Air Foil Tour Driver: December 2013

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Use A Portable Alarm Clock To Be Always On Time

Using a portable alarm clock, also called a travel alarm clock, is a necessity when traveling as a business man or for vacation. Of course other things are equally important, such as having the clothes and toiletries with you, your laptop and your iPod. However no matter where you go, if you want to make sure that you always wake up on time and don't miss your plane, train, boat or appointment, you should carry the clock with you as well. This is especially important if you are traveling to a different time zone.It's very easy to buy a travel alarm clock, especially with the wide variety of choices out there for you. You can buy it at any retailer, online or through mail order catalogs. When you buy yours, you need to know which functionality it will have as each piece has a different set of functions, and you might find that you won't want to use every single one of them.One of the best things about these clocks is that they are quite affordable and very easy to carry around. You can easily fit it into your travel bag or even your trouser pockets as it's very light and compact in size. If you prefer to stick to a particular well known brand, you can be sure that the manufacturer of that brand will have a couple of travel clocks available for you to choose from. Of course, the high end items will be more expensive, however the quality pieces will definitely last you longer.The first alarm clocks introduced many years ago were rather bulky pieces that had a set of basic features and they were analog in design. Nowadays, however, the modern day clocks have the well known quartz technology included and they are powered by long lasting and durable batteries. It is so much easier today to check the time as most modern pieces have a digital time display that lights up in the dark so you can see the time no matter the time of day or night.You can even have some with customized tones whereby you can actually record your favorite song or tune which will play right at the wake-up time. There are some people who record chirping of birds or sounds of waves so that they can be gently woken up from their sleep. You can also find clocks that announce the time with a real voice instead of music. The choices are really up to you and what you buy will strongly be determined by your own preferences and available budget.

If you have troubles waking up in the morning, try to use a vibrating pillow alarm clock or a gradual light alarm clock.Visit vibratingalarmclock.or

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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Music Develops Human Potential and the Brain

Music has a far reaching and significant influence on human potential then what many people realize.Today, scientists and neuromusicologist in many countries are conducting research on how music affects human development, our behavior, thinking, learning abilities and well being.Dr Gordon Shaw and Dr Frances Rauscher, scientists at the University of California at Irvie and many others within the brain research community have shown that music has an extensive education and brain development value. Listening to classical music can increase memory and concentration, and studying a music instrument has shown to increase spatial reasoning.When music form part of your home environment, it creates a positive and conducive atmosphere for learning and aids in the acquisition of early language. It was found that when music is taught comprehensively and sequentially in schools, it increases the children performance in math, science, reading, history and SAT score. In some cases, it also help children with learning disability to become more confidence and make their learning process much easier.A person who study music and learn to play musical instrument tend to be more creative in their thinking, stronger in imagination, communication and team work skills. Incidentally, these are important attributes for a successful life, especially in the highly competitive twenty-first century.Many government in the world such as Singapore and the US have recognized the importance of music education for the benefits of their citizens. They have invested a lot of financial and human resources at national level to promote music education in their countries. In these countries, collaborative efforts between schools, arts organizations and corporations are organized to make music and arts education a reality across the nation.Recent studies show that music learning involve our bran at every level. One of the research done by Anne Blood at McGill University in Montreal found that music and the arts utilize both the cortex and limbic systems which are essential to helping us in learning that lasts. Music brings out our emotion such as joy, happiness, love, sorrow and tenderness. When we make music part of our learning process, our education becomes richer, more meaningful, long lasing and has greater impact in our lives.Personally I discover that if you want to learn something and commit it to memory, the key is to set the information to music - majority of us learnt the alphabet by singing the ABC Song: 'ABCDEFG-HIJKLMNOP-QRS-TUV-WXY-and-Z...', isn't it?

Article by Alvin Poh, founder of Learning Champ and Parenting Network - parenting wesbites that provides information and resources to parents and teachers, who want to help children develop the important skills and mind set for a brighter future -> [http://www

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Friday, December 6, 2013

Romantic Dinner For Two - Easy to Cook and Lovely to Eat

Spring is here and love is in the air, so why not treat your beloved to a romantic dinner a deux? After all, there's no finer way to your loved one's heart than through their stomach. I'm thinking along the lines of 70's retro 'Surf & Turf.' The good news is this easy 3 course dinner won't break the bank or require you to spend hours at the stove. Apart from the steak, everything else can be made in advance, so if you want to up the anti and impress your sweetheart, be sure to make the bearnaise sauce to serve alongside the steak. So for starters it's prawn cocktail, main course is the perfect steak served with triple cooked french fries & bearnaise sauce followed by a dessert of 'petit pots au chocolate.' More on that later...Here's Your Cooking Order To Prevent Panic!Morning or Day Before:Make the dessert & refrigeratePrep the French fries up to stage 3 & refrigerateEvening:Bring the steak up to room temperature - 1 hr aheadMake up the prawn cocktails & refrigerateMake the bearnaise sauce and keep warm - ? hour before servingCook the steaks and heat the oil for the final chip frying stageFry off the chips for 5 minutes while the steaks are restingThis chocolate dessert is so unbelievably easy to make yet decadently rich with a creamy silky texture. Who needs complicated when love is in the air?Let's Start With Dessert...Petit Pots au ChocolateIngredients:4 oz dark chocolate minimum 80% cocoa6 fl oz or ? cup half and half cream2 tbsp caster sugar2 tbsp Baileys liqueurHere's What You Do:Break the chocolate into tiny pieces (a food processor is best as it reduces the chocolate to a powder), but you could put it in a bag and bash with a rolling pin). The point is it make the pieces small so the melt faster. Heat the single cream and sugar in the microwave (or on the stove) until it just reaches boiling.Tip the chocolate into the hot cream and stir until melted, it will immediately thicken. Add the Baileys liqueur and stir well. Pour into two small dishes and refrigerate for several hours. There! Told you it was easy!!!Now for the prawn cocktail.A cool, spicy & succulent starter. What's not to like? To get the perfect combo you want one third each of prawns, lettuce and sauce.Ingredients:? lb small cooked Candian prawns4 Romaine lettuce leaves6 baby cherry tomatoes? lemon2 level tbsp good quality mayonnaise1 level tbsp ketchup1 tsp Dijon mustardPinch cayenne pepperHere's What You Do:Tip the prawns into a sieve and leave to drain. Shred the lettuce leaves and put aside. Slice or quarter the cherry tomatoes (a serrated knife is best for this) and put with the lettuce. Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup and Dijon together in the bowl. Now zip it up with a dash of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon - not too much - about 1 tbsp otherwise the sauce will be too runny. Stir in the prawns, lettuce and tomato coating them well with the sauce. Spoon into sundae glasses, decorate with a slice of lemon and refrigerate until needed. Now for the French fries. Lets be honest, you can't beat homemade fries. Triple cooked are super crispy and the best in the business.Ingredients:3 large floury potatoesSea salt1? pints vegetable or sunflower oilHere's What You Do:Peel the potatoes then trim off their rounded sides and square them up. Cut into ? inch thick slices lengthways and then again into strips, giving you fries.Place the fries in a saucepan, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Next, rinse them thoroughly, cover with fresh cold water and add a dash of salt. Place over a high heat and when they come up to the boil, cook for 5- 7 minutes. Pierce the centre with a knife, they want to be softish but not fully cooked.Drain into a sieve and run under the cold tap to stop further cooking. Pat dry with a cloth then arrange on a tray lined with absorbent kitchen paper and stick in the freezer for 30 minutes. After 25 minutes, fill a saucepan a third full of oil and place on a medium heat. Now test cook a French fry first. The oil is ready when it surrounds the French fry with 100's of tiny bubbles. Don't overcrowd the pan or the temperature will drop. Otherwise fry them in small batches, for approx 3-4 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon when they're just starting to colour. Drain onto fresh sheets of absorbent kitchen paper and allow to cool for 10 minutes before returning to the freezer for half an hour. (You can prepare the French fries up to this stage and keep refrigerated for 24 hours if necessary.The Next NightTake the steaks out the refrigerator an hour before you plan to sit and eat.Make up the prawn cocktail.Now start the bearnaise sauce.This classic French sauce is the perfect companion to steak and not bad with chicken, fish and vegetables either. It's made the same way as a hollandaise, but don't let that put you off because this recipe is pretty much bomb proof! All that's required is a little patience and some low heat!Ingredients:2 medium egg yolks - room temp1? sticks unsalted butter1 shallot or a few onion sliceslarge handful fresh tarragon1 tsp black peppercorns4 tbsp white wine vinegarsaltHere's What You Do:Melt the butter over a low heat or in the microwave until it becomes liquid. Remove from the heat and let it settle, then strain off the clear golden liquid into one of the cups and put aside. Discard the milky sediment. Finely chop the tarragon leaves, put aside 1? tbsp and tip the remainder into a small saucepan. Add the vinegar, peppercorns, onion or shallot and boil over a high heat for approx 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a tablespoon, then pour through a tea strainer into the second cup and put it aside.One third fill a saucepan with hot water and place over a high heat. Separate the eggs and tip the yolks into the bowl. Add the vinegar reduction and place over the saucepan of water. Immediately reduce the temperature to a low heat. Whisk the yolks until they become very light and fluffy - approx 5 minutes then turn off the heat and continue whisking, keeping the bowl over the saucepan of hot water.Next, very slowly start dripping the liquid butter onto the yolks, whisk continuously until smooth. Continue adding the butter in this way - little by little and all the while whisking briskly until the sauce is thick - approx 10 minutes. Don't worry if the sauce seems thin to begin with, it will gradually thicken up as you add the butter. Keep the sauce warm over a pan of hot water but off the heat, otherwise it will split. If the sauce gets too thick add a splash of hot water.Put two plates in a low oven to warm.Time To Cook The Steak!Place a dry frying pan over a high heat until it's searing hot (you want to hear a 'sizzle' when the steak makes contact with the pan. If it doesn't the pan isn't hot enough). Rub the steaks generously with oil & season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook the steaks in a dry pan without oil or butterTurn down the heat slightly once your steaks are seared on both sides.Guide To Cooking TimesThe times given are a guide only and refer to a sirloin steak approximately 1? thick. Different cuts or thicker steaks will require longer cooking times and thinner steaks less. Remember to take your steaks off the heat BEFORE they are ready, as they will carry on cooking. The table below gives you rough cooking times.1? Thick steakCooking Time(per side)RestingTimeTotal CookingTimeRare2 minutes4 minutes8 minutesMedium3 minutes4 minutes10 minutesWell Done4 minutes2 minutes10 minutesWhile your steaks are cooking remember to reheat the oil for your French Fries. It must be very hot with a slight haze coming off it. Once the oil is hot and the steaks are resting, submerge the French fries into the hot fat and fry until crisp and golden - approx 5 minutes, then drain onto absorbent kitchen towel and season with a grinding of sea salt. Assemble your steak, French fries and b?arnaise sauce on a warm plate and enjoy.!

Uma Wylde is a natural born cook. She specialises in creating stunning tastes. If you're having trouble getting food to taste the way you want it to or are just bored cooking the same old things, try following some of her carefully explained recipes at http://www.umawylde.com. Unlike traditional recipes, which often leave you dangling, hers show you how to bring the whole meal together, so everything turn

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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Music Copyright Laws - Simple Guide For Artists and Music Sharers

The Simple GuideAre you worried that the samples you're using in your tracks are illegal? Or wondering if you're breaking the law by downloading that mp3? Or are you just concerned that people don't copy your own, carefully put together, original material?Stop now!Before you start that download, or release that song, copyright for music can be a confusing subject, and it is worth researching music copyright laws in detail. Below are some essential things to know about copyright for music, from expert producers.The Essentials for ArtistsQ) Is there anything people should consider before looking further into copyright for music?A) Yes - music copyright laws certainly depend on which country you live in. In most countries, an artist essentially owns the material the instant they create it, as long as it is completely original and not an adaptation someone else's work without permission. Despite that, most artists ensure their material is fully legally protected by music copyright laws. To do this, some countries require artists to fill out forms in order to enforce copyright for music, in others, there is a completely different method in place.Taking two major countries as examples UK laws are different from those in the USA.Copyright for Music in the USAQ) I expect more of our readers to be coming from the USA - so, for the artists trying to find out how they can protect their music, can you tell us more?A) In the USA, copyright for music is registered with the US Copyright Office. The cheapest way is registering online at the U.S Electronic Copyrighting Office website, and fill out the Form CO application form. The application requires a $35 fee, and a digital copy of your work - but this is a small price to pay for being on the right side of music copyright laws.You can also submit a form on paper too - this is the old method, but is still accepted, and costs $45. The form is called Form SR, and to get it you'll need to request it from the US Copyright Office.Music Copyright Laws in the UKQ) OK, so a UK artist wants to copyright their work. How do they go about it?A) Unlike the USA, there is no official register in the UK, and no forms. Because of this, it is a good idea to be sure your work can be proved legally your own - to do this, you can post a copy of your work to yourself in a registered envelope. Store it without opening it alongside a dated receipt from the post office, and you instantly have evidence of your ownership over your music, and you've secured music copyright laws.Although a lot of other countries follow similar rules, it's worth finding out the specifics for your own.Is It Worth The Money and Effort?Q) Now that I know the basics of copyright for music, I also get the impression it does take a bit of effort - I just want to get on with letting people hear my track. Why should I go to the trouble?A) Any intellectual property that has no copyright owner is free to people who might try to use the track - or entire album, as the case may be - illegally, and claim it as their own. Once that's been done it is difficult to prove whether it was originally your work.It also encourages illegal downloads - if nobody holds the copyright over a song, music copyright laws cannot protect it and it is essentially absolutely free for anyone.The Essentials for Music SharersQ) We all know people share tracks every day without paying a penny for it. So why do we care about music copyright laws?A) Well, enforcing copyright for music is beneficial all round - artists will not have to worry that others are taking the credit for their hard work, and listeners won't get song upon song that all sound similar.Free Legal Music Downloads Sites - Are They Really Legal?Q) Am I breaking the law, and is it that serious if I download a song for free?A) Depending on where you got the song, who gave it to you, and which version it was, its unlikely you'll ever be sure what you're downloading is legal. This can sometimes have very serious potential consequences.Legal Music Download SitesQ) How can I download free music without having to worry about copyright laws?A) We would advise that your best bet is to look for less-known artists, browse their websites, or just ask them - you're most likely to get a free song for your efforts and compliments.Another way is to find websites that support less known artists. Most of the music won't be free, but will comply with music copyright laws, and will be good quality, cheap and original. Be prepared for spending a bit of time on your search, because sites like this aren't as well known as ones selling major tracks at a more expensive price in order to be able to comply with music copyright laws.

To start you off, the author Emma Burge has found a great example of legal music download sites here where you can download music legally without breaking copyright law. TheBestMusicShop delivers the occasional mp3 to your inbox for nothing if you sign up to their subscriber page, and is a small new site where you'll find a variety of new original music artists.John O'Reilly, the music producer featured in this interview, offers expert music advice at ReachingMorePeople.co.uk, a blog created for supporting new music artists and legal music

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