10-ways-to-empower-your-communication

"A Piece of Blarney Stone" 10 ways to empower your communication

The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).

There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.

1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.

4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.

5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.

6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.

7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.

8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.

9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.

And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.

Caterpillar D Series

The CAT (Caterpillar) 420D and 430D backhoe loaders
are the high performance machines in the D series
lineup.  The 420D boasts 85 HP and a backhoe digging
depth of 14 feet when equipped with a standard
stick.

The 430D offers 94 HP and a backhoe digging depth
of 15 feet when it is equipped with a standard
stick.  By using an extendible stick, you can
push the digging depth of the 420D to 18 feet and
the depth of the 430D to 19 feet, which is very
impressive to say the least.

Both D series machines are available in IT
(Integrated Toolcarrier) configurations for
applications that benefit from a parallel lift
loader linkage and the versatility of quick work
tool changes through the use of a versatile
hydraulic quick coupler.  Applications include the
use of pallet forks, material handling arms,
brooms, and even buckets.

The new and improved pilot operated hydraulic backhoe
and IT loader controls will help to ensure smooth,
precise operation with reduced effort on behalf of
the operator.  These backhoes use excavator type
joystick controls, and an optional pattern change
valve which allows you to select the patern of
control.

The 205 degree rotation that is offered by the
backhoe bucket linkage will make it easier to dig
vertical walls and clamp material when loading
trucks.  The rotation with the D series is 40
degrees more than with the C series.  Now, the
backhoe buckets feature a single pin position,
with the bucket link featuring an integrated
lifting eye as well.

The optional quick coupler you can get for the
backhoe will allow fast changes of working tools
for increased versatility and flexibility in
almost all applications.

Both of the D series backhoe loaders use the
turbocharged, direct injection, four cylinder diesel
engine, with a displacement of 4.0 liters.  This
engine offers superior lug performance which is
mostly due to the responsive fuel injection
system.

The standard power shuttle transmission provides
four forward speeds and four speeds in reverse
as well.  Fully synchromesh in all gears will
permit on the go shifting, while the forward and
reverse electric power shuttle will provide
instant direction changes through powered
clutches.

The auto shifting feature will automatically
shift between second gear and the highest gear
selected for ease of operation.  The auto shift
feature has five forward and three reverse gears,
with a transmission kick switch on the lever of
the loader control.

With D series loaders, you'll also have the choice
of standard two wheel drive or all wheel drive,
which you can engage easily on the go, under
heavy load, by pressing a switch that is located
on the front console.

The D series loaders from CAT are very fast and
versatile as well, as they will move faster than
most types of backhoes on the market.  The
diesel engines are very fast, while the machine
has enough traction and control to keep you
moving even in wet or muddy conditions.

The variable load sensing hydraulic system will
adjust the flow and pressure of the machine to
meet the demands of work with an increased
pressure of 3,300 PSI.  The hydraulic system is
tuned to work efficiently with the engine, and
it provides full hydraulic force to the working
tool on hand at any engine speed you desire.

Unlike other backhoe loaders, the D series will
reduce demands on the operator, cut fuel consumption
in half, reduce wear on the engine, and allow
for quieter operation.  To make a long story
short - the D series from CAT are among the best
backhoe loaders that money can buy - bar none.

Bulldozer

The bulldozer is a very powerful crawler that is
equipped with a blade.  The term bulldozer is often
used to mean any type of heavy machinery, although
the term actually refers to a tractor that is fitted
with a dozer blade.

Often times, bulldozers are large and extremely
powerful tracked vehicles.  The tracks give them
amazing ground mobility and hold through very rough
terrain.  Wide tracks on the other hand, help to
distribute the weight of the dozer over large areas,
therefore preventing it from sinking into sandy or
muddy ground.

Bulldozers have great ground hold and a torque
divider that's designed to convert the power of the
engine into dragging ability, which allows it to
use its own weight to push heavy objects and even
remove things from the ground.  Take the Caterpillar
D9 for example, it can easily tow tanks that weight
more than 70 tons.  Due to these attributes,
bulldozers are used to clear obstacles, shrubbery,
and remains of structures and buildings.

The blade
The blade on a bulldozer is the heavy piece of
metal plate that is installed on the front.  The
blade pushes things around.  Normally, the blade
comes in 3 varieties:
1.  A straight blade that is short and has
no lateral curve, no side wings, and can be used
only for fine grading.
2.  A universal blade, or U blade, which is
tall and very curved, and features large side wings
to carry more material around.
3.  A combination blade that is shorter,
offers less curvature, and smaller side wings.

Modifications
Over time, bulldozers have been modified to evolve
into new machines that are capable of things the
original bulldozers weren't.  A good example is
that loader tractors were created by removing the
blade and substituting a large volume bucket
and hydraulic arms which will raise and lower the
bucket, therefore making it useful for scooping
up the earth and loading it into trucks.

Other modifications to the original bulldozer
include making it smaller to where it can operate
in small working areas where movement is very
limited, such as mining caves and tunnels.  Very
small bulldozers are known as calfdozers.

History
The first types of bulldozers were adapted from
farm tractors that were used to plough fields. In
order to dig canals, raise earth dams, and partake
in earthmoving jobs, the tractors were equipped
with a thick metal plate in the front.  Later
on, this thick metal plate earned the name blade.

The blade of the bulldozer peels layers of soil
and pushes it forward as the tractor advances.
The blade is the heart and soul of the bulldozer,
as it was the first accessory to make full use
for excavation type jobs.

As the years went by, when engineers needed
equipment to complete larger jobs, companies such
as CAT, Komatsu, John Deere, Case, and JCB started
to manufacture large tracked earthmoving equipment.
They were very loud, very large, and very powerful
and therefore earned the nickname "bulldozer".

Over the years, the bulldozers got bigger, more
powerful, and even more sophisticated.  The
important improvements include better engines,
more reliable drive trains, better tracks, and
even hydraulic arms that will enable more precise
manipulation of the blade and automated controls.
As an added option, bulldozers can come equipped
with a rear ripping claw to break up pavement or
loosen rocky soil.

The best known manufacturer of bulldozer is CAT,
which has earned a vast reputation for making
tough and durable, yet reliable machines.  Even
though the bulldozer started off a modified farm
tractor, it rapidly became one of the most useful
pieces of equipment with excavating and construction.

HABITS THAT SHOW IMPROPER UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN

Dear Parents,
HABITS THAT SHOW IMPROPER UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN
Please, carefully look at the list below and identify where you may want to make amends on yourself or on the young ones you are bringing up.
Children, if not properly groomed may never get to the top in life, even if both parents are at the top of their careers.
Manners take you to where your education can't irrespective of your status, wealth or your reach or influence.
1) Going to your child's school indecently dressed. Think again.
2) Speaking rashly to your child's teacher.
3) Cursing, using foul language or swear words in front of your children.
4) Using makeup on children.
5) Dressing your little children up indecently (they loose their sense of Princesshood).
6) Putting earrings on your son's ears.
7) Your child hold the cup or glassware by the brim and you don't correct.
8) Your children don't greet and you just feel they will come around one day because they have a mood swing. ( You will be blamed for it)
9) Your children eat with their mouth opened and you feel they will grow up some day.
10) Your children bring home something you did not buy for them and you say nothing. (that is the beginning of stealing)
11) They talk back at you and you conclude it's okay since you are a 21st century Mummy. (You will hate yourself if they do that outside and they are disciplined )
12) They interrupt when you are speaking with another adult and you think they are bold and clever. (Its really bad manners)
13) They exercise authority over the nanny and domestic staff and you let them be. (that is bad parenting)
14) They say things like "my driver is on his way..."
I do not advocate that children should call your domestic staff aunty or brother, calling them by name when they are not young people is not poise either. The use of Miss, Mr or Mrs will look good on them.
15) Your children don't say a 'thank you' when they have been helped or served something and you are cool with that. (Bad parenting)
16) When your children cannot stand children who are less privileged.
18) When they pick their nose with their hands.
19) When they don't wash their hands after visiting the washroom or after returning from school or outside visits.
20) When your children take something from the fridge without taking permission. (Bad parenting)
21) When your children don't knock on closed doors and wait for a response before opening the door.
22) When your children don't collect from your hands items you brought in as you walk into your home.
23) When your children request for a bribe to carry out their home chores or extra task. (That is disgraceful )
24) When your children act like their grand parents irritate them.
25) When your children have not learnt to get up from the chair for the elderly or visitors to sit.
26) When your child tells a lot of lies. (You will both cry in the future)
27) When your child asks "who is that?" at a knock on your door instead of "please, who is there."
28) When your child is always seated by your visitors when being served drinks etc.
29) When your children still point their fingers at other people.
30) When your children play and jump around when prayers are going on.(age 4 above). Don't be a 21st Century parent who can't correct a child. Train your child in the way of the Lord so that when he grows up he will not depart from it. IT IS BETTER TO LET YOUR CHILDREN CRY AT AN EARLY AGE WHEN YOU CORRECT THEM, IF NOT YOU WILL BOTH CRY AT NIGHT WHEN THEY BRING DISGRACE TO THE FAMILY WITH BAD AND TERRIBLE BEHAVIOURS (PROVERBS 23:13).
Please circulate to all parents and grandparents that are on your contact list to assure us all a better future. God bless you.

How to choose an attorney?

Throughout the course of your legal problems, you will have to make some
tough decisions – If you were involved in an accident then you have to
choose between bringing criminal damages or press with a plaintiff case, if
you have a small business and you were involved in a deal, then you have to
decide whether to sign it or let it pass. There is no clear-cut answer in
many of these dilemmas, and getting the right lawyer is crucial to you. We
examine the perks of choosing a lawyer in a pre-paid legal plan as opposed
to hiring your own lawyer, and some simple steps you can take to choose a
good attorney.

The number one criterion has to do with a lawyer’s legal ability: someone
who lays the law down for you, present you with options, explain the
ramifications of each decision you make and give you recommendations on the
best course of action. In this day and age of complicated legal matters,
many lawyers are increasingly specialised and you stand to get better
information from someone with a practice focus in a particular area of the
law than a generalist who deals with a broad spectrum of legal issues.
Building rapport is also very important: your relationship with your lawyer
can make or break your case. You need a lawyer who gives you candid advice
and council you can trust, someone with enough perspective to step back
from an issue and look at it from all perspectives.

Client-lawyer relationships are very limited within a pre-paid legal plan.
Because of “preventive” nature of most plans, your contact with your
lawyer will be limited on many occasions. You seldom get to talk to your
lawyer face-to-face – as most of the consultation is done over the phone
– and even when you get to talk to them, it’s difficult to build rapport
when your office consultations are limited to a dozen hours a year.

The good news, however, is you still have some options left. When you sign
up for a legal plan, you get to choose your lawyer and there is a number of
steps you can take to increase the likelihood of getting a good lawyer.
First, you need to ask for referrals from previous clients. Ask around
about good attorneys in the network. Once you get a few names, check their
educational background, their qualifications and their professional track
record with your state’s bar association.
After you receive your referrals, don’t shy away from setting up interviews
with attorneys in the network. Most don’t mind receiving enquiries about
what they do and how able there are. |Ask tough questions: How long have
they been in practice? How satisfied are their previous clients? How many
legal problems of interest to you have they taken recently?

Utilizing the secrets of opti lists

Emails are replacing regular mails from the post office. Not only because it is cheaper, since you do not need to buy a stamp, it’s also definitely faster. Emails can be sent in as fast as five seconds, depending on the server, anywhere in the world.

No doubt emails are being used to distribute news letters, promotional mails, and other stuff. How then would you be able to round up email addresses to send those marketing mails you have? Here is where an opt-in list comes in.

An opt-in list is a directory of email address you can send to those mails to. Though it seems to be easy to find email addresses, if you are talking thousands in numbers, it is going to be hard. Besides, you have to determine the recipient of the email. You wouldn’t want your readers mostly male if you are selling lipsticks, right?

A good opt-in list should include the profile of the email address owner. Here are tips on how to create a comprehensive opt-in list for target market.

Create your website.
Creating a website is made simple nowadays. A lot of programs are milling about assisting regular computer users in making and maintaining websites in a real simple way. Some website creator just needs you to cut and paste, like that of a regular paint program. Several web hosting sites are available too. Some are even free. If you have a site of your own, you can ask visitors to register with you or sign your guest book as they leave.

Set up a promotion or a freebie.
Not all the best things in life are free, as they say. But you can definitely try to give something out for sure. You can see this done all over the web. Free screensavers, free games, free download of programs. And what do they need from you? They just ask for an email address, your name and a little something more about you. Then you can place a check box on the registration form for sending of email. For sure, you can think of something to give out as well.

Write and write some more.
There are some web magazines where in readers can submit their writings for a particular topic. If you had a chance to do so, add a link to your article providing information about what you are trying to promote. Some readers of your article may enjoy your work so much they’d like to contact you, so don’t forget to leave your email address too.

Pose an easy opt-out option.
People who like to join your opt-in list would, along the way may want to opt out of it somehow. People who are wary of joining may not join at all if they see that it would be near impossible to remove their email address from the listing. Show them that it is as easy to opt-out as it is opting in.

Check other’s strategy too.
It would be better if you can find a partner in generating an opt-in list. This way, you can split the expenses and both of you can share the list generated. It will be best to partner with a company that has a business similar to your own line. Both of you can profit more should that be the case.

Use offline ways too.
You can put up a small raffle preferably in a supermarket for a certain item they buy. You can place an email address opt-in part in the raffle entry to add to your list. This way, you’d also know the buying preferences of the participants if you mark the entries systemically.

Creating an opt-in list entails a lot of work and funds. You should outline how much you will spend in creating an opt-in list. People appearing at opt-in lists are sales prospects. They are those interested in a certain product that you may be selling. Obtaining an optimal opt-in list would boost your sales up so these tools are undoubtedly essential.

Acquire an opt-in list now or generate one. Either way, you are reaching to people that can be your one of your treasured customers for a long period time.

Handicraft Gift Idea: Make an Apron

If you are looking for a handicraft gift idea to make for someone special, perhaps that person would like an apron.  When we think of aprons, we often think of mothers and grandmothers in the kitchen, but men can often benefit from having an apron as well.  They often enjoy barbecuing, for one thing.  They also can use an apron in the workshop.  Children, too, can use an apron for many of their activities, such as arts and crafts.    Here are simple instructions for making a handicraft gift of an apron that can be adapted for anyone.

Start with a piece of sturdy fabric suitable for the individual for whom you are making the handicraft gift.  The fabric needs to be wide enough to wrap 1/2 to 3/4 of the way around them and long enough to cover them from collar bone to just above the knee.  For a large adult, 25 to 30 inches wide by 36 to 40 inches long should be about right.  A slimmer adult can use a narrower apron, but if they will be wiping their hands on the sides of it, they might appreciate the extra width.  An apron for a child of 10 could start with a piece of fabric about 18 inches wide by 25-30 inches long.

The best types of fabric to use are sturdy cottons, such as medium weight denim or twill.  Soft cottons such as broadcloth or muslin are all right in the kitchen, but will not last long, and would not hold up in the garden or workshop at all.  Other materials you'll need are thread and a sewing machine.  You will also need enough extra fabric to make a strap to go around the neck, ties for the back, and pockets.

When designing the handicraft gift, you can be as creative as you like with pockets.  Every apron is more useful with pockets.  A person who cleans houses, for instance, can use pockets for odds and ends they pick up as well as for their spray bottles, sponges, and scrub brushes.

To make the apron, fold the piece of fabric lengthwise.  This will allow you to cut the shape with one cut, making the two sides symmetrical.   What you will be shaping when you make the cut will be the bib section of the apron.  The bib for an adult sized apron will need to be about 9 inches wide.  Measure from the fold about 5-1/2 inches.  This is half the width of the bib plus an inch to fold under twice to form a hem.  The piece you will cut off the side to shape the bib will be a half bullet shape with the tip of the bullet being where the ties will be attached.  The length of the half bullet shape should be about a foot, and the width will be from the spot you marked 5-1/2 inches from the fold to the outside edge of the fabric.  When these pieces are cut off, the result should be an apron shaped piece of fabric.

Now decorate the apron with pockets and any other decorations you desire.  After this it is time to fold under the edges all around and stitch down with sturdy stitching for a nice hem all around the handicraft gift.  Cut two pieces of fabric a yard long by two inches wide.  Fold lengthwise and fold raw edges to the inside.  Press and stitch down along the length to make the ties.  Attach the ties at the waist of the apron handicraft gift.  (If these ties seem a little long, it is because a lot of people like to bring the ties to the front and tie them there.)  Cut another piece of fabric 18 to 20 inches long by 5 inches wide fold in half lengthwise and press.  Press again with the raw edges of the long side tucked under 1/2 inch.  Stitch down the open side.  Attach this piece to the sides of the top of the bib, sewing it to the back of the bib and topstitching on the front side of the bib.  Be careful not to twist it when you attach it.

People who work hard at homemaking, barbecuing and in the workshop will appreciate a handicraft gift of a sturdy apron.  Mostly they will appreciate the effort and design you have put into making a handicraft gift that they can use.