A GACE Test Guide to Your Brain and Standardized Testing

Have you ever had one of those GACE test preparation weeks where you felt like there was a theme or lesson attached to it?

For my GACE test prep students and I, this week definitely centered on the brain. Not just how it functions when it comes to storing up test information, formulas and dates, but other things as well. Things like how it responds to testing at certain times of the day. How it responds under test anxiety and pressure.

And here's the big one that took up a huge chunk of this week's class...

...How your brain works to overcome its greatest productivity killers.

The GACE Test Battle For Mental Control

You know exactly what I'm talking about here. They may be different for each and every person, but trust me: when it comes to GACE test practice, there are two forces battling it out for your attention.

One force - which is propelled by your GACE test angel - wants you to focus as much as possible on your study. "Don't go out after class," it whispers in your ear. "It may be the weekend, but you need to do at least three hours worth of study before you can enjoy yourself."

I'm sure you're quite familiar with the other force. You know the one that I'll mention. The voice that whispers, "You've been great all week, why not take a little break from your GACE preparation?" Or the voice that urges, "You haven't seen any of your friends in awhile, why not skip your study group and go out for a meal?"

Lots of my students believe that giving into the latter voice means that they're lazy, or worse - that they truly don't want to pass their GACE tests.

But I've got a different theory altogether. If the voice of temptation wins out, it's usually because a student is suffering from one of these four productivity killers.

The Four GACE Test Practice Productivity Killers

Don't let these productivity killers grab hold of your GACE preparation!

• Depression is one of the most powerful productivity killers, and is also the hardest one to get rid of. If you're down in the dumps (for example, you experience anxiety attacks, have digestive problems, cry for no reason or just can't do a lick of work), then the best thing you can do for your GACE testis to seek out help. • Losing out on your creativity might seem like a problem that's reserved for artists and writers, but it can also have a drastic impact on your testing. If your brain is starting to feel squeezed dry, take some time out to feed your creativity-starved mind. You'll soon feel right as rain again. • Encountering an unsolvable problem on your GACE test practice can be tricky, but here's an easy way to solve it - sleep on it. Nine times out of ten, your brain will work out a way to approach the problem that leads to the correct answer. • Negative mental images can set you up for failure - and that's why you need to tackle this productivity killer right away! To fight back, never take your eyes off of the prize. Visualize success. See your best test score, and then achieve it!

New Gymnastics Supervision Systems Provide More Safety for Gymnasts

New Video Technology Affordable and Available

Video safety supervision is not common in gymnastics facilities but is becoming more and more economically feasible with the dropping prices of multi-camera security camera systems. Video systems can feed into the front desk area allowing front desk staff to help generally supervise the gym area, to a security office, to the coach's offices, to the owner's office, or onto the Internet or a combination of some or all of these.

A Camera in Each Corner

Four-camera video surveillance systems are available in every discount shopping superstore at very reasonable prices. Some of these come Internet-ready so they can easily be displayed on the gym web site. By placing one camera in each corner of the gym, a single four-camera video system can cover the entire gym.

Parents Can Observe Their Gymnasts from Their Home or Office

Internet video surveillance systems can allow parents, staff and gym owners to remotely view the gym. Parents can be reassured about the safety of their gymnasts, parents unable to come to the gym can watch their gymnasts for short or long periods of time even if they are out of town or even out of the country.

Staff and Owners Can Supervise Better With a video surveillance system fed to the office, office staff can help supervise the gym and could get an earlier alert if an accident or emergency situation were to occur and be in a position to summon help more quickly. Gym owners could check on what's going on in the gym from home or if they are away at a meet or on a trip.

Traditional Specific and General Supervision systems

The other types of more traditional gymnast supervision already should be in place include specific instructor supervision of their own class and general instructor supervision of the entire gym and gym areas. These traditional supervision modes should not be replaced, but supplemented with the new video technology. Both for liability reasons and to protect gymnasts to the highest degree possible, every possible system of supervision should be put in place.

Defending Your Rights Under the Employment Laws

With the changing times and increasing accounts of job-related disputes comes the need for various laws that focus on resolving these particular issues. Along with this, the employment force must be able to fully understand their rights under the pre-existing law provisions and utilize them to protect their own interests.

Specifically in Los Angeles, the workers are guaranteed of legal remedies and protection from abusive employers who fail to manage them lawfully. Here are some of the following rights and privileges that are somehow helpful for the employees who may have experienced employment discrimination or abuse:

Right against Discrimination

As stated under the California Government Code and Federal Code Title VII, it is unlawful to discriminate and/or harass workers based on their:

Age Race, color or national origin Gender or pregnancy Religious affiliation Marital status Disability

In addition, as provided by the Labor Code, employers are not allowed to retaliate against their employees who:

Uphold their rights for reasonable wages Filed their complaints regarding the unhealthy and/or hazardous work environment Asserted their rights for worker's compensation Testify before the court, revealing the illegal activities in the company Involved themselves in other lawful activities not related to work such as political activity and skills enhancement trainings

Any employee who will experience these violations may file their case with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within six months prior to date when the discriminative act occurred.

Family and Medical Leave Act

Every employee may have the right to utilize a three-month leave without the fear of losing his or her job for the following reasons:

Take care for a newly born baby or adopted child Provide attention for a family member who has a serious ailment or health condition Seek treatment for his or her own sickness Organizing a Labor Union

Employers do not have to interfere in any manner regarding the formation of a labor union and any of its lawful activities. Unless these labor actions are being done in an orderly and under the limits of the law, the company owners cannot file any case against union members.

Any instance of employer interference or harassment related to this issue may be reported to the National Labor Relations Board within a period of 180 days.

Workplace Safety

To protect their workers from possible hazards in their workplace, the employers must provide them with adequate training seminars and programs on how to protect themselves on the job. If necessary, the companies must supply all the protective equipment and gears.

Employers disregarding this right of the workers may be brought to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

Right to Representation

All citizens, not just workers, who have been aggrieved, discriminated and/or harmed, have their basic right to legal represented. Therefore, in filing their respective claims and complaints, the affected employees may seek the assistance of Los Angeles employment law defenders who have the proper knowledge and skills in preserving their rights.

This is certainly beneficial, especially for those workers who do lack the any background about the laws that safeguard their welfare. To add, labor attorneys can help their clients in establishing a strong case against their illicit employers.

Getting the Most Out of Web Analytics With a CMS

For most modern organizations, the Web site is now much more than just the company's online face. It can be brand builder, revenue generator, customer service point, and so much more. Getting the site up is only the beginning; the business has to then understand if the target audience is getting the information it needs, examine the benefits delivered to customers on literally every page, and use all the gathered information to continuously improve the experience for end-users. This is why Web analytics is so important.

Today's enterprises compete in a dynamic market: every investment in the online presence has to be justified. Studying and understanding user behavior will allow organizations to continuously streamline their online space, take quick business decisions and, in the long term, justify the costs incurred.

As Web analytics are being increasingly integrated with Content Management Systems (CMS), cutting-edge businesses now have the opportunity to simplify and rationalize the process end-to-end - all the way from content creation and publishing to tracking and analytics.

Web Analytics: Quick Definitions There is so much data that can be gathered from a Web site. With every visit, visitors or customers allow you to study their browsing patterns; you can also monitor traffic, transactions, usability and even aspects like server performance. Web analytics help collect, compile and review all this data, thus providing Web managers with a crucial tool to ensure the effectiveness of the enterprise Web site and monitor conversions almost continuously.

Web-based analytics typically consist of standardized analytic tool boxes through which users' can generate and view reports through a desktop or web browser. The data generated can be analyzed, graphically displayed and delivered to product development, manufacturing and senior executives who can make adjustments in real time as appropriate.

So, Is It Really Simple? According to Eric T. Peterson from Web Analytics Demystified "Web analytics is complex enough that companies hoping to better understand their Web sites using this technology must be committed to working for success. Web analytics is not magic, the applications are often difficult to use and desire will never replace a demonstrated effort to learn and use Web analytics tools."

According to Peterson, there is also the need for committed and dedicated staff for Web analytics to deliver on the ROI promise. Finding resources with the right experience is also harder than it looks; most Web analytics professionals did not come by their knowledge from a university course - they have probably acquired it from a wide variety of online and offline publications, and simply from time spent doing the work.

Usage According to a usage survey conducted by Web Analytics Demystified in 2007, a whopping 57% of small companies (500 employees or less) were using Web analytics tools; the midsize accounted for about 20%, and very large companies (5000 or more employees) made up the remaining 23%.

The study also found that 36% of companies had begun to use analytics for tactical and strategic decisions, 26% used it for general guidance, and only 8% were unsure about how to integrate Web analytics into their decision-making processes.

Where the CMS Comes In To make analytics really work, it seems clear that a dedicated team is a necessity. But for most growing businesses, already stretched in terms of resources, this is very rarely possible. Many of them grapple with an even more basic challenge - managing the corporate Web site. How can a resource-starved organization ensure, for example -

o That Web updates happen on time, every time? o That customers find the right information quickly and easily? o Those marketers can quickly repurpose or reuse content without worrying about design and formatting? o That subject matter experts can maintain different site sections with ease, even if they are based at different locations?

This is where the Web CMS comes in. With the right content management solution, non-technical personnel - like your marketing staff - can actively participate in managing, updating and reusing content without having to rely on your html experts. With central management, templates and intelligent workflow automation, the CMS can also boost content quality by ensuring that it passes through several approval mechanisms before publishing. Web CMS has also come of age over the past few years. Apart from allowing content creators to create and publish content as well as easily manage aspects like navigation, page layout and links, CMSs also help maintain brand values across the site, ensuring that visitors have a consistent, professional experience.

Now we come to the crux: centralized control also means you can effectively measure the success of your online initiatives. Think about it - you can create a marketing campaign with a CMS, launch it using email marketing software and use a Web analytics tool to measure results - and if the Web analytics is integrated with the CMS, you have a veritable closed-loop marketing system that can continuously improve itself: all without the need of dedicated technical personnel.

CMS and Analytics: A Winning Combination When the CMS is integrated with Web analytics, a 360-degree view of user behavior is fairly simple to generate. You can have visibility into where visitors clicked, what they searched for, understand drop-off points (and the reasons thereof), what calls to action worked and what didn't, where navigation seemed to be an issue, and so on.

All of this data is meaningless if not immediately actionable - and that's where an easy-to-use CMS can make a real difference. Based on this data, it can help your online marketers quickly reconfigure, repurpose, or even redesign sections of the site to raise effectiveness levels. What's more, there is constant feedback from the tools, allowing your teams to quickly understand what changes are beneficial. If the CMS offers flexible workflows, you can even have the CMS update your Web site based on pre-determined metrics - for example, you could automatically retire a page after it receives a certain number of views, or automatically promote a popular article to the home page.

To use another example - your existing CRM system can deliver customized newsletters or offers to subscribers who have indicated their preferences; the Web analytics tool provides the intelligence here, and the CMS helps repurpose content and launch it via a medium that is well suited to the subscriber. It is easy to see how marketing campaigns can be improved on-the-go with such a solution in place.

Web CMS offered Software-as-a-Service (SaaS; also called a 'Hosted' solution) offers further advantages with the fact that there is no hardware to buy and no software to install - all you need to do is rent the software from a service provider for a fixed monthly or quarterly subscription fee. The vendor then assumes responsibility for managing, maintaining and upgrading the software. Such a CMS is usually deployed very rapidly, ensuring that your Web site is aligned with business objectives in the shortest time possible. What's even more attractive is that SaaS vendors like CrownPeak take the onus of integrating the CMS with your proprietary tools and third-party software - such as a Web analytics solution you may have already invested in.

Success Guaranteed? With the growing emphasis on analytics, reports churned out of the analytic logs are used to determine the success of the Web site. However it is important to be note that Web site hits and page views are not essentially conversions; it is essential for companies to track trends regarding conversions before determining the success of their site.

Eventually, there is also nothing to replace quality content; the CMS and Web analytics, working together, can only help make life easier for your content creators and marketers to focus on their core competencies.

Conclusion To ensure that a company gets the most out of the integrated Web analytics-CMS approach, it is important that the right CMS be adopted; and this can be a tough choice considering the number of options available. Traditional CMS typically calls for a larger investment in infrastructure, software and labor. In an effort to reduce costs and get quality service, more and more companies are opting for hosted or SaaS CMS. Leading hosted CMS vendors have also tied up with analytics providers to offer best-of-breed pre-integrated CMS solutions.

With e-commerce and online marketing growing, companies are increasingly witnessing a need to use their analytics tools as part of content management. It is here that the challenge lies in choosing a good integrated solution - one that is easy to use, provides the maximum number of features and delivers on the promise of good ROI.

IT Systems are Similar to the Human Bio-system and the Life Experience

Perhaps you have never thought philosophically about IT systems or how they evolve due to advances in technology, feature creep or the ever changing environment that information technologies work in, which makes upgrades mandatory. If not I would like to discuss some of these philosophical thoughts with you now so you can better understand the IT animal rather than labeling it The Beast.

You see, the natural progression and evolution of IT Systems is very similar to the Human Bio-system or the human body and IT systems can also be likened to the life experience. This fact is it is neither good or evil, but it could be either if not handled correctly, properly programmed or used efficiently. A computer system or a human being is; neither automatically good or evil, it just exists.

Humans are not perfect and as they go through life they either get worse or they work towards perfection, although chances are that they can never achieve perfection. Yes, I know you consider yourself perfect in everyway and therefore I need to speak for myself, okay I got that part. However, if you do not wish to use yourself as an example, then take your fellow man on the street. Hardly perfect and the chances of him becoming perfect are next to nil and even if he did; well, how long would that really last?

After all things change and perfection is a moving target right? Yah, for everyone but you, my fault, I again apologize. Now then, the human bio system is indeed a pretty perfect machine, but it is affected by so many things for instance; the garbage we put in that makes humans unfit, unhealthy and fat. Same with IT systems you see, as things change, the needs and requirements of the system changes and what we put in changes it too. Garbage in, garbage out, see what I mean?

IT systems can never be perfect as we keep changing our demands of the system and the world changes too. New models come out and upgrades are needed to fulfill the needs. We also must fix and watch the system when viruses or malicious code slips in from hackers. Rather than call the IT systems evil, why don't you look in the mirror human?

Sincerely, Your IT system.

Jamie Oliver: Cracking A Regionalized Culinary Italian Mindset

Until last week, I'd never heard of Jamie Oliver. Stumbling and flipping through channels during the intermission of a hockey playoff game, I landed on the foodnetwork where British Chef Jamie Oliver (a British chef? Who knew?) was in Italy in search of true and pure rustic regional Italian cooking; Italy is regional on many social levels. The episode intrigued me since I not only cook but also consider myself a purist in the Italian kitchen. Brave kid. I had to watch.

It's difficult for North Americans to get into an Italian mindset when it comes to demanding refinement. We're not a society devoted to food. It's more a chore in our day. We often, in some cases, eat like depraved gluttons.

It's in Italy where I came to observe a dietary habit that was subtle in its near perfection. Everything from the times they eat to how they serve and compliment their food, Italians know what they're doing. So subtle even world famous chefs who regard Italian cuisine as simplistic overlook it. Until they pay closer attention.

I have often lamented about how I wish people would spend a week in an Italian village. There they would learn to appreciate that food is a serious part of the human experience. They would also come to see why the sophisticated culinary diet of Italy is first rate. It's not all about spaghetti and meatballs. In some parts of Italy rice is consumed more. Betcha you didn't know that, eh?

Jamie Oliver learnt what I learned the first time I went to Italy. There are laws of food to observe. Just like there are natural and economic laws, there are culinary laws. Not in the haughty French manner (a society first introduced to high cuisine by Catherine De Medici who was known as L'Italienne in France) but in an understated Italian way. When it comes to food, tasteful conservatism and minimalism prevails.

In any event, you can't just mix and match ingredients. Fusion cuisine is all the rage and trend among chefs and diners these days; but don't tell that to the Italians. In fact, it's what frustrated Oliver during the show. He explained that while he wished he had been born Italian, he could not understand their utter stubbornness and lack of open-mindedness when it comes to different interpretations of cooking. He submitted that the British were more open to other cuisine's whereas the Italians were less predisposed to try, say, Thai food.

He's right. On the other hand, it's easy for nations without a national diet or cuisine to be open. Then again, while the McDonald's experience has been lukewarm in Italy at best, it seems to be doing fine in France - a people with a long established culinary heritage. Extending into other cultures, it would be interesting to see the results in places like Lebanon, Japan and China. I deliberately leave out the regional Mediterranean diet at large in the interest of time. Suffice to acknowledge the region has often been regarded to have a healthy lifestyle and diet plays the largest role.

I digress. For years, I wondered about Oliver's astute comment. Simplistically, therein lies why Italy is, well, Italy. If they weren't so single-minded and devoted to their art, they would cease to be Italian. It's a trade off of sorts. Italy is one of the last of the Mohicans among nations (especially among the G7) in that artisanship and craftsmanship of the highest quality -whether in shoes, machinery or furniture making and of course food - prevails. In economics they call it opportunity costs. Sure, Italy could attempt to mass-produce in their typical chaotic fashion to make more money but that would not be fair to the rest of us. Italy remains a land ruled by dynasties who focus on one or two products and master its contents; just like how Charlie Parker mastered the saxophone without ever reading a single note; it's in the Italian blood to make beautiful things.

Though not the first, I'm glad Jamie Oliver educated and brought Italian cooking to its roots. Italian know-how takes a backseat to no one. He evidently underestimated the will of how Italians do things. He did a great job - and service - from where I stand. I'm sure Italians would approve.

Webkinz Charms Where are They?

Finding Webkinz Charms can be tough. Stores everywhere are out of stock and show few signs of improving their in stock position anytime soon. So what does that mean for kids and parent looking for Webkinz Charms? It means that shopping online for Webkinz Charms may be the only option and even that one may be dried up.

What are Webkinz Charms? Webkinz Charms are quite simply similar to a bracelet and can also be work around the neck of someones Webkinz pet. So it serves as 2 functions jewelry for your child or jewelry for your child's Webkinz Plush animal. This makes webkinz charms a unique item that has never been released before. The ability to have the same jewelry spans child fantasies everywhere. This allows them to share a common beyond between master and owner or pet and owner.

There are 24 different webkinz charms that each display the image of a webkinz plush pet. The webkinz charm hangs around the neck of the webkinz pet as to symbolize what the pet is. These are rare items now days and kids everywhere who love and play webkinz are seeking them out. Webkinz Charms are following along the same pattern that the parent Webkinz has experienced. That means we'll see year long shortages of webkinz charms just as we saw shortages of webkinz pets earlier in the year.

As Christmas appoaches demand for webkinz Charms will probably sky rocket and the prices slowly increase before then. The best way to find Webkinz Charms is to get them now as waiting could result in the same fate as Webkinz Pets earlier this year and they'll hang the "out of Stock" sign everywhere. So finding your favoriteWebkinz Charms may be easy in a few weeks but by Christmas they will be rare.

Screenwriters & Filmmakers - Pitching the Cold Heart of the Banker

Can a creative pitch alone get your script produced? Pitching the script is an art that is much talked about, put into college curriculums and lauded by the Pop Culture. But, there's a big factor missing from creative pitches. It's fundamental; but broadly ignored by key creative people.

For over 20 years I've been hired by Film Financiers (Studio Exec's, Bonding Companies, etc.) to watch over their investment during the film's production. I've also had more than a few independent filmmakers ask me for help in getting their film off the ground. So, I've been rubbing elbows with the elusive Film Financier (of one stripe or another) for some time.

Creative screenwriters, directors and filmmakers, especially when they're new at the game of film production, conceive that the money for wonderful scripts should be found - like apples dropping from a tree. 'Fraid not. Filmmaking is as much about the money as it is about the creative.

The person who you're pitching may be wearing blue jeans and topsiders, but he's still a Financier (or his immediate superior is). When pitching your script, think - I'm looking into the cold heart of a banker.

Learn to be familiar enough with the costs of your script to defend it in the language of money. Then, you'll be able to look any Studio Exec in the eye and mean what you say in his/her language.

But, you say, I'm creative! What do I know about money, and financing, and accounting, and, and..... Take heart. It's a heck of a lot easier than you may think.

Pitch the Script...But Don't Forget The Money Independent screenwriters, directors and producers are fervently connected to their scripts and can pitch them anywhere, at anytime. But can a creative pitch alone get the film made?

It's very rare. Think about it. You're dealing with the M word....MONEY! So, yeah, pitch your heart out. But, hey, isn't it reasonable to learn some of the language of the person you really want to work with? To my mind, that's the only way to be credible in the eyes of the Financiers. Remember that we're talking about INDEPENDENT Film Financing and not about getting swept through the red carpet of the major studios.

There's a two step process going on here:

1. Pitch the script

2. Create confidence that the film CAN be produced within defined dollar limits.

Translate Creative Ideas Into 'Money Talk'

Being bright and creative is pretty much the norm in the film industry. But, being bright and creative, AND knowing how to translate creative ideas into 'money talk' elevates you way ahead of the pack.

To deliver a good pitch, have answers to these key questions about your screenplay:

- How you will achieve and produce your vision, yet still stay within a predetermined budget.

- What's important about money in film production, and what's not, and how to bring it up in the pitch.

- What are some of the 'Insider' secrets about film budgeting and reporting that YOU can use to your advantage?

- Regardless if you're a film director/ producer/screenwriter/ crew/ film student/ etc., film budgets and cost reports have something to do with you and your goals. Be prepared to bring this topic up when you pitch your screenplay.

You get the idea. Learn to be familiar enough with the costs of your script to defend it in the language of money. Then, you'll be able to pitch your script in a very powerful language - the language of MONEY.

Sign up for a series of seven articles - all only about 3 to 5 pages each which will give you insight into most of your 'pitch the money' problems, at http://www.talkfilm.biz.

Here are the article titles:

1. MAKING IT! In Film Production

2. Introduction to 'Directing the Money'

3. Translating Ideas Into 'Money Talk'

4. Your Participation In Above-the-Line Budgeting

5. Your Participation In Below-the-Line Budgeting

6. Your Report Card - The Internationally Recognized Cost Report

7. Presentation of the Weekly Cost Report - It's As Important As the Dailies

(Copyright 2005)

Strong and Durable Poly Tarps

Tarpaulins (tarps) are made from many different materials, taking into account different factors such as strength, cost, and ability to withstand the elements. One particularly useful material is polyethylene, one of the most versatile man-made fibers in existence. It can be used to make boats, cables, pipes, and plastic bags, among many other items. It can also be used to make tarpaulins.

Poly tarps are strong and durable, and most of them are waterproof. Polyethylene tarpaulins are a good alternative to traditional canvas tarps. Poly tarps can cost as little as $6 for a 6 foot by 8 foot model. Larger tarps measuring 50 feet by 100 feet can cost as much as $780. Of course, there is a wide range of available sizes (and prices) in between. Poly tarps come in a variety of colors, with black and blue being two of the most popular. Some of the uses for poly tarps include lawn care, covering swimming pools, and lumber tarps.

Poly tarps are lightweight compared to canvas, and are often put to use in landscaping since they will not crush grass or plants underneath them. They are often used to cover sports fields in between games to keep the field safe from rain and wind.

Poly tarps are also good for covering swimming pools during the cold months. Poly tarps can easily be secured around swimming pools, and keep rain, twigs, leaves, and other debris out of the pool.

Lumber tarps are often made of strong polyethylene. Strong poly tarps are great for securing lumber because they protect the wood from the elements and are also strong enough to contain the wood and keep it from falling out of the trailer.

Poly tarpaulins are a good alternative to canvas or mesh tarps. They can be more expensive, but their strength, durability and versatility are worth the investment.