Conversational Intimacy Connectors

Conversational Intimacy Connectors

Conversations need to flow.

So, what is the language glue that we were missing that keeps conversations flowing?

Instead of saying "urm" I now fill the gaps (and give myself some thinking time for the next sentence) by using lots of what I call "conversational intimacy connectors".

These connectors are small glue phrases between burst of factual information, that show you are "sharing" your thoughts with the other person.

Build Relationships

You see, conversation isn't just about telling facts, but also about establishing relationships with people.

Conversational intimacy connectors help establish and maintains that relationship (so the listener feels better connected to you) as well as getting over the "urm" moments that make people uncomfortable.

Here are some examples:

"To tell the truth ..."

"Between you and me ..."

"I have to say that ..."

"In all honesty ..."

"I am proud to say that ..."

"I haven't thought about this much before, but I actually believe that ..."

Make the Connectors Automatic

I began to collection these connectors from conversations, books, TV and radio, until I had a list of about 50 of them.

Then I practiced these phrases dozens (maybe even hundreds) of times until I could say them automatically, without having to put any effort into thinking about them.

Then I studied each one in depth, and thought hard about it to think of real-life situations when it would be used. At first, I used imaginary situations, until I felt that I associated a given connector automatically with those situations.

My focus was so that whenever I faced a real-life situation that previously would have caused me some embarrassment, it would now trigger appropriate connectors without conscious effort.

An Example

In restaurants, the waiter will often bring bread to the table that sometimes I don’t want. It always felt a bit abrupt when I said:

“(We don’t want) Nechceme (bread) chleba.”

Likewise, in a supermarket it always felt uncomfortable to say straight away:

“(I need) Potřebuju (a bag) tašku.”

Sure, I could add “(Please) Prosím” to try to make it more friendly, but I was much happier when I discovered the useful (and widely used) intimacy connector: “(Don’t be angry, but) Nezlobte se, ale …”

It is a much “lighter” form of apology than it sounds – essentially a deferential way of saying “Sorry for the inconvenience, but …” – and it is very effective in any setting where you want to get friendly service.

In place of the notoriously frosty Czech service, you will usually get a smile, and sometimes even a heartfelt apology that it isn’t a problem at all, and you shouldn’t worry about it.

I recommend practicing this phrase over and over, imagining real life situations where you would use it. It will quickly become automatic, so that when you really do face those situations your instinct will be to use say:

“(Sorry for the inconvenience, but) Nezlobte se, ale (we don’t want) nechceme (bread) chleba.”

Or

“(Sorry for the inconvenience, but) Nezlobte se, ale (I need) potřebuju (a bag) tašku.”

And so on.

No More Urms

Within a few weeks, the 50 or so conversational intimacy connectors in my list had become part of me, and they would flow from me naturally in situations where I had practiced them in the safety of my living room.

As a result, whenever I would previously have said "urm" to initiate conversations, or to bridge gaps (while I thought what to say next), my automatic instinct had soon become to use these connectors.

So, now, when asked:

“Tell me about yourself!”

The conversation is no longer:

"Hello ... urm ... my ... urm ... name is Anthony ... urm ... urm ... I am ... urm ... from England .. and ... and I ... urm .... I am married ... urm ... urm ... my  wife is Czech ... urm ... and urm ... she is ... urm ... she is ... urm ... urm ... a political journalist."

Instead it is more like:

"Hello [that is a good question] [thanks for asking]. [First of all][I should say that] My name is Anthony [and between you and me] I am [actually] from England [I am happy to say that] I am married [As you may expect] my  wife is Czech [and you may be interested to know that] she is [in fact] a political journalist."

Three Benefits

The difference in flow here brings three benefits:

1: I can use these connectors to bridge between sequences of short bursts of facts, and can keep the flow going for as long as I want.

2: I no longer get flustered, nor do I dread having a conversation, since my “thinking time” is now covered by connectors that I am happy to use with rather than “urm”s that embarrass me.

3: The person I am talking with becomes less embarrassed, because they no longer have to listen to my painful halting sentences.

Overall, the conversation flow is more pleasant and increases intimacy between people, rather than making it sound like an awkward “question/answer” session.

Reusing Connectors Everywhere

The great thing about these conversational intimacy connectors is that they can be reapplied to just about any situation. Without them, you can end up stuck in a cycle of learning vocabulary, with no chances to use any of it.

For example, one person I was teaching this technique to told me that she knew hundreds of words that she would hardly ever use (such as “Chobotnice” which means “Octopus”, and “Vrtulník” which means “Helicopter”).

All the effort put into learning these words, when they will probably crop us once every few years in real conversations!

Whereas, when I taught her “Nezlobte se, ale …” she emailed me later to say she had used it three times already that same day.

Conversational intimacy connectors, then can be used with whatever vocabulary you already have, and give a gentle framework in which to slot that vocabulary.

They even help you talk fluently in situations where you know hardly any suitable vocabulary at all.

For instance, a while back I had the great fortune to be invited into the beer cellar by a master brewer.

I only know a few beer-related words, but could strike up a conversation using connectors to join-up my limited vocabulary:

When he asked me which was the best Czech beer, I could say something like:

(That is quite a difficult question) To je docela těžká otázka. (I know that) Vím, že (it is a matter of opinion) je to věc názoru (but I must say that) ale musím říct, že (I do have my own opinion about it) mám svůj vlastní názor na to (and in my opinon) a podle mého názoru (Bernard-brand) Bernard (is my favourite beer) je mé oblibené pivo. (And how about you?) A co myslíte vy?

Here, you can see that hardly of the vocabulary relates to beer, but still I have shared my opinion, and kept the flow going, and ask the master-brewer for his own thoughts.

Non-Intrusive Thinking Time

Conversational intimacy connectors, then, help you maximize the vocabulary that you already have. Somebody I taught this to described it as“freeing” their vocabulary so it no longer felt like the words were trapped inside them.

Still there will be times when you still struggle because you simply don’t know the right word for something.

In these situations I use my “non-intrusive thinking time” to come up with alternative ways to say something. Non-intrusive thinking time is time when my brain is free to think without it interrupting the flow of the conversation.

The time when you are saying the well-rehearsed connectors offers non-intrusive thinking time. As do the natural pauses at the end of sentences.

Furthermore, a lot of the connectors end in words such as “but”, “and”, or “that”, and the moment before these final words offers a very natural time to insert a tiny pause to catch your breath, rather than the very unnatural pauses that come from “urm”. These pauses not only give your conversation a natural rhythm, but also give you additional non-intrusive thinking time about what to say next.

For example:

To je docela těžká otázka. {tiny pause} Vím, {tiny pause} že je to věc názoru {tiny pause} ale musím říct {tiny pause} že mám svůj vlastní názor na to {tiny pause} co se mě týče {tiny pause} podle mého názoru {tiny pause} Bernard {tiny pause} je nejlepší pivo. {tiny pause} A co myslíte vy?

Lost for Words

Despite this, you will still sometimes use the wrong word, or pronounce a word incorrectly, but that now becomes less important since a higher percentage of the conversation is fluent with connectors you do know flawlessly.

Despite this, you will still sometimes use the wrong word, or pronounce a word incorrectly, but that now becomes less important since a higher percentage of the conversation is fluent with connectors you do know well.

Instead of making a high percentage of mistakes, you spread the mistakes more thinly throughout the connectors, giving the (correct!) impression that you fluency rate is higher than you would have imagined.

Plus, when I really get stuck, I simply always steer the conversation to a different topic where you are on more familiar ground. And I have a bunch of connectors rehearsed dozens of times for exactly this. For example:

“(By the way) Mimochodem .”

“(Oh) Ach, (I almost forgot) málem jsem zapomněl …”

“(And one more thing) A ješte něco ....”

And so on.

Full >https://sites.google.com/site/fluentczech/conversationalintimacy 

*I can't say that I agree 100% yet it is a start.

How to prolong ejaculation?

Many men consider lasting longer during intercourse as a sign of their sexual prowess and why not, after all it really enhances the sexual pleasure of their partner. And that’s not all, prolonging ejaculation also intensifies yours as well your partner’s orgasms.

However, while most men would like to prolong their ejaculation and intensify their orgasms, they often do not last for very long after vaginal penetration. What’s more, they have no idea as to how they can actually delay their ejaculation. Well, it is not really tough to do and some very simple tips and techniques can help you do it. Let’s have a look at some of things that you can do to last longer during sexual intercourse.

#1 – MASTURBATION

Masturbating a couple of hours before having sexual intercourse can help you last longer during sex. This is because when you ejaculate during masturbation, the sensitivity on the penis tends to decrease. So, you take a longer time to reach an orgasm and finally ejaculate again.

The only drawback here is that for some men, masturbating before sex can actually kill their desire to have sexual intercourse at that moment or cause problems in getting a strong erection. This is why you should make sure that you masturbate at least 2 hours before you plan on having sexual intercourse. Anything closer than that will surely kill your erections.

#2 – CONDOMS

We all know about safe sex and why we should use a condom. However, one thing that most men do not realize is that condom reduces the sensation during sexual intercourse. This means that you take longer to reach an orgasm and end up going on and on for much more time than you usually would.

#3 – BREATHE

Most men tend to breathe rapidly during sexual intercourse. In fact, some men even hold their breath during sexual intercourse. This is not usually a good practice if you want to last longer. What you need to do is breathe deeply and relax your body.

Just slow down your breathing and focus on the sensations of the moment and you will realize that you end up lasting longer and experience pleasures that you may never have felt.

#4 – STOP AND START METHOD

This method is one of the best methods to delay your ejaculation, intensify your orgasms, as well as increase your ejaculate volume. It’s quite simple; all you need to do is withdraw as soon as you feel yourself as reaching a climax. Allow yourself to relax for a while until the sensation subsides. Once the sensation has passed, you can penetrate your partner again and continue.

The method not only prolongs your sexual pleasure but the whole process of withdrawing and penetrating again will make your partner long for more and she is likely to reach an orgasm that she has never ever experienced before.

#5 – SQUEEZE METHODS

Another technique is to squeeze the tip of the penis. This is again done as soon as you feel yourself about to ejaculate. The method is perfect for those who men tend to ejaculate even before penetration.

As soon as you feel like ejaculating, just squeeze the tip of the penis for ten to twenty seconds. Maintain the squeeze till the feeling subsides. Once the feeling has passed, wait for around 30 seconds and then penetrate again. You can continue doing this until the time that you and your partner are ready to ejaculate.

#6 – SEXUAL POSITIONS

If you want to last longer during intercourse, dump the traditional missionary position and allow your girl to be on top of you. The position allows you to relax and keep your excitement under control and makes you last longer than usual.

#7 – PELVIC EXERCISES

Practice contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles. These are the muscles that you use to stop your urine in mid-flow. These exercises can be done anytime and anywhere. Once you have good control over your pelvic floor muscles, you will be able to contract these when you near ejaculation. This will prevent you from ejaculating and you can continue with your lovemaking for as long as you want by just contracting these muscles and delaying ejaculation.

#8 – DESENSITIZING CREAM

There are creams available in the market that decrease the sensation felt during intercourse. These desensitizing creams can just be applied before intercourse for prolonging your lovemaking.

The only drawback of these creams is that since these are desensitizing, that is, they do reduce the sensations that you feel on your penis, sex may actually become less pleasurable. Furthermore, the desensitizing effect can actually be transferred onto the women when you penetrate her, making her take a longer time to reach an orgasm as well.

Many men may also benefit from herbal, vitamin or pill supplements which can also improve overall sexual health. However, for most men one of the above techniques is usually sufficient to prolong ejaculation. Make sure to understand your partner’s needs and desires as well since she can actually help you last longer during intercourse as well.

*Keep in mind, if she's not happy, you're not going to be happy.

The Best Backpacking Water Filter and Treatment Systems

What is the best water treatment system for backpackers and campers? To find out, we took 17 of the best backpacking water filter systems and compared them in detailed head-to-head tests in this extensive review. The results shocked us: both the Best Buy winner and Editors' Choice are not traditional pump systems! Our conclusion: water treatment has come a long way in the last decade, and there is no one backpacking water filter system that is best for every application. However, there are some very fantastic and versatile options out there. Read on to see what is best for your outdoor adventures.

Please also reference our buying advice article for more explicit details on the effectiveness of various systems and the possible threats that could be waiting in your water.

Read the full review below >

*Depending on where your travels take you, some sort of water filtration is highly recommended.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Backpacking-Water-Filter-Reviews

"Preppers already know the story".

Top 10 Fastest Cars In The World

It is because of this adrenaline pumping when driving a fast car, that many car freaks and adrenaline junkies risk their lives in pursuit of reaching ever faster speeds and accelerating to new heights. Others have sadly, even given their lives in pursuit of these superlatives, such as the legendary Formula One Racer, Ayrton Senna, who will forever be remembered as one of the greatest figures in motor racing, and the famous American actor known for his role in the “Fast and the Furious” franchise, Paul Walker, whose love for cars and speed was so great he had an airplane hangar full of cars!

“Racing, competing, it’s in my blood. It’s part of me, it’s part of my life.” – Ayrton Senna

“If one day speed kills me, don’t cry, because I was smiling” – Paul Walker

However, despite the obvious and ever present danger, people still aim for the stars and put all their efforts into eclipsing past records that it almost feels like our society has an addiction for speed! Are you one of those people too? Do you crave speed? Do you feel like burning the roads? If so, then here are top 10 of the world’s fastest cars that might just make that possible. Do keep in mind you will need deep pockets to buy any of these babies as these are also one of the most expensive cars in the world.

1. KOENIGSEGG AGERA R – 273 MPH

Koenigsegg Agera R

Although, Koenigsegg isn’t a household name in the world of supercars, like Bugatti or Ferrari, it has managed to develop quite a reputation over a short period of time, beating the best supercars in the market. And, the Agera R model is a perfect example of the brand’s might and power that blows all other supercars in the storm with a top speed of over 273 mph, faster than any other supercar you will find on the market today. This is why it’s also known as the fastest car in the world currently.

The car comes with a 5-Liter Turbocharged V8 DOHC engine with a compression ratio of 9.0:1 and is capable of generating an impressive 1200 pound-feet of torque and horsepower of 1140, hence enabling the vehicle to zoom from halt to 60 mph within less than 2.5 seconds and reach speeds from 0 to 186 mph within 11.7 seconds (a world record).

Available for a price tag of £1.1million, the Agera R is also the first vehicle in the market to feature a dual-clutch transmission in only one-input-shaft. This results in the faster shift times and acceleration, hence making the Agera R one heck of a race car! New details about the 2014 model include carbon fiber wheels, wind-in-the-hair thrills, and targa-style roof panels for high speed.

2. HENNESSEY VENOM GT – 270 MPH

Henessey Venom

Coming second in the world’s fastest cars category is the Hennessey Venom GT, which is a relatively new name in the industry, but has generated quite a buzz in a short period of time. The car is based on a modified Lotus Exige and has a max speed of 270 mph (just 3 mph less than the Koenigsegg). As a result, the vehicle will terrify anyone upon first glance, as it is purely a beast.

Packed with a mighty 7.0 Liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 Engine, the Venom GT is capable of generating an outstanding and dazzling horsepower of 1,244 and torque of 1,155 pound-feet, hence enabling the car to fly from halt to 62 mph within 2.8 seconds only and accelerate from zero to 200 mph in 14.51 seconds (all thanks to the intercooler upgrades and single-clutch shift system to ensure faster shift times).

All this power is packaged in an overwhelming and sexy interior and exterior design that can be yours for approximately US $1.2 million. Therefore, the vehicle is relatively cheaper than the Koenigsegg Agera R and delivers a similar performance, only 3 mph less! Which one is the better vehicle? Well, that we can only find out when the two cars RACE!

3. BUGATTI VEYRON SUPER SPORT – 268 MPH

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

The Bugatti Veyron held the Guinness World Record for being the fastest supercar in the world for years and was the first ever production car to exceed the 250 mph mark. However, after facing a few technical difficulties, its title was taken over by the Koenigsegg. This is when Bugatti introduced its Super Sport model that has a max speed of 268 mph.

5 mph less than the Koenigsegg, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport comes equipped with an 8-Liter Quad-Turbo W16 Engine that is capable of generating an impressive torque of 1,106 lb-ft and horsepower 1,200 HP, enabling the car to go from zero to 60 in 2.4 seconds. The best feature of the Super Sport is it makes reaching insane speeds seem effortless. As a result, the vehicle is a breeze to drive and also comfortable and luxurious to sit in, even though it is a supercar. And, this is one of the main reasons why that despite its €1.6 million price tag, the vehicle has been selling well and the demand is high.

4. 9FF GT9-R – 257 MPH

9ff GT9-R

Built by the German tuning company, 9ff, the GT9 is a supercar based on the historic Porsche 911. In fact, the looks and exterior styling of the car is also pretty similar to the 911, only with the interior of the car being stripped out for lightness and looks basic as compared to the Porsche. The car is faster than the original Bugatti Veyron, but slower than the SuperSport model.

Regardless, the GT9-R is purely a beast on the roads and comes equipped with a rather unique technology. It is fitted and modified with a 4.0-Liter Flat 6 Engine (six cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of three cylinders) which enables the vehicle to produce an impressive horsepower of 1,120 and torque of 910 lb-ft.

This massive engine enables the vehicle to reach top speeds of 257 mph and also gives it the ability speed from zero to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, and accelerate from halt to 190 mph in under 16 seconds. The makers of the GT9-R have ensured no two vehicles manufactured are alike and offers potential owners with the option of customizing or personalizing their vehicles to their liking when it comes to design, color, and performance.

5. SSC ULTIMATE AERO – 256 MPH

SSC Ultimate Aero

Produced by SSC North America (formerly known as Shelby SuperCars), the SSC Ultimate Aero is a mid-engine sports car that held the title of the world’s fastest production car from Guinness World Records for 3 years (2007 to 2010), till Bugatti introduced the Veyron Super Sport. However, in 2013, the Guinness World Records disqualified the Bugatti Veyron’s record time due to some unknown reasons and reinstated the SSC Aero as the fastest production car ever.

However, this change too was reverted five days later. Regardless, for a rather new company in the market, SSC has generated a lot of attention with its Ultimate Aero car. The vehicle comes equipped with a 6.3-Liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 Engine that is capable of generating an impressive horsepower of 1,287 and torque of 1,112 lb-ft.

It has a top speed of 256 mph, just 1 mph less than the GT9-R! Nevertheless, with its beast of an engine the vehicle can easily hit 200 mph in under 16 seconds, which is quite reasonable for a car that is available for only €550,000. The only drawback of the vehicle is it doesn’t feature any electronic driver aids to help control the power of the engine. The vehicle may gain both positive and negative reviews, as some would like a purer driving experience and others would bemoan the lack of top of the line safety features.

6. KOENIGSEGG CCR – 242 MPH

Koenigsegg CCR

Koenigsegg enters the top 10 list once again with its CCR model that is a mid-engine sports car that also briefly held the ‘world’s fastest’ title before being vanquished by the original Bugatti Veyron. The CCR model reached a top speed of 242 mph in 2005 at the Italy’s Nardo Ring and it was among the trendsetters for faster supercars, after McLaren and Ferrari of course.

The CCR is an earlier generation of Koenigsegg’s cars, but it still manages to be one of the fastest. Not to mention, the Koenigsegg was the first ever production vehicle to beat McLaren’s 8-year streak as the fastest production car on the market. The car comes equipped with a large and powerful 4.7-liter V8 Engine that is capable of generating 806 hp and 920 lb-ft torque. According to manufacturer estimates, the vehicle can zoom from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds and can complete a standing quarter mile of 9.7 seconds at 146 mph.

7. MCLAREN F1 – 241 MPH

McLaren F1

Even after 23 years, the McLaren F1 still manages to make the fastest cars’ in the world list. The car has a unique interior design of being a three-seater with the driver’s seat at the center and two passenger seats on the sides. The vehicle is a former champion, but with its center driver’s seat, gold-line engage bay, and carbon-fiber body, it is also one of the coolest cars ever made.

Equipped with a 6.1-Liter BMW M V12 engine, the supercar produces 670 Horsepower and peak torque of 520 lb-ft, enabling the vehicle to accelerate from zero to 60 in just 3.2 seconds. The overall design of the vehicle is also impressive and has great aerodynamics to ensure maximum speed and performance. In a period of 6 years, a total of 106 McLaren F1 vehicles were produced. In 2013, chassis number 066 was sold for a record price of US $8.47 million.

8.     ZENVO ST 1 – 233 MPH

Zenvo ST1

Manufactured by the Danish company Zenvo, the ST 1 is a high-performance supercar hand-made by a small team of workers. It is the company’s first ever supercar model and was introduced back in 2009. The vehicle easily dishes out a max speed of 233 mph and has the ability to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in a mere 3 seconds.

It comes equipped with a 6.8-Liter V8 Engine and generates an impressive horsepower of 1,104 and torque of 1,050 lb-ft, enabling the vehicle to reach 0 to 200 mph in only 8.9 seconds. It also has great features, such as telescopic steering wheel adjustment and a keyless-entry system and is available for a price tag of €660,000.

9. PAGANI HUAYRA – 230 MPH

Pagani Huayra

The Italian supercar manufacturer that has taken the supercar market by storm, Pagani, has developed quite a reputation in a short period of time. The company provides car enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies with top and high-quality cars which not only provide great speed, but also feature unique design cues, earning the title of hyper cars.

The Huayra model specifically is known for its amazing and outrageous performance that beats the best racing cars in the market. It isn’t exactly the fastest, but the acceleration is what surprises many car enthusiasts. It comes equipped with a large and power Twin-Turbo V12 6-Liter Engine that can easily produce a whopping 738 lb-ft of torque and 730 horsepower. You can buy it for €900,000 to €1,000,000.

10. ASTON MARTIN ONE-77 (220 MPH)

Aston Martin One-77

Built by the British Manufacturer Aston Martin, the One-77 is the most extreme and fastest road-going Aston to ever be created. It shares a similar layout with regular Astons you see on the road, but the One-77 is a completely different beast which sports a 7.3-Liter V12 Engine producing 750 HP and 800 lb-ft torque. A total of 77 cars have been produced and apart from its performance, the vehicle is primarily known for its jaw-dropping good looks. The vehicle has a top speed of 220 mph and can easily accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

So, now that you are familiar with the top 10 fastest cars in the world, choosing one which best suits your style and needs won’t be a problem.

Robotics Competition Game & Season Info

Join us for the FIRST Robotics Competition Kickoff. The new game and playing field are unveiled and teams receive a Kickoff Kit made up of donated items and  components worth tens of thousands of dollars – and only limited instructions. Working with adult Mentors, students have six weeks to design, build, program, and test their robots to meet the season’s engineering challenge. Once these young inventors build a robot, their teams will participate in one or more of the Regional and District events that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of collaboration, and the determination of students.

Welcome to FIRST STRONGHOLD. Learn more about the upcoming 2016 FIRSTRobotics Competition game.

Watch the Kickoff broadcast, with streaming provided by Kickoff Sponsor Comcast NBCUniversal.

Quick Links

For Teams / Season Management

Season Calendar

Kickoff

Manuals / Game Q & A

Kit of Parts

Awards

Safety

Resource Library

Mechanical Resources

Technical Resources

Blog

FIRST Robotics Competition Suppliers

Productive reasons to have a blog.

1 - A blog allows an individual to study and or browse and collect information storing it all in one convenient location for further review.

2 - Blogging creates a timeline for multiple purposes such as: Reference points I.e. What was I thinking on 2 Nov 15'. Where was I on 3 Dec15'. What was my mindset on 1 Jan 16' etc.

3 - Depending on your situation and what you're striving for, a blog can be used to convey your train of thought.

4 - Blogging and sharing allows feedback by email and or phone without the horse crap of typical social media sites. You can moderate questions as well as get answers from the exchanging of ideas.

5 - Blogging, when adequately SEO'd, reaches individuals in countries that one may not be able to physically visit. This exchange can gain valuable insight as to the perceived conditions of individuals from around the world.

6 - Within this form of information storage, you're actually creating a book. It's literally your book / collection. No one can tell you what to save, keep as a draft or what to publish.

7 - For those heavy into psychology such as myself, my blog serves dual purpose: I can view it as "concrete" - What was I thinking? Or I can use it in the "abstract" - What was I not thinking?

8 - In advanced psychology, individuals learn that they create a vortex. What your core is, you attract. This blog is relatively new yet the correspondence I have tends to be with like minded people. This allows collaboration of ideas. Seldom will you get an email from someone angered by a post. Even if you do, in my case, the original post wasn't written by me in most instances. The argumentative can click the link and argue with the original author.

9 - Intellectual freedom.

10 - As I roam around the world, this gives me an outlet as well as solace. Out of nowhere comes a thank you or a "how to"?

11 - This type of blogging demands that I search for information aggressively and I have to read for hours on end. I can't blog it and not have a grasp on the concept illustrated now can I?

*12 - If you think that you can simply go to a site and copy & paste, my o my, you're about to learn quite a few things.

*These are just some of my reasons that have no value "unless" you assign a value to them. I am not the center of the universe and am not mentally emotionally needy. I don't need to feel you're for me or against me. "I Am, I Can & I Will".

Ιδού ο άνθρωπος

Welcome to my study hall.

"Niko J"