5 Tips for More Effective PowerPoint Presentations

We've all been there: the never-ending meeting. What started out as a potentially interesting presentation about a new start-up company has turned into "death by PowerPoint." When the presenter finally stops talking and the lights turn back on, all you can remember is that you almost fell asleep.

The following are some helpful tips for making the most out of a PowerPoint presentation:

1.Presentation First, PowerPoint Second

The biggest mistake people make when creating a PowerPoint presentation is that they make PowerPoint the presentation's focus. The focus should be on the presenter and on the compelling story that he has to tell. PowerPoint is most effective at providing supplementary information, like simple, colorful graphs, but should never be the main source of information. The worst thing a presenter can do is to turn around and read from the PowerPoint screen. If all of the information is on the screen, then there's no need for the presenter.

2. Tell a Story

The goal of any presentation is to sell the audience on an idea. It could be a pitch for investing in a new company, a plan for reorganizing a business or a proposal for a scientific research project. For the audience to understand the presentation on an intellectual as well as an emotional level, it needs to be told as a cohesive narrative -- a story. The audience needs to know three things:

• Where we are now
• Where we want to end up
• ·How we're going to get there

PowerPoint slides should be used to communicate those three simple ideas. This is best accomplished by simple text statements, strong images and graphs.

3. Show It, Don't Write It

Human beings are highly visual learners. It's much easier for our brains to remember a strong, unique image than a series of facts and figures. PowerPoint is a great, easy-to-use program for creating dozens of different types of graphs and charts. Remember that the simpler and bigger the graph, the better. For example, if you want to drive home the point that Windows PCs control a large majority of the home computer market, show a pie chart with a huge chunk of the pie filled in with red and the word "PC." No matter how many stats you quote, this image will get the message home faster and will stick with the audience longer.

4. The Rule of 10

Guy Kawasaki -- former Apple "chief evangelist," venture capitalist and professional speaking guru -- has established his famous "Kawasaki Rule of Ten" in which he only uses 10 slides during a PowerPoint presentation, often in a "top 10" fashion. Those 10 slides generally consist of nothing more than a single sentence or phrase and a supporting image. The 10 slides give the audience powerful visual cues that reinforce the message that Kawasaki is communicating. And since the audience knows that there are only going to be 10 slides -- and 10 main points to cover during the presentation -- they know when the presentation is about to end.

5. Keep it Short

No one ever complained about a PowerPoint presentation being too short. The second an audience gets bored and stops paying attention, the presentation loses its effectiveness. The audience not only stops processing new information, but begins to resent the presenter for wasting their time. Kawasaki, for example, thinks that an ideal PowerPoint presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes.

CREDIT / DEBIT CARD - Scene-3

Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in. I paid by using my Visa Check Card which, of course, is linked directly   to my checking account.

The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, and then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dilling. I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.  Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture.

He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on.

It then dawned on me: the only thing there was my credit card, so now I'm paying close attention to what he is doing.

He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open.

About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved.

Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card.

Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.

Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlor.

All I am saying is is aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit card take caution and don't be careless.  Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card. Be aware of phones, because many have a camera phone these days. When you are in a restaurant and the waiter/waitress brings your card and receipt for you to sign, make sure you scratch the number off. Some restaurants are using only the last four digits, but a lot of them are still putting the whole thing on there.

I have already been a victim of credit card fraud and, believe me, it is not fun. The truth is that they can get you even when you are careful, but don't make it easy for them.

IQBAL

CREDIT / DEBIT CARD - Scene-2

A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card.

The bill for the meal came, he signed it, and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along.

Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.  Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another person.

He called the waitress and she looked perplexed.

She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man.

All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.

No exchange of words --- nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an apology.

Verdict:
Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours.

Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.

Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, 'assuming' that it has to be theirs.

FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION!

Be sure to read Scene 3 Quite interesting.

CREDIT / DEBIT CARD - Scene-1

This is a new one.  People sure stay busy trying to cheat us, don't they?
A friend went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker. After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and thought to himself, 'Funny, I thought I locked the locker.

Hmm, 'He dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order. Everything looked okay - all cards were in place.

A few weeks later his credit card bill came - a whooping bill of R14, 000!
He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did not make the transactions. Customer care personnel verified that there was no Mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen.

'No,' he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, and yep - you guessed it - a switch had been made.

An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet.
The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards.
Verdict: The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them.

How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy?

R9, 000! Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped?

Small amounts rarely trigger a 'warning bell' with some credit card companies. It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to big one!

Be sure to read Scene 3 Quite interesting.

SATELLITE RADIO

Satellite radio is radio that is made available via outer space. This common form of radio is broadcast by radio stations across the earth's surface, whereas satellite radio beams radio signals from satellites hovering around the earth. Satellite radio has a much wider range than ordinary radio since satellite technology allows radio waves to beam over a very large area, as for instance the entire United States much like television. The technology used in creating and making use of satellite radio is obviously more advanced than ordinary radio. Because of this, satellite radio often sounds clearer and has less static than ordinary radio. The choices offered by satellite radio are also far more widespread than that of ordinary radio. In ordinary radio, the listener has to scan for stations within the vicinity. When using satellite radio, the listener only has to listen to one radio station, which offers plenty of channels, all of which are expected to have crystal-clear sound quality.

How does satellite radio work? Of course by beaming radio signals. The home station of a particular satellite radio service located on the earth's surface sends signals to their satellites in outer space. In turn, these satellites reflect back these radio signals to radio receivers on the ground, which translate the data into digital audio signals and information for radio listeners.

There are currently three satellite radio providers in the world. These are XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, and Worldspace.

XM Satellite radio currently has over 170 audio channels, and these include various genres in addition to music. XM has talk, comedy, and news channels. It costs only $12.95 a month. It boasts of having detailed play-by-play sports coverage. It can be listened to online and also has an online newsletter.

What do you mean by "Tragedy"?

President George Bush visited an elementary school and he visits one of the classes. They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.

The teacher asks the President if he would like to lead the class in the discussion of the word, TRAGEDY."

So the illustrious leader asks the class for an example of a TRAGEDY."

One little boy stands up and offers, "If my best friend, who lives next door, is playing in the street and a car comes along and runs him over, that would be a tragedy."

"No," says Bush, "that would be an ACCIDENT."

A little girl raises her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children drove off a cliff, killing everyone involved that would be a tragedy."

"I'm afraid not," explains Mr. President. "That what we would call a GREAT LOSS."

The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.

President Bush searches the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"

Finally, way in the back of the room, a small boy raises his hand.

In a quiet voice he says, "If Air Force One, carrying Mr. & Mrs. Bush, were struck by a missile and blown up to smithereens, by a terrorist that would be a TRAGEDY."

"Fantastic," exclaims Bush, "that's right. And can you tell me WHY that would be a TRAGEDY?"

"Well," says the boy, "because it wouldn't be an ACCIDENT, and it certainly wouldn't be a GREAT LOSS."

Helpful Bacteria May be Hiding in Your Appendix

Your appendix is a small dead-end tube connected to a section of your large intestine. It has long been thought to be a vestigial remnant of some other organ, but there is little evidence for an appendix in our evolutionary ancestors. Few mammals have any appendix at all, and the appendices of those that do bear little resemblance to the human one. Some researchers now believe that the appendix is a “safe house” for commensal bacteria, the symbiotic germs that aid digestion and help protect against disease-causing germs.

The appendix is isolated from the rest of the gut, with an opening smaller than a pencil lead. In times of trouble, such as an infection that flushes the system, these commensal bacteria could hide out there, ready to repopulate the gut when the danger is past. Biofilms, colonies of beneficial microbes, form in your large intestine. They aid digestion and protect against infection, while enjoying the protection and nutrition of the human host. Researchers have found biofilms on the epithelial lining of the appendix as well.

Sources:

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Appendicitis can indeed be life threatening and is not something to be taken lightly. About 300 to 400 Americans die, and about 321,000 are hospitalized due to appendicitis each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the idea that your appendix is a completely useless organ that can be removed without consequence is definitely naive. I don’t believe human beings are born with any unnecessary parts that can be thoughtlessly removed as an aside during surgery. As this research indicates, your appendix most likely does serve an important function by producing and protecting the good bacteria in your gut. And, since 80 percent of your immune system resides in your gut, being able to maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in your intestines is vital to your health.

Granted, this function may be slightly less crucial for life today than a hundred years ago when intestinal disease epidemics were far more common. For example, between 1908 and 1912, the appendicitis rate was about 107 cases per 1 million people in the United States, compared to just over 1 case per 1 million people today. That said, your appendix is STILL a useful organ, so please don’t fall for the advice to have it removed “because it has no purpose.”

There are times when it is necessary to do so, because if you fail to remove it you will die from massive infection. But there’s just no reason to remove your appendix simply because you’re having abdominal surgery -- unrelated to your appendix -- done.

It makes perfect sense that your appendix may help regulate your intestinal good bacteria. And, hopefully, now that this function for the appendix has been recognized, surgeons will stop removing healthy appendixes for no reason.

Has the Modern World Eliminated Your Need for the Appendix?

Personally, I do not agree with the researchers’ conclusions that your appendix is unnecessary in the modern world because, as they say, you can easily repopulate the good bacteria in your gut.

Why?

Because your good bacteria is constantly being assaulted by antibiotics, chlorinated water, birth control pills, stress, sugar, and a host of other environmental factors, which has made digestive problems extremely common, even if people are not actually dying from epidemic intestinal disease that completely wipes out their healthy bacteria.

Ideally, your gut should contain a ratio of 85 percent good bacteria to 15 percent non-beneficial bacteria. But the factors I listed above have actually caused this ratio to reverse in many people, leaving them clearly deficient in good bacteria and hence more predisposed to illness.

This is why I often recommend that you use a high-quality probiotic as an “insurance policy” to make sure your body is properly balanced, particularly if you don’t lead a perfectly healthy lifestyle, or when traveling and eating unfamiliar foods.

Who Knows What Other Functions Your Appendix Might Have…

Another thing to keep in mind is that there is simply no way to know what OTHER subtle but far-reaching effects your appendix has on your body functions. At least one negative side effect has already been uncovered from having your appendix removed -- an increased risk of Crohn’s disease.

Unfortunately, we may never know what these other beneficial factors are, because as William Parker, the senior author of the study, said about doing further research to prove this current theory about the benefit of the appendix:

“… an experiment to prove this theory would be very expensive. And in any case, why would you want to spend money to find out something that is not likely to help cure a disease?”

Folks, that’s the reality inherent in modern, conventional medical research. It’s not done to figure out how your body works or how it can heal itself, per se. Research is ultimately done for the purpose of designing drugs so a profit can be generated. U.S. research does not want to spend research dollars to determine why you really need your appendix and should limit surgical removal.

When Should You Opt for an Appendectomy?

It’s important to point out, as I said earlier, that there are cases when an appendectomy can save your life, because once your appendix becomes infected or inflamed, it is life threatening.

Here are some major warning signs that your appendix might be in trouble:

• You have absolutely no appetite, even for your most favorite foods.
• You have pain that started around your belly button and has moved to your lower right abdominal area.
• You have pain when jumping up and down. Try to gently jump up and down. If there is no pain, try jumping even higher. This will move your peritoneal cavity and if it is irritated with an inflamed appendix, you will be in miserable pain.

If you have all of the above symptoms you should be evaluated at your nearest emergency room as soon as possible, as if your appendix ruptures you dramatically increase your risk of dying from overwhelming sepsis. If you are a woman, you may benefit from receiving a CT scan or ultrasound prior to having an appendectomy. A study published in the journal Radiology found that in women who had this done prior to surgery, a healthy appendix was removed only 7 percent of the time, compared with 28 percent of the time when no scan was done.