Outsourcing Is It For My Business?

A Home Based Business Who Why When and Where To Start?

French Agency Releases Ufo Files: Don't Start Serving The Crepes Just Yet!

CNES and Geipan placed over thirty years worth of UFO investigation materials online as of Thursday, March 22, 2007. CNES is the official French Space Agency and Geipan is an agency of the French National Police. Are the files a hot Smoking Gun, or just another order of cold French Fries?

CNES receives about fifty to one hundred UFO reports each year. The investigative process they use is convoluted and quite different from what most Americans would expect. Geipan apparently does most of the field work, prepares reports and passes everything on to CNES. Scientists and Engineers take a look at that data and prepare some sort of final report or appraisal of the matter in question.

Jacques Patenet, the aeronautical engineer who heads the office for the study of on-identified aerospatial phenomena has said that he data that we are releasing doesn't demonstrate the presence of extraterrestrial beings. But it doesn't demonstrate the impossibility of such presence either. The questions remain open.

On the day of the announcement and press conference, CNES security was tight. While calling the release ?a world first? and glowing over his nation?s openness about the UFO subject, Patenet failed to explain the need o screen out uninvited UFOlogists as an explanation for the added security. This hardly provides evidence for anyone to believe the agency?s files represent a fair and unbias look at the phenomenon. However, compared to the actions of their American counterpart, this is like allowing people to walk into French Intelligence Headquarters and browse through their files.

Every time American UFO Researchers ask their own space agency for any information about astronaut encounters or unusual phenomenon encountered by space probes, NASA clams up and sends out the debunkers en force. Although many Astronauts have been forthcoming and very honest about what they have seen in space, the space agency always slams the door on them. More than a few have been hit right between the eyes by NASA which claims that the Astronaut statements were the results of space sickness, fatigue or depression. But before we give the French too big a pat on the back, let?s look at what?s being released.

The CNES-Geipan reports only represent what people have reported to the French Government as UFO sightings and encounters. This is in no way, shape or form a release of information that allows us to examine all that the French know about the phenomenon. Although the investigations have obviously been handled in a more competent and professional manner, this is really little more than a French version of the U.S. Project Blue Book Report.

We have seen these types of releases before over the past several decades. In each case, the information came from individual government agencies, not the government itself. I recall when everyone got all excited about the release of the KFB files on UFOs. I was unimpressed. That?s because I received official Russian News Articles and private newsletters published in countries once controlled by the Soviets for years before that release. These were sent to me by serious researchers in those countries who appreciated receiving materials from me.

Thanks to the efforts of Russian language students who donated their time, most of what I received was quickly translated and contained a huge amount of information about the UFO phenomenon in Russia and Eastern Europe. Ironically, I could not find a single incident mentioned in those articles and newsletters that matched any in the KGB information releases. I felt then and now that the information I received from those individuals was as good or better than most of what was released by the KGB.

In 1989 I had the opportunity to meet Marina Lavrentrevna Vasliyevna Popovich at a press event in New York City. Marina was a pilot in the Soviet Air Force, holder of thirteen world aviation records and a former Test Cosmonaut. She spoke of personal UFO encounters and those she had heard about from other pilots. While the information was fascinating, it was not anywhere near the best that her government had to offer about UFOs and Extra-Terrestrial Life. UFO Researchers would be wise to view the CNES-Geipan information in the same manner.

Like America, France is known for having two faces. Their public face, and the one they use for behind the scenes political posturing. A good example of this recently came to light when it a secret communication between France and Israel was leaked to the press. While publicly condemning Israel?s advance into Lebanon not long ago, the French Government secretly encouraged them to invade Syria and institute a regime change. The USA plays the same games.

During the 1990s, President Clinton announced that the government had allowed secret radiation tests on American Citizens. All he admitted was that small amounts of irradiated materials were released into population centers or planted on soldiers during military exercises. No one believes that was all of it and everyone already knew about military exercises held during and very close to atomic bomb tests. Clinton certainly did not make mention of how the CIA implanted tiny devices into the heads of U.S. and Canadian psychiatric patients for over twenty years without permission. Nor did he discuss any of the other government mind control or remote viewing projects which have left large numbers of victims in their wake.

Information releases like the latest from CNES and Geipan can only be helpful in terms of research and data, but no one should give France, Russia or any other nation credit for what should have been done all along. It would be a mistake to offer nations like these kudos for releasing bits and pieces of UFO and other paranormal research data when so much still remains secret.

You can view the CNES-Geipan website at http://www.cnes-geipan.fr/

About the Author:

Author: Bill Knell Word Count: Approx 990 About Bill: Bill Knell is a veteran UFO and Paranormal Researcher, popular Speaker, Author and Consultant. Permission is granted to use this articles (per terms of use at http://www.ufoguy.com) at no charge with the inclusion of a link to or publication.

Shopping Systematically For An Internet Home Based Business

Dish Network The Way To See The World

Owned by EchoStar Communications Corporation, the Dish network was launched in March, 1996. Dish network is the fastest-growing digital satellite television service provider in the United States, with a subscriber base of 12 million. They provide various types programming packages, delivering 250 channels with free equipment and installation parts.

Dish network offers 110 foreign-language channels covering 25 different languages, thus connecting people. The best part of a Dish network is its interactive channel. There are over 22 virtual interactive channels that allow viewers at home to shop, play games, and much more. Dish network service allows viewers to restrict inappropriate channels by removing it from the list.

Dish network has a 24 hour customer service, as they care a lot about their customer relationships. Almost all the dish network dealers offer life time warranty for the basic satellite equipments and require no maintenance. A minimal monthly subscription cost is required for enjoying 24 hours a day entertainment. There are special names assigned to the Dish network packages depending on the number of channels that a subscriber can view. Some of the names of the packages are America's Top 60, America's Top 120, America's Top 180, and more.

Some of the channels that you can view with the help of a Dish network are Animal Planet, BBC America, Bravo, Cinemax, CNN, Comedy Central, CNBC, The Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, ESPN, The Fox Channels, HBO, Hallmark, Sci-Fi Channel, Soapnet, Style, Toon Disney, TV Guide Channel, and much more. You can also view some local channels with the help of a free second dish.

Dish network provides satellite transmitted, high quality audio and video data to various places all over the United States. Almost all the dealers of Dish network provide free DVR and HD receivers. Dish network, catering 24 hours to customer needs, was ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction by J.D Power and Associates Cable/Satellite TV Customer Satisfaction Study. Dish network was also ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction by University of Michigan Business School. Dish network offers 100% digital picture, with theatre quality sound and highly acclaimed customer service. It is economical and provides you with the latest equipments like the DVR and HD.
About the Author

Intellectual Property Engaging With China On Cultural And Legal Fronts

China is well entrenched in the global marketplace, but with Chinese piracy reported at 90 percent, it's the third least friendly country for protecting intellectual property (IP).

China's accession into the World Trade Organization started four years ago. With this commitment to regulatory and economic restructuring, China has indeed been a country of economic opportunity for multinational corporations.

In theory, WTO accession means that WTO members can enjoy IP protections. In China, secure those patent protections carefully. Dot the i's, cross those t's and 'watch your language.' Also, anticipate litigation.

According to attorneys A. Jason Mirabito and Carol Peters, in a March 2005 article published in Chip Scale Review: In the past there was little enforcement of IP in China. However, in 2002, Chinese courts litigated more than 6,000 civil cases involving IP issues. About 2,000 cases involved patent suits. The rest were trademark and copyright actions.

Those 2002 statistics pale compared to recent figures reported by the International Herald Tribune: In 2005, Chinese courts dealt with 12,205 civil intellectual property cases, an increase of 32 percent from 2003 and a few dozen two decades ago.

Consider one recent case, which demonstrates that China's legal savvy is climbing with its growing stake in US markets and the global economy. The case also demonstrates the role of US courts in patent and IP protection, along with the perseverant or 'energized' stance required by US companies threatened by counterfeit goods or the prospect of piracy.

Energizer & Eveready vs. Just about Everybody

The dispute started in the spring of 2003, when Energizer Holdings, a US company, and its subsidiary Eveready filed a lawsuit with the International Trade Commission (ITC). The complaint addressed a signature product, a long-lasting battery design--affecting in particular a line of zero mercury-added alkaline batteries that Energizer has held a patent on for three decades. Also mentioned in the suit are games, toys, and other products manufactured with batteries whose designs are protected.

Energizer asked the ITC to issue a cease-and-desist order and to ban US imports of these products, claiming the batteries exported to the United States by the 26 manufacturers, affiliates or distributors named in the suit had infringed on Energizer's US patent. Among the multiple respondents named in the complaint, nine were Chinese manufacturers, including Fujian Nanping Nanfu. Nanfu Battery is one of China's largest alkaline battery manufacturers and suppliers. Energizer requested the ITC investigation under Section 337 of the US Tariff Act.

At the time of the original filing, China was considered the world's largest manufacturer and exporter of this specific battery with an estimated 75-80 percent of its goods being exported to overseas markets. According to a China press report, Chinese batteries usually cost between a 10th and a third less than US-made ones, making them very popular in overseas markets.

The ITC handed down a preliminary ruling in 2004, deciding that nine manufacturers from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong infringed upon Energizer's patent, and recommended banning imports of the batteries. But four months later, the ITC closed its investigation, and ruled that Energizer's patent was invalid because it was ...indefinite as a matter of law.... Or, in the legalese: The Commission held that Eveready's proffer of alternative constructions of 'said zinc anode' was an admission of indefiniteness.

In plain terms, the main patent claim, or its language, was incorrectly written. Attorneys Mirabito and Peters reported that the Commission determined here was no infringement of the Energizer Holdings patents, and the continued importation of Chinese batteries was permitted.

It Just Keeps on Going and Going...

True to the brand as he battery that never quits, Energizer kept on going and going, and appealed the ITC's final decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In the suit, Energizer named the ITC as defendants. Energizer's main contention was that the issue regarding language was not substantial enough to invalidate the patent.

The Court's January 25, 2006 ruling, and a follow-up March 20 mandate reversed the earlier ITC opinion, finding that the ITC erred and the patent draft was written correctly enough.

In that regard, we conclude that 'anode gel' is by implication the antecedent basis for 'said zinc anode.' The Commission's holding of invalidity on the ground of indefiniteness is reversed.

In the unanimous ruling, the Court directed the Commission to proceed in accordance with the Administrative Law Judge's prior ruling that the Energizer patent is valid, according to Legal Times analyst, Emma Shwartz.

It was a happy day at Energizer headquarters in St. Louis. We are pleased that this case has been sent back to the ITC for review, said Michael Pophal, Senior Patent Counsel at Energizer, quoted in a company press release. By issuing this mandate, the appeals court has cleared the way for additional inquiry into whether those companies that import mercury-free alkaline batteries into the United States are doing so illegally. If it is indeed determined that they are doing so illegally, the ITC will then determine the appropriate remedy for that illegal activity.

As before, Energizer will seek the general exclusion remedy in the ITC. If the ITC upholds the company's claim, this remedy will bar infringing batteries, including those made or sold by the remaining respondents from importation or sale in the US, and will permit sanction enforcement by US Customs.

What's Next? A Changing Landscape?

Energizer expects a favorable outcome from the ITC. But even as they await the ITC review, the Internet-surfing public has been reading about the recent ITC mandate in starkly opposite terms: in China, recent press accounts erroneously have been reporting that the Court ruled in favor of Chinese manufacturers. They fail to report that the jury, with respect to the ITC, is still out.

It appears that a gentle, collaboratively toned communication between Energizer and China has helped the situation. Many of the erroneous reports have been pulled from news sites.

While Energizer seems to be battling questionable imports the longest and hardest, they aren't the only company doing battle with Chinese manufacturers and companies alleging technology violations of patents, trademarks and IP infringements. The litigious ranks include Hitachi-IBM and Cisco, who won its patent battle over the Shenzhen-based Huawei in 2003. Cisco eventually proved that Huawei, arguably the top Chinese provider of switches and wireless infrastructure, had copied the U.S. companies' firmware code line for line into its products. Huawei settled.

Still, other recent cases are coming to favorable conclusions for plaintiffs defending goods in China courtrooms, an indicator that China is serious about its place in the WTO and in the global economy.

-- In late 2005, java giant Starbucks Coffee won its two-year-old case against 'Xingbake' (translation Star Bucks), for trademark and logo infringement. The case was decided in Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, and was considered a landmark judgment and litmus test of China's amended trademark laws. Xingbake has filed an appeal.

-- In 2004, Swiss agribusiness and agricultural chemical maker Syngenta was awarded an apology and compensation after its patent infringement lawsuit was successfully concluded against a Chinese business group. The case was heard in a Nanjing court, one known for its expertise in intellectual property.

There is little doubt that China's government will quickly improve its IP stance, but this analyst believes the most effective pressure will come from its own domestic companies, particularly as they evolve from a heavily manufacturing-depending economy to a service and integrated products economy. This more sophisticated economic profile makes IP rights even more critical, because more Chinese companies will have more at stake when IP is violated.

Recent positive announcements make it clear that rule of law increasingly will be guiding China's economy. In the meantime, keep your intellectual property under a close watch, and build trust with your Chinese partners. Good contracts, good guanxi, and good sense will prove invaluable.

Sources: Chip Scale Review, International Herald Tribune, China Daily, China.org, Legal Times, Syngenta, Energizer Holdings / Eveready Battery, Starbucks, Energizer Court of Appeals Ruling: http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/federal/judicial/fed/opinions/05opinions/05-1018.pdf
About the Author

Super Bowl Propositions The Achilles' Heel of Square Books

The Inside Wagering Line from
Pinnacle Sports Book by edited by Ecobika Sport betting


Super Bowl Propositions - The Achilles' Heel of Square Books


According to USA Today, half of all Americans will wager on the Super Bowl, as a result, 90% of bets on the game are made by novice gamblers. Aware of the opportunity to attract new customers, sportsbooks understandably focus an enormous amount of energy on the biggest game on the sports schedule. The most successful approach to excite these armchair bettors is to offer propositions that promise potentially big returns for a very modest outlay, and those that focus on seemingly random or humorous events.


The problem that books face with this approach is that often just one odds maker is pricing the lines based on variables that he has far less reliable data on than he is used to. These propositions can be the easiest for an educated player to beat and sportsbooks routinely lose money on them. Propositions are a loss-leader for the betting world to tempt new bettors who will end up losing money on one of the more lucrative areas for the bookie. To protect themselves in this unusually vulnerable situation, sportsbooks build in inordinately large margins - typically using a 30 or 40-cent line with low wagering limits - yet will often consider a break-even result a success.


When you wager on a proposition, it's typically your opinion versus one odds maker. If you know more than that one odds maker, you are going to get the best of it. For Super Bowl XLI, Pinnacle Sportsbook is offering over 200 props with many priced to world beating 15-cent margins, a significant savings versus the 30 to 40-cent lines at other online books.


With this many wagering options and the public betting like mad, it's not uncommon to see prop lines move on public money alone. At Pinnacle Sportsbetting, there are several professional prop players that will take a contrarian view on our props and bet almost any one that moves more than 20 cents (betting towards the original price). Therefore, the 'Pinnacle Lean' is useful for measuring market prices on props as well as on sides and totals. For example, PinnacleSports.com is offering the following prop: 'Who will score the first TD?' at Colts -145/Bears +130. This suggests that the no-vig price based on our 15-cent line is -137.5/+137.5. Therefore, you can 'play the lean' if you find another book with the Yes at -136.5, or the No at +138.5.


The biggest mistake that players and odds makers make when evaluating props is in not understanding the difference between the median and the mean (average). Most players would assume that the average (total/frequency) is an accurate measure, but the correct way to analyze many of these types of props is to use the median. Looking at a list of theoretical score lengths in ascending order, the median is the middle number:

1

1

17

20 (median)

39

47

59

If you assumed before Sunday's game that these seven scores would occur, and assessed the prop 'Will the first score be more than 24.5 yards?' you'd price the 'No' knowing the under would hit four out of seven times, making the no-vig price on the 'No' -133 or (-4/3*100). Whereas if you took the average it would give you another answer (26.3), and lead you to the very different and misleading conclusion that the over is more likely.


Although this concept is simple and rather obvious, it will pay dividends to anyone who is prepared to spend time calculating the median. The median is useful on all types of props - from 'length of first rush' to the 'longest/shortest' props (where you use the median result from games for the whole season). In fact, there are two straightforward ways to accurately price these types of props.


First, you'll want to use as much data as possible. Since the Colts have played 19 games and Chicago has played 18 games, this gives you a much better estimate of a fair mid-point. Secondly, you should also consider adjusting your data for the opponent, perhaps ignoring some data for games that aren't similar to their Super Bowl opponent. Sharp bettors might only use data where both teams were playing under similar spread scenarios (though this might produce a small sample for the Bears).


What are players betting at
Pinnacle Sports Book?


Chicago +6.5 +103 vs. Indianapolis. It appears like their opening line of Indianapolis -6.5 is solid, as we haven't had to move off the number just yet. In the nearly two weeks since the Conference Championships, the Super Bowl line has only moved four cents from -115 to -111. Public opinion of the AFC being the stronger conference has been evident throughout, while the larger volume bets have come in on the Bears. While the line is standing at 6.5 (-111), it could easily move to the 7 on Sunday when we expect a flurry of bets before kickoff.


Chicago vs. Indianapolis
Under 48 points -115 The Super Bowl total opened at 48.5 with two-way betting to start although the heavier volume came in on the under pushing the line down a few cents. This was followed by many small wagers on the over, mixed in with plays on the under. The line was pushed down to 48 after several large plays on the under from our sharper players. Although we've received three times as many plays on the over, the larger volume on the under has the line standing at -115 on the under, which could move another half point by kickoff on Sunday to 47.5.


Chicago +3.5 -102 vs. Indianapolis 1st Half. Indianapolis opened as 4-point favorites in the first half at -111. All of the early betting for the Super Bowl first half line was on Chicago, dropping the line to 3.5 before we saw any buyback on the Colts. The line has since settled at 3.5 where we are seeing more balanced action.


Chicago vs. Indianapolis 1st Half Under 24.5 -132
We opened the first half total at 24.5 with the under a -125 favorite. Early betting clearly favored the over with some mixed buyback on the under. The line has been lowered seven cents due to the game total being lowered even though we've received five times more plays on the first half over.


Pinnacle Sports Book & Online Betting is an online betting company providing the best odds on sportsbook gambling, online horseracing and online casino gaming. With excellent 24/7 customer service, fast payouts, and secure Internet betting, Pinnacle Sports Book satisfies all your sports book betting requirements and game wagering needs. The
Pinnacle Sports Book also offers reduced juice betting so sign-up now with Pinnacle Sportsbook Betting and get wagering today!

About the Author

The Inside Wagering Line from

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Dish Network ? The Way To See The World

Learning And Teaching Social Skills: A RelationshipBased Approach

For those of us committed to helping children overcome learning challenges, the quest to teach social skills is particularly important. Social learning impairments are associated with a wide variety of learning disabilities, although they are especially problematic for people with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD), noted to have underdeveloped right-hemisphere abilities, including deficits in:

? reading facial expressions
? perceiving emotions
? using nonverbal communication (body language)

The constellation of social skills deficits often encountered in school age children are perhaps best described as pragmatic communication deficits, which encompass challenges understanding social conventions and applying social cognitive skills. On the next page you will find some common examples of pragmatic communication skills. This information is taken from my book, Boys of Few Words: Raising Our Sons to Communicate and Connect, ? 2006.

Pragmatic (Practical) Communication Skills

**All these skills should be considered in an age-appropriate context. Many of these skills are developed in adolescence. Compare your child?s abilities relative to his peers.

PHYSICAL

? Maintaining appropriate conversational distance
Example: Other children may complain that ?he?s bothering me,? or say ?tell him to stop touching me? while playing together. Sometimes inserts himself physically into a group of children by pushing or nudging others out of the way in order to join the conversation.

? Eye contact
Example: Doesn?t look others in the eye; hides behind hair/hat/sunglasses; stares to the point of discomfort.

? Linking gestures with ideas and emotions
Example: Body language doesn?t match speech (thanks you for giving him a desired gift but slumps and stares off into space); waves too strongly or too unenthusiastically for the circumstances; forgets to reinforce emotion with body language.

? Using facial expression effectively
Example: Facial expressions don?t convey interest in other people; expression is not congruent with topic or situation; doesn?t nod to show he gets the point, looks furious at small disappointment; forgets to smile.

VERBAL

? Attending to time and place
Example: Talks too fast; doesn?t know when to interject a comment or let others speak, doesn?t know how much information to share (goes on and on about a subject to someone?s obvious irritation).

? Turn-taking
Example: Consistently interrupts; doesn?t perceive when it?s someone else?s turn to talk.

? Voice modulation
Example: Has trouble with prosody (pitch, tone, volume, inflection); speaks too softly or loudly without regard for physical proximity (you?re across the room but he doesn?t raise his voice to answer you).

? Giving compliments
Example: Doesn?t know how to give a compliment relevant to a person and circumstances; sometimes unintentionally insults people (?you?re a lot less fat than you were?).

? Greetings and Good-byes
Example: Doesn?t know how to introduce himself to individuals or groups; can?t initiate social contact (avoids parties and gatherings); doesn?t know how to close a conversation (just walks off when he?s done talking); doesn?t shake hands/share hugs with close friends or family members; forgets to say ?hello?.

THINKING

? Detecting emotions in other people
Example: Doesn?t consider other people?s emotional state before speaking (you?re in the middle of an argument with someone and he asks you to make him a snack); doesn?t realize when it?s time to ?back off?; doesn?t read signs about how you feel (thinks you?re mad when you?re not)

? Perceiving and expressing humor
Example: Takes jokes, sarcasm or irony literally; laughs at inappropriate times; doesn?t engage in word play or friendly teasing with peers.

? Knowing how to make conversational transitions
Example: Forgets to take his turn in conversations (calls you up on phone and then says nothing); discussions filled with uncomfortable ?dead space?; doesn?t pick up on ?leads? to continue conversation (So, you like baseball? Who?s your favorite team?)

? Anticipating other people?s reactions
Example: Neglects to consider the impact of his words before speaking; can?t easily imagine how his words or actions will be perceived by others (says he likes one present more than another at his birthday party without anticipating that someone?s feelings will be hurt).

Why Are Social Skills So Hard To Learn?
Most people use social skills quickly and automatically, and as a result, don?t have the benefit of time to analyze which skills will be used in particular situations, or how best to apply them. When our social reflexes are well-attuned and effective, we don?t need time to think - we just do and say what comes naturally.

Important to emphasize is that social skills are built on a foundation of interpersonal awareness. Without an appreciation of other people?s nonverbal behavior, including sensitivity to nuances of language rhythm and intonation (prosody), it is difficult to formulate appropriate and constructive verbal and behavioral responses. In addition to having a basic awareness of other people, having an empathetic orientation toward others is very helpful in bolstering one?s intuition about how to relate effectively. As some readers may be aware, a disproportionate number of children and adolescents with learning disabilities are observed to have low empathy.

To be in an empathic relationship with another person or group is the opposite of self-absorption. Empathy implies a departure from a state of self-centeredness, and immersion into the subjective experience of others. By definition, empathy is prosocial, because it emphasizes the value of comprehending and appreciating the thoughts and feelings of other people.

We all function in various types of groups: families, schools, teams, neighborhoods, and communities, among others. Social skills make our participation in these groups easier and more satisfying. Although lack of empathy has been associated with the presence of NLD, I would argue that what is missing for many learning disabled children are overt expressions of empathy, as are often conveyed through pragmatic communication. This is very different from the absence of empathy found among antisocial children and adolescents.

Many children with nonverbal learning disabilities are better understood as being asocial, meaning that they can appear indifferent to social interaction.

We Can Help Teach Children to Solve Their Own Social Problems
Not long ago, I was leading a social skills group for 3rd and 4th grade boys, about half of whom had been identified as having a learning disability. We were huddled in my office with kids bunched on sofas, sitting on the floor, and twirling in my desk chair. One seven year-old boy, Grant, resisted joining in our group activity, which was to design and build a big ?cyborg?. He stood near the door on the periphery of the group with a scowl on his face and body language that conveyed his fear and distrust of the group. Grant wasn?t responding to cajoling and encouragement to join us. I tried all kinds of approaches, changing the tone of my voice and my facial expression, in search of the combination that would help him join in. Still, he would not budge.

Several years earlier, my frustration probably would have resulted in me taking Grant outside and pleading with him to sit down and join the group. That?s because I used to have the faulty impression that ?leading? a group, meant ?controlling? the group. Since then, I have come to appreciate the extraordinary strong will of boys to do things in ways that reflect their own logic about how problems should be solved.

As the situation unfolded, it became apparent that Grant?s resistance provided the boys with a good problem-solving opportunity, and so I posed a question to the group. Did anyone have any ideas about how we could get Grant to join us? Most of the kids responded with suggestions of various kinds of rewards: games, candy, or premium seating (twirling chair). One typically shy boy, Tyler, suggested we could ?buddy-up? so that everyone could have a partner, including Grant. Tyler also suggested that buddies sit next to each other so they could share tools. Most of the boys agreed this was a good idea and so we began a discussion of how buddies would be chosen. Again, Tyler spoke up, suggesting that Grant could pick his buddy.

Throughout this process, I was watching Grant closely, and was struck by his awareness of the group?s concern about him. His facial expression changed from one of distrust to a cautious grin. He?d obviously had some significant doubt about whether the boys would accept him, and how he would fit in ? figuratively and literally. Tyler?s leadership in breaking through his fears paved the way for his integration in the group. As you might imagine, I felt very proud of Tyler for his sensitivity to Grant, and his ability to apply that sensitivity through active problem-solving. Although he never verbalized Grant?s feelings, Tyler?s suggestions were, emotionally speaking, quite sophisticated, and reflected an understanding of what Grant was feeling.

Socializing is not a ?Logical? Process
When we think about teaching social skills to children, it is a natural step for us to begin thinking about skills as component parts of a larger system. While this may be a logical and practical way to go about the teaching of a ?system,? it is not necessarily the best, or only, aspect of a therapeutic process designed to facilitate the development of social skills.

In addition, for individuals such as psychologists or counselors who may teach social skills, there is a tendency to systematize the teaching of such skills in limited periods of time, such as teaching one skill per session for 12 ? 15 weeks. When social skills are taught to groups this approach may be inevitable, but when working with children individually, there is typically more latitude, including allowing the child to play an important role in how the learning evolves. Experience has taught me not to exclude the importance of the relationship between teacher and student, or therapist and client, in helping children integrate new skills. In this sense, professionals allow the process of learning to be as organic as would be the process of healing syndromes like depression or anxiety.

An excellent working alliance is a critical foundation for learning most things, including how to relate to others.

This is because gaining social competence is more than conceptually grasping ?skills,? it also involves relaxing enough to take risks ? trying new things with uncertain outcomes.

From Skills to Awareness
Perhaps we need to remember that for the brain and mind to integrate new ideas, a fertile ground of receptivity must first be prepared. That receptivity often springs from an effective, trusting, working alliance. For many children, this means engaging in therapeutic and relational activities that are not purely didactic, because such structured activities are often associated with domains where they lack success. In other words, you can make it fun ? play is the work of children.

While I would never want to give up my use of behavioral charts and records, or surrender my collection of therapeutic games designed to teach things like communication pragmatics and listening skills, I have come to believe that those exercises are somewhat empty without a solid alliance between my clients and myself.

The alliance gives children and teens the capacity to be receptive. Sometimes, people may not even be aware of their own resistance to learning new skills. For children with learning disabilities, these walls often come down slowly, but they do come down with tools like patience, commitment, and belief in the desire of children to connect with others.

Anything that might help a child connect the development of social awareness with a positive outcome should be considered a potential tool. Still, we should remember that what we are building with these tools is a mind, and a mind is not a machine ? it is the very essence of being a person. We simply can?t program a mind according to standards of efficiency without regard for the individual within whom that mind lives.

This article originally appeared in the 2004 monograph of the Learning Disabilities Association of Pennsylvania. Portions of this article were adapted from Boys of Few Words: Raising Our Sons to Communicate and Connect, Guilford Press, 2006.

About the Author: Adam J. Cox, PhD, ABPP, Board Certified Clinical Psychologist, American Board Professional Psychology

Free Cooking Games For Kids

 



Free Cooking Games For KidsSubmitted By: Kenny Vanderburen  

On the Internet there are many many free cooking games for kids, but are they as fun as the real thing? It doesn't matter if you have children that are fussy eaters or if your children will eat just about anything that is in front of them, cooking is something most children like. That is why there are so many free cooking games for kids online. You can put your child in front of the computer and let them play a free cooking games for kids, or you can take some time and truly start cooking for and with your kids. It is the perfect way to combine your love for food and your love for your children.

In the free cooking games for kids, there are games where they are shown how to cook breakfast, they need to stir the eggs and so on. Cooking with kids in real life can be done whether it is for the morning meal, the evening meal, or for those many snacks in between. You can use the free cooking games for kids as an excellent way to get the kids involved in real cooking as well so this can be used as a valuable teaching time for you and your little ones.

When children get themselves involved in the free cooking games for kids, they are more likely to help you cook and they will eat what was made more quickly. This can be very beneficial for those who have children who are difficult eaters. Starting with free games to take on cooking for kids is also an excellent way to get in ingredients that you would normally wont get them to eat, you can dress up the ingredient as something fun and exciting. Many parents find cooking for kids an excellent way to get nutrients into their children, and the free cooking games for kids can help them with that.

Where do you find these free cooking games for kids?

First you find a recipe that you would like to make for your kids and then you go find the cooking game on the internet, 99% they are free, pick one out yourself, that is related to what you are going to cook in real life, there are so many that it should be easy to do.

About the recipes

There are probably millions of recipes to choose from because parents and daycare workers have posted their recipes and ideas on the Internet so you can start cooking for kids.

The free cooking games for kids, are often in some kind of Asian language (Japanese), but that is really no problem, most of the games are so intuitive and simple to understand that your children wont even notice that they are in Japanese. And when they are done playing you have already set up the same cooking tools or ingredients in the kitchen so they can play the same game in real life.

Teaching your children cooking with the help of free games can be fun. And in the end your children will learn that repeating the game in the kitchen together with you is double the fun. So start cooking with your kids today.

About the Author:

Kenny Vanderburen is the main blogger at www.kitchencookings.com. The kitchen might as well be his living room, that's how much time he spends there.

Article Tags: cooking, games, kids

Custom essay writing service ProfEssays gives useful tips to raise essay writing standards

Custom essay writing service ProfEssays continues to advise on essay writing. The relative information appears on its site. At present ProfEssays is about to add a new page titled Useful tips to improve one's essay writing. In general these tips draw attention to the fact that it is desirable to start working over one's assignment as soon as one receives it. Everybody should start by reading the text of assignment carefully. While doing so it is necessary to analyse the language of the assignment and its keywords, try to define the purpose behind the essay. Afterwards one needs to collect and generate ideas which will help to create the stuff of one's essay. There are a number of different methods writers use to accumulate ideas before they begin to write: free-writing, perception games, brainstorming and clustering, discussion groups, heuristics, talking with friends. These activities can help you get ideas on paper and give you some initial guidance, relieving in writing your first draft.
If you're composing a research paper, then do your readings. They will help you adopt the right way of thinking about the topic one's subject and what special terms are needed to use. Readings usually provide with the expert opinions which can be incorporated in essays or papers to prove certain arguments. At the beginning of one's essay writing it is vital to muse on a working thesis or a question that is supposed to be answered. It doesn't matter if one's working thesis changes as you write and research. Remember that a thesis statement is not simply a statement of fact but a statement saying something about a fact.
Before writing a draft, one should consider creating an outline indicating what is designed to be proved in the paper. Make sure you can explain in the outline how each point you want to make connects to your thesis. The outline as well as the working thesis can be changed in the process of writing. If a point doesn't seem to fit, reconsider the point and reconsider your thesis. It may be possible or even necessary to either change the point or change the thesis.
Getting down to writing one isn't obliged to start from the very beginning. Start with the section that is clearest in your mind. Then it will be possible to go back and fill in the gaps. It is necessary think about the connections between arguments once there is something on paper.
One should write one's first draft without bothering too much about grammar, punctuation, and style. These things are important, but shouldn't be allowed to distract you from writing your ideas down on paper. Don't try to write the perfect introduction, either. Lots of writers write their introduction at the end of the writing process.
Make sure your argument reaches a conclusion. In the conclusion, it is necessary to point out what the highlights of the essay are and what one can learn from this essay.
One must always rewrite your rough copy at least once. There shouldn't be more than one main idea in each paragraph, and the main ideas of each paragraph should follow on each other logically and be in compliance with your thesis. Keep your audience in mind while rewriting.
If you're citing sources, check your documentation style. Bear in mind what documentation style your professor expects. Three main styles are used in the Humanities and Social Sciences: APA, MLA, and Turabian (Chicago).
Always revise your work before submitting it. Delete anything in the essay that is not compatible with the main argument. It is crucial to pay attention to transition. Make sure that your introduction and conclusions more than summaries. Naturally one should correct every single grammatical error.
Finally, before you turn your essay in, when your argument and ideas are clear, read your essay aloud, listening to what you've written. Afterwards one should correct difficult or awkward phrases, and mistakes in grammar and punctuation.
If you feel uncertain about writing essays and papers it is possible to seek help and resort to a custom essay writing service. Custom essay writing service ProfEssays specialises in completing the range of written assignments that includes: custom essays, term papers, academic papers, research papers, admission essays, compositions, course-works, book reports, case studies, thesis, dissertations, editing, resume services, creation of sites content and others. ProfEssays guarantees high quality and originality of all the ordered custom essays and papers. One can order custom essays and papers at any time and day filling the appropriate form at ProfEssays' site www.professays.com or contact our team via e-mail: support@professays.com

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Starting A Small Home Business With Little Income Potential

 



Starting A Small Home Business With Little Income PotentialSubmitted By: Tracey Merrells-Fort   

Why would anyone contemplate starting a small home business with little income potential? You may be surprised to know that this is indeed much more common than you might imagine. As a matter of fact, the idea of ferreting out income opportunities that may not carry the promise of upfront riches is a much underrated methodology of supporting a real money maker!

For example, if you consider opening an online business that specializes in a service, such as the sale of your language lessons for children of elementary school age, you may find that your niche is woefully limited. As a matter of fact, you may find that parents actively searching out websites just as yours are few and far between.

Thus starting a small home business with little income potential and then tying it to your real endeavor will have a twofold impact: you will generate some income that will defray the cost of web hosting, and other site related expenses, while at the same time expanding the target audience which will visit your website.

Back to the example aforementioned: if you are selling language lessons to young children ? a service by and large not a hot button search topic for many a parent ? but have added a revenue stream on the side that will perhaps make you an affiliate for a major educational toy or book retailer, your site will suddenly experience a mass appeal, thus heavily increasing the visitors to your site and therefore the exposure of your main program.

Keeping visitors on your site is another endeavor that is just as crucial as getting them there in the first place; to this end, you may find that free e-book giveaways, online games, lessons plans, and craft ideas are a wonderful way of making your site perhaps not a sales vehicle only but instead giving it an almost portal like quality. To this end, starting a small home business with little income potential ? such as affiliate marketing an education book ? can have a most lucrative effect on your mainline business, namely the business of teaching young children a different language.

Affiliate programs are of course quite plentiful in and of themselves, and therefore it is vital that you find one that is not only germane to your main line of business but in the same way does not stand to be a competition. While an appeal to the target audience is vital, not offering a broadly enough appeal is detrimental. You may be able to achieve this by offering a separate section of your site and devoting it to parent resources. If possible, you will be wise to showcase material that point out just how important language lessons may be to a growing child.

Even as the odds of you ? the reader - selling language lessons may not be overly great, the fact that starting a small home business with a limited income potential may be the key for ensuring a high volume of sales for your main money maker is an almost universal truth you will be wise to examine. Making a little money in an effort to make a lot more is indeed a smart move on many different fronts!

Article Tags: business, lessons, site

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Top 5 Classic Board Games

If you were to make a list of your favorite indoor board games what would you include? Would chess be one of them? Or are you Life or Scrabble fan? There are a large number of board games that are classics and have stood the test of time. These people often have a large collection of them and they are always looking for something new. But, the fact is, that some games are must-haves. These games have transcended generations and we hold them dear to our hearts. This list has been compiled after aggregating results from several sources. Our global top 5 list is:

1. Monopoly: This is one of the world's most well known board games. The game is a game of real estate, purchasing property, developing it and then making sure others lose their money before you do. This board game has a number of different versions to reach from young kids to the most sophisticated of all professionals. There are deluxe editions as well as fun loving Disney editions, sports editions, and even cat and dog-opoly! One or more of the various flavors of this game is likely to hang around for years to come.

2. Scrabble: Another classic that has diehard followers. A lot of people start playing scrabble to improve their vocabulary. In this game, the goal is to outwit the other player, scoring more points by creating more high-scoring words. A game that most people fall in love while they are just picking up the English language. Some of these hang around and make a career of it. The true testament that this game is truly global is that the current world champion hails from Thailand.

3. Chess: Chess goes as far back as the 7th century. The game is strategy at its best. It is one game that many will study, learn, and spend a life learning again. It's a game you learn to love as you pick up more strategies with time. Chess has an extremely large following of people.

4. Checkers: is another popular board game. Everyone recognizes the black and red checkered board and it is one of the simplest of games to learn. It has been around since about the 1500's where people began playing with far less interesting pieces.

5. Life: This is a relatively newer game in comparison to the other four. This is designed to be, well, like real life. Go through and make choices that will eventually effect what you can and cannot do in life. A game with plenty of options and each choice will take you in a completely different direction. This game and its different varieties such as the Simpson's version continue to hold promise for many years to come.
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Considering A Career In Computer Game Design?

Every hard core gaming fan dreams of having a career in computer game design. What could be more fun and exciting for a computer game fanatic than being paid for designing your own computer games?

Since I am a certified computer games addict, I am also guilty of occasionally fantasizing about having a career in the computer game design industry.

The computer game design industry is huge so there are plenty of opportunities for those who want a job in this field. The downside is landing a job in this industry is extremely difficult and requires a comprehensive knowledge of programming languages. Earning a degree in computer science is a good first step, but is in itself no easy task. I have seven childhood friends who took up computer science in college, and only one of them made it through. It is a grueling major filled with tedious programming exercises and advanced mathematics classes.

If you enjoy programming and can tolerate the tediousness that comes with it, then computer game design may be something that you can do. Having a genuine love for computer games can also motivate you as well. My childhood friend who finished his computer science degree is currently employed in a computer game design company, and is absolutely in love with his job. However, he shared with me that it did not match his expectations.

Modern computer games are enormous programs that can take a few years to complete. In its early years, the computer game design industry only needed a few people to design computer games. These days, computer gaming companies have several production teams consisting of up to a hundred people working simultaneously on different aspects of a particular game.

If you manage to become a capable programmer, you can find countless opportunities in the computer gaming industry. Experienced programmers who have worked on several popular computer games can demand a large salary and have a big influence over the direction of a game.

If you are not fond of programming, you can still find other jobs in the computer game design industry. While programmers have an advantage, employers are also looking for good writers and artist. Writers and graphic designers are also needed to complete a good computer game but they can?t expect to earn as much as a seasoned programmer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Computer Game Design. Visit our site for more helpful information about Computer Game Design and other similar topics.

Canadian Satellite Radio

While the United States initiated the satellite radio evolution, Canada is now hot on their trails. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) began hearings in 2004 for applicants ready to develop Canada?s first satellite radio broadcasting. The Canadian satellite radio industry received quite a lot of interest and in the end three main applications were filed: XM filed one in partnership with Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius filed an application with Standard Broadcasting and the CBC. The third application belongs to CHUM Limited and Astral Media and to many came as a surprise. That was mostly because CHUM Limited and Astral Media came up with a different solution that that proposed by Sirius and XM Radio. CHUM applied for a subscription radio service that is to be delivered through the already existing terrestrial DAB transmitters. In other words, the transmitters would be the ones receiving the satellite transmission, from where they would continue the broadcast to consumer owned receivers. While the CHUM Limited and Astral Media proposal offers an entirely Canadian approach, the first two bring in a blend of US based technology and Canadian broadcasting channels. XM Radio and Sirius had a slight advantage in the fact that the coverage area of their satellites already existed in parts of Canada, so a small audience was already using their services.
Three satellite radio services for Canada

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved all three applications in June 2005, but with a series of conditions imposed to the three solicitants. Here they are as required by the CRTC:

?A minimum of 8 channels must be produced in Canada and for each Canadian channel 9 foreign channels can be broadcast.

?At least 85% of the content on the Canadian-produced channels (whether musical or spoken word) must be Canadian.

?At least 25% of the Canadian channels must be French-language stations.

?At least 25% of the music aired on the Canadian channels must be new Canadian music.

?At least 25% of the music played on the Canadian channels must be from up-and-coming Canadian artists.

The three companies had to accept these conditions as they are part of the Canadian broadcasting regulations. The US companies and their Canadian partners began negotiations for tilting the rules in their favor. One of the main offers of both the Sirius and XM Radio partnerships was that they would play 50% French content as opposed to the 25% required by the CRTC. AS a results of the negotiations, XM Radio received 5 channels of National Hockey League Play-by-Play in addition to the channels they already had ? XMs part of the deal was to cover the Canadian National Hockey League games. The fact that the US satellite industry giants were both allowed to broadcast on Canadian territory determined CHUM to appeal the decision at http://www.review9.info. They motivated their action by saying that the two US companies would simply ?suffocate? CHUM with their presence in Canada, not allowing any room for development for the all-Canadian company. CHUM also complained about the deals that were cut with the two US companies. As a response, Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada said that CHUM is in fact trying to obtain monopoly over the Canadian satellite radio market for themselves.

Today?s Canadian satellite radio

One of the main complaints of the people of Canada was that the CRTC decision did not require sufficient Canadian content. This made the broadcasters come out with promises of additional French and Canadian content. The Canadian Federal Cabinet accepted the CRTC decision on September 10, 2005. XM satellite radio was launched on the 29th of November 2005 and Sirius was next on December 1. Monthly subscription rates are $12.99 for XM with a one time activation fee of $19.99 and $14.99 for Sirius, without any activation fees. Both companies are expecting rapid increases in the numbers o subscribers, although, in spite of the extra Canadian content they added to their air time, there are still quite a few voices protesting against the potential monopoly the two companies may get to in the near future.

About the Author:

www.review8.info

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Learn a Musical Instrument Prepare for a Career

For a skilled musician, there is an additional career path that is invisible to the non-musician. This is an additional benefit beyond the pleasure of playing music, the attention it brings, and the better academic performance than students who do not learn to play a musical instrument. It is a broad range of extra career opportunities that non-musicians never even consider.

But if you're a musician, you can apply. Let's take a look at these careers that are available only to musicians

Education: Are you a musician who has also studied education? If so, there are numerous music education opportunities that may interest you:

? Music educator at a college, conservatory, university; thousands of positions to apply for in both public and private colleges.

? Music teacher at secondary or elementary school; thousands more all over the US and the world.

? Private music instructor; there are hundreds of thousands of private piano teachers, guitar teachers, drum teachers, etc. working for themselves in private studios and/or teaching in a music store.

? Music supervisor; many opportunities to oversee musical programs in both public and private venues.

? Choir director; thousands of schools from elementary to college; thousands of churches who use choir directors.

Therapy: Are you a musician who has also studied psychiatry? You can practice the trade of music therapy in a wide array of settings. Some of the sources of employment for music therapists are the following:

? Schools

? Universities

? Nursing Homes

? Mental health clinics; the author worked as an assistant music therapist one summer when he was in college; it was a great experience.

? Correctional Facilities

? Private practice

Business: Ever wonder what it takes to work in business management? Besides business smarts, an ability to talk the language of music will take you places the non-musican cannot go:

? Artist Manager or Agent

? Talent Agent

? Concert Promoter

? Independent Radio Promoter

? Music Business Entrepreneur

? Music Business Consultant

? Record Company Executive

? Music Publisher

? Tour Coordinator

Performance: Actors are more highly valued if they have a musical education. Today, with so few actors multi-skilled as they were in the era of the large studios, this can be a real advantage. Below are some of the jobs for which an actor who is also a musician may incidentally be qualified.

? Performing artist

? Soloist, instrumental or vocal

? Studio musician

? Background vocalist

? Theatre musician

? Accompanist

? Church musician

? Product demonstrator for instrument manufacturer

Movies / Video Games: If you study movies or video game production, a background as a musician will help you prepare for music-related jobs such as the following:

? Conductor

? Music Composer

? Music Editor

? Music Supervisor (to scout for music)

? Arranger (to determine the mix of song elements per the conductor or producer's specifications)

? Sound designer (of effects to accompany music score)

? Jingle writer / composer

From education to video games, there are careers available for those who happen to have a background in music which the rest of us never see. Each of these fields requires time and study for proficiency, but they represent a career path that is nonexistent for non-musicians.

Sure, you already knew that playing music could improve your quality of life. Now you know it can improve the quality of your career.
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Who is going to win the 200607 NBA Championship?

Ecobika Sportsbetting Picks by the article of V.I.P. - Who is going to win the 2006-07 NBA Championship? Which team will surprise in the new season? Who will be the first coach to lose his job? Who will capture NBA hardware when the awards are given out after the regular season?


Those are just some of the questions that will be answered in the new campaign. Here are some thoughts and predictions as to what may happen in the NBA circles during the 2006-07 season.


1. THE SUNS WILL RISE TO THE TOP IN 2006-07 - This is the year that the Phoenix Suns win the NBA Championship. They won their second straight Pacific Division crown in 2005-06 and advanced to the Western Conference finals for the second straight year. Phoenix failed to get to the NBA Finals, as it fell in six games to the Dallas Mavericks. In the 2005 conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs dismissed the Suns in five contests. This year is going to be different. Amare Stoudemire, who played just three games last season because of a serious left knee injury, is expected to return to the form that made him an All-Star during the 2004-05 campaign. With reigning MVP Steve Nash, All-Star forward Shawn Marion, a healthy Stoudemire, versatile Boris Diaw, Marcus Banks, Leandro Barbosa, Raja Bell and Kurt Thomas, the Suns have a very deep and talented team. Everything is in place for Phoenix to capture its first-ever NBA title.


<a
href=http://www.pinnaclesports.com/default.asp?language=British&LExt=bri&refer=xecobika>2. DWYANE WADE BECOMES THE FIRST OF THE 2003 DRAFT CLASS TO WIN MVP - The 24- year-old Wade has already won a championship ring with Miami and was the 2006 NBA Finals MVP. Cleveland's LeBron James, who was the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, and Denver's Carmelo Anthony, who was selected at No. 3, have both blossomed into superstars, but its Wade who will be recognized as the NBA's best player in 2006-07.
Originally selected out of Marquette by the Heat in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2003 draft, Wade teams with center Shaquille O'Neal to makeup one of the most dangerous one-two punches in the league. During Miami's magical run in last year's postseason, Wade led the squad in scoring (25.7 ppg) and assists (5.7 apg). He made 49.7 percent of his shots from the field, including 37.8 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. A two-time All- Star, Wade, who led the Heat in scoring (27.2 ppg) and assists (6.7 apg) during the 2005-06 regular season, is ready to add NBA MVP to his already impressive resume.


3. RANDY FOYE MAKES A BIG SPLASH DURING HIS ROOKIE YEAR - He wasn't one of the top five picks in the 2006 NBA Draft, but Foye will turn in this year's best performance of the rookie crop. The Villanova product had an interesting draft night as he was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the seventh overall pick, but ended up with Minnesota after being dealt by the Celtics to Portland. The Trail Blazers sent Foye to the Timberwolves for Washington guard Brandon Roy, who was selected with the sixth overall pick by Minnesota. Foye will fit in very well with new teammates Kevin Garnett and Mike James. The 6-4 Foye can play both guard spots, is a decent outside shooter, drives to the hoop effectively, sees the court very well and is a good defender. He has an all-around game and will get to showcase his talents plenty during his first year in the league. Foye will have an immediate impact and will be this year's top rookie.


4. THE HORNETS AND MAGIC RETURN TO THE POSTSEASON - Reigning Rookie of the Year Chris Paul and sharp-shooting forward Peja Stojakovic will shoot the Hornets back into the postseason after a two-year absence, while rising star Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson will lead Orlando into playoff action for the first time since 2003. The Hornets had a productive offseason, as they acquired Stojakovic and center/forward Tyson Chandler in separate trades, signed free agent guards Bobby Jackson and Jannero Pargo to contracts and added size in the first round of the draft by selecting Connecticut's Hilton Armstrong with the 12th overall pick and Cedric Simmons of North Carolina State at No. 15. The Hornets, who improved 20 wins during the 2005-06 season, finished 38-44 compared to their dismal 18-64 record during the 2004-05 campaign. More wins are on the horizon and a trip to the Western Conference playoffs awaits the Hornets in 2006-07. Orlando is one of the up-and-coming teams in the NBA. The 20-year-old Howard is on the verge of becoming an All-Star and being mentioned with the elite power forwards in the game. The 6-11 Howard led the Magic in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (12.5 rpg) and shot an impressive 53.1 percent from the floor in 2005-06, while Nelson, who is entering his third year in the league, averaged 14.6 points and a team-best 4.9 assists. A berth in the 2007 NBA A berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs is the start of good things for the Orlando franchise.


5. ISIAH THOMAS GETS AN EARLY PINK SLIP - Win or find somewhere else to work is what the New York head coach and team president is faced with in 2006-07. Thomas, who joined the Knicks as president and general manager on December 22, 2003, has tough job. The Knicks have too many attitudes and not enough players who think team before their own statistics. Thomas has to figure out how to motivate and get guards Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury to play together, while Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, Channing Frye, Nate Robinson and Jalen Rose will need to contribute in a big way as well. Not gonna happen! Thomas could be out of the Big Apple before 2007.


6. BEN WALLACE FITS PERFECTLY IN CHICAGO - A four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Wallace left Detroit in the offseason through free agency to sign a lucrative, multi-year contract with Chicago. Wallace, who is a four-time All- Star, spent the previous six seasons with the Pistons. He averaged 7.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.78 steals and 2.21 blocks per game while playing all 82 regular-season games for the Pistons during the 2005-06 campaign. Signing the 33-year-old Wallace makes the Bulls a tougher and more physical team down low. Like in Detroit, Wallace will be the catalyst for the Chicago defense and his intimidating style of play will benefit Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni. Even though Wallace was not brought to the Windy City for his offensive ability, his mere presence will open up the court and help his teammates to be more successful. Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson hopes Wallace was the missing piece to the puzzle and that he will help Chicago return to the glory days.
7. BULLS/PISTONS RIVALRY BECOMES HOT ONCE AGAIN - In the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, Detroit versus Chicago was arguably the hottest rivalry in the NBA. The Pistons knocked off the Bulls in the 1988, 1989 and 1990 playoffs, while Chicago got over the postseason hump and swept Detroit in the 1991 Eastern Conference finals and went on to capture its first of six championships. Every game played between these squads, including regular- season contests, had a Game 7 type of atmosphere. The big names in the rivalry during the late 80s and early 90s were Chicago's Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant , while Detroit was led by Joe Dumars, who is the Pistons' President of Basketball operations, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman and Isiah Thomas. Now its Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace for the Pistons, and Gordon, Deng, Hinrich, Nocioni and Ben Wallace for the Bulls. The names have changed, but with Ben Wallace wearing a Chicago uniform the nasty feelings will return and so will the heated rivalry.


8. ALLEN IVERSON FINALLY ASKS TO BE TRADED - The hot rumor during the offseason was that Philadelphia was going to trade All-Star guard Allen Iverson. Didn't happen and Iverson is back for his 11th season in a Sixers' uniform. In 2005-06, Iverson led the Sixers, who finished a disappointing 38-44 under first-year head coach Maurice Cheeks, in scoring (33.0 ppg) and assists (7.4 apg). Philadelphia had a very quiet offseason and did not make any significant changes that will help it get back to the postseason. The 31-year-old Iverson has repeatedly said he would like to stay with the 76ers. Those days are coming to an end and he will finally ask to be dealt to a contender. As great as the Georgetown product is, he has to know that he is not going to win a championship with the Sixers. Iverson is not getting any younger and if the multi-talented guard wants to help a team win a ring, he is going to have to do it soon.


9. MINNESOTA FINDS A NEW HOME FOR KEVIN GARNETT - Like Iverson, Garnett wants to win a championship. And, it's not going to happen with the Timberwolves, who finished the 2005-06 season with a dismal 33-49 record and did not qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season. Garnett is still the cornerstone of the franchise and Timberwolves' management would like to win with him leading the way. The 30-year-old Garnett led Minnesota in scoring (21.8 ppg) and rebounding (12.7 rpg) last season. He seems to have lost some of his passion and is visibly frustrated with the state of his squad. Even though they want to win with him, the Timberwolves will part ways with Garnett and start the rebuilding process. Look for a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline.


10. RAPTORS ARE TRYING TO BECOME THE SUNS OF THE EAST - Toronto team president and general manager Bryan Colangelo seems to have a vision to make the Raptors the Phoenix Suns of the Eastern Conference. Colangelo, who was hired by the Raptors on February 28th, was general manager of Phoenix for 11 years, and team president for seven before taking over in Toronto. He helped build the Suns into a contender and one of the most exciting teams in the league with smart trades and free agent signings. During the offseason, Colangelo added highly-touted Italian forward Andrea Bargnani, who was the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, and lightning quick point guard T.J. Ford, who was acquired from Milwaukee in a trade for versatile forward Charlie Villanueva. Colangelo also made All-Star forward Chris Bosh the cornerstone of the franchise by signing the Georgia Tech product to a lucrative, multi-year contract extension. Colangelo is looking for the Raptors to play an up-tempo style and hopes the lightning-quick Ford can be the catalyst. Bosh is a star, while Bargnani will have to prove himself on the court. Look for Colangelo to add some outside shooters and for the Raptors to improve on their 27 wins of a year ago.
About the Author

What Is The Right Amount Of Computer Time?

In a country that settles each night in front of the television, it just seems strange that more and more people are finding the allure of the computer screen sometimes more important. There is no doubt that children do as their parents do. They enjoy exploring the vast world of the Internet. They are excited to get that new computer game. But, how much time in front of the computer screen is the right amount of time?

There is no doubt going to be a number of people that come out and say that children are spending far too much time in front of the computer. They may end up telling us that their eyes will go back or something. Regardless of what they will say, we know now that it is important to limit the amount of time children use the computer. We know this because we know that it just makes sense that children who play on the computer too much loose the physical aspects of life along with the elements of pretend play that actually teach them quite a bit.

As parents, it is up to us to limit what the child is doing. It is up to us to provide for them something worthwhile to do while they are on the web as well. In this, we mean that you, Mom or Dad, need to commit to knowing which games they are playing and which websites they plan to visit. Here's a great way to limit what they are actually doing.

Instead of allowing them to surf and end up on some bad website out there, go ahead and download a game or two for them. Games that are available on the web are fun, but when the parent gets to do the picking, they can be fun and educational at the same time. Does your child need math help? Then go ahead and give them a fun math game that teaches what they need in an easy to get along with manner. This can be done for a number of subjects like spelling, science, history and language. By giving them a computer game like these, they can make their computer time, well, worth it in your eyes.

You would be surprised by how many parents simply say, Yes, you can play on the internet. Many of them do not know what their child is doing let alone know that he or she is playing an educational game! Yeah right! Most kids are going to find and play a game that interests them with flashing colors and graphics. That doesn't mean that they won't like games that don't provide this element. But, the websites they tend to visit are full of advertisements that lure them in. Your job is to point them in the right direction.

So, back to our question; how much is the right amount of time for computer time for your child? Well, inside that question is the word, your and that means that it is at your discretion that you should consider their need. Balance their day with physical, emotional, pretend and all those other important educational elements then add in a little time for computer play. Believe it or not, they are building skills that they will need later in life too.
About the Author

Affiliate Marketing Programs: Join The Ranks Of The Super Affiliates

Affiliate programs are the perfect way to optimise your website and to subsidise any income. Depending on the amount of work that you are willing to do to maximise your personal sites visitor count, the awards for being an affiliate are boundless. Through advertisements, emotive language and word of mouth you can create real interest in a website and if that site also carries affiliate advertisements, you could be in line for some substantial financial rewards. Even if you do not fancy investing time into advertising and marketing there is still the opportunity to earn money as an affiliate. Companies do not discriminate over, which sites are more worthy and, which should be dropped. Affiliates pay nothing for the advertising space until they have generated customers through a site. So it is a risk free environment in which all parties are given the opportunity to earn money without the pressure of paying up front.

Some affiliate programs pay you a one off figure for attracting a customer, which is all right for a casual earner. However for the more business minded, regular incomes are also available from affiliate sites. Take online poker sites, this is an industry that is going from strength to strength and growing everyday. Tapping into this hugely lucrative market can give even the smallest affiliate a percentage of the profits. The poker sites usually offer an affiliate a percentage of a poker players lifetime value, taken from games and account top ups. If the player is a high user, in so far as he or she spends a lot of time and money in the poker halls, even just one player can earn a fairly regular income for an affiliate. But imagine for a moment the potential of attracting dozens or hundreds of players through your site, with an affiliate earning 30% of the overall money generated. An affiliate can build an empire running into hundreds of dollars a month if not more.

The opportunities are only limited by an affiliates own work output. By making their personal site popular and attracting hundreds of hits each day, the chances of attracting people to the advertising banners is hugely increased. Therefore promotion of the personal site and the affiliate sites is essential to make the visitors first come to your site, and secondly to make them want to follow your links and sign up. Emotive language and relevant text are usually the most popular ways to attract a new guest. Whilst there is no sure fire guarantee affiliates can certainly improve their odds by first marketing their site and then secondly persuading visitors to follow the banners and join the site. The incentives are there to be taken, all that is required is the will and a little effort to make an affiliate business a success.
About the Author

Why Choose Educational Toys

Children spend the majority of their time playing. Most everything learned during the early childhood years is accomplished through play so the toys available to a child are very important. There are a wide variety of toys available today that are labeled educational, but anything a child plays with that enhances their natural growth and development in a positive way can be an educational toy.

Electronic and computerized toys are typically what comes to mind when you think of educational toys. These toys can teach children numbers, letters, shapes, and even more advanced topics like dinosaurs or geography. Computer toys offer excellent educational benefits for school readiness skills, but they do very little to promote creative thinking or to enhance social and emotional development.

The best educational toys are those that invite children to explore a variety of ways to play with them. Simple props for dress up and pretend play allow children to create their own play scenarios. Boxes, tents, hats, and handbags promote creative thinking and enhance young imaginations. Children learn problem solving skills as well as social skills through dramatic play.

Toys like blocks or building sets are wonderful educational toys. Natural wooden building block sets help in the development of fine motor skills and stimulate creativity. Toys that allow a child to create whatever he imagines are very beneficial to healthy growth and development. Children can experiment with various shapes and sizes as they stack the blocks and learn which combinations stand and which fall over.

Art activities can be educational as well. Tearing paper or scribbling with crayons can not only be creatively stimulating to a toddler, but it strengthens small muscles that will soon be used for pencils and scissors. Markers, paper, and glue can quickly become a child?s masterpiece. Allow your child to direct his own art activities whenever possible. Children typically learn the most from self-directed play.

Jigsaw puzzles are one of the best toys for cognitive development. Board games teach a child to take turns and follow the rules while increasing language and counting skills. Children can eagerly explore new ideas and interests with scientific toys like microscopes. Word games enhance vocabulary as well as spelling skills.

The most tried and true educational toys are still books. Books create adventure and fantasy in a child?s life. Reading to your child and exploring books together can be the most beneficial tool in promoting education and literacy throughout life.

Children are very eager to learn during their early years. Their favorite toys will be things that are both fun and easy to use. Even ordinary household items like a spoon and a pot can become educational toys for little minds. Follow your child?s lead as you play together. Progress play with open ended questions that stimulate creative thinking in your child.

Not all toys provide educational benefits, but any item that invites a child to explore, create, or discover can be considered educational. Always choose toys that are appropriate for your child?s developmental level and try to provide toys that cater to his specific interests.

About the Author:

For more tips on parenting and educational toys, please see our website www.thekidstoystore.com.

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It's All In the Title

The Wonderful World of Online Bingo

And what a world it is. The Internet is fast becoming the place where Bingo players go to play a game or two. No more driving to the church bingo hall in a snowstorm, or in 40 below weather. No more catching a bus or taking a cab. Bingo players are turning to online bingo as a more comfortable way to play bingo, in their own home. This new trend of playing bingo online has subsequently popularized web chatting, or cyber chat, and has allowed online bingo players to meet new friends, some of whom become life-long friends and, in the odd case, even end up married.

So, how does one go about finding online bingo? Easy. The best search tool on the Internet today is Google - in fact, it's becoming a part of our everyday language. With Google.com, you can plug a word or term into their search engine (or, google a word or term), and in seconds the Internet is swept for info, games, and literally anything you can imagine. Plugging the word Bingo into the Google.com search engine will find you free or cash online bingo in seconds flat. Once you have found Bingo.com, you can start playing all kinds of games - not just bingo, but online slots, online poker, and many other kinds of fun.

People are starting to catch on. Online Bingo is one of the most popular games out there, and the biggest online bingo halls have built homes for those interested in having fun and hanging out for a while. In some cases, you can find a whole community of bingo lovers, brought together by their passion for the game. Whether you love free games, or cash games, it's certain you will find something to pique your interest.

Bingo.com is home to over a million players - very loyal members who keep coming back again and again to play free games and socialize with friends in the chat rooms. There's always someone friendly to chat with, and there's nothing better than winning a jackpot on the cash bingo games and having everyone in the cyber room congratulate you on your win, or winning a tournament in the slots or poker rooms. Even with free games, you can win all sorts of cash sweepstakes and other prizes. Online bingo is truly a chance to meet some of the nicest people on the Internet today.
About the Author

Parenting Teens A Guide To Connecting Relationally With Your Teen

What every teenager would like to have is a credit card without limits, a new car, the newest look, and an iPod that can hold 50 million songs. Of course, we grown-ups have been around long enough to know that you don't always get what you want. There is a need however, that stirs in the heart of every young person. That need is a relationship with you the parent. It is true, they may not want it, but it still remains one their most important needs.

We've all heard about the generational gap thing, and too often have used that as an excuse to not bother trying to connect with today's teenager. Don't get me wrong there is a gap. A big one. They have their little world and we have ours. And so many times, we aren't welcome in theirs and they aren't welcome in ours. They listen to music we can't stand, and we listen to music they can't stand. They wear clothes we would never wear and we wear clothes they would never wear. They have a language with terms we don't understand and we say things that to them, seem so outdated. The differences go on and on and on and le'ts face it, it is so much easier to just not understand each other than it is to put forth an effort to try and understand.

I assure you, the effort is worth it. Your teenager is worth it! Connecting with your teen will take some work, but the rewards are priceless. It my require you to make some major adjustments to your routine. It may take some radical changes in the culture of your home. Don't be afraid to initiate the changes necessary to connect relationally with your teen.

Ok, so you're thinking what changes need to be made. Let me give you some helpful tips. Are you a family that seldom sits down for dinner together? If so, try to make it a point to eat one meal a day together. Use this as a time to talk. Sure it may be awkward if you haven't made this a practice in several years, but fight through the awkwardness. If you just can not make it happen every night, set aside at least one night a week where you eat together as a family. Set it in stone and make it happen. If you had a meeting set with someone very important you would do everything you could to keep that appointment. Treat your family no different.

Perhaps you are like the typical family that has a tv in every room and in the evening everyone retreats to his or her own room. Learn to utilize your family room together as a family. Pick a night or two and turn off the tv. Instead, spend an hour or so together as a family. Play games, go through a Bible study together, or just sit around and talk. I know what you're thinking. Play games? Bible study? Sitting around talking? Are you crazy?

What is so crazy, is that because of our great American culture, these suggestions seem so lame. Our culture, opposes the family in almost every way. It blows me away to see a family out at a restaurant and their teenager sitting there with his iPod listening to music while they eat. Video games, iPods, internet, and cell phones are tools that really cause us to isolate ourselves from other members of our family. Now, don't go overboard and take everything away from your teen. You just have to make a decision to fight against a culture that opposes the family. Don't allow this culture to dictate how your family is going to operate. As a parent, you set the agenda for the family. You decide how your household is going to run.

Plan some family outings. Do it once a week, once a month, once a quarter. It really doesn't matter how often, just make it happen. Go camping over the weekend. Go to a ball game. Go to the lake. The list is endless. Get input from everyone and be creative. If you live in the city, take a trip to the country. If you live in the country, take a trip to the city. It doesn't have to be expensive, just make it fun. Don't be in a hurry. The key is to connect relationally, nothing else. Don't set an agenda that's going to stress everyone out. Just have a good time as a family.

How about doing some volunteer work together as a family? There are countless numbers of opportunities to serve in and around your community. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, at the hospital, or at a senior citizens home. Or, how about as a family, adopting an elderly couple and helping them around the home with yard work, house cleaning etc. Again, the list is endless, and one of the most important things you can teach your young person is to live life outside of themselves.

If you have more than one child, make sure you as a parent spend some quality one-on-one time with each of them. Dad's take your daughter's on dates and treat them like a princess. I mean, treat them as though they are the most beautiful, most precious young lady on the planet. Give them an example of what they are to look for someday in the man they are going to marry. Help them to set that standard so high, that no loser will ever catch their eye. As for your sons, hang with them. Go fishing or hunting. Go play paintball together. Play video games with them. Do guy stuff together and talk about guy stuff.

Mom's plan a day to go shopping with your daughters or plan a day to bake together. Don't like to bake or shop? Then, find something that you enjoy doing together and do it. I'm not a mom, or a daughter so, to be honest, I don't have a clue. Maybe just go to lunch and have intimate conversation with one another. How about getting a manicure and pedicure? Whatever you do, make sure you connect with one another. And when it comes to connecting with your son, try to keep in mind that most teenage boys are at a stage where being a momma's boy is not a cool thing. As they get closer and closer to manhood, they become more and more independent. So, don't feel rejected when they seem to be pulling away. That being said, you can still connect with them and you need to. You may think this is absolutely crazy, but if your son is big into video games, instead of always hammering him to quit spending so much time playing, sit down for a few minutes and play with him. So what if you have no idea how to play, let him teach you. Trust me, it will blow him away.

Whatever you do, remember, connecting with your teenager is the primary goal. The sky is the limit. As a youth pastor for 15 years, I have consistently scheduled events for teens with the primary purpose of connecting with them relationally. Trust me, I have never had a huge budget, so planning events that are inexpensive while at the same time fun, simply takes a little effort and creativity. You may think that your young person will never desire to connect with you, and that may be true. However, in my experience with teens, I have discovered that I generally connect with those I determine to connect with. I believe the same is true about you. In all that you do, please keep in mind that the two biggest keys to connecting with teenagers is time and the ability to listen. So, make the time and work on your listening skills.

? 2006 Tim Stone All Rights Reserved Worldwide

About the Author

Download iPAQ Games And Freeware Today

I remember the days when we had those small electronic mobile games we used to carry around and enjoyed them every free minute we had. Today, things are much different, and we have IPAQ games and freeware to mess around with. These are nothing like the primitive games we used to have.

IPAQ games and freeware are designed to make your ipaq even more useful and fun. The growing popularity of handheld pc's among travelers, students and everyday consumers means that more and more software companies and individuals are writing all kinds of shareware for these devices. Ipaq games and freeware are widely available on the internet. A quick internet search will probably reveal hundreds of shareware products available for download.

One of the best parts of using ipaq games and freeware is the fun you can have while traveling. Instead of just sitting around twiddling your thumbs waiting for your plane to arrive, you could be playing some great interactive games and having lots of fun. Another good place for your PDA gaming to kick in is during bus and train rides. These boring sessions can turn into hours of fun. Games were one of the first types of application designed for the iPAQ, and there are a great many games available that are tailored to the screens and navigation buttons of the iPAQ.

Here are some examples of great iPAQ games and freeware you can get for free around the Internet and download to your computer:

1.If you're a '70 freak like me, you can get iPAQ versions for space invaders, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Pinball etc. These ones bring back memories!
2.Another great idea is to get freeware that will teach you something new, and use it while you are on the bus, train or plane. For example, why not learn a second or third language? There is so much freeware that will teach you just about any language you choose to learn.
3.Interactive games of all sorts exist to be downloaded to your iPAQ. Many of them are iPAQ versions of the PC game, so you may already know the game.

Of course before you download any software of shareware, whether to your desktop pc, laptop pc or ipaq, it is important that your operating system software be up to date and that a virus scanning program is being run. The unfortunate downside of the iPAQ's popularity is that virus writers are targeting handheld devices as well. That innocent looking game could be harboring a virus or Trojan horse, but a good virus scanning package will quickly detect and neutralize it. This problem is of course of less concern when it comes to PDA's, but it's important to keep up to date in that area, too. Keeping the operating system up to date will ensure that any safety vulnerabilities have been patched before they could be exploited.
About the Author

Ron Heller is the owner and operator of a website

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Fast Phonics and Where to Begin

Having fun with phonics. The second of my five secrets of preschool literacy.

FAST PHONICS AND WHERE TO BEGIN?

Previously I discussed the WHY of teaching children from babies onward to read. Now I shall discuss the HOW of achieving this in the easiest, fastest and most successful way possible.

You now view teaching your child from a different perspective and are ready to take those first positive steps forward. The integrity of your commitment is important, don?t be spasmodic, do be regular, confident and completely relaxed. Where to begin? With the alphabet of course. Why the alphabet? Since it was rubbished for so many years, why resurrect it? Because the alphabet will always be the fundamental basis of all reading in English, from those twenty-six letters, every single word in our language is formed. From ?at? to ?deoxyribonucleic acid?, from ?but? to ?uncharacteristically?, every word is simply bits of the alphabet strung together. It makes sense to learn it and to learn it in the way which will lead quickly to lifelong successful reading.

For babies and pre-schoolers, draw the letters one at a time, in red felt pen, each on a white post-card. Put a couple on the walls of the child?s bedroom to begin with and perhaps one or two in the kitchen or living room. Then be matter-of-fact about their introduction.

?This is ?a?, ?a? is for ant,? ?I see ?d? for dog is over here.? For very small children you can greet the letters, ?Hello ?a?, good morning ?b?.?

For older, school age children and for home-schooling, just work through the alphabet progressing as fast as your child is able to go.

Keeping the sounds in their simple phonic form, work through the alphabet, introducing a couple of new sounds once the earlier ones have become old friends and always checking back. Let your child check you, stumble along the way and allow yourself to be corrected.

Importantly, NO aye, bee, cee, dee, ee, eff, gee, aitch and so forth for the following reason. Using the phonic alphabet a child will sound out c..a..t. Using the aye, bee, cee version it would be sounded cee..aye..tee, great for spelling later, useless for learning to read.

Beware of shop bought alphabet charts, they regularly feature ?i? for ice-cream and

?t? for tube these have long vowels and come later. ?w? for whale and ?b? for boy, these are phonic sounds also to be learnt later on. ?y? for yacht, regularly appears and this has silent letters which come along very much later in the phonic list.

Draw your own chart, you will need an A1 sheet of white paper, a black felt pen for the grid lines and a red one for the sounds. Here is my own carefully worked out alphabet, the beauty of which is that once a child has mastered all the sounds he will be able to read across every word.

?a? for ant, (a cute little ant in a dress perhaps), ?b? for bed, ?c? for cat, ?d? for dog,

?e? for elf, ?f? for frog, ?g? for gift, ?h? for hat, ?i? for ink, ?j? for jug, ?k? for kid,

?l? for log, ?m? for mum, ?n? for nest, ?o? for ox, ?p? for pig, ?qu? for quilt (since these two always appear in tandem in our language, teach them as one. ?r? for red,

?s? for sad, ?t? for top, ?u? for up, ?v? for van, ?w? for wagon, ?x? ?kiss? as in fox, (this is the only way to teach this letter. ?x? for xylophone has a ?zzz? sound and ?x? for x-ray, has an ?eggs? sound.) ?y? as in yak and ?z? as in zebra. Write the sound in red, the word in black and then paste or draw appropriate pictures in each square.

Teaching a child this way will not destroy the quality of your relationship with him. To tell him, ?This is ?a?,? is no different from telling him, ?This is an orange or that is a telephone.?

These days a child?s social calendar grows exponentially. By the time he is at school there are parties and sleepovers, school outings, clubs and all manner of engagements taking place. You can relieve a little of the trauma of school by setting the scene for reading, even if the alphabet is as far as you ever go.

My third article will show you simple games I have used for years and which will make learning easy and fun

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Robun Dalby- Stockwell is a teacher, writer, reading consultant and Director of Alonah Reading Cambridge www.alonahreadingcambridge.com the only source of her four book course, teaching reading and comprehension, giving reading support to parents and their children.