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dekoata4books
Logitech keyboards,reveiw
Logitech keyboards are a nicely made keyboard just on the large side as rule, and what makes typing a little on the clunky side ,
my husband likes them for that,
But his fingers a bit larger then mine.They Work great no problems with loss of connection. I all so like the slight wave design on most of them and the fact they are very comfortible to use.
We have learned so much from others, we thought it was time to share
Depending on where you work, receiving tips is sometimes quite difficult to achieve. Often, establishments pay waiters and bar staff lower wages based on the assumption that they will gain tips. As a customer therefore, although it is a responsibility to give tips as these employees are reliant on you.
However, as an employee, it is your responsibility to work hard and give satisfactory customer service in order to gain these tips.
How to get more tips:
1) Welcome customers personally when they enter the establishment.
This creates rapport, and immediately gives you at opportunity to assess their needs. For example, if it's a family, then certain members may be fussy and have food requirements. If it's a office party, then the emphasis will be on plenty of drinks, constantly flowing with good humour.
2) Get them drinks quickly.
Why do people come to restaurants and bars? To relax. As soon as they are sat down, with jackets off, ask them what they'd like to drink. The quicker you serve them, the quicker they are able to unwind and relax.
3) Be polite, nice and be personal.
Adding a personal touch to your service creates a link between yourself and the customer that is not very common. Complimenting someone genuinely (without flirting) is a great way to create rapport, and a huge step in gaining that crucial tip.
4) Smile.
5) Write 'Thank You' on the receipt.
Again this creates a personal touch, but also adds that final reminder and hint to the customer that you would like a tip. You should never ask directly for a tip, but this is the closest you can get to it.
6) Give the customer information.
If the food is going to take a while, let them know. If something has gone wrong, let them know. People are very understanding and the more information the better...with certain exceptions. Even when everything goes to hell, with a 30 minute delay on food, if you give the customer explanations whilst being apologetic and polite, often they will tip you simply for being nice. After all, it's not your fault.
How to Tip.
Many establishments/countries/governments classify tips as a source of income. Consequently they are taxed. All tips through card payments are taxed, and so when you think you have tipped $10, in reality you have only tipped $6. To the waiter/barman, this makes a huge difference.
When and if you can, always pay the tip in cash. Although they are meant to, many restaurants and bars don't count or tax their cash tips, instead they simply divide them equally with the staff on the shift and leave it as that.
If you've been served by one barman/waiter all night, and you want to tip him/her personally, then give them the cash tip directly. Putting it in the tip jar on the counter means that it'll be split and shared equally with all the waiters and staff.
Different countries have different codes of conduct for tipping. In some places it is compulsory, others it isn't. In England, it is recommended that the tip is 10% of the bill, from what I have heard, in S.Africa it's 17%.
This is all very well, except when it comes to promotional offers. For example, if you go to a restaurant which is serving 50% off all food all day, your bill will be significantly smaller. Consequently you give a smaller tip. This is unfair on the waiter, because the service he is giving you is exactly the same. It isn't his decision that the promotion goes ahead or not. So when you find yourself in this position, give more than the regular percentage.
If you tip well, you will be remembered. Perhaps the greatest lesson of all, is to learn how TIPS originated:
They began in the 19th Century, within English Garden Tea rooms. A wooden box would be placed on each table, with the words:
TO INSURE PROMPT SERVICE
The customers would insert a coin and an employee would serve them immediately.
Please be sure to check out my Life of Change blog.
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The Cyborg Gaming Keyboard
Cyborg Gaming Keyboard is a high-end, adjustable, gaming keyboard with localized lighting. Includes 12 programmable “C” keys with three programming modes. Tri-Color backlighting with Tru Vu illumination through keys(Red, Green, Amber). AWSD and cursor can be lighted independently from the other keys. Media keys and hard-wearing key surfaces. Fully programmable with SST software included. USB. Windows
The Cyborg Gaming Keyboard
As the ways of the internet grow. So the way many gamers interact with one another continues to evolve, the goal here is to ensure you are equipped to handle the ever-changing social-gaming experience for years to come, well done amazon.com
The Cyborg Gaming Keyboard from Saitek is a high-end, adjustable, gaming keyboard with localized lighting. Includes 12 programmable “C” keys with three programming modes.
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The following 21 dating tips for men are based on research and personal experience. Most of them are exclusive to men and not applicable for use by women, although they may benefit by reading them. The same is true of the ones for women; men may benefit by reading them as well.
Dating Tips for Men #1: Ask her for a date like a man. Pick the day before you call. If she tells you that it's not a good day, do not negotiate unless she offers a specific alternative that fits into YOUR plan. If she doesn't offer a specific alternative (This would NOT include, "Call me next week."), say to her, "Perhaps some other time." That's it! If she is interested, she will re-arrange her schedule. Think it over for a week or more and if you feel in your gut that you should give it second try, go for it. If not, move on!
Dating Tips for Men #2: Make dates in advance. Ask her to go out with you well in advance of the actual date. 1-2 weeks is good at the beginning. This strategy gives you time to make arrangements for your date and it also creates romantic anticipation.
Dating Tips for Men #3: Have it all planned. Have the entire date planned, scheduled, and reserved before you pick her up. Not only will she be impressed by your organization, but you'll also have a better time.
Dating Tips for Men #4: Invest your time and money wisely. There is no sense investing a lot of your time or money until you determine if you like each other. Most women will only become uncomfortable, or perceive you as being foolish, if you spend a month's pay on the first date.
Dating Tips for Men #5: Use a progressive dating strategy. Start with inexpensive dates during the week and work your way up to more expensive dates on the weekends.
Dating Tips for Men #6: Timeliness is classiness. Be on time to pick up your date. This does NOT mean getting there early. Many women, and men, schedule their preparations for going out down to the last minute. If you are running late by more then 10 minutes, call and let her know when to expect you.
Dating Tips for Men #7: Being yourself is your best act. Don't try to impress your date with your money, your position, your car, or your body measurements. Using these things to win a woman over will only attract those with superficial intentions. Win them over by showing them the qualities you have inside by simply being yourself.
Dating Tips for Men #8: Be like a movie star. Almost all of the male movie stars who attract an abundance of women on and off the screen have exquisite manners. Women love being treated like ladies. You see these men opening a door for her, letting her walk into a room first, and helping her with a chair. I once witnessed two (2) young army combat veterans instantly stand up when a poor, unattractive teenage girl entered the room. They had no obligation or incentive whatsoever to respond as they did. It was beautiful!
Dating Tips for Men #9: Keep your eyes on the ball. Do not check out other women. Even when done on the sly, women will pick it up. Nothing is more classy and warrior-like than a man who keeps his attention on the woman he's with regardless of who she is.
Dating Tips for Men #10: Cleanliness is coolness personified. Be sure that all areas of your body are clean and fresh. This includes your hair, ears, body, and especially your teeth. Bad breath, which is often caused by a dental or periodontal problem, is usually not noticeable by the person who has it. Nothing is more of a turn off than bad breath. If you haven't had your teeth cleaned in the last six months, get it done!
Dating Tips for Men #11: Hold your flattery. Save your compliments about her beauty for the right time. Although you might be intoxicated by her beauty, do not reveal the full extent of your feelings on your first few dates. Save that for the right moment several dates down the road. Just say, "You look very nice this evening." and leave it at that. In regard to sexual innuendoes, they have no place during the early stages of dating.
Dating Tips for Men #12: Put it in your autobiography. Don't tell her your whole life story and all your secrets right away. In fact, always try to maintain some degree of anonymity in some area of your personality or life, as it naturally provokes more excitement. Mystery is a mental aphrodisiac!
Dating Tips for Men #13: One night to stand. Do not expect to have sex on your first date. Consider these scenarios: If you do have long-term interest in a particular woman and your main focus is sex on the first date, her opinion of you will be lowered. If you do NOT have any long-term interest in a particular woman and she willingly has sex with you on the first date, she has probably done it before! Maybe several times, maybe hundreds of times! Having sex with a woman like this GREATLY increases the chances of you contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Here's my advice: Take the pressure off yourself and don't expect sex on the first date. This will enable you to more clearly evaluate the person and you'll have a better time.
Dating Tips for Men #14: Sex without full mutual agreement is rape. Do not pressure a woman to have sex. Regardless of how you feel about a particular woman, it is inappropriate to pressure a woman to have sex at anytime.
Dating Tips for Men #15: Patience equals unimaginable pleasure.. Do not rush a woman to have sex. If you're really interested in a long-term relationship with a particular woman, do NOT rush her to have sex with you based on any kind of "timetable." If you want to have the BEST sexual experience of your life, become best friends FIRST and then have sex. I assure you, it is worth the wait!
Dating Tips for Men #16: Romance is the key to receiving a woman's best. Women love romance! They need it in order to feel complete. It literally fulfills a part of their sexual needs. It's what they require for true satisfaction. So, include romance into your dating plans.
Dating Tips for Men #17: Be a creative romantic. The traditional methods for creating romance remain unchanged. These include buying her flowers, candy, jewelry, perfume, and romantic music; sending her love letters and notes; taking her to dinner at unique restaurants; taking her dancing at nightclubs; and taking her to movies, operas, or plays that depict a love story. The key to having the outcome that you want, however, is to come up with your own unique twists to these ancient practices. In other words, be CREATIVE!
Dating Tips for Men #18: Keep your grip. Do not get lazy about your relationship or you might get a letter from her one day that says, "Goodbye." Keep yourself looking your best. Keep the relationship alive by continually telling her and showing her how much you care. And don't ever forget to do something for her birthday and any other holidays that are important to her.
Dating Tips for Men #19: Warrior's goodnight kiss. Don't liger after the goodnight kiss at the beginning of your dating activity with a particular person. Kiss her once to the duration that feels right. Then say good night, turn, and walk away. Do not linger, talk more, try to kiss her again, or ask her for another date! This practice creates the mystery/romance that women love and prevents you from getting catch up by the heat of the moment and acting like a fool. Take a deep breath and go home. Take a few days to think things over. Is she right for you? Do you want to see her again or move on? It's a lot easier to move on at the beginning than down the road.
Dating Tips for Men #20: Trust your gut. Do not continue to date a woman if you know she's not right for you. Don't keep her around until you find someone better. That's not fair to her or you. Don't waste your time. Do what's right. Have the courage to move on!
Dating Tips for Men #21: Smart moves pay lifetime dividends. No matter how truthful, safe, and healthy your partner/friend seems, make certain that an adequate birth control method is being used, and that you both get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) BEFORE your first sexual encounter. If you don't have medical insurance to cover these expenses, most local health departments offer birth control counseling and STD testing for free or at a nominal fee. One bad choice in this area can instantly ruin your life forever!
I wish you much dating and relationship success!
Brad Paul
Solotopia.com
Copyright ? Brad Paul
If you want to increase your dating knowledge further, there are several articles on the Solotopia website that may be of interest to you. To see a list of all articles by category at Solotopia.com, click: http://www.solotopia.com/dating-articles.html
To review the "Dating Tips for Women" look for my article on the Solotopia website entitled, "Dating Tips for Women - 21 Insider Tips for Success!"
To see the original article with graphics and links at Solotopia.com, click: http://www.solotopia.com/dating-tips-for-men.html
Brad Paul is the founder of Solotopia.com, which provides FREE resources for being single successfully whether a person chooses to remain unattached, just date, or find a perfect partner.
Brad began learning about the needs of singles as he built and led a unique, highly successful non-profit singles organization. He refined his knowledge about singles as he researched and wrote books on finding a perfect partner and couple's communication. Before changing careers, he headed a marketing group responsible for generating $400 million dollars in annual sales.
Wireless keyboards,As the ways of the internet grow. So the way many users like you now interact with one another continues to evolve,
The goal here is to ensure you are equipped to handle the ever-changing social-and online experience for years to come, well done amazon.com
Wireless keyboards,Till now the personal computer keyboards had
been based either on teletype,machines or keypunches. There were
very slow in transmitting data and slowing things down.
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Wireless keyboards,As the ways of the internet grow. So the way many users like you now interact with one another continues to evolve,
The goal here is to ensure you are equipped to handle the ever-changing social-and online experience for years to come, well done amazon.com
Wireless keyboards,Till now the personal computer keyboards had
been based either on teletype,machines or keypunches. There were
very slow in transmitting data and slowing things down.
With
Parenting in itself is a challenging task. Sometimes we can shift from one parenting tip to another and still have trouble with some aspects of parenting. Parenting becomes even more challenging when one is the parent of a gifted child. What kind of a parenting tip can a parent resort to in such a case? Sometimes raising a gifted child may also require a special parenting tip of some sort.
Recognize Giftedness
It's true. Most parents want to believe that their kids are gifted in some way. While it may be true that different kids have different talents and intelligences, there are simply some kids who are way over the top. The foremost parenting tip is to recognize if your child is truly gifted. Attached to this parenting tip is the parenting tip on looking for the common signs. Your child may be gifted if he can finish work exceedingly faster than his peers. He may also be able to read and understand material that is not intended for his age. Your gifted child may also exhibit above average abilities in the arts or other fields.
Ask for Help
This is not necessarily next to the parenting tip of recognition. This however, may be a helpful parenting tip for parents who are unsure how to proceed or who have gifted children who are unusually difficult to handle emotionally. A suggested parenting tip is to have your child tested by professionals. You may also ask for special assistance from school counselors or ask them to recommend special ways to help your child.
Unconditional Love
Probably one key parenting tip to ensure that your gifted child grows up well adjusted is to communicate unconditional love and acceptance. You should communicate with your child and tell him that you love him for who he is and not because he can perform well in school or because he does things perfectly. While it is also a good parenting tip to show appreciation and praise for achievement, make sure that you tell your kid that you would still love him anyway even if he didn't get a perfect score or an honor ribbon.
Reality Check
A related parenting tip to unconditional love is making sure that your child knows that not everything can be perfect at all times. This is a crucial parenting tip because gifted children may easily get frustrated as grown ups when things don't always go their way.
Variety of Learning Experiences
One good parenting tip involves diversity. Gifted children may easily get bored over something they've easily mastered. Introduce a variety of topics and learning experiences. This will give you the chance to discover his strong points of interest and keep his learning topics at a healthy balance. Part of this parenting tip is to also school your child on social matters. It may be well and good to let him watch various educational books and CDs but consider letting him join play groups. Let him socialize with other kids.
Do Not Overload
While is a good parenting tip to offer various learning experiences, it is also important not to overdo it. You may have enrolled your child in violin classes, swimming lessons, advanced math classes, reading group and a variety of other classes. You might also just be treating a child like an adult with so many responsibilities. We all know it's not pleasant to be overloaded so go easy on your kid. Remember, your child is still essentially a child so let him enjoy a little play and childish relaxation.
For more of Veronica Fisher's FREE parenting advice and tips, please visit her site at www.parentingadvicetips.info.
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As the ways of the internet grow. So the way many gamers interact with one another continues to evolve, the goal here is to ensure you are equipped to handle the ever-changing social-gOaming experience for years to come, well done amazon.com
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To become a better artist takes years of dedication, passion, energy and time. There are no short cuts but here are some art tips to send you in the right direction.
Tip 1: Learn the Importance of the Sketch
Sketching is one of those things that every artist MUST do and do often. Sketches don't have to be perfect, nor do you have to show them to anyone. They can be as rough or as scratchy as you like but the thing to keep in mind is it's readability. The purpose of a sketch is to quickly illustrate or develop an idea you have, to capture or study some form of reference so that it can be worked on at a latter date. Because of this, the sketch only needs to convey the right information to you and you alone (unless you are drawing an idea out for a client then the message needs to be crystal clear).
Tip 2: Draw, Draw and Draw Some More!
This is a similar tip to the first but what I mean by this is draw anything that comes to mind or visually interests you. Sketch on the bus, train, in bed and even on the toilet. Seriously! The more you draw from your mind and from reference, the better you will become and the quicker your skills will develop. Take the time to doodle lots of different subjects and in lots of different environments as this will all help build up a mental cataloge of images to draw upon latter when you may become stuck for ideas or inspiration.
Tip 3: Build a Reference Library
This is a great tip that I learned from years back. As you begin to fill sketch books with illustrations of ideas and reference material, you should build up that stack of books with more books. By this I mean buying art books, books on clothing, guns, tanks, other cultures, animals etc. The list of what you should look into is endless and should extend beyond your general interests. But it mustn't stop there. You should also collect images off of the internet and save them to your computer and organize them correctly. Take photos of things you see if you don't have time to sketch them. The purpose is to have a nice big collection of images that inspire you, inflame your imagination and, more specifically, if you need to draw something right, having the material there to draw from will add realism and clarity to your work.
Tip 4: Explore Different Mediums
This is when you take an idea from sketch to final painting. Exploring other methods of creating that end piece can really yield some unexpected results and challenge you to push yourself further into new situations. Playing with different types of paints such as oil, acrylic, water colour or gouache are the options most people would suggest trying, but there is more than experimenting with these. You could try air brushing, pastels, using charcoal or taking the leap into the digital realm. All these different mediums have their strengths that you can harness but you will never know them unless you try them out.
Tip 5: Learn Some Color Theory (At Least)
This is a big one. Color theory is a massive, massive subject and I can't do it justice here. What I would strongly suggest is investing time and money in a good color theory book and learn from that. Even learning only a little bit, will help your work massively. The more you push yourself to learn, the better and better you will become.
Tip 6: Play With Perspective
Now, by this I don't mean completely bend the fabric of reality or attempt to mimic the works of M C Esher (but looking at his work couldn't hurt). No! What I mean is take the time to learn about vanishing points, 2 point and 3 point perspectives and how to create objects in three dimensions correctly. As this is just a tip, I'm not going to go into the details here but there are numerous books and places on the web that cover this important area. Learning the rules of perception will open up the possibilities of what you can draw and will broaden your artistic horizons greatly.
Tip 7: Hunt Down Your Artistic Weaknesses & Destroy Them!
I was told this by an incredibly exceptional artist called Chet Zar. This tip is something you should approach regularly and be really tough and honest with your self. By knowing what your not good at artistically and making a conscious effort to attack it (them, could be lots of things), will enable you to systematically grow. For instance, if you draw a lot of humans but avoid drawing feet because you know your not that good at it, set aside time to draw lots of feet, over and over again until they look right (just be sure not to get a foot fetish). This links to a previous tip I did of Draw, Draw and Draw Some More! Drawing things that you don't draw often or at all will increase your repertoire and will enable you to paint and illustrate more complex pictures.
Tip 8: Ask For Help & Critiques
I heard this one from numerous sources and I have to say that this is something you don't have to do all the time. Joining online art communities and forums will give you access to professionals who do know their stuff and can really help you improve, but having thick skin is advised. At one point or another, you will get some harsh and unfair comments but that is the risk of being an artist who puts art out for viewer consumption. Never be afraid to ask for help.
Tip 9: Develop an Original Style
Ah, a real tough one this as developing your own style takes time and experimentation. By exploring lots of little different mediums and genres, you'll soon get to know what you like and how you like to do things. Over time, by doing things the way you want and in the subconscious way you approach a painting, a style will emerge that will be recognizable and more importantly, it will be your style.
Tip 10: Learn to Accept Failure as a Positive Thing.
Possibly one of the most important lessons an artist (or almost any professional) can learn. Not every picture you create will come out looking the way you wanted it too and the same goes with any experiment to try out. There is no such thing as a bad result... there are just results. Learning to take something positive out of everything you do will change the way you look at you next piece and how you approach it. If something doesn't work or you don't like it, don't do it again or use it as a bench mark to launch yourself from in your next piece.
So, I hope that that is enough information to digest and apply into practice, happy drawing!
Lloyd Harvey
http://www.shrunkenheaddesign.kk5.org
Here in this informative article on the 10 tips to avoid bankruptcy, we will see some of the smart things to do to avoid having to be one of those who end up in bankruptcy proceedings. Knowing the facts will help save you from many financial problems and probably give you much more peace of mind. Please read on to find out the " 10 tips to avoid bankruptcy."
The first tip is of course to have a budget. This first tip is fairly self-evident to most people. If you budget your money, you know exactly where your income is going and there is no confusion. There are no "leaks" in your money supply when a budget is strictly adhered to, and you have confidence from knowing what will happen, month after month. Those little "spending sprees" will probably have to be eliminated, but in the long run it is worth it. This is the probably the most important tip of the "10 tips to avoid bankruptcy."
The second tip is to get a piece of paper and write down all your debts. Add up all your debts and then compare them to your income. This tip can go hand-in-hand with the first tip and give you an understanding of where you really are financially speaking. To avoid bankruptcy, you must of course have at least as much coming in as you do going out. If you are simply living off the credit in your credit cards, you will no doubt have a day where this will crash your finances and probably cause a bankruptcy to happen.
The third tip in the " 10 tips to avoid bankruptcy " is to get a second job. This really can work wonders. Having a second income, while your bills do not increase is a real boost, and is one of the best ways to avoid bankruptcy. Use step one and two and then if things look too negative, getting a second job is probably not just an option, but a necessity.
The fifth tip is; enroll in a debt management program with your creditors. This has the ability to consolidate your debts if your creditor will allow you to do so .
Next, ask your friends or family for a loan. If you can get one from them, see if they will do it for a zero percent interest. It may turn out to be a big help.
The seventh tip is to seek out some of that free government money that is being handed out these days. If this seems too good to be true, please note that many have done this. Its better to ask and get turned down than not to ask at all. This is probably the easiest of the "10 tips to avoid bankruptcy".
The next tip is quite obvious; avoid going into debt at all. Pay cash for everything, and your mind will always be at ease. If you prevent yourself from entering debt you avoid bankruptcy completely. This option is seldom taken and because of it, we are having the problems in society we see today.
The ninth tip is to get rid of the credit card debt you have. The rates on those cards are some of the worst rates you have for buying on credit. If you can pay off the cards, your battle is nearly won and you can avoid bankruptcy much easier.
The last tip is called "debt settlement" and may be the last-ditch attempt to avoid bankruptcy. With this option you stop paying your creditors and put the money they would be getting into a savings account. Later, after all the creditors are breathing down your neck for payment and threatening to enter you into bankruptcy, you use the money in the savings account to "settle" with them. This is a desperate attempt, but again may end up being the tip out of all the "10 tips to avoid bankruptcy" that works for you.
All of our articles are originals, if you liked this, check out Bankruptcy Help and get the help you need to avoid bankruptcy.
In recent weeks, the subject of employee tipping has received considerable attention in the media. There have been lawsuits in California, Massachusetts, and other states which should serve to remind employers about the importance of knowing and then following State and Federal laws on tipping.
In California, there are three critical rules which must be followed by employers:
1. No manager may take any portion of a tip left for an employee;
2. An employer may not offset any credit card processing fee against a tip left by a customer for an employee; and
3. Absolutely no portion of any tip received by any employee may be offset against the minimum wage of $8.00 per hour paid to an employee.
It is worth noting, however, that in California, a service charge by the business owner is not considered a tip for purposes of the California Labor Code provisions dealing with tipping.
There is still some controversy in California concerning the subject of tip pooling. Tip pooling is not automatically illegal in California. The controversy arises over what type of tip pooling arrangement is allowed.
The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement has traditionally took the strict view that in order for an employee to participate in the tip pool, he or she must render direct table service. Such a rule is both artificial and unworkable.
Take for example, the customer who orders a drink from his table. Should it make a difference in any tip pooling arrangement whether the bartender brings the drink to the table or whether the server delivers the drink?
Another example - in those restaurants where the cooking of the food is in plain view of the customers, should the cooks be prohibited from having even a small percentage of the tip?
Finally, if the dishes on which the food is served are not clean, then the customer will not enjoy the dining experience. Thus, should the dishwasher receive a tiny percentage from the tip pool?
In recent years, the Courts, especially the Federal Courts have rejected the artificial "direct table service" distinction. Rather these decisions leave it to the restaurateur to adopt a tip pooling plan. So long as that tip pooling plan is reasonable, it is likely to be upheld by the Courts. Obviously, the server should get the lion's share of any tip, with smaller percentages going to those who participate in the dining experience.
Given the attention that tipping and tip pooling has received in recent weeks, this is a good time for all employers to review their tipping and tip pooling practices to ensure that such practices are consistent with both State and Federal law.
Russell J. Thomas, Jr.
Attorney at Law
THOMAS & ASSOCIATES
4121 Westerly Place, Suite 101
Newport Beach, California 92660
Tel: (949) 752-0101
Fax: (949) 257-4756
Email: rthomas@rjtlawfirm.com
Web: http://www.rjtlawfirm.com
J.D., Harvard Law School, 1967
Specializes in Employment Law and Litigation; Offices in Southern California (Los Angeles and Orange County)
Remember this, buying the beer is not the most expensive part of the beverage cart girl's stop at your group. It's the tip that is expensive. You don't want to be known at the course as the cheap guy, so you should tip her well. Besides, if you want ( or need) her to show up more than once a round you will have to bribe her. That can get expensive. So you will have to decide whether to buy the beer of do the tip.
Do this before you tee off. Take a look at who you are playing with. Are they are bunch of drunks who will consume massive amounts of beer on the course. If so tip, man, tipping is the best option! And tell them that is what you are going to do. Then bribe the cart girl on the first trip, she will feel happy, she will come back, and then you can either stiff her on the next tip or just tip her less. Or you can be a good guy and tip her well all day long. Your choice, after all, you are the tipper.
Speaking of tips. I have a few for you.
$10.00 Golf swing tip number one.
There has never been a good golfer with a bad grip. So get your grip right. Unless you are new to the game, you already know that your grip is probably wrong. But you do it anyway because,"it feels good" so no excuses. A grip change is not easy, but it is a critical part of your simple golf swing. Most teaching pros will tell you what the correct grip is, then they will forget all about it knowing you won't do it anyway. Then they give you a $60.00 lesson with a bad grip. Man!
$10.00 Golf swing tip number two.
Have you ever chunked a chip shot that you had to get close to make par or even a bogey? There is absolutely nothing more aggravating, right? Here is the answer to this foolish and embarrassing mistake. Hit down! You have to hit down on the ball. Not one single thing else matters here. Hit down. Every good player does it, all poor players never do it. Hit down and the ball goes up. Hit down and you won't peek. Hit down and you put spin on the ball. Hit down and you won't hit it across the green low and hard. Hit down and you get a sweet feeling in your hands and arms and the ball reacts to this as if by magic.
$ 10.00 Golf swing tip number three.
You know that three foot putt that you are standing over. The one the breaks left to right by a foot or so. The one that, if you make it, will secure for you the best round you have ever had and you kick your playing partners rear end.
Do you know what I am talking about? If you played any amount of golf at all, you know exactly what I am talking about. So, do you make it or not? Dr. Bob Rotella, a noted sport psychologist who works with the best golfers in the world, says that one way to make more of these putts is to try less. WHAT! Yeah, I know it sounds nuts, but is it?
Take it to the practice green and see. Take 4 or 5 balls and put them in a circle around the hole. Say 5-10 feet away. On each putt, you want to try very hard to try less.
Do this often and you will find the medium amount of effort you need to make more putts. Once you have found this, you will need to practice a while using this level of trying. Soon it will become in your head and the next time you are faced with the game breaking putt. Well it ( your effort level) be in your head and you will execute.
This is an excellent tip. Worth more than $ 10.00.. I used this years ago to decrease my sense of disaster. It worked wonders. Try it. A reallly good golf swing tip.
$10.00 Golf Swing tip number four.
If someone tells you, that you hit a bad shot because you picked your head up. You can trust that you did not do that. It is not what you think. You did not pick your head up. It just looked like you did. WHAt?
Well stay with me here.
This golf swing tip is a tad complicated.
If you appeared to pick your head up on your golf swing, it means that you have not HIT DOWN on the ball. There is nothing else in the golf swing that matters. You must hit down. So try this. ( this is one of those I told you so moments) get a proper grip, you cannot consistently hit down on the ball if you have a bad grip. Sorry! Get a grip. Right hand a little more on top of the club, never under. Right hand a little more on the top. Right hand a little more on the top. Got it?
The very idea of hitting down on the ball is as old as the game itself. But to most, it is a little known secret and an impossible concept to grasp. But You must do it. You must, you must, you must.
Reasons why you did not hit down.
Your spine angle tipped back away from the ball. This creates an impossible angle problem for hitting down. What is it? Well it makes it impossible to hit down. Your weight is on your back foot, your hips are not under your shoulders anymore, they are ahead of them. And the only way to hit the ball is to hit up. Which is exactly what you do, and it looks like you " lifted your head up "
You stop this move by moving your hands and arms first toward the ball, pushing the club down and toward the ball with your RIGHT hand ( that now has the correct grip) and you do this first, before your body does anything at all. Want a key to this move?
$10.00 Golf Swing Tip number five:Keep your back to the target as long as you can.
$10.00 Golf Swing Tip number six: keep you left shoulder IN THE SWING as long as possible.
$10.00 Golf Swing Tip Number seven: Swing against you left side.
And the final $ 10.00 Golf Swing Tip :Do not allow your left shoulder to spin out of the swing before you hit down on the ball.
That's it, every thing here is stuff that all good players do and all bad players do not do. There is no reason in the whole world why you should not be able to shoot in the 80's and do it in a few days not months or years. See below for more
If you want to discover the secrets that the pros do and you don't, and see how you can shoot in the 80's in 10 days or less : http://www.ebooksbestbuy.com/golf
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Because there are no set guidelines when tipping, this can often create anxiety among vacationers and travellers. Of course, one of the biggest factors in determining how much to tip in is the quality of service. The tipping guidelines below are for good service. Any time you receive outstanding service, add a little more.
Cab Drivers
If your cab fare is less than $8, give the cabbie the change, and add $1. If the fare is $6.50, give the cabbie the 50 cents and $1 for the tip. If the fare is over $8, give the cabbie the change and $2.
Porters and Redcaps
Tipping $1 per bag is acceptable.
Bellmen
When a bellhop meets you at your car with a rolling cart, and then handles all of your bags, $5 is about right for a tip. Of course, the more bags you carry yourself, the less you should tip.
Hotel Maid Service
Upon checking out, leave from between $2 to $4 for each day you stayed. If You left it pretty messy, then add a little bit more.
Valet Parking
Tipping $2 is about right, when the valet shows some hustle and is courteous. If service is just ok, then $1 will do. Valets pool all their tips, so each individual, both arriving and leaving, will be taken care of.
Waiters
Whether at a full service restaurant, or ordering from room service, the standard gratuity should be at least 15% of the total tab before sales tax. If at a buffet or brunch, leave $2 per person for those who bring you drinks and bus your table.
Cocktail Waiters and Bartenders
Tip by each round. For two people, tip $1 for each round. If more than two people, tip $2 per round. If it is a larger group, use your judgment. If the drinks are complicated, with many different cocktail orders, then tip more. If it is a round of beers, then a smaller tip is acceptable.
Greg has been writing articles for nearly 4 years. Come visit his latest website over at http://www.SconceLightFixtures.com/ which helps people find the best sconce light fixtures and information they are looking for when doing home remodeling and decorating.
How much to tip a massage therapist can be a confusing thing. On one hand you have the spa massage therapist that can be put in the same group as nail technicians and hair stylists. Another group is sports massage therapists and medical massage therapists. Typically people in the medical profession don't receive tips for their services. Lastly, what if you are not from the United States? Different countries have different customs. For example, Canada reimburses its citizens for massage, thus massage is seen more as medical service versus a pampering service.
Below are listed the basic rules of how to tip a massage therapist:
Table Massage Tips Basic RulesMassage therapist in a spa or outcall massage (at your location) - 10-20% of the total bill.
Massage therapist in a medical environment, such as Chiropractor, etc. - normally no tipping*.
Chair Massage Tips Basic Rules
Chair massage that is paid by the customer - 10-20% of the total bill
Chair massage paid by an employer or trade show - normally no tipping*.
*If you do want to tip, ask what the establishment's guidelines are. Tipping may be against the company's policies or they might not mind. Each situation is different.
What if you don't want to tip?
An exception to all of the above is when a customer doesn't want to tip and it's not a reflection on the services they received. Customers have a right to not tip because tipping is a courtesy. Many massage therapists I know are grateful for tips and don't expect them. Tipping, and how much, is ultimately the decision of the customer.
Beware Hidden Tips
Lastly, a word of caution; in many tourist areas, a spa or salon will add a tip to the bill for the customer - without asking! This is an automatic process at many places. Then, because the customer is not aware of this, the customer will add a tip to the bill not realizing they're double tipping! This is an unfortunate reality that massage customers need to protect themselves from.
Hopefully this has answered all your massage tip questions. Remember, if in doubt; ask the massage therapist or company. They will be pleased that you care enough to want to tip.
A-Team Massage Orlando trust your loved ones with us, the best Orlando massage therapists in town!
The History Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling
No one knows when tipping began. But we do know that in the 1980's the IRS levied new regulations on restaurant owners to track the tips received by the employees of the restaurant.
The magic number of 8% became the benchmark for servers and waiters to declare as their tipped earned. Not because it was accurate. Rather, because it was the minimum amount allowed by the IRS.
The trick is this. Tipped employees in restaurants are generally not paid minimum wage. The amount varies from state to state but it runs between $2.15 to $3.15 per hour. The IRS assumes that the tips received will make up the difference between this low hourly amount and the true minimum wage that is currently $5.15 per hour. If this is not the case, then it is up to the restaurant owner to make up the difference between what the tipped employee earned + declared tips and minimum wage. This makes accurate tip declaration, tracking and reporting a vital aspect of running a restaurant.
The Need For Restaurant Employee Tip Handling
You need a employee time clock system that recognizes tipped employees, tracks their individual sales, any charge tips collected and requires them to declare cash tips at the end of their shift.
You also need a employee time clock system that can handle tip sharing, tip pooling and tip out to bus help, bartenders and other servers.
You need a employee time clock system that will track the hours worked and tips collected and recognize problems with employees not declaring enough tips to meet the minimum wage requirements.
The Solution Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling
Some point of sale software products have tip tracking built into their time in attendance module. Once you set an employee as a tipped employee the system will require tip declaration prior to clock out.
Servers and waiters who ring sales will have their total sales tracked. Tips collected through credit card sales are tracked and shown on the server closeout report. Prior to clock out the server/waiter will be shown their total sales, the charge tips collected and then asked to declare their cash tips.
Some point of sale products do allow for programming flexibility with this feature:
You may change the minimum declaration from the default of 8%.
You may change the requirement to declare tips at clock out.
You may opt to have the system print a chit with their tips shown.
You may opt to not show charge tips on the declaration screen.
The Benefit Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling To You
How do you measure the amount of relief a person can have knowing that your point of sale system is enforcing tip regulations levied by the IRS? Not to mention the mass amount of time savings in tracking declared tips, charge tips and hour worked for every tipped employee.
This is one headache you don't want to have to deal with. If you have tipped employees you need a good point of sale system with tip tracking and time and attendance.
About the Author
Jerry D. Wilson is Director of Internet Sales for DirecTouch Restaurant Point of Sale. With over 25 years of hospitality point of sale experience, he has written several articles explaining the benefits of touch screen and retail point of sale software. Please visit DirecTouch Do It Yourself Restaurant Point of Sale or DirectRetail Do It Yourself Retail Point of Sale for more information.
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With the number of pool cue tips available and the variety of sizes and densities, selecting a tip can be an overwhelming task. Cue tips are typically judged by tip density and materials. Tips can range from a density as low as 60 as with the Elk Master tips all the way to hard tips with density measurements of 90+. Which tip you choose depends on your goals as a pool player.
Tip Density
As you know, different tips have different densities or levels of hardness ranging from soft to extra hard. At its most basic level, the softer the pool cue tip, the more likely it is to mushroom or flatten out with each hit of the cue ball. What this means is that a soft tip will require more maintenance than a harder tip.
Many players that prefer a soft tip believe there is a relation between tip softness and English. The feeling is the softer the tip, the more English and control you gain over the ball. In addition, softer tips are typically easier to scuff and have better chalk retention.
The other camp has players who prefer a harder tip. Generally speaking, a harder pool cue tip will last longer and retain its shape better than a soft tip. With a hard tip, you'll be replacing your tip much less frequently than a soft tip. In addition, many players who enjoy hard tips feel that they can achieve more control and consistency with a hard tip.
Testing Tip Density
The most common way to do a basic density test is to simply push your thumbnail into the tip. The deeper your nail goes into the tip, the softer or less dense the tip is. A hard tip will not leave any impression at all, while a soft tip will leave a significant impression.
So Many To Choose From...
So now that you know a little about tips, which one should you buy? By far, the most popular tip on the market is the Le Pro Tip. Also known as Le Professional Tips, these tips are extremely affordable, are used by most production cues and as a medium-hard tip, will last a long time. Le Pro tips are found on most major brands and are excellent tips. On the soft side, the most popular and affordable tip is the Elk Master.
If you're ready to step up to a high end cue tip, consider Tiger tips or Moori tips. These tips are considerably more expensive, but are made with some of the highest quality hides on the market today. Moori tips, for example, are constructed with eleven layers of high quality pigskin and Tiger Sniper tips are made with a very sturdy boar hide.
Ultimately, every pool player will have a different opinion as to what is the best pool cue tip. The only way to choose the right tip for you is to find a tip that compliments your playing style.
For more information on how to play pool and where to find pool cues and more information about the game of pool visit us at www.pooldawg.com.
Mike Feiman
PoolDawg.com
New parents will often get a lot of parenting advice. People are more then willing to offer their experiences and their opinions on how to best raise a child. New parents can become overwhelmed at all the parenting advicesthat will come their way. People are often well meaning in their attempts to offer parenting tips, but they may not realize that a new parent may already have their own ideas on how to best raise their child.
The key to accepting a parenting idea is to take them and use your best judgment to decide if you are going to use them or not. There are often different schools of thought when it comes to parenting tips. You will find that you will be getting tips from many different people who have many different styles of parenting.
One of the most common groups is the older members of your family. It is common for them to give parenting tips that seem weird or even crazy. Back when they were raising children there was not as many studies or research and they were basically left to figure things out on their own. An older person may give tips that contradict the professional recommendations of today. They may say that it worked for them so it should work for you. They may recommend things that just seem funny, usually home remedy type things, which have been time tested and really do work. Older people have some great advice and sometimes, some not so great advice. They are worth listening to, though, because they really do have the experience and know what they are talking about.
You may also get parenting tips from friends who are members of the new age school of thought. These people base their parenting in large part on parenting books. They may follow a certain professional who is considered an expert in parenting. They will often recommended books you can read. Some of their suggestions may also seem strange, like playing music to the baby to make him smarter. You may find you actually agree with one certain style. These tips are usually tested and well thought out. You won't find any home remedies or old wives tales in these tips. Depending on your own philosophies on raising your child you may or may not listen to these tips.
Then there are the tips that come from the well meaning person, but often come across as more of an order then a tip. Most often these are going to come from the grandmas. The grandmas, you will find, will have more then enough tips to give you and they are never afraid to tell you all of them. The grandmas only want what is best for their grandchild, but sometimes they can be over whelming. It is common for them to just want to take matters in their own hands instead of actually telling you the tips. If you do not head their advice you may suffer because the grandmas believe their advice and tips are the only way to go.
The best way to handle parenting tips is to simply listen attentively to the tip giver. If you like the tip then let them know, otherwise you can simply thank them for their help. People give parenting tips with the best intentions in mind. They are not trying to say anything bad about your parenting, but rather help you out. People that give parenting tips are parents themselves and they understand how hard it is to raise a child, so they want to help make it easier for you.
Parenting tips can be quite helpful. It is almost impossible to simply raise a child on your own without ever seeking help from others. Parenting is a hard job and it takes many different people to help raise a child. You should always be open to haring parenting tips because you will get many helpful tips along the way. Just remember that some people are going to offer you tips you may not want to use and some will offer you a wealth of information. It is up to you to decide what tips are useful for you and which are not.
Learn more about parenting today. Visit Joseph's website as he shares his Parenting Skills & Tips
Strategic thinking applies to all that we do in business. Our business communications are one area where there is always room to be more strategic and therefore be more effective. Take a moment and think about some of the voicemail messages you receive each day. How many of them are effective? How many of them are efficient and contain the information and/or questions you really need to respond? How many of them are rambling and incoherent? And how many of them are downright annoying and a waste of your time?
Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has some ti=ps to share that will help you leave more effective and efficient voicemail messages and become a more strategic business communicator. Those tips include:
Tip #1: Always plan ahead. Prepare for your call and the possibility you will be asked to leave a voicemail message. Research your subject and your clients and/or prospects before you make your call and be prepared to reference that research in your voicemail message.
Tip #2: Practice delivering your voicemail message prior to placing the call so you are will prepared to deliver a well-planned voicemail message.
Tip #3: Do your homework to get to know the person who will get your voicemail message.
Tip #4: Make it a habit to leave your contact information up front in your voicemail message. This will make sure the receiver of your message knows how to contact you if the message gets cutoff before you finished. Always repeat your contact information at the end of your message (unless you have gotten cutoff).
Tip #5: Discipline yourself to focus on one topic in your voicemail message. If you have too many topics, please consider e-mail to be a more effective communications tool for multiple topics.
Tip #6: Provide enough detail in your voicemail, without using up all the available space for your message, so the receiver has what he or she needs to respond to your message and so you will not waste time playing phone tag.
Tip #7: Always speak distinctly and clearly to ensure your voicemail message will be understandable to the receiver. You should slow down and pronounce words carefully.
Tip #8: Please spell your name and/or any difficult or unusual words if your name is hard to pronounce or unusual, or if an unusual word may be difficult for the receiver to understand over the phone.
Tip #9: Always state who the voicemail message is for since some voice mail system may serve multiple people.
Tip #10: Keep your voicemail message simple and concise. A business message should be to the point and in as few words as necessary.
Tip #11: Always correct yourself if you misspeak in your voicemail message by starting that part of your message again and repeat it correctly.
Tip #12: Never leave the same voicemail message twice. Always change your voicemail message to include another great point or piece of information.
Tip #13: Leave yourself a voicemail message and listen to it carefully. Listen to the tonality of your voice. Ask yourself if you are not speaking in a monotone and if you sound boring. Avoiding the monotone and boring speaking will increase the effectiveness of your voicemail message and will increase the probability that it will actually be listened to by the receiver.
Tip #14: Set a goal to try to keep your voicemail message to under 60 seconds.
Tip #15: Make sure to state a reason for the recipient of your voicemail message to return your call.
Tip #16: Always speak with enthusiasm when leaving your voicemail messages. You should actually smile when leaving your voicemail message since your smile will come across on the phone.
Tip #17: Always know what you want from the receiver of your voicemail message and what specific action(s) you want that person to take.
Tip #18: Always reflect the appropriate emotion in your voicemail message.
Tip #19: Never state in the message that you will plan to call them back. Again, this only gives the person an excuse to ignore your message.
Tip #20: Consider the timing of your voicemail message. Do not leave voicemail messages at odd hours of the night. Most voicemail systems offer a time stamp and the person hearing the message may immediately suspect you really did not want to talk to them. The best hours to leave voicemail messages are from 6:45 AM to 8:00 AM and from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Aggressive people are usually working during these time periods, and the person receiving your message could potentially view you as one. And make wise use of time zone changes to make as many calls as possible during the optimal voicemail periods listed in the previous tip.
Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach encourages you to fully realize the benefits of strategic thinking in making you a more effective and efficient business communicator. If you would like to learn more about how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at http://www.businesscoach4u.com or by email at jgecoach@aol.com
Glenn Ebersole, Jr. is a multi-faceted professional, who is recognized as a visionary, guide and facilitator in the fields of business coaching, marketing, public relations, management, strategic planning and engineering. Glenn is the Founder and Chief Executive of two Lancaster, PA based consulting practices: The Renaissance Group, a creative marketing, public relations, strategic planning and business development consulting firm and J. G. Ebersole Associates, an independent professional engineering, marketing, and management consulting firm. He is a Certified Facilitator and serves as a business coach and a strategic planning facilitator and consultant to a diverse list of clients. Glenn is also the author of a monthly newsletter, ?Glenn?s Guiding Lines ? Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach? and has published more than 275 articles on business.
To find out more about the benefits & rewards of effectively working with a strategic thinking business coach, please contact Glenn Ebersole through his web site at http://www.businesscoach4u.com or jgecoach@aol.com
Many parents love to giving various parenting tips. If you are a parent, you may have encountered a number of them. We have to appreciate their advice as it is based on their experience and experience do count in any advises. However, you may be confused as you could be overloaded with tons of tips and advises. The key here is to know which one is suitable for you and which one may not be suitable.
Determining Usefulness
The first step is to determine if you can or want to use a tip. Obviously, you will ruin into tips that you just do not agree with or feel are just not for you. Those you can disregard. However, more often you will likely be unsure if a tip is useful. Try the following to see if those tips are useful for you:
- Ask yourself if it seem reasonable.
- Determine is you would actually do this.
- Think about how it would work for you and your kids.
If you are still not sure if the tip is good, what you can do it give it a try and see the result.
Trial and Error
As mentioned, the next thing to do is try the tips out. See if they do work. If something doesn't work then let it go. If that tip works for your kids, put it in your list of skills.
Sometimes you can not tell if something will work unless you give it a try and there is nothing wrong with that.
Ways to Use Them
Parenting tips come in many forms and you may wonder how the heck to even use a tip. Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed. When you get a good tip try writing it down and when a good time comes up use it. You do not have to feel pressured to change your style to parenting just because they are the best parenting tips in the world. Let them happen naturally. Use them if you need them. Do not impose yourself to apply the tips as you can drive yourself nuts and perhaps for your kids too.
Parenting tips can be nice. Do not immediately write them off. Try to see if you can use them and you may be surprised at what you can learn. It is amazing sometimes just how great parenting tips can be. Just do not let the people think that you are not a good parent because of your different approach to parenting. Parenting tips are given so that they can build up your skillset.
Be a better parent today! Find out how you can be a better parent by visit Joseph's website for more Parenting Tips. Visit us here ==> http://www.parentingskill.info
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Communicate to motivate!
Table of Contents
The Importance of Good Writing
TIP #1: Be Active, Not Passive
TIP #2: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say
TIP #3: Don't Be Verbose and Run On and On and Use More Words than You Really Need to Use to Get Your Point Across
TIP #4: Skip the Big Words. Your Reader is Not Impressed
TIP #5: Shorter is Usually Sweeter
TIP #6: Structure Your Paragraphs Logically
TIP #7: Are You Sure That's the Right Word?
TIP #8: Have a Conversation
TIP #9: Say What?
TIP #10: Avoid Qualifiers
TIP #11: Get Rid of Repetitive Redundancies
The Importance of Good Writing
Does your job require you to write? Anything at all? If not, you don't need this article. However, if you're occasionally called on to write a letter to a customer, instructions for a subordinate, details on the operation of a process, a training manual, an annual report, an article for the company newsletter, or even an email to a co-worker, you'll develop a reputation as a writer.
Will that reputation be good or bad? Will people enjoy reading your work - or cringe when they get something from you? Most of the time, that will depend on your writing style. People like to read things that are easy to understand, are written in plain English, and follow a logical progression of thought. Misspelled words, grammatical errors, and poor sentence structure are all distracting to your message. This booklet is not intended to be a primer on spelling or grammar, but you can greatly improve your writing just by following 11 simple tips.
TIP #1: Be Active, Not Passive
A common error is writing in the passive voice when active voice will sound better and make more sense. Active voice is usually preferred because it makes the sentence clearer and shorter.
Instead of this: The man was bitten by the dog.
Try this: The dog bit the man.
Instead of this: A rude noise was made by the student, and the principal was called by the teacher.
Try this: The student made a rude noise, and the teacher called the principal.
TIP #2: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say
Your writing shouldn't cause your reader to scratch his head and say, "Huh?".
Instead of this: If the Internal Revenue Service finds that an individual has received a payment to which the individual was not entitled, whether or not the payment was due to the individual's fault or misrepresentation, and whether or not the payment was due to a miscalculation by the Service, or some other type of error, nevertheless, the individual shall be liable to repay to the Department of the Treasury, the total sum of the payment to which the individual was not entitled.
Try this: If the IRS overpays you, regardless of the reason, you are required to return the amount of the overpayment.
TIP #3: Don't Be Verbose and Run On and On and Use More Words Than You Really Need to Use to Get Your Point Across
Some writers seem to enjoy long sentences. The go for quantity rather than quality. In reality, it takes more talent to be concise.
Instead of this: ABC Software, Inc. today announced its early adoption and planned use and support of Microsoft's new Visual Studio for Applications (VSA) technology as a fundamental component of the platform on which ABC Software's next-generation solutions will be built. ABC Software has a strong history of providing customers with solutions adaptable to unique business needs through award winning customization tools. VSA provides important capabilities that will enable ABC Software to take customization flexibility to more advanced levels in its next generation products.
Try this: ABC Software is one of the first to adopt Microsoft's new Visual Studio Applications (VSA) technology. ABC has a history of providing customization tools that are adaptable to a wide variety of business needs. Using VSA will enable ABC to create even more advanced versions of its software.
TIP #4: Skip the Big Words. Your Reader is Not Impressed.
Some writers believe that they'll be more highly respected or appear to be smarter if they use big words. In reality, however, most people are put off by that. The writer appears to be a pompous show-off. Just say what you mean in plain English!
Instead of this - Try this:
additional - extra
advise - tell
attempt - try
commence - start
consequently - so
forward - send
individual - man or woman
initial - first
in excess of - more than
in the event of - if
numerous - many
on receipt - when we get
on request - if you ask
particulars - details
persons - people
prior to - before
regarding - about
referred to as - called
sufficient - enough
terminate - end
TIP #5: Shorter is Usually Sweeter
A good rule of thumb is to let each sentence accomplish just one thing. Too many ideas in one sentence make it confusing. Instead of stringing several ideas together, simply put each one into a separate, shorter sentence.
Instead of this: The government and financial community in The Bahamas appreciates the need for companies to operate under the laws of a jurisdiction which minimizes taxation, reporting requirements and bureaucratic intervention while providing flexibility for operation in a liberal and concessionary environment.
Try this: The government and banking community in The Bahamas recognizes that companies want to pay less taxes. Those same companies want to be free of onerous reporting requirements and bureaucratic interference. The Bahamas allows businesses to operate freely and will even provide concessions to attract them to the islands.
TIP #6: Structure Your Paragraphs Logically
It's very confusing to the reader if your thoughts jump back and forth instead of following a logical progression. From reading magazines and newspaper articles, most of your readers will expect you to start with a generality, and then continue with more detail and specific examples.
You may do this without thinking when you are speaking. You pass a friend in the hall at work who asks what you did the night before. You stop and tell her that you went to a great new restaurant where the food and service were outstanding. You tell her the name of the place, where it's located, and say, "You should check it out." By that point in the conversation, it's time to get back to work.
Later, you go out to lunch with another friend, and spend an hour together. She asks you the same question and you start your answer exactly the same way. But since you have more time, and she is truly interested, you start giving her details. You mention who you were eating with, gossip about who else you saw there, list every item on the extensive dessert menu, and describe the ambience of the place in intricate detail.
When you write something, your readers will be in a variety of locations and circumstances when they receive your communication. You want to be sure you write the most important messages at the beginning, and then go into more detail for those who have the time and interest.
TIP #7: Are You Sure That's the Right Word?
Much has been written about how confusing the English language is for those who are trying to learn it for the first time. But writers know it can also be confusing for those who have spoken and written the language their entire life! Here are 55 sets of words that writers frequently confuse - and a quick review of their proper usage:
Affect - to influence;
Effect - result
All ready - prepared;
Already - at this time
All right - satisfactory;
Alright - incorrect usage
All together - a group;
Altogether - completely
Allude - to refer to;
Elude - to evade
All Ways - by all means;
Always - forever
Any way - by any method;
Anyway - in any case;
Anyways - incorrect usage
Appraise - to estimate a value;
Apprise - to tell
Ascent - upward movement;
Assent - to agree
Assistance - help;
Assistants - helpers
Bare - naked;
Bear - carry;
Bear - animal
Beside - next to;
Besides - also
Born - brought into existence;
Borne - carried
Brake - stop;
Break - shatter
Buy - purchase;
Bye - goodbye;
By - next to
Capital - the seat of government;
Capitol - a building where a legislature meets
Compliment - praise;
Complement - to enhance or complete
Connote - to imply;
Denote - to indicate
Continual - occurs regularly;
Continuous - never stops
Correspondence - written communications;
Correspondents - people who write the communications
Desert - leave behind;
Desert - an arid land;
Dessert - after dinner course
Device - invention;
Devise - to invent
Discreet - prudent, circumspect;
Discrete - separate, distinct
Disinterested - unbiased;
Uninterested - indifferent
Elicit - to bring out;
Illicit - illegal
Except - other than;
Accept - to receive
Fair - average;
Fair - beautiful;
Fair - just;
Fare - fee for transportation
Farther - literal distance;
Further - to a greater extent
Forward - toward the front;
Foreword - introductory note
Gorilla - a large primate;
Guerrilla - non-conventional warfare
Hanged - past tense of hang (execution of a criminal);
Hung - past tense of hang (as with a picture on the wall)
Heard - past tense of "hear";
Herd - group of animals
Illusion - misperception;
Allusion - indirect reference
It's - contraction of "it is";
Its - possessive of "it"
Lead - to be out in front;
Lead - heavy metal;
Led - past tense of being out in front
Lessen - to make less;
Lesson - something learned
Overdo - to carry too far;
Overdue - past due
Passed - past tense of "pass";
Past - a time gone by
Patience - forbearance;
Patients - clients of a doctor
Peace - absence of war;
Piece - part of something
Presence - being somewhere;
Presents - gifts
Principal - head of a school;
Principal - holder of a high position in a business;
Principal - sum of money that earns interest;
Principle - a rule or standard
Raise - to lift up;
Raze - to tear down
Residence - a house;
Residents - people who live in a house
Respectfully - courteously;
Respectively - in the order mentioned
Right - correct;
Rite - religious ceremony
Sight - something seen;
Site - a place;
Cite - quote an authority
Some time - a period of time;
Sometime - at an unspecified point in time
Stationary - not moving;
Stationery - writing paper
Straight - not bent;
Strait - passageway through water
Tenant - a renter;
Tenet - strongly held belief
Their - possessive of "they";
There - not here;
They're - contraction of "they" and "are"
Waiver - give up a right;
Waver - to be indecisive
Who's - contraction of "who" and "is";
Whose - possessive of "who"
Your - possessive of "you";
You're - contraction of "you" and "are"
TIP #8: Have a Conversation
For most things that you write, an informal tone is not only appropriate, but easier to read. Unless you're writing a scholarly paper on some rare disease for your next medical convention, you should avoid the use of jargon.
Don't think of your readers first as engineers or bankers or lawyers or business executives or co-workers. Think of them first as people who have plenty to do and don't want to labor over their reading.
Good communication involves more than speaking and listening, or writing and reading. It involves clarity on the part of the writer, and understanding on the part of the reader. It involves an interaction between two or more human beings. Your writing should be as easy to read and understand as your conversation around the water cooler. And especially avoid whatever buzzwords, business jargon, and clichés are currently in vogue.
Just imagine if people talked the way some of them write. You might get a voice mail like this:
"Hey George, let's think outside the box, examine our core competencies, interface with our strategic alliances, and see if we're on the same page. I figure it's a win-win and a no-brainer. We should just touch base, and then hit the ground running. I figure if we're proactive, we'll find some great synergy. Going forward, I think this will not only be an important value proposition, but may even be mission-critical. I just wanted to give you a heads-up that it needs to be tonight, because I'm out of pocket all weekend. At the end of the day, I think we'll find we've missed some things that weren't on our radar screen. Bottom line, it's all about positioning. And remember we need to walk the walk. After all, there is no "I" in team and we need to go for result-driven empowerment. So keep me in the loop, okay?"
Wouldn't this jargon-free voice mail be easier to understand:?
"Hey George. Let's invite a couple of girls out for a date. It would have to be tonight because I'll be gone for the weekend. We've been saying we have to get out more. It'll be fun! Call me back when you get a chance, okay?"
Remember to write more like you talk.
TIP #9: Say What?
Read what you've written out loud! Sometimes that will reveal problems that you don't "hear" in your mind when you proof your own work. You may know precisely what you mean when you write the sentence, and still have it be totally misunderstood.
Sometimes the problem comes from moving your subject and verb too far apart in the sentence.
Instead of this: President Bush wrote his State of the Union address while traveling from Washington to Omaha on the back of a menu.
Try this: President Bush wrote his State of the Union address on the back of a menu while traveling from Washington to Omaha.
Instead of this: Dr. Smith has been writing a treatise on the history of diabetes research since the early 1900s.
Try this: Dr. Smith has been writing a treatise. It discusses the history of diabetes since the early 1900s.
TIP #10: Avoid Qualifiers
Your writing will typically be stronger if you avoid certain qualifiers. No, that's not right. Your writing is stronger when you avoid certain qualifiers. Do you see the difference when the word "typically" is removed from the previous sentence?
"Typically" is one of dozens of qualifiers that people use both in their writing and speaking. Other examples are "possibly", "nearly", "approximately", "likely", "sort of", "maybe", "try to", "believed to be", "should be", "usually", "most", "sometimes", "occasionally", "I think", "perhaps", "roughly", and "generally".
The use of too many qualifiers in your writing will make you sound unsure of yourself, or worse yet - evasive.
Instead of this: The food was somewhat tasteless.
Try this: The food was tasteless. or The food was bland.
Instead of this: It was a fairly hot day.
Try this: It was a hot day.
TIP #11: Get rid of repetitive redundancies
A redundancy is unnecessarily using two or more words that mean the same thing - like repetitive redundancies. The second word is excessive and superfluous. Here are some examples of redundancies to avoid:
o small in size
o I thought to myself
o all-time record
o money-saving coupon
o join together
o merge together
o young child
o unexpected surprise
o hollow tube
o academic scholar
o past history
o honest truth
o close proximity
o previously recorded
o mental telepathy
o refer back
o added bonus
o bare naked
o consensus of opinion
o hot water heater
o it's raining outside
o passing fad
o surrounded on all sides
o unsolved mystery
o puppy dog
These few tips probably won't win you a Pulitzer Prize or get you elected President, but hopefully you've learned enough to make your next writing assignment easier and more enjoyable...for you AND the reader!
©2005, Daniel P. Stuenzi, All Rights Reserved
Dan Stuenzi is a freelance marketing copywriter from Omaha, Nebraska. For a free monthly Business & Marketing E-newsletter, visit his website at http://www.wordsmithusa.com
Do you think that your choice in tips is the right choice or simply politically correct? What I mean by politically correct is, is your choice in tips controlled by the opinion of your peers or some professional player that you know, or is it based on fact? By the end of this article you should be able to answer this question for youself.
## What are the differences in pool cue tips? ##
As you probably already know, you have everything from very soft singlepiece animal skin tips from various types of animals (elk, cow, water buffalo and cape buffalo) to very hard single piece animal skins. There is also the laminated tips ranging anywhere from three to fifteen layers. The laminated tips also range from soft to extremely hard using various animal skins and tannages. The end result is a myriad of confusing choices. I would like to unmuddy the water for you somewhat. All of these variables can impact power, accuracy, and your sight picture.
First let's assume that you already know that the shape or radius of the tip is of utmost importance and must be maintained at all times during gameplay. That very important shape that I just mentioned is the radius of a dime (roughly) or a "0.375" radius. In other words, hold a dime edgewise up to your tip and look over the top... If it does not match the shape or radius of a dime on the top of your tip, you've already got a problem.
When the ball is struck by the tip, the portion of the tip that takes the force is no more than an eighth of an inch offcenter in all directions. This is true regardless of whether you've struck the cue ball a sixteenth off center, or a full tip off center. What this radius does is generate the force, regardless of where it is struck, to the center of the tip and down through the center of your cue. Soft tips create more distortion than harder tips. In otherwords, a larger area of the tip makes contact and wraps around the cue ball in the case of a soft tip.
This may give you more tip confidence, particularily if you're a beginner, because you will miscue less, despite having a sloppy stroke; but, the price you will pay is less power and a whole lot more deflection of the cue ball, because you have moved all of the tip to one side of the cue ball with virtually no penetration. On the other hand, a hard tip will focus the energy in a much smaller area at impact and will give you a higher degree of penetration. When I speak of penetration, I mean the force being directed to the cue ball by virtue of the direction the cue is being swung or pointed and that force penetrates the cue ball in the direction that the shaft or cue is being driven. As an added bonus, a harder tip lasts longer.
## What about miscueing with hard cue tips? ##
The simple fact of the matter is, that the small, glasslike particles of chalk, which cause the friction, are held higher up on the surface on a hard tip so that they will penetrate deeper into the surface of the cueball at impact. A soft tip allows more particles to come into contact because of it's increased tip surface at impact; however, though there be more particles in contact with the cue ball, it does not penetrate the cue ball as deeply and therefore creates less friction per particle. Bottomline: You have the choice of either more particles penetrating less or fewer particles penetrating more... The net total friction is about a trade-off. Whether the tip you choose is one single piece of hide or laminated multipe pieces of hide, the key issue is the more penetration means more accuracy, more power, and tremendously less cue ball deflection and negative effects on your sight picture. As a side note: You've probably noticed, if you've played much, that a tip plays its best just before it has to be changed. This is because it has been pounded enough through constant play to make the tip more dense (harder in all areas).
## What does Meucci Originals do with this information? ##
After testing every tip on the market, and measuring it's resultant power and deflection variation, we have found that a hard tip with even harder outside edges around the circumference will perform the best. Harder outside edges so that the energy is directed into the cue will be focused more towards the center of the shaft, while at the same time keeping the outside walls of the tip from breaking down. There is only two ways to get this result: 1. A hard water buffalo tip. or 2. To compress the tip of your choice as hard as you can, then shape to a dime radius and then pound the outside edges to further harden the circumference and reshape that area to be once again a dime radius.
We take both the latter and former choice at Meucci Originals with the well-known Le Professional tips or hard water buffalo tips. I hope I haven't caused you even more confusion. I think the choice should now be simple: your choice should be made according to knowledge and experience instead of the fashion of the day.
Bob Meucci is the owner of a pool cue manufacturing company. More information (including pricing on tips) can be found at Budget Billiards cue tips page.