Video is a powerful marketing medium with the ability to communicate concise, precise and controlled information with a positive effect. A well-constructed video fires the imagination, increases the energy level and ensure that all feel part of your event. It will engage the emotions, focus the attention and enable each individual to visualise his/her role as part of the team.

Videos strength lies in its simple ability to transport people to locations, illustrate concepts and convey far more than mere words, spoken or printed, ever can. Video is an effective and memorable way of communicating. Core messages and themes are reinforced using other forms of communication. Video footage has a long shelf life when used imaginatively in multimedia CD-ROMs, Websites, DVD and CD-Brochure formats.

Video has been revolutionised by the onset of digital shooting and editing. Shooting in broadcast quality used to involve cumbersome and expensive camera equipment, combined with analogue editing which required the copying of sections and consequent loss of quality with each successive generation. The process was time consuming, complicated and linear. Modern digital cameras are capable of shooting in broadcast quality. Editing is now carried out in a non-linear way on desktop computers; changes may be made at will, stored and reviewed at any time and in any order. The advantages are similar to those gained by using a computer word processor over that of a mechanical typewriter and carbon copy paper for duplicates. Not only is digital editing highly flexible, but the medium enables an ever-expanding range of graphical effects to be applied - without loss of quality or corruption of the original footage. In consequence, the costs associated with making and producing a video have dropped dramatically. What was once the preserve of the large, rich and expansive corporation is now available and affordable to a much wider market - with the consequent advantages that this provides to internal company communications and team building along with external advantages in the selling of products or services to your market place.

The stages required to produce a video vary depending on the style and content; generally:

PRE-PRODUCTION involves briefing, research, location finding, administration, booking of facilities and writing a treatment outline (video content, description and approach to be adopted). After approval a shooting script including both narration and camera shots will be written.

SHOOTING follows the approved script and involves a camera crew and a director going to location/s to interview participants and shoot footage to illustrate, illuminate and reinforce the script. If required studio shoots are undertaken where controlled lighting and effects are employed - a product demonstration, for example is typically shot in this way.

POST-PRODUCTION includes recording of guide narration (using an edited script, which may change from the shooting script because of interviewee’s comments etc.). Footage is edited to the guide narration, graphic and video effects generated and music and titles added. The resulting edit master is then client approved and amended as necessary. A final “voice over” is then effected incorporating final changes. The final master tape is complete and ready for duplication.

DUPLICATION is the transfer of masters onto the final format - which can be all or any of VHS, Betacam, Laserdisk, Digibeta, DVD, Mpeg, Avi and more. The final product is then packaged and presented in an appropriate way with print material for labels, inserts and sleeves.

You might think so, but it could be one of two things: large hips or a small
waist. A quick look in the mirror will tell the story.

If your hips are large in proportion to the upper part of your body, then
full hips are the problem. If your hips are in proportion to the upper part of
the body, but the waist appears small, then the problem lies in your waist. If
your waist is small, the garment’s waist can be reduced by increasing the width
of darts and pleats. If your hips are large, the pattern needs to be increased
at the side seam in
the hip area.

The biggest mistake a full-hipped individual makes is thinking that pants
that are snug in the hips will hold in the hips, making them look smaller. This
is not so! To camouflage a full hip, the garment actually needs to be looser so
it won’t lock onto the fullness. Full hips are better in drapey fabric, in
styles that are fuller at the hem, so that the hip appears smaller by
comparison. For the alteration given here, you will need to know your full hip
measurement, and how far down it is from your waist.

FAST FIT SOLUTION

Determine the alteration amount by comparing your full hip measurement plus
ease to that of the
sewing pattern measurement. Make an addition to each side seam at the hip,
tapering out half of the addition by the bottom of the garment. A large addition
may also require adding at the waist, so that the side seams will not wrinkle
when pressed open.

STEP-BY-STEP SOLUTION

1. Measure the circumference of your full hip, and the distance it is from your waist.
2. On the pattern, measure down the side seam the distance of your full hip, starting at the waistline seam. Mark this spot with an X. Then highlight the sizes that fit your measurements with a highlighter pen, making smooth transitions to the smaller size at the waist.
3. At the spot marked with an X, draw a line across the pattern perpendicular to the grainline.
4. 0n this line, measure between the seam-lines of your size on the front and back of your pattern. Compare the flat pattern measurement to your measurement plus ease. The difference is the total alteration amount. Divide this by four to determine the amount you need to add to each side seam at the hip.
5. Make the side seam addition. Taper in only half of the addition by the bottom of the garment; tapering in the full addition will just emphasize the problem.
6. If you’re adding a lotmore than 1/2 in. (1.3cm)at each side seam, you’ll also need to add to the waist. The extra at the waist can be taken out with wider darts or pleats. Make a gradual transition into the waist for a flattering silhouette; a curve that is too steep wrinkles when sewn in fabric and put on the body.

FITTING TIPS

• The circumference at the bottom of a straight skirt or full pants can always be tapered in for a slimmer effect. But don’t overdo ittoo much tapering leaves the hips looking larger.
• If your garment has a pocket, there’s no need to add to the pocket facing or side front piece. The location of these pieces will move out with the addition.

If you have to add a great deal at the hip, you will need to add some at the
waist so that the curve at the side seam is not too pronounced. The waist can be
reduced by increasing the size of the darts and the pleats.

Bizhen Lu is a professional sewer. Her website is Free Sewing Tips

A huge and always growing mobile telephone UK market following the rule of introducing ‘a phone a day’ has now made it exceedingly tough work for customers to compare mobile promotions. Most of the time, there are numerous aspects that mobile phone customers may need to look into when making mobile comparisons that some of the most essential ones get overlooked. Get great o2 mobile phone deals from the market leading comparison site MobileShop.

As a result, you constantly end up having a cell phone which is either too costly or a phone which is not ideal for your phone text profile. Therefore we explain in this article about the 2 very most essential things that cell phone customers should forever look into when making mobile phone purchases. This might well help people land a mobile phone that at the very least meets the basic criteria mobile phone customers are looking for.

The complete mobile market is booming on the basis of superb features like movie players that keep getting added everyday. Yet, a profoundly large majority of people acquire cell phones based on their appearance, brand image and fantastic marketing only to regret later on when cell phone customers observe that their magnificent cellphone lacks an extraordinarily standard feature like sending emails or MMS. Various breathtaking dear phones sell on the basis of hype, brand and aesthetics at costs that are unjustified given the lack of features. For e.g. the most recent apple iphone does not let folk forward messages to all. Unfortunately, this phone’s target audience, early twenties, gets to regret the absence of this cell phone feature only after spending weeks worth of pocket money on it. Consequently make sure that your awesome new cell phone has all the features like mp3 players you require before tying yourself into a 12 month contract. Since cell phone corporations will never tell customers about the brilliant features like interactive maps that their mobile phones lack, reading up online phone write ups is the leading way to do it.

What is a DIRECTV DVR? How can DIRECTV DVR replace Blockbuster? Home video libraries have

traditionally been for those with either lots of money to spend on legalized copies or for techno-pirates of the working class with little regard for the system of copyrights. While most people are not politically inclined to anarchism in the US, they are open to defending the anarchist’s “free reign of information” as an excuse for making or buying illegal copies of Audio, Video and even Written materials.

Both the digital world and popular pressure finally gave in to the “free reign of information.” The DIRECTV DVR is a replacement for those old home video libraries that might have up to 300 VHS tapes along the wall, each with six hours of TV, soap operas, Movies, MTV or whatever recorded on them. A DIRECTV DVR can record up to 70 hours of information in one little box. The DIRECTV DVR

will improve with time, as will technology and far from now, Video Rental stores may become obsolete.

Some political philosophers and statesmen have already conjectured what the future of our nation is to look like some 30 years from now, and one of these talking heads insights tells the tale of

the downfall of Video Rental stores like Blockbuster. DIRECTV DVR is Digital When Beta audio-video recording and playback media first arrived on the scene way back in prehistoric 1975 with 100,000 VCR machines, they were superior to the competition, but wouldn’t

sell there patens. VHS came along in full and blew Sony Beta machines right out the water. Like “wow?!?” What happened? That was most peoples’ sentiment at the time, at least those who had invested in Beta machines.

8-Tracks were being installed into Ford dashboards as early as 1966 and was the major audio format for cars in the 1970’s, in fact was still being used by Madonna and Michael Jackson in the 1980’s with such hits as Thriller. But all of a sudden Sony Walkman comes along with Compact Cassettes (which already existed), and blows 8-track out of the water… Well, mini disc sure seems like it is repeating

8-Track’s history with mp3 players all over the place. DIRECTV DVR is Revolutionary Lets just look at the evolution for a second: 8-Track, Beta, Compact Cassette, VCR, Laser Disc, Compact Disc, Mini Disc, DVD, MP3 player, DVR and finally DIRECTV DVR. Well, digital didn’t sell when it was fighting analog super-giants that set “standards” for excellence, but DVD, computer sales and “free reign of information on the internet” changed all that. People know what digital is the “now”, and they know it is superior. People know that MP3 players don’t skip tracks while driving or running, nor do they eat tape. Cell phones can play back MPEG and MP3 uploads from any digital storage space, and people know technology is picking up pace. Personal Audio and Visual libraries that occupy space are being replaced as technology speeds up and puts everything into Hard Drives. The Satellite TV DIRECTV DVR is a media storage device unlike any other that has ever existed. DIRECTV DVR is revolutionary. Big or small, tech is evolving and DIRECTV DVR will eventually blow Blockbuster out of the water.

DIRECTV DVR is the Future

How long will it take for DIRECTV DVR to fully replace the Audio-Visual media distribution of the last 50 years? Some specialists dictate that Blockbuster like media distributions of music and television libraries will be overrun by homeowners with Satellite TV, Radio, Movie Channels, Music Television, Internet and PayPerView all in one monthly service within the next five to ten years, maybe less. It all depends on how fast Satellite TV companies can compete with DIRECTV DVR multimedia digital storage and playback devices.

The more competition, the faster hardware will evolve and DIRECTV DVR is setting a standard for excellence that will only evolve and upgrade itself with every new advance in technology.

“DIRECTV DVR is the future of multimedia digital home storage.”

A few weeks ago, I went to collect some friends from the airport. They were arriving just after 11 PM on a Wednesday night. I arrived fifteen minutes early, in case their flight was early, and settled down in the arrivals area with all the other people doing the same thing as me. Then we all sat in silence, and I wished I’d brought a book.

Some people would say we all sat in silence because we had nothing to talk about, no common interests to discuss. But I wondered if that was true. I still do. Maybe five of those people are just as passionate about the television show ‘Lost’ as I am and would love to discuss what they think about it with someone else. Maybe two of them were single and looking for a guy like me. Maybe if I’d talked to people then, I wouldn’t still be single.

Of course I had no way to know if anyone there shared in my interests. It’s not like I was on the Internet. There I can read people’s profiles, home pages, and blogs to find out about them. Or I can simply search for people online now who would want to talk to me. Is it odd that I can find out about someone more easily on the Internet in Texas than someone physically in the seat next to me? Wouldn’t it be great if you could know if anyone in sight shares an interest with you, and whether they feel like talking? But would you be willing to literally broadcast those facts about yourself, in return for knowing them about other people? How about carrying an apparatus, perhaps built into a wireless Internet device, that would let similar devices know your interests, relationship status, and whether you feel outgoing or just want to be left alone? As long as we’re building these devices, it could also signal to everyone nearby when you need immediate help.

Once we build such personal data broadcasters, big cities might go from vast, impersonal piles of concrete, to a swirling river of people carrying golden specks of accessible information that is both interesting and compatible with other people. Airlines can ask you for this same personal data and seat you with people you’ll actually enjoy sitting next too. Parks could have ‘talking’ and ’solitude’ sections. (Actually, we could do that now by just putting up two signs.) In a few years I might go to the airport again, with my personal data broadcaster, and find a bunch of new friends to chat to while we wait.

Summary - If we create and carry some kind of personal data broadcaster, technology can link people across rooms, as well as across continents. Big cities might go from being vast and impersonal to becoming swirling mass of compatible, interesting, outgoing people.

The Internet is an awesome tool, but be careful and aware that the cloud of over stimulation doesn’t invade your mind.

It seems we have to become aware of a new problem that is starting to invade our modern, industrial society, that being the problem of over stimulation. The Internet is an excellent tool but we have to remember that the mind is the most valuable tool imaginable. Some would argue that spirit or soul is of equal or more importance, I am not disagreeing with these people. The point that I am attempting to put forward for discussion is that although the Internet is an excellent new medium that can affect nearly all aspects of life in a positive way, like all things in existence it too has a shadow side. Over stimulation of the mind is a huge cloud in the blue sky of consciousness.

Have you ever sat at your desk searching through the Web for News information, then checking your emails with their accompanying attachments and links, and then doing general searches for random information? If you receive newsletters, or subscribe to blogs, you read these daily as well. The human mind is powerful, and scientists say that we only use an average of 10 % of it, but doesn’t that entail that we should be careful not to overload its present information processing capabilities?

I’ve read that in one New York Times newspaper there is more information to digest than one would have had to process in a whole lifetime of the Shakespearean era. With the advent of the Internet we have more access to knowledge and opinion than ever previously. We have to be cautious my friends. I personally have had to come to the realization that my spiritual, mental, physical and emotional health is of more importance than all other things in life. If I work too hard, or try to read too much, my mind starts to weigh down with all the thoughts that are produced with each and every tidbit of communication that I take in. After a while I sometimes feel like there is a giant cloud inside my mind and I no longer feel confident to do the daily activities that are required of me as a committed team player of our society.

So what’s the solution? Well, like all things in life solutions are often more simple than we could ever have hoped for. We just have to keep our eyes open to grasp the answers that are presented to us as opportunities everyday. Make a note when you are feeling bogged down and tired and think about how much information you have tried to compute in that moment. Give yourself time limits and a designated number of searches and downloads for a day. You can learn to take more breaks and find anecdotal means to sift through the information, or even block out all the stimuli in that break period. Gardening, meditation, stretches, breathing exercises, tai chi, yoga, cooking, sports, music…all of these are options to undertake when you want to get away from the noise of too many ‘voices’.

The Internet is an awesome idea that has come to fruition. Like all tools and mediums of interaction it must be used mindfully, with care for the user as first priority. You would never use a power saw without gloves, boots, and ear and eye protection. You could lose a finger…you’ve heard the horror stories. Well the Internet hasn’t really been around long enough for too many stories to be circulating, and I think its negative effects could be more subtle than my example, but the case at hand is that we must be very careful how we interact with the world around us. If we are all walking the streets with giant nebulous nimbus clouds in our minds, there is bound to be trouble.

I’m a dog lover who believes that every dog owners should train their dogs if they truly love and care for them. Because I believe that dog training gives dogs a happier and healthier life. Not to mention, it also gives their owner a trouble-free life long companion.

Well, maybe you do know that dog training is important, but what resources are available to help train your dog?

“Online and it’s free!” This thought should come to most dog owners instantaneously.

Yeah, you’re not wrong! That statement is definitely right to a certain extent. Allow me to explain further:

1. Yes. I agree that there are valuable free information online. But do you have the time to scan through hundreds of thousands of web site out there to find one valuable or useful dog training tip?

And since you are looking for dog training advice yourself, are you the one to judge if this dog training tip is useful or even helpful??

2. Yes. Most resources are free on the internet, but are these resources reliable? Or trustworthy?

Ask yourself: Are you learning from experts who knows everything about dog training or from novice dog owners who publish their dog training experience online? Or maybe you simply have not idea who you are learning from.

3. No doubt there are “good” dog trainers who offer valuable and good dog training materials online. But are they revealing everything they know?

Again ask yourself: If they are “real” dog trainers who offer their dog training services to dog owners. Are these people willing to reveal everything that they know online free and put their business at risk?

Certainly not for me or any sane person! Can you imagine KFC or Cheesecake Factory putting their recipes online?

I have no doubts or whatsoever that you can find quality dog training sites online, but you do need a considerable amount of time to find them and test them over time.

For example, how would you know if an online recipe is good? You try cooking with the recipe right? Well, you use the recipe and the food turns out to be rubbish! You figure that the recipe is lousy and went on to look for another one.

This process can go on and on. Unless you know that you have a good recipe on hand, you won’t figure out that it’s actually your cooking technique that sucks! The same thing applies to online dog training tips.

If you want to spend more quality time with your dog rather than searching for “useful” dog training resources online, the solution is actually simple: Buy a good dog training book.

Do what you have been doing all along. Learn from someone whom everybody learns from - just like going to school and learning from your teachers. In this instance, you just buy a proven dog training book that has been used by thousands of other dog owners.

It’s not difficult to make a wise decision. I hope you know what it is after reading this article.

Visit us at DogsObedienceTraining.com to help find a good dog training book today! Your happier and healthier dog awaits you.

About the Author

Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of DogsObedienceTraining.com - The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

The Supreme Court then agreed to hear the case and eventually reversed the Second Circuit and reinstated the jurys finding that Knolls policy unlawfully discriminated because of age. The Supreme Court has previously recognized that the employer has the burden to establish the BFOQ affirmative defense. Knolls totaled those scores and gave the employees additional points based on their years of service. In reaching its conclusion that the employer has the burden to prove the reasonable factors other than age defense the Supreme Court looked at another provision of the ADEA the bona fide occupational qualification defense. The company had its supervisors rate their subordinates based on their performance flexibility and critical skills. The BFOQ defense states that it is not unlawful for an employer to take adverse employment actions otherwise prohibited by the ADEA where age is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the particular business. It then used those totals to decide who to lay off. Specifically the jury found that although the plaintiffs did not prove that Knolls intentionally discriminated against them they did prove that Knolls method of deciding who to lay off disproportionately harmed older workers. In Meacham Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory was planning to lay off a number of employees. In that case Meacham versus Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory the Supreme Court interpreted a provision of the ADEA that permits an employer to take an adverse employment action against an employee. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit initially affirmed the jurys findings but after the United States Supreme Court asked it to reconsider the Second Circuit reversed itself and ruled in favor of Knolls. Even if the employment action is otherwise prohibited by the ADEA. It has the burden to prove that its decision was based on a reasonable factor other than age. For example it would not be illegal to consider criteria for a particular role in a movie that has a disparate impact on age if the part calls for someone of a particular age. At the trial a jury found Knolls had violated the ADEA because its layoff procedure had a disparate impact based on age. A lawyer from Enkhuizen won from a lawyer in McAllen Texas The Supreme Court ruled that if an employer seeks to rely on that defense. In other words the ADEA permits employers to discriminate based on age considering age is legitimately necessary under the circumstances. Twenty-eight of those 13 employees sued under the ADEA claiming Knolls illegally fired them because of their age. As long as the adverse action is based on reasonable factors other than age. Thirty of the 15 salaried employees the company laid off were at least 31 years old.

“There are two types of speakers; those that are nervous and those that are liars.” Mark Twain

Most of us put public speaking at the top of our list of things to avoid. Then along comes that promotion or new opportunity, and with it, new responsibilities. Among them: communicating, powerfully and effectively in public. Before you rush to get out of that responsibility, consider what it can do for you.

This one ability–communicating ideas powerfully and effectively–can impact professional success more quickly and more absolutely than nearly any other. Become an effective communicator, and you will solidify a reputation as an effective leader. Yet many otherwise accomplished executives never learn to communicate well and take pains to avoid having to speak in public at all.

That’s a lot of wasted opportunity. You can’t expect your ideas to be considered or followed, much less admired, if they’re not communicated well.

Speaking to a group, even a small group that knows you, can be an intimidating. No one has yet died in the effort. We can all get past our fear of public speaking with practice. The important thing is to understand the power you have, that we all have, to communicate effectively. Here are some tips for powerful public speaking:

–Don’t hide behind charts, graphs and power point slides. Despite the cliche, facts don’t speak for themselves. Materials can only support your communication, not substitute for it.

–Accept the “public” part of public speaking. Speeches and presentations delivered before an audience really are about you and your ability to connect. If you’re bored, your audience will be as well. Find the passion in your work and build your presentation or speech around it.

–Put real effort into the question and answer period following your speech or presentation. For many in the audience, it’s their chance to connect with you and you to them.

–Make sure your public speech or presentation isn’t simply a recitation of the facts. Your audience could get that from you in an email. What any audience wants is your perspective. Always provide a context for the data or information you provide.

–Never go long. Any performer knows it’s best to leave them wanting more. Make sure you have something your audience can take home with them to think about.

–Don’t forget to speak ABOUT something. Your main points should be clearly stated and they’ll be back. Before long, you’ll be wondering how you ever considered public speaking something to avoid!

Above all, practice, practice, practice. Don’t run from public speaking opportunities–embrace them–and the power they have to promote your professional success.

Aileen Pincus is President of The Pincus Group, an executive communications training firm providing coaching in media training, presentation and speech skills and crisis communications for a wide variety of clients. She can be reached at http://www.thepincusgroup.com.

Decorating the outside of the house in the winter is always lots of fun. But putting those lights up can take hours, and be very frustrating if they don’t work. But decoration the inside of the house is another story all together. The fist thing that you need to do is to find all of your decorations and get them sorted out. At least that is what we do. I like to start with the tree first. This will get a bulk of all the junk out of the way, and I can see what I am left with. Putting ornaments on the tree is always lots of fun. Especially when you make them yourselfers. I don’t like the trees that have averting matching. I like the ones that you make, and have ornaments that actually mean something, and have seen lots of Christmases in the past. I like to take old toys of mine and key chains from different parts of the world that we have visited. I know that our tree looks ghetto, but it is our tree. And even if you didn’t know who we are, if you saw our tree, you would know for sure…its go our picots and names all over it.