I am here to dispel a myth: While I am intelligent, I have not yet reached the level of Einstein. There you go. Now, could you please explain that to my family, friends, coworkers, and business associates.

I am not here to brag about how smart I am. This post merely exists to show you how you can look like a member of Mensa to the average American, with a minimum of effort.

1. Learn to use Google. Are you one of those people who Google stuff all the time, and yet never seem to find anything? What do you do? You go to a professional Googler, like me, and they find “used bungee cords” in a matter of seconds. How?

We know how to talk to Google. While Google is getting smarter, it still has a hard time knowing exactly what you want. If you type in the word “colour”, Google still does not recognize that it is the exact same word as “color”. Google can only process the information we give it.

How many of you have ever used the advanced search portion of Google? Probably 10% or less, and yet that is how you can drill down to what you really want. Is the page less than 10 days old, do you want it in a PDF or Word document? The more you tell Google, the better results you will get.

There are tons of resources online that will show you how to search more accurately. Just Google it.

2. Use spell check, but don’t depend on it. I wish I had dollar for every time I used “their” when I meant “there”, and vice-versa. Also, watch out for “too” and “two”, “who’s” and “whose”. It is also helpful to know the difference between “its” and “it’s”. Spell check will let all these past without a whimper, because they are all spelled correctly. A firm grasp of the meaning of these words will help you evade embarrassment, and give you a more polished image at work and play.

3. Know the difference between “i.e.” and “e.g.”. Want to see a film called “Revenge of the English Majors”? Misuse these, and I can guarantee you a front row seat. Many people use “i.e.” interchangeably with the term “for example”. This is technically wrong. The term i.e. translates from the Latin as “that is”. If you wanted to say “for example”, “e.g.” would be the appropriate abbreviation.

4. Have a basic idea of where things are in the world. When 50% of college aged kids can’t find New York state on a map, you know we’re in trouble as a nation. If you can tell someone that “Niger” is in Africa, then you will be considered a Geography genius.

5. Collect general knowledge, or as most people refer to it, “useless information”. “Useless information” is something of a misnomer. It is only useless if it is never used. You never know when you might need that obscure fact about the gross domestic product of Germany, or how to open a beer with your belt loop. So take great pains to obtain it, and use it to benefit your fellow man.

6. Don’t be afraid to break stuff. We are afraid to mess things up in our culture. You will find that you will accomplish much more than other people by overcoming the fear of screwing things up. Most people don’t build their own computers simply because they are afraid of damaging the parts. I babied every part as I gingerly put my first PC together. Now, I use “fragile” RAM as everything but a Frisbee, and it still works. Experience will teach you what you can and can’t do. So go ahead, take a plunge into the deep end.

7. Don’t be afraid to say “I have no idea”. If I could pass one thing on to you, it would be this. Once you know all this stuff, it becomes harder to admit that you don’t know everything. It’s even harder to watch a person who wanted an answer “right now”, go back to their cube with a dejected look on their face. In the long run, people will respect you for it.

It’s not like they can’t ask Google, right?

Kurt Hartman loves to collect obscure information. He puts it to use every day as an OTR Analyst. Trivia: What does OTR stand for? The acronym actually has two uses: In one usage, it stands for “old time radio”. The other usage is in the phrase “OTR Tires”, which stands for off the road tires . These are the types of tires that go on heavy equipment. Now you know.

Are you wondering if you simply like to eat, or have compulsive overeating disorder? Here are some symptoms of compulsive overeating disorder:

- Do you keep thinking about food all day long?

- Do you turn to food when you are sad, happy, stressed, or bored?

- Do you feel that food has taken control of your life?

- Do you buy a large amount of food and eat it in one setting uncontrollably?

- Do you feel embarrassed to eat with your friends or coworkers because you do not want them to know how much you eat?

- Do you eat very quickly, not even tasting the food anymore?

- Do you feel that you do not know if you are hungry anymore? You just eat until you are sick and feel extremely uncomfortable?

- Do you feel guilty due to your eating habits?

- Do you like to indulge on junk food, high fat food, and sugary food?

If any of the above symptoms sounds like you, you might have compulsive overeating disorder.

If you have compulsive overeating disorder, probably you feel alone and helpless. When you tell your friends about your problem, probably they just simply tell you to stop eating. Unfortunately, it is not that easy. Your mind and body just cannot control your craving.

Do not feel discouraged! There are more people who suffer from compulsive overeating disorder than you think. There is hope!

Here are some ways you can overcome compulsive overeating disorder.

1. Share your problems with other people.

Talking to your love ones and asking them to support you emotionally is extremely important for compulsive overeater. Explain to them it is important that they understand your problem and give you emotional support. When you go shopping with them and pass by an ice cream shop, they need to tell you “you don’t want that” when you start to walk over there.

If you live with your family and your house is full of cookies and candies for your brothers and sisters, explain to them that you do not want any junk food in the house. With someone who loves you to support you, you can stop compulsive overeating disorder a lot easier.

2. Find professional help.

Talk to your doctor about your problem. Many people who have compulsive overeating disorder also suffer from depression. Talk to you doctor about your problems, they can refer you to the right health care professional who can truly help you.

3. Get support from other compulsive overeater.

Like other addiction support group, you can find Overeaters Anonymous support groups in your area. You can find meetings in your neighborhood by going to oa.org. People who attend the meetings have the same problems as you. You can relate to them and they understand you. Getting support from them can make your recovery a lot easier.

4. Make a food journal.

Food journal is an effective tool to help you stop compulsive overeating. In the journal, write down everything you eat and drink, the amount you eat, what time you eat, how you feel before and after you eat. This will help you find out what triggers you to overeat. If you turn to food when you are stressed (which is very common), learn more about stress reducing methods such as listen to music, take a bubble bath, go out for a walk, or practice yoga. Once you find out why you overeat, then you are more likely to overcome it.

5. Change your food arrangement in your kitchen.

Throw away all the junk food you have in the house, do not go to the junk food isle in the supermarket, and rearrange your refrigerator so you can rich fruit and vegetables easily. These little changes will make it harder to overeat.

6. Do something you enjoy when you crave for food.

What else do you like to do besides eating? Watch scary movie? Read a novel? Find something you like to do instead of eating. When you are doing something you like, you will be completely distracted and not think about food anymore.

Don’t feel helpless and alone if you are suffering from compulsive overeating disorder. With your commitment and support from people who care about you, you can fight this disease and regain control of your life.

Chris Leung Are you suffering from compulsive overeating disorder? Feeling depressed, helpless, and losing self-esteem? Click on the link to learn how to overcome compulsive overeating disorder & regain your life. Get help from someone who successfully overcome binge eating disorder. Learn from someone who used to have the same problem as you and understand what you are going through. Don’t feel alone and helpless anymore…

In the last few years the amount of spam mail has risen extraordinarily. Today the majority of mail messages that are tried to be delivered is spam. Nevertheless the amount of spam that is seen by end users is lower than some time ago because spam filters have evolved and improved their quality. Of course spam filters have disadvantages also. There is always a small risk that you lose messages that are not spam (false positives) and spam filters can be a considerable resource drag.

If there would be a way to avoid handling all these spam messages (or at least most of them) on the mail server, your mail server would require less CPU power, less disk space for log files, less traffic and the chances for false positives would be much lower if you could adjust your spam filter to be less aggressive or even completely avoid the need to use it. There are a number of things you can do to achieve this. These tips only work for a new email address or a new domain. If you already receive lots of spam it is nearly impossible to get out of all the spam databases.

Hide your email address. Spammers only will be able to send you spam if they know your email address. If you don’t need to make your email address public, just give it to your friends and business partners but don’t put it on a web site.

Make it hard to guess your email address. Address brokers and spammers (or their software) often try to guess email addresses to be able to sell them or send spam to them. Make your address hard to guess. If you own the domain example.com don’t use simple addresses like bob@example.com. Use a combination of your first name and your surname or add a number. You might also consider to use a subdomain for mail. Your new address might be something like bobr@mail.example.com.

Use a contact form on your web site. To avoid publishing your email address on your web site you can use a contact form. That way your visitors are still able to send you inquiries via your web site but spammers will not be able to harvest your email address. To avoid getting spam via the contact form you can use some form of captcha.

If you have to publish your email address make it hard to read for machines. In some countries companies are required to publish their email address on their web site. If you have to do this make it in a way that is hard to read for machines. If you put your email address into a gif image and show that image on your site, customers will be able to see your address but harvesting robots will not. Your visitors will not be able to send you mail by clicking on your email address but will have to write your address into their email client manually.

Don’t put a bunch of addresses in the Cc field. If you send the same mail to a big number of receivers, don’t put all their email addresses in the To or Cc field (especially if some of the receivers don’t know some of the others). That way you would give all of the addresses to all of the receivers. It is better to either use the Bcc field or mailing list software. Instruct your mail partners to do the same.

Use a different email address for newsletters and shopping sites. Of course sometimes you have to give your email address to people you don’t know. You might want to subscribe to a newsletter or order something from an online shop. It is advisable to use a second address for these cases so you don’t have to use your good address. If you have your own domain you might even consider to use a new email address for every shop or newsletter. If one of these email addresses starts receiving spam you can deactivate it without affecting your other mail contacts.

Last but not least - Never buy anything from a spammer. Spamming is done because it is profitable. That’s the only reason. If nobody would buy the products advertised in spam mails, spammers would not earn anything and would stop spamming. So the most important individual measure against spam is still and will be forever: Never buy anything from a spammer!

Andreas Stiasny runs a small ISP business and has more than 10 years of experience in configuring mail and web servers. For more information about spam reduction please visit reduce-spam.com.

The manager of a retail store is the person who is in charge of scheduling employees, supervising shifts, and/or dealing with customer complaints. A retail management job pays better than a position like cashiering, and offers more power, which some people may find to be very attractive. Becoming a manager isn’t easy, but it is a possible goal to achieve if you love working in the retail industry.

To get a retail management job you first need experience. If you haven’t worked at the store in the past, you must have prior experience with management at another store. Otherwise, you need to work your way up the ranks from a lower position, like cashier. This process allows the current management to become familiar with you and your work habits.

If you have your eye on a particular store and you also have the management experience to get hired, you also need to make sure that there is a position open for you. If there is not, taking a lower position at the same store may work in your benefit when the next manager leaves. Not only will you know right away when there is a vacancy, but you will also allow the store management to become familiar with you and allow them the chance to consider you for management from the beginning.

Working your way up from the bottom may sound tedious (and it can be), but it can also be viewed as an audition and a learning experience. If you intend to become a manager, than consider the rules that you are supposed to be following in your current position. If you stick to the rules correctly and gently guide your fellow employees toward the same, you will stick out as a leader and as someone who can follow directions.

Gently guiding your co-workers may prove difficult, but this is not the time to turn to management for help. Suggest ways that they can follow the rules without trying to force them, and set a good example by following the rules yourself. These are both great ways to show that you have leadership potential and that you are dedicated to doing things right for the company.

If you want to be a manager, it also does not hurt to talk to current management about it. Let them know that you are interested in a position with more responsibility, and they may be willing to work with you through special training or offer you positions that allow you to show them that you are trustworthy and responsible.

People who want to be retail managers may be taken through a training program. These programs can involve many different things, but usually help you become better acquainted with the specific rules for your company as well as policies and procedures that managers need to know. A management program may also help you to become more familiar with leadership strategies and techniques so that you can function better within the company when the time comes for you to take control.

Becoming a manager in a retail store can be a challenge, but if you are ready to be challenged and are interested in a leadership position that will give you better pay and more responsibility, then management is a good place to look. Work hard, but work smart, too, and you will soon be able to set yourself apart from your coworkers as someone who steps forward, does what needs to be done, and is willing to work hard to succeed.

Working in retail you can work your way from the floor to the corporate office. Retail management jobs pay well, include benefits, and merchandise discounts. Retail jobs can be more than selling shoes and cashiering according to JobMonkey summer jobs writer Lisa Jenkins

Florida custom home builders offer many homeowners the chance of a lifetime: the opportunity to build their dream home. Of course, like any investment on this large a scale, it is necessary to take certain steps to make sure you do it right, and to make sure the end result is really the dream home you set out to get.

But don’t let this scare you into not pursuing the perfect home. Hiring Florida custom home builders and building your dream home can be easier than you might think, if you break it down into a to-do list. Here are five steps you need to take in order to build your dream home.

1. Plan your budget. It might seem like a very unromantic first step on the road to the perfect house, but actually it is very smart to start planning your budget before you do anything else. Think of it this way: you don’t want to build that dream house, only to lose it because you bought more house than you could afford, right?

Planning your budget may take a little research to find out what price ranges you have to work with. For instance, you should look into Florida property values and total cost of hiring Florida custom home builders. Another important thing to do is to start shopping around for loans, to find out how much financing you can afford.

2. Choose a location. You have no doubt heard people say, “Location, location, location.” This saying reminds us how important location truly is in the housing market. Location is especially important when you are building a custom home. The layout of a lot can impact the floor plan and other design factors. If you have already chosen a lot, a custom home builder can help you choose a floor plan that will work well on your property. Likewise, if you have a design in mind but no location yet, your builder can help you choose a lot that will work well with your desired design.

3. Shop for floor plans and architectural designs. If you don’t already, you need to get an idea of what your dream house should look like. Shopping for a design for your house starts with browsing the floor plans and architectural designs available for custom homes. As you narrow it down, you can begin looking at more specifics, such as number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amount of storage space, and other necessities. Don’t forget, most Florida custom home builders can customize floor plans to suit your vision of the perfect house — that’s why it’s called “custom” home building.

4. Do your research. Any time you are hiring someone to do some kind of work for you, whether it is fixing your car, working on the plumbing, or building your custom home, it is a good idea to have a basic knowledge of the industry. By understanding building codes and other principles that Florida custom home builders follow, you’ll make sure that your builders are never able to pull the wool over your eyes. This ensures great service and a dream home that turns out just the way you always wanted!

5. Interview builders. When the time comes to choose a builder, make sure you interview a wide selection of Florida custom home builders. You can’t find the best builder by just talking to one or two. Remember, their goal is to make sure you don’t keep looking, so they’ll say anything they think might convince you otherwise. Don’t let anyone con you into going with a builder who can’t give you your dream home.

Building your dream home is a huge undertaking, and one that can be rather nerve wracking at times. Good Florida custom home builders know how stressful this time can be for you, and strive to live up to the trust you have placed in them. By following these five steps, you can make the process of building your dream home as smooth and as painless as possible.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Arthur Rutenberg homes, Florida custom home builders.

The History of Panerai watches began in 1860 when Giovanni Panerai (1825-1897) opened his first watchmaker’s shop in Florence, Italy and made contact with some prestigious Swiss watch manufacturers who helped the Panerai name enter the world of fame in the field of watches. And it has been there ever since.

Of the several outstanding pieces that Panerai has created, the Panerai Luminor GMT watch seems to be on men’s preference list these days. In spite of keeping the eternal cell phone at hand, which undoubtedly shows the time in a very reliable manner, any of us needs a watch. To a man, the watch is more than a timepiece; it is an important accessory which actually completes the jewellery line. A brand name watch, a nice chain, a matching bracelet and sometimes a fancy ring can be found in any man’s jewellery box at home.

The modern man will choose his watch keeping in mind several characteristics which you will certainly find in Panerai Luminor GMT Watch. Unlike women, who seem to be more interested in design than in technical details, men look for reliable watches. The Luminor watch is a flawless timepiece any way you look at it. Equipped with a perfectly clear sapphire crystal and a massive screwed-in case back, the locking lever of this watch keeps the crown sealed against water intrusion.Produced in stainless steel or titanium, both the 40 and 44mm versions are resistant to water pressure 300 metres beneath the sea. Besides, the watch can be easily read in the dark due to its dial’s luminous indications (in Superluminova).

Travelling from one continent to another has increased tremendously in the last few decades. Maybe that is why watch makers consider it important to endow their products with the ability to show the time in different time zones. The Panerai Luminor GMT Watch is competitive from this point of view too. It can indicate the time in two time zones simultaneously which makes it a good choice for any traveller around the world.

The Panerai Luminor GMT Watch creator has not neglected the design at all. This watch is a very elegant piece which goes well with both a casual and a more formal outfit. The silvery white case and the dark dial make it conform to the modern tendencies turning it into the perfect match to any colour choice of your clothing. It is an unmistakably masculine statement that any man will be proud of.

Speaking of elegance, the alligator, calf leather or rubber strap that the Panerai Luminor GMT Watches have will give you the possibility of choosing what best suits your style. If you are looking for something classy, the titanium and steel version of this watch can be purchased with a very intricate bracelet created from overlapping titanium and steel links. Besides, the clasp will securely fasten the watch round your wrist so you needn’t worry about any undesirable incidents.

Stylish and reliable, the Panerai Luminor GMT Watch is one of the most searched for creations of the modern Panerai line.

For one of the largest selections of discount Panerai Luminor GMT Watches and cheap Panerai watch straps and bands try the Military-Watch-Shop.

Choosing a Florida luxury home builder can be a difficult decision, made more so by sales tactics. Although it is in your best interest to interview half a dozen or more builders before making your choice, the salespeople are usually trained in ways to convince you that you don’t need to keep looking.

The best way to beat such tactics is to have a list of questions to ask, followed by a written reminder to keep looking and compare notes between builders before making your decision. Here are seven questions that should be on your list.

1. How much experience do they have? Some people may take a chance on an inexperienced Florida luxury home builder and come out of it okay, but others may not be so lucky. To protect yourself and your investment, you should look for a builder who is experienced in building the type of custom home you are looking for.

2. What kind of reputation do they have? This is where things such as referrals and word of mouth come in handy. If you know someone who has hired a Florida luxury home builder and been very happy with them, that is probably one of the best recommendations you can get. Likewise, stay away from builders that have generated many complaints.

3. What building plans do they have available, and can they be customized? Not every custom home is completely original, so a wide variety of building plans is a must for a good luxury home builder. The custom part comes in when you make subtle changes to a floor plan to make it more like what you want. For instance, you can make rooms bigger or smaller, upgrade appliances, and add cosmetic things such as moldings and trim work. The more freedom a builder allows you, the more custom your home will feel.

4. Can they help choose an appropriate lot? Choosing an appropriate lot can be difficult for someone who is not a professional Florida luxury home builder. The way a lot is laid out can impact the floor plans that can be used on that particular lot — and there is nothing more heartbreaking than finding out your dream house just won’t work on the lot you’ve chosen. Many people therefore feel more comfortable if the builder helps them locate an appropriate lot. If this is important to you, you will want to be sure to ask potential builders if they offer this service.

5. Can they build on a lot that has already been chosen? Most builders should be able to build on a lot that you have already chosen, but still, it’s good to ask. As already noted, the lot may affect what can be built there, so be sure you discuss your housing plans with the builders as you are going through the interviewing process.

6. What warranties do they offer? Experienced, reliable home builders stand behind their work. With each Florida luxury home builder you visit, ask about the specifics of their warranties: what is covered, and for how long. Then compare these and eliminate the builders whose warranties are noticeably less generous than others’.

7. Can they provide references? Happy customers are a sign that the builders are doing their jobs correctly. Be sure to always ask for references, and be sure to follow through once you’ve asked. If you speak with the references in person, be sure to ask about specifics, such as whether they have had any problems and how the builders handle it if they do. However, remember that the builder is most likely only going to give out names of people whom they know will give glowing references, which is why a builder’s reputation and word-of-mouth referrals are also very important.

Building your dream home is an emotional as well as a financial investment, and it is therefore important to find a Florida luxury home builder that you can trust to do the job right. By interviewing numerous builders before making your choice, and asking each builder a list of questions that you have come up with ahead of time, you make it more likely that your ultimate decision will be based on things like quality and value, rather than sneaky sales tactics.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Arthur Rutenberg Homes, a Florida luxury home builder.

Money in real estate is what the big stories are made of, and why we stick with it despite the many challenges (and we’ve seen challenges from property managers robbing rent money from us, to fire code violations leading to court appearances). But, if you’re still thinking about investing in real estate and you haven’t yet, let me tell you what the best part about owning rental properties is: You Make Money in Your Sleep! Let’s look at the advantages, and just how you can close your eyes and make money:

* The leveraging advantage;

* Powerful Return on Investment (ROI);

* Tax write-offs;

* Tangible asset class;

* Residual income/equity building; and

* Limited land supply.

Real Estate Advantage: Leverage.

In a nutshell, this refers to the idea of using OPM (other people’s money) to help purchase property. In most cases, we obtain a mortgage from a bank for upwards of 85% of the value of the property. This allows us to use less of our own money to build wealth thru appreciation, positive cash flow, and rent covering principal and interest repayment. There are not too many other investment options that allow us to invest in only 15-25% of the asset while obtaining 100% of the return.

Real Estate Advantage: ROI.

If you put down $25,000 on a $100,000 rental property, with 5% annual appreciation, approx. 2% principal payback, and 1% positive cashflow from your rent collected, that will earn you $5,000 + $2,000 + $1,000 = $8,000 in your first year. Divide this into your original down payment of $25,000, your first year ROI is 32%! Just imagine what your ROI would be if the property appreciated 10% in a year (if you guessed 52% you’d be right)!

Real Estate Advantage: Tax write-offs.

Of course, you should speak with your accountant before determining exactly what you can and can’t write-off, but there are plenty of expenses that you can write off when you own real estate. A few of these items include: interest paid on the mortgage, operating costs such as heat, hydro, insurance, property management, even some of your closing costs can be written off. In addition, your accountant may even advise you to depreciate your building which helps at tax time too!

Real Estate Advantage: Tangible asset class.

Owning a rental property is owning something tangible. You can kick it, smell it, touch it, and I suppose even taste it (not advisable but you could)! Buying 100 shares in a company is really just a paper-based asset. Financial trouble or internal turmoil are not immediately apparent to the shareholders. Did the CEO just sell all his shares? You don’t know until you read about it in the paper. Now, I am not saying not to put your money in the stock market. I proudly own shares in many different companies. I am simply saying that if you are wondering how your property is doing, go do a drive-by or ask a friend to. Order an appraisal to check it’s current market value. I love the idea that at any given time, I know what is going on in my property.

Real Estate Advantage: Making Money while you Sleep.

As the title of this article suggests, real estate allows you to build equity, and if you have positive monthly cashflow, make money even while you sleep! You don’t have to work at real estate everyday like a regular job. If you buy well and manage (or hire a property manager to manage) the property well, you will make money on it without working on it very often. Even if the market is depressed a property where the rent covers the costs still makes money even if the value has depreciated.

Real Estate Advantage: Limited land supply.

The amount of land we have on Earth is limited. It’s even more limited in all the world’s major cities. Yes, urban sprawl tends to push out cities boundaries, however, there is a limit to how far people want to live away from a city’s downtown core (or wherever the majority of workplaces are located). Because of this, land value will always increase over the long run. Supply and demand is a powerful theory especially when it comes to real estate. My parents used to live not far from where my wife and I live now. Thirty-five years ago, houses in this area were selling for a meager $20,000. Now, houses are selling for $700,000 to over $1 million! Imagine if you bought 3 houses putting $5,000 down on each 35 years ago. Your $15,000 would now be valued around $2,000,000!. How’s that for ROI?

Dave and his wife Julie both work in real estate, and invest in rental properties on the side. After building a multi-million dollar portfolio in their spare time they started a free newsletter to help their friends, family and readers invest in real estate. Visit their website to view their latest article or sign up for their free newsletter.