Why You're Afraid of Public Speaking

Our brains, for all their wonders, identify the following four things as being very bad for survival:
  • Standing alone
  • In open territory with no place to hide
  • Without a weapon
  • In front of a large crowd of creatures staring at you
In the long history of all living things, any situation where all the above were true was very bad for you. It means odds are high you will soon be attacked and eaten alive. Many predators hunt in packs and their easiest prey are those who stand alone, without a weapon, out on a flat area of land where there is little cover (e.g. a stage). Our ancestors, the ones who survived, were the ones who developed a fear response to these situations.
Scott Berkun's new book, Confessions of a Public Speaker Why Youre Afraid of Public Speaking , explains why, how, and what goes on before and after a great speech.  I personally HATE speaking in front of groups of people, but in many circumstances, and professions it's a requirement.  In fact, in many cases, good public speakers can make a good income speaking in front of groups about various topics.  Think about Al Gore, previous presidents, motivational speakers, etc.  Many people can make a living off this, and Scott explains how they're able to pull it off.

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Useful Kitchen Hints

  1. To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh.  If it rises to the surface, throw it away.
  2. Keep the linings from cereal boxes~they make great substitutes for waxed paper!
  3. To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes!
  4. Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle.
  5. Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love 'em!
  6. Poke an egg with a small sewing needle before hard-boiling, and the egg will peel with ease! And hold that needle in place with a magnet refrigerator clip!
  7. Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips!
  8. Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!
  9. To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling!
  10. Use a pastry blender to cut ground beef into small pieces after browning!
  11. Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar~it will stay fluffy and hold it's shape better!
  12. To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray!Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan~the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers!
  13. To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash it with a potato masher - no need to wait for it to thaw!
  14. To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing!
  15. Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle~no more messy, sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing!
  16. Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator it will keep for weeks!
  17. Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin slices.
  18. Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish!
  19. Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up!
  20. Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
  21. Potato chip bag open again and they're all stale and yucky?? Pop them in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, let stand for two minutes and they'll be crispy again.
  22. To get cookie dough to drop without sticking dip the spoon in milk first.
  23. If you store half and apple in the container which you are storing a cake, the cake will retain its freshness.
  24. To substitute honey for sugar in recipes, start by substituting up to half of the sugar called for. With a little experimentation, honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes.
  25. When baking with honey, remember the following: Reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used. Add l/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. Reduce oven temperature by 25 F to prevent over-browning.
Any more I missed?  Leave them in the comments for everyone.
Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up!

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Exercises You Can Do At Work

These days, it seems like everyone is working more hours and using the old "no-time-to- exercise" excuse more than ever. But what if you could actually work out at work? While you won't get to the Olympics this way, you can do stretching, muscle-strengthening, and even short stints of aerobic exercises right at your desk (or maybe in a vacant conference room or stairwell). After all, doctors say any amount of exercise helps -- the benefits are cumulative.
  • Glance at the wall clock and rip off a minute's worth of jumping jacks. If you're a beginner, try the low-impact version (raise your right arm and tap your left toe to the side while keeping your right foot on the floor; alternate sides)
  • Do a football-like drill of running in place for 60 seconds. Get those knees up! (Beginners, march in place.)
  • Simulate jumping rope for a minute: Hop on alternate feet, or on both feet at once. An easier version is to simulate the arm motion of turning a rope, while alternately tapping the toes of each leg in front.
  • While seated, pump both arms over your head for 30 seconds, then rapidly tap your feet on the floor, football-drill style, for 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times.
  • If you can step into a vacant office or conference room, shadow box for a minute or two. Or just walk around the room as fast as you can.
  • Or do walk-lunges in your office or a vacant room. (You could also amuse your co-workers by doing these in the hall; remember Monty Python's "Ministry of Silly Walks" comedy routine?). Set your PDA to beep you into action.
  • No conference room? Take to the stairs -- two at a time if you need a harder workout! Do this 5-7 times a day.
  • Do one-legged squats (hold onto a wall or table for support) while waiting for a web page to load, the copier to spit our your reports, or faxes to slither out.
  • Stand with one leg straight and try to kick your buttocks with the other.
  • Sitting in your chair, lift one leg off the seat, extend it out straight, hold for 2 seconds; then lower your foot (stop short of the floor) and hold for several seconds. Switch; do each leg 15 times.
  • To work your chest and shoulders, place both hands on your chair arms and slowly lift your bottom off the chair. Lower yourself back down but stop short of the seat, hold for a few seconds. Do 15 times.
  • To stretch your back and strengthen your biceps, place your hands on the desk and hang on. Slowly push your chair back until your head is between your arms and you're looking at the floor. Then slowly pull yourself back in. Again, 15 of these.
  • Desk pushups can be a good strengthener. (First, make sure your desk is solid enough to support your weight.) Standing, put your hands on the desk. Walk backward, then do push-ups against the desk. Repeat 15 times.
  • Sitting tall in your chair, stretch both arms over your head and reach for the sky. After 10 seconds, extend the right hand higher, then the left.
  • Let your head loll over so that your right ear nearly touches your right shoulder. Using your hand, press your head a little lower (gently, now). Hold for 10 seconds. Relax, and then repeat on the other side.
  • Try this yoga posture to relieve tension: Sit facing forward, then turn your head to the left and your torso to the right, and hold a few seconds. Repeat 15 times, alternating sides.
  • Sitting up straight, try to touch your shoulder blades together. Hold, and then relax.
  • You get to put your feet up for this one! To ease the hamstrings and lower back, push your chair away from your desk and put your right heel up on the desk. Sit up straight, and bend forward just until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of your leg. Flex your foot for a few seconds, and then point it. Bend forward a little farther, flex your foot again, and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
  • Walk during your lunch break. If you find that boring, buy a camera and walk around taking pictures. Some experts say it's ideal to walk 10,000 steps a day -- this can be five miles, depending on the length of your stride. "Buy a pedometer, wear it five days, and divide by five," Price suggests. "If you're nowhere near 10,000 -- and this takes some doing -- set a reasonable goal. If you clocked 2,000 steps, go for 2,500."
  • Join a gym near your office and go during your lunch hour. If your employer provides a gym, that's even better.
  • Forget emailing the guy three cubes over -- walk.
  • Remember, walks to the vending machine don't count!

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Flight Colgan 3407 Air Traffic Audio.

Last night tragedy struck as a plane crashed in Buffalo killing 50 people.  On the plane was a 9/11 widow who helped push the Government into forming the 9/11 Commision, and a woman known as the "expert" on Rwanda and the Rwanadan genocide.  Both will be missed. Investigators have recovered the black boxes and are investigated the crash.  Available on the Internet is the audio recording from the air traffic control with the flight in the moments before the crash. kbuf-feb-13-2009-0300z Flight 3407's pilot is heard around 3:50 in. LiveATC.net is the place to go to hear towers and planes worldwide. Along with live broadcasts the last thirty days are archived and easily acccessible. This is a hobbyist site, the brainchild of Dave Pascoe.
"I originally launched LiveATC.net as a small place on the web to share live air traffic communications from Boston's Logan Airport. Since then it has grown rapidly and become a popular resource for those who enjoy listening to and talking about Air Traffic Control (ATC)...aviation enthusiasts, student pilots, student air traffic controllers, flight simulation enthusiasts, FBO operators, airline operators, and just about anyone with an interest in aviation communications. It's even used by nervous flyers who want to simply get a peek into a world they don't normally get to experience (unless they're flying on United Airlines and listening to Channel 9). "

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World's Weirdest Hotels

Ever wanted to sleep under the water?  In a cave?  In a prison?  Some place weirder?  Maybe you want to sleep safely in a Cold War Era bunker.

beckham cave 1252142i Worlds Weirdest Hotels

This photo gallery of weird hotels may give you ideas for a trip around the world.  Or just scare you back you a fancy 5 star traditional hotel. Gallery 1

Gallery 2

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