Saturday 31 May 2014

Taking A Look At DragonDictate Speech To Text

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If you have a job that requires you to do lots of typing, one thing that can be difficult about it is the fact that your fingers and wrists can sometimes get tired. Of course, for this reason, it would be nice if there was a way to talk and have your speech translate directly to text; a long time ago, this seemed like a far-fetched idea, but nowadays, this idea is actually quite real and is entirely attainable.

There are plenty of choices when you are looking for a program that can convert speech to text, but one of the best programs available is DragonDictate; and the great thing about DragonDictate is that you can test it on your smartphone, even before you purchase it for your computer.

Using DragonDictate on your iPhone or Blackberry, you can write entire e-mails or text messages without any problem at all; and when you move to the version on the computer, it gets even better! Depending on which version you purchase, DragonDictate works with PC or Mac, and it not only enables you to translate speech to text in a general sense, but it also allows you to translate speech to text directly into Microsoft Word documents or other word processing platforms – and you can even use DragonDictate to control what your computer does, with DragonDictate’s incredible “command” capabilities!

With DragonDictate being equipped with a variety of directives that you can give to your computer, you can do everything from turn your computer on and off to browse the Internet – and you can even train DragonDictate to learn your specific speech patterns, ranging from how you say certain words to names of people you know and names of places you tend to speak of often. DragonDictate is also a great deal, as the prices range from about $130 to $200, so if you are looking for a speech to text application that you can use on your computer, take a look at DragonDictate; you just might find that your work got a whole lot easier!

Friday 30 May 2014

Writing The First Draft Of A Novel

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A lot of people imagine it would be lots of fun to write a novel, but while they might have a great idea for a novel, and while they might even have moderately good (or even very good) writing skills, it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly how to get started; of course, there is no right or wrong way to get started, as long as you are able to finish in the end, but there are certain things that anyone would be well-served to keep in mind in starting a novel, as these are some things that tend to work for anyone who chooses to put them to use!

Coming up with a general idea for the story, and coming up with the characters who will populate the story, are the first couple steps to writing a novel; there is no need for you to come up with a blow-by-blow rundown of everything that is going to happen in the story, but rather, come up with a simple outline of what you expect to happen, then insert the characters you have created and see where they take the story!

The second step to writing a novel will be consistency, and this means setting a certain amount of time you expect to write each day, and even setting a time of day during which you will tackle this "certain amount of writing"; in theory, this part is easy, but keeping up with this writing every day is one of the most difficult parts of the process - and all the while, it is also one of the most important!

And one problem a lot of people face is that they overanalyze things as they move through the first draft, wondering if the writing is good enough, or if the story is good enough, or if everything is polished enough. But it is important for you to realize that at the end of the first draft's completion, you will end up spending far more time editing the manuscript than you spent writing it, and during that time you will be able to clean up everything that requires cleaning up - but the hardest part of all is simply getting the story down on paper, so do not worry about how polished it is, but instead, just keep drumming away on it every single day!

Thursday 29 May 2014

Three Tremendous Fall Foliage Destinations

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Each autumn, tourists from every corner of the world fly to the United States to witness the lovely fall foliage in different parts of the country, but you might not ever have realized that such coveted vacation destinations are much closer to you than you thought. Of course, everyone enjoys a vacation getaway to an exotic, faraway place, but such vacations can cost some serious change. If you want a great experience that is lighter on the wallet, consider planning a fall foliage trip. But remember, lodging around these great destinations usually fills up early, so plan in advance. After all, it might just seem like another part of America off the top of your head, but to people from other parts of the world, these places are vacation gems!

Of course, New England has a famous fall foliage reputation, and if you live in or near New England, you surely know this already. But while a beautiful fall seems like a natural part of life to natives of this part of the country, few take the time to actually get out and enjoy the beauty. If you live in New England, or if you plan to visit New England, mark Washington County in Maine down as one of your destinations; it is a great place for capturing the beauty while avoiding the autumn tourist crowds. In addition to providing some of the best fall foliage in the world, this coastline area is also off the beaten path.

Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri is a wonderful place to visit in the fall if you live in the middle of the country. You will find an incredible collection of absolutely vibrant autumn trees if you visit Lake of the Ozarks State Park in mid- to late October.

If you live on the West Coast, consider traveling to Aspen, Colorado; sure, Washington, Oregon, and parts of California have great fall foliage in their own rights, but Aspen is not too far away, and it offers some of the most breathtaking beauty in the world. While Aspen usually stands out for its skiing, its fall foliage is just as marvelous. No matter where you live in America, a trip to Aspen can be affordable, and it can definitely be worth the effort.

Remember: just because you live in America does not mean that you have to travel far away for a great vacation; there are plenty of options, probably even right up the road from where you live!

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Tips For Staying In Shape By Walking

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If your goal is to get your body "back into shape," there is a good chance you will have to do something that is a bit more strenuous than walking; if, however, you are simply wanting to "stay in shape" (or if you are simply wanting to make sure you give your body a little bit of a cardiovascular workout every day), walking is a great way to do this. And in fact, even if "getting back into shape" is your goal, you can accomplish this - as long as you are combining your walking with healthy eating, and as long as you are staying consistent with your daily walks.

The great thing about walking is that it is a low-impact exercise; unlike jogging, which can hurt your feet and can jar your back and your neck, walking will feel just fine on your back, your neck, your legs, and your feet - even if you are walking for several miles each day.

Before you start walking on a regular basis, one thing that will be important is that you make sure you have shoes that will be good for walking; a good pair of walking shoes will be lightweight and will have good support (and of course, it does not hurt if the shoes look good as well!).

Make sure you are doing your walking in an area that you know well, as this will allow you to avoid the hazards of cars, bicycles, or other unforeseen "obstacles" to your walking time; as long as you walk the same route every day (or close to every day), you will be able to keep your body in shape, and you will also be familiar enough with the lay of the land to keep your body safe!

When you take up walking, it can seem like you are not doing much of an exercise at all, as it is not likely to make you winded or to feel especially tired, but as you keep it up on a consistent basis, you will start to notice the positive effects of your persistence, as you will find that walking truly is a great way to stay in shape!

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Tips For Having White Teeth

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As far as the way we look, one of the toughest things to keep up with is our teeth. Even though we all would like to have white teeth, this can also seem like an impossibility! Even those of us who brush every morning and night seem to find that our teeth become less and less white over time. And even though the options of whitening strips and bleach trays are available, these can be uncomfortable, and what's more, the effects don't last forever! So what can we do to keep our teeth white in the first place? Actually, it is not complicated at all!

Firstly, you have to pay attention to what touches your teeth. Every bit of food and drink needs to be cleaned out of your mouth, of course, but there are also certain foods and drinks that can turn your teeth dark more quickly. For instance, if you drink a lot of dark sodas, such as root beer or cola, your teeth will become discolored in a hurry. Another teeth-staining menace is coffee. Drinking soda through a straw, so that it does not touch your teeth, is one way to combat this problem. And as for coffee, it takes us to the next point for you to keep in mind.

The second piece of advice for you to remember is this: remain aware of what stays on your teeth. Even though brushing each morning and night is good, it is not nearly as good as brushing after every meal! Get that food off of there right away. And remove that coffee from your teeth also! As soon as you see the bottom of the mug, go brush your teeth.

Finally, pay attention to what you are brushing with. If you are buying the cheapest "whitening" toothpaste, you have to remember that there is a reason why it does not cost much money. The higher-end toothpaste does not cost that much more, and it just might be worth it. After all, a couple extra dollars for much whiter teeth is a pretty good trade off!

Clean teeth are usually a sign of healthy teeth, which means that these tips are not purely cosmetic either! All you have to do is pay attention to what you allow to touch your teeth, what you allow to stay on your teeth, and what you use to clean your teeth, and your teeth will stay whiter, and they will also stay a whole lot more healthy.

Monday 26 May 2014

Knowing How To Drive The Pacific Coast Highway

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One of the most beautiful areas of the country is the California coastline, and even though you might not quite have the money to buy a house that sits along this coastline, you certainly can enjoy the coastline by driving along the Pacific Coast Highway.

The Pacific Coast Highway stretches from just above San Francisco, California to Orange County, California - covering over 650 miles of gorgeous coastline; before you take the drive yourself, however, there are a few specific things you should make sure you know.

First off, you should realize that the car you take will be an important consideration; because of the manner in which the road twists and turns, you are likely to feel less safe in a car that sits high, so if you drive a van or an SUV, you might want to rent a different car for your drive down the Pacific Coast Highway.

The Pacific Coast Highway is also bereft of gas stations and convenience stores for long stretches, so be aware of how much gas you have in your tank, and if you are getting low on gas, fill up when you have a chance - otherwise, you might not get a chance again until it is too late!

When you take your trek along the Pacific Coast Highway, make sure you plan your day accordingly; it will probably not be a great idea for you to decide "on a whim" that you are going to drive this road, as you will want to leave fairly early in the morning, so that you are not driving on this precarious road at night!

Lastly, if you happen to have a queasy stomach, realize that this road is not for you, so make sure you will be able to handle driving on tightly-wound roads, high above steep drop-offs into the ocean!

The Pacific Coast Highway is certainly one of the highway treasures of America - and if you approach the trip in the right manner, it will be an experience you will always remember!

Sunday 25 May 2014

Taking Good Care Of Your Dishwasher

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You may never think about it while your dishwasher is running well, but your dishwasher is one of the most useful appliances in your house. Sure, you could certainly get by with washing your dishes by hand each night, but this would take up a lot of your counter space, as well as a lot of your time! With a properly working dishwasher, on the other hand, you need only load the dishes, add detergent, and press "Start." But you should also make sure you know how to maintain this useful appliance if you want it to remain as useful as it is supposed to be!

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When it comes to dishwasher maintenance, one of the biggest mistakes people make is leaving far too much food on the plates they load in there. This might seem like no big deal if you have a newer dishwasher, as your plates and silverware will still come out clean. But over time, you wear down your dishwasher when you leave too much food on the dishes, and you dishwasher will cease to be as effective. What's more, you will create a blockage in the tubes, and you will either need to call someone to take care of it, or you will have to get in there and do it yourself!

Another important element of dishwasher maintenance is choosing a dishwasher detergent that is non-abrasive. While it might seem like a pain to shell out the extra money for the "good" detergent, it will be worth it in the long run!

People also tend to load their dishwasher with far too many dishes, which is a mistake because this not only causes the dishes themselves to become less clean, but it causes the dishwasher to wear down over time as well. When you load your dishwasher, stop loading if you are having to force dishes in; you would rather run two loads than ruin your dishwasher!

Finally, make sure you check all the working parts regularly to make sure they are, in fact, still working parts! It is pretty easy to keep your dishwasher in good shape; simply follow these simple pieces of advice, and you will save yourself money and avoid headaches in the long run.