Special Speech

There is something that bothers my neighbor
That irritates her, makes her skin: jump, crewel
That creates a humming stammer in her voice
And even makes gaps, silent ones as she talks
To my wife, about the heap across the street.
Her kind of row is another thing indeed
Where she doesn’t let one idea, spin
Not even one iota of that fall
Lest she lose her focus once and for all.
We are talking about last week’s branches,
And what’s hiding under that heap I see.
To please my neighbor, the branches I mean,
I’d have to get rid of the pile of rubbish
The one, everyone tosses garbage underneath
That lays so crude across the street, in the park.
But if one looks around we find much more:
My wife let my neighbor know this, that day
By day, her dogs piss and shit on our lawn,
Even on the light pole, and into the heap
The one she keeps talking about: an eye on.
She watches them all right, when you are looking.
To each this burden now has fallen, the branches:
We have to use nice words to keep the balance:
“The neighbor up the block has a junk car,” my
Wife complains to her, she has no more to say.
Oh, just another kind of neighborly game,
One to each his own, it adds up to little more:
She is all heap and we are all branches.
She will never understand my branches,
Nor I, her focus on the heapthat
We alone are responsible for its parting.
If I could put an idea in her head
“Should we not all work together to rid
Our neighborhood of branches, messy dogs
Loafing cars: making for good neighbors?”
Before I hired the branch cuter, I asked him:
“Please take the branches with you, when done!”
He also is a neighbor who lives nearby.
Something irritates my neighbor about us
My wife and I, whom she gives offence to;
She moves with slyness it seems to me,
Not of concern over those dry old branches.

I’m sure she likes having thought she done well
For the Neighborhood: firmly defending her heap.

*#1314 (From a morning dream came Branches 4/14/06)) Written in Lima, Peru))

See Dennis’ web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

You know the feeling - you’re visiting somewhere on business or
for pleasure, the language being spoken all around you is not
your native tongue, and you’re feeling left out, even slightly
confused. Oh, if only … I could get into that conversation
over there, share that joke, or even just understand this darn
menu better!! And you don’t always have to be overseas to feel
that way - we know plenty of English-only speakers who come here
to Miami and miss out on so much because they have failed to
learn Spanish, or even a smattering of the language.

The benefits of being able to speak a second language don’t just
extend to basic communication in simple situations, although
that is of course a big part of it. Knowing another language
could make you richer, happier and sexier - ask any dating
agency, and they’ll tell you that people who learn or speak a
foreign language are more attractive to the opposite sex. Really
- it’s something to do with exuding intelligence and
sophistication.

Speaking another language can also be the doorway to a better
understanding and appreciation of a whole culture and different
way of life. You’ll get new insights into virtually anything
that interests you, whether it is art or politics or sport, and
these could be so pleasant and surprising they will often take
your breath away! So we’re talking here about doing something
that will be both personally enriching and broaden your
horizons. This will make you a whole lot happier.

Last but not least, having a second language will increase your
career opportunities, which in turn could translate into bigger
bucks! After all, today’s economy is increasingly global, and
more and more businesses work closely with companies in other
countries. A technician who knows English and Russian or German,
or a company manager who speaks English and Japanese or Spanish,
or a salesperson who can also converse in French or Chinese is
likely to have a distinct advantage over their colleagues who
know only English when it comes to promotion time!

So now we have persuaded you to do something about your lack of
linguistic skills, let’s pose the big question - what is the
hardest part about getting started in the learning of another
language? Strangely, the answer to this is - getting started!
This is where those inexpensive, easily-available, use anytime,
anywhere computer software packages really come into their own.
We say inexpensive, because prices are usually around $8 for a
single language pack.

Let’s make no bones about it - learning another language does
have an element of hard work to it. But if you can make that
work F-U-N, you’ll be on the right track to learning much faster
and more effectively. Research in the early 90’s at the
University of California revealed that memory is greatly
improved when accompanied by fun and laughter. So our first
recommendation is that you look for language learning packages
that have fun a-plenty! Find a package that includes plenty of
quizzes, games, stories, multimedia, interactivity, etc. and
you’ll be amazed at how much your foreign-language vocabulary
improves and how much you remember after even a surprisingly
short time with the CD.

Although the best packages should offer lots of this type of
fun-oriented activity, they should also be based on sound
educational principles. When you think about it, what would be
the very best way to learn another language? Yes, of course - go
stay in the foreign country for a few months! If you did this,
you would be hearing the language constantly, always surrounded
by native speakers and a new culture, and you would begin to
acquire that language almost unconsciously. This is basically
the means by which a four-year old learns to speak a language
long before that same child can read or write, which is quite a
miracle when you think about it, isn’t it?

Linguists have known for years that such an immersion
environment, as it is known, is the absolute, fastest way to
learn a second language. For some people, it might be feasible
to do this, but for the rest of us, it’s just not possible or
practical. What is a lot more practical, and a darn sight more
convenient, is to get a computer to simulate these immersion
aspects for us. This type of approach uses software to let you
hear and, more importantly, to practice authentic everyday
speech in the Spanish language or French language, or whatever
language you want to learn, from Arabic to Zulu.

This brings us to our final, and probably our most important
recommendation. You need to find a package that not only allows
you to hear the language you want to learn being spoken by its
native speakers, in a wide variety of situations, but you also
want a package that will hear you practice speaking it as well.
Most packages will offer this facility to some extent, but the
very best will actually evaluate and correct you as you go
along, ensuring you develop the necessary vocabulary and
pronunciation skills. It is the technology that is employed
behind the scenes to do this very difficult task that really
differentiates the packages, and this is one of the key features
you should concentrate on when selecting your package.

The Internet is connecting advertisers and marketers to customers from Boston to Bali. If you’re thinking about advertising on the Internet, remember that many of the same rules that apply to other forms of advertising apply to electronic marketing.

The Federal Trade Commission Act allows the FTC to act in the interest of all consumers to prevent deceptive and unfair acts or practices. The FTC has determined that a representation, omission or practice is deceptive if it is likely to:

1. Mislead consumers and

2. Affect consumers’ behavior or decisions about the product or service.

In addition, an act or practice is unfair if the injury it causes is:

1. Substantial

2. Not outweighed by other benefits and

3. Not reasonably avoidable.

The FTC prohibits unfair or deceptive advertising in any medium. That is, advertising must tell the truth and not mislead consumers. A claim can be misleading if relevant information is left out or if the claim implies something that’s not true. For example, a lease advertisement for an automobile that promotes “$0 Down” may be misleading if significant and undisclosed charges are due at lease signing.

In addition, claims must be substantiated, especially when they concern health, safety, or performance. The type of evidence may depend on the product, the claims, and what experts believe necessary. If your ad specifies a certain level of support for a claim - “tests show X” - you must have at least that level of support.

Other points to consider:

Disclaimers and disclosures must be clear and conspicuous. That is, consumers must be able to notice, read or hear, and understand the information. Still, a disclaimer or disclosure alone usually is not enough to remedy a false or deceptive claim.

Testimonials and endorsements must reflect the typical experiences of consumers, unless the ad clearly and conspicuously states otherwise. A statement that not all consumers will get the same results is not enough to qualify a claim. Testimonials and endorsements can’t be used to make a claim that the advertiser itself cannot substantiate.

If your ad uses phrases like “satisfaction guaranteed” or “money-back guarantee,” you must be willing to give full refunds for any reason. You also must tell the consumer the terms of the offer.

Non-Compliance

If you fail to follow these rules, you run the risk of being prosecuted by the FTC. Successful prosecutions typically result in injunctions against your site and damages awarded in the amount of $11,000 PER VIOLATION.

Richard A. Chapo is a San Diego business lawyer with www.sandiegobusinesslawfirm.com - providing legal services and legal advice to businesses in San Diego, California.

Often we see over achievers and wonder how on Earth they do it? Well, do you want to know a secret to the over achiever club? Interestingly enough being the best in the world at what you do only takes a little more preparation and goal setting than being at the top of your field. Being at the top of your field only takes a little more effort than being in the mean average of your field. It only takes a little more insight and hard work to go from the bottom of an area of expertise or having lousy skill sets to being average.

So if we look at this from a logical standpoint we can break this into three stages, which take someone from Lousy or a beginner rather to an average player or average participant in an industry. Really that only takes practice and a meaningful set of goals to get there. Now then, going from average to the top grouping is not so tough really, that only takes proper planning, strategic objectives and goal setting. To go from the top group to the number one slot takes a very sharp focus, discipline and strict adherence to a set of goals.

Now then, let us look at the break down. In each step it requires goal setting. In my life I have always worked hard, committed myself to a set of goals and always become number one in my endeavors. Always! It is not magic, but it involves never giving up, perseverance and strategic goal setting. You can do this too.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/