do you do with your arms, your hands or your feet and the rest of you body? Typically men put their hands in their pockets. We often see the fig leaf position, or the ‘phone booth’, in which presenters hug themselves with both arms.

You will also see people do all kinds of nervous fidgeting with their hands, with their arms. They really don’t know what to do. What we suggest is that you do use your arms and hands, but that you use gestures to specifically emphasize the things that you are talking about.

If you are speaking about a big opportunity, let’s see how big that opportunity is. If you are speaking about an increase, let’s make sure that your gesture reflects that specific increase by its altitude from the floor.

Use emphatic gestures and use gestures to describe things. Then when you are not using your arms or there is no need to, simply allow them to drop naturally to the side into what we term the neutral position.

Tip No. 3: Inflection and volume

Have you ever been to presentation where the presenter spoke in a monotone, “It’s- great-to-see-everybody-Thank-you-very-much-for-coming-today-I-have-some-exciting-news-for-you.” BOOOORING!

You want to increase your volume, and increase your voice inflection, which means the variance in the pitch or the tone of your voice. It is more interesting, more exciting to listen to a presenter that has passion and feeling in their voice. Speak to your audience with belief and you will soon see they will share that belief.

Tip No. 4: Humor and jokes

We receive a lot of questions about this. “Should I start with a joke?” Should I loosen things up with some humor in the beginning?”

Let me ask you…How many people do you know who can actually come into a room full of strangers and pull off a joke? It is what we call a Break Even / Lose proposition. If it works you haven’t gained much: if it doesn’t work you can lose your audience for the entire presentation. It’s risky business.

It’s a high stakes gamble. We suggest if you like using humor, feel out your audience first. If you feel humor might be appropriate, use humor. But using humor up front can be very, very difficult. You are at your highest state of nervousness, your audience is sizing you up and remember first impressions last forever. Many audiences feel that using humor or jokes in business signals you are not taking them seriously.

The type of humor that is most effective is self deprecation. Make fun of yourself. We are not suggesting you call yourself an idiot or the audience may say to themselves “He sure is” and you’ve lost them. Just don’t take yourself so seriously. A lot of times we will joke about the fact that our writing isn’t that good or my ability to draw is awful. Typically if people have been with us in a two day seminar, they already know that. So go ahead and make fun of yourself. It is a safe form of humor to use.

Tip No. 5: Designing visuals

How many times have you been to a presentation where the presenter is literally confused by her own visual? They look up at the screen and they say, “Well what you have here is, well, gee, I’m not sure, well what I meant is…” – what is that presenter doing? They are essentially saying that they haven’t taken the time to simplify and become familiar with their own visuals and now they expect you to look at it and understand it.

The point is to keep your visuals simple in design. You don’t want an unsolved mystery up on the screen. Make sure that it is very clear and keep in mind that people read from top to bottom and left to right. Design your visuals to be read that way.

Make those visuals easy to understand. Your talk doesn’t need to be simple, but the visuals you use to cue your audience to hear what you’re saying do.

J. Douglas Jefferys is a principal at PublicSpeakingSkills.com, an international consulting firm specializing in training businesses of all sizes to communicate for maximum efficiency. The firm spreads its unique knowledge through on-site classes, public seminars, and high-impact videos, and can be reached through the Internet or at 888-663-7711.

The Reason For High Gasoline Prices

Gas prices are at an all time high with no signs of price reductions. This issue has made several countries reconsider their strategies on this ongoing issue. Politicians and Democrats blame oil companies for the skyrocketing fuel prices.

Oil companies are raising oil and gas prices to get maximum profits. Next, blaming on oil companies is not the solution, as it will only add to the existing problems of rising oil and fuel prices. In addition, providing $100 rebate is not a solution either. The government is trying to reduce the cost involved in producing gas by relaxing clean air rules.

These are temporary measures used in an attempt to reduce fuel prices. Instead of addressing the problems honestly, politicians are trying their best to gather votes by making false promises in the name of reducing fuel prices.

Factors Responsible For Price Hikes:

The cost of crude oil plays a major role in contributing towards increasing fuel prices. Production and deliverance of a single gallon of fuel involves severe costs. These include costs of crude oil to refineries, refining costs and profits, distribution and marketing costs, federal and state taxes.

The cost of crude oil has doubled over the last two years. It has also affected the oil exporting countries. A major dispute rose in the supply distributions in the Gulf of Mexico and Nigeria. Whenever there is a major dispute, oil companies bid for the price of a barrel. The recent dispute is over Uranium enrichment and increasing poor relations in Venezuela.

The second major factor for rise in gas prices are the growing demand around the world. Demand for cars has risen in China and India. As these countries purchase oil from the United States of America, U.S. in turn has to buy them from another oil exporting countries to meet the increasing demand. Sales of super cars have increased greatly. For example, people nowadays continue to purchase SUVs that consume more gas than regular cars.

Production of crude oil is badly affected and even decreased in quantity, as reserves are getting empty and environmentalists banned new drillings. Many refineries are apprehensive to switch to Ethanol, because of its excessive cost. California experiences higher fuel prices, because of its distance from the Gulf of Mexico pipelines and strict fuel requirements.

Environmentalists have banned additional refineries, which in turn are adding to the existing price rise. Additional refineries are of huge importance to extract fuel, without which it is a bit impossible to reduce the rising fuel prices.

Finally, rise in fuel prices depend on the supply and demand of the product. Current economic conditions and weak U.S. dollar also contributed to hike in fuel prices. Natural calamities such as hurricanes and floods too contributed to the rising prices in oil.

Below mentioned are certain quick solutions, which every individual can follow to save fuel consumption:

1. Find substitute for fuel.

2. Look for alternate methods of energy

3. Find ways to use less fuel.

4. Increase Domestic production.

Find a gas card and more of Tom’s work at FINDgascards.

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