Win Friends & Influence People Through Music — Is It Possible?
February 29, 2008
The idea that studying music improves the social development of a child is not a new one, but at last there is incontrovertible evidence from a study conducted out of the University of Toronto.
The study, published in the August issue of Psychological Science was led by Dr. E. Glenn Schellenberg, and examined the effect of extra-curricular activities on the intellectual and social development of six-year-old children. A group of 144 children were recruited through an ad in a local newspaper and assigned randomly to one of four activities: piano lessons, voice lessons, drama lessons, or no lessons.
Two types of music lessons were offered in order to be able to generalize the results, while the groups receiving drama lessons or no lessons were considered control groups in order to test the effect of music lessons over other art lessons requiring similar skill sets and nothing at all. The activities were provided for one year.
The participating children were given IQ tests before and after the lessons. The results of this study revealed that increases in IQ from pre- to post-test were larger in the music groups than in the two others. Generally these increases occurred across IQ subtests, index scores, and academic achievement.
Bird by Bird
February 29, 2008
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by marketing. First, there’s so much to learn: What works? What’s a waste of your time? Where should you invest your energy and money?
Then you have to prioritize: Where should you start? What’s the ONE THING that, if you don’t do anything else for a while, is your best first step?
Next, you’ve got to figure out how to get it all done. Marketing’s not your regular job, but you could work at it full time, given all there is to do.
And don’t forget?how do you stay on track and motivated? Sure, it’s one thing to be inspired during a marketing workshop or by ideas from a book. But then the reality of execution sets in.
Believe me, I feel your pain. Working on some major, next-level projects of my own right now, it’s tempting to stick my head in the sand and say forget it. Since I’m writing from the beach this week, it literally would be that easy.
Instead, I’m taking it "bird by bird."
The One Dog Trick That All Dogs Must Know - The Hand Shake Trick
February 29, 2008
The first dog trick that is generally taught a dog is to shake hands, and there are very few puppy and dog owners who do not teach their pets this simple trick.
In most cases it is so easily accomplished that the amateur trainer does not know exactly how it was done, for if you take hold of a dog’s paw and say "paw" or "shake" and repeat the performance often enough and at odd times, it will be the most natural thing for a dog to place his paw in your hand as soon as you extend it and he hears the word "paw," to which he has become accustomed.
If during the training you always take hold of the right paw, this paw will always be the one he will give you, but he can be taught to give you the left paw by taking it when you make the request. You can make the performance more interesting by saying "shake hands" when you want the right paw and when you want the left paw say "left paw."
DIY Glow Stick Nunchakus
February 29, 2008
DIY Glow Stick Nunchakus
by: Jill Nelson
For as long as I can recall, I have been a massive Bruce Lee fan. I cannot count the number of hours I have spent watching his movies, nor the number of hours spent trying to emulate his amazing martial arts maneuvers. There is one scene in particular that will be with me until the end of my days; the scene from Enter the Dragon where Bruce kicks some serious bad guy ass with his trusty Nunchakus.
A generation of wanna-be Bruce Lee’s was spawned by that very scene. How many of you went out and haphazardly manufactured your own ‘chucks after seeing this flick? I was certainly inspired to do so, and so were most of my friends. Most of us used wooden handles, and after some experimentation decided to switch to something softer. Twenty years later, I still have a bump on my head.
After introducing my son to the magic of Bruce Lee, I decided to manufacture a pair of Nunchakus for him to play with. Having learned from my rather painful mistakes, I constructed them from those disposable glow sticks that all the Raver kid’s use. Here’s how you can make some, too:
How You Can Find Freelance Editing Jobs
February 28, 2008
Freelance editing opportunities are out there, you just need to know where and how to look for them. As a matter of fact, there are hundreds of companies that are waiting for you, right now, to fill their job vacancies. Each and every one of them has an exciting opportunity for someone. What are your areas of expertise? What can you do to benefit these companies? Finding freelance editing opportunities is simple when you know what you are looking for, who you are looking for, and where to find them.
Let’s begin with knowing what you are looking for. There are hundreds of jobs available in the realm of freelance. Editing opportunities can be found in many different avenues. You can work strictly with editing copy for websites, or work with developing and proofreading articles for the internet, newspapers, and even books. Knowing which way your career is going is essential. Knowing what you want to do will point you in the right direction of who to look for. Employment can come from many sources then. By knowing what you want to do, you can guide your search around the criteria for these companies. For example, you may be able to look strictly towards companies who deal with marketing or in the newspaper business.
The Container Vegetable Garden
February 28, 2008
If you live in an apartment or town home, you probably think you don’t have enough space to grow vegetables. Lack of space is no longer an excuse since many modern vegetable varieties are perfect for growing in containers on a sunny window ledge or patio.
You can grow salad vegetables and herbs in almost any sunny spot and enjoy fresh ingredients all year round. Snipping off a sprig of fresh herbs from the window ledge garden in the kitchen while you are cooking cannot be bettered.
Here are some tips for the perfect container vegetable garden.
Choice of container. The easiest choice is to go to your local garden center or home improvement store and pick any gardening container that takes your fancy. There’s a wide variety available in plastic, ceramic, wood or clay. Before you pull out your credit card though, take a look around your home and see whatever containers you have lying around. Almost anything that will hold soil can be used for growing, whether it is an old bucket, an empty margarine container or an empty coffee can.
Dog Tricks: Understanding Your Dogs Capabilities Before You Teach Buddy New Tricks
February 28, 2008
The performing of dog tricks, while not a necessary part of a dog’s education, is an accomplishment that offer dog owners and his friends a great deal of amusement and adds materially to the value of a dog.
All dogs can be taught tricks, but some breeds have a special aptitude in that direction. At the head of the list of trick dogs is the poodle, as he takes to the performance of tricks as if it was second nature, and he is the main reliance of all showmen dogs.
Newfoundlands, St. Bernards and Great Danes learn without difficulty, while the collies and spaniels are very intelligent; the terriers are quick learners and among the toy dog breed, the Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier and Toy Poodle are highly spoken of and can pick up tricks almost effortlessly.
In selecting the tricks that are to be taught a dog, the owner must show some discretion and no attempt should be made to teach dogs tricks that are not within their powers. For example, a big St. Bernard or Great Dane is sadly out of place or rather almost unachievable attempting to sit up, walk on his hind legs or dance.
Tips on Marina and Dock Sealing
February 28, 2008
It is important to follow these procedures when sealing a private dock or a dock at the marina. Always let the dock dry for three to twenty-four hours before applying any coating or sealant. You cannot put a seal coat over on top of moisture or wet wood.
Mask off boats, shrubbery, masonry, foliage with drop cloths or large sheets of cardboard. When using an airless sprayer use a 0.014-inch fine tip at about 250 to 500 PSI. if you are using a lower pressure sprayer or pump sprayer that is okay, but get in close. Apply water repellant, coating or sealant to railings, spindles, etc. first. Then move to the floor of the dock, deck or pier. Always work with the grain spraying in that direction. Use liberal portions of coating.
Be sure to brush out any puddles or drips aiming for smooth uniform application. Make sure whatever product you end up choosing is a preservative and not just a ‘water repellant’. Always have your EPA information with you, which you can download from the Internet;
www.EPA.gov
Mama Dont Allow No Fighting in Your Writing
February 27, 2008
When you sit down to write a steamy romance, a spine-tingling horror story, or an action-packed adventure, lock the door. The last thing you need is your mother, father, coach, English teacher or pastor reading over your shoulder and giving you advice.
While mom, dad, coach, Mrs. Smith and Reverend Jones all enjoy a good story, they don’t want action-packed, spine-tingling or steamy words flowing out of your pen or your word processor
What would your mother say if she saw you write, "Bob chopped off Bill’s ear with a rusty axe"? What would your English teacher say if she saw you write, "Janice discovered to her horror that reading Faulkner backwards called demons into the school library." And, heaven help you, what would your pastor say if he saw you write, "When Arnold reached inside Amy’s blouse, she said, ’surely you can reach farther than that’"?
With a little luck, mom, dad, coach, Mrs. Smith and Reverend Jones won’t be physically in the room saying "tsk tsk" every time you mention rusty axes, demons, and blouses. However, if you write as though they are there, then they might as well be there.
Indoor Dogfishing ? Fun Way To Exercise A Small Or Medium Size Dog
February 27, 2008
When I had a Toy Poodle, I used a small beanie baby toy tied to a twenty foot long cord to exercise him for at least ten minutes at a time, twice a day. I’d throw it across the room and he’d run after it to snatch it up, fueled by canine fantasies of ripping it apart.
But he knew he wouldn’t be able to act out his warrior instincts if he brought it back to me - which is why I had it tied to a cord. As once he got hold of it, that was the only way I could get it back, unless I wanted to chase him around under tables.
Most of the time I’d start yanking on the cord as soon as the toy landed, and he’d have to pounce on it to keep it still long enough to grab it in his mouth. But frequently, I’d be too quick for him - and I was able to get it past his lightening fast paws. Then I would pull the toy across the floor as fast as I could reel the cord in, while he ran after it like a cat chasing a mouse.
