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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