Speed Reading Course

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

While betting on sports is only legal in a few places in the United States, such as Las Vegas, millions of office workers are involved in sports pools every week now that the football season has arrived.

When you know that more than $700 million can be bet on one gamethe Super Bowlin only Las Vegas, then you understand that billions were bet illegally on the Super Bowl last year in the United States and in offshore sports books around the world.

Folks in the gaming business know that more than a billion dollars is wagered on every Monday Night Football game during the season.

For those who wager, it may be helpful to put some science on your side when you wager, and one of the best places to do that is with the Sagarin College Football Ratings.

Created by Jeff Sagarin, a 1970 MIT mathematics graduate, these computer ratings are for Division I-A (what the NCAA now calls the Football Bowl (FB) Subdivision) and Division I-AA (what the NCAA now calls the Football Championship (FC) Subdivision) teams.

You will have to forgive the NCAA for taking titles that have been used for years and are perfectly clear, then renaming them and creating confusion in the process.

If there is a way for the NCAA to assert its superior power, it does so by making everything more difficult and confusing, similar to your United States government and its IRS tax code which could reduce a sane person to tears just reading it.

Anyway, the Sagarin rating is a numerical measure of a team’s strength.

A hypothetical victory margin is determined by comparing the rating of the two teams after adding 2.93 points to the home team. The home edge will vary during the season.

Only Division I (both A and AA) are counted for rating and schedule strength during the season.

A diminishing-returns principle exists to prevent teams from building up ratings by running up large victory margins against weak teams. Instead, it rewards teams that do well against good opponents.

The BCS (Bowl Championship Series) does not factor in scoring margin. For Sagarin ratings and more detailed information go to: www.usatoday.com

USA Today, the largest circulation newspaper in the United States, is the nation’s daily newspaper and carries the Sagarin College Football Ratings. The ratings are updated following each week’s games and published in USA Today on Wednesdays.

Following the first week of college football action, here are some facts that interested me about Sagarin’s first-week ratings:

1) Washington, one of the poor to mediocre teams in the country the last several years, was rated No. 31 after hammering Syracuse 42-14 in its home opener.

2) Michigan State, another short end of the stick team for far too long, was rated No. 36 after steamrolling over UAB 55-18 in its home opener.

3) Appalachian State, a AA school, was rated No. 38 following its upset of mighty Michigan 34-32 on Michigan’s home field. The win was the biggest upset in college football history as no AA team had ever beaten a ranked team.

Michigan was ranked No. 5 by both the AP Poll and Coaches Poll going into the game. Following its horrendous loss, Michigan ended up being ranked No. 40 by Sagarin.

4) Wyoming, a small school and never among the nation’s top teams, was ranked No. 41 by Sagarin following its 23-3 home victory over Virginia.

5) Notre Dame, beaten badly (33-3) by Georgia Tech, was rated No. 57 after the loss. Georgia Tech was rated No. 2. The Irish failed to score a touchdown for the first time ever in their home opener.

6) Temple (ranked No. 143 after its opening loss) and Buffalo (ranked No. 145 after its opening loss) face off in week two. Both teams are among the 7 worst Division I-A teams in the country, joining Louisiana-Monroe, Rice, Duke, Utah State and Florida International.

7) A total of 242 teams, 119 A schools and 123 AA schools, make up the Sagarin College Football Ratings. The worst-rated A school is Florida International at No. 174 (56 AA teams are rated better), and their play reflects their rating. The worst-rated AA school is the No. 242 La Salle Explorers. La Salle is a Catholic university located in Philadelphia.

La Salle lost its home opener to Ursinus 28-0. Ursinus is not a planet but a real liberal arts college in Pennsylvania.

Ursinus College is not a Division 1 school (which includes the 242 teams with La Salle), not a Division II team (which includes another 157 teams), but a Division III team. Now you can better understand why La Salle College is ranked last among 242 Division I schools.

The first job for La Salle this year will be to score a touchdown, or any points, including a field goal or touchback. The Explorers next job will be to actually win a game. Good luck, La Salle, and God speed.

About the Author:

Ed Bagley’s Blog Publishes Original Articles with Analysis and Commentary on 5 Subjects: Sports, Movie Reviews, Lessons in Life, Jobs and Careers, and Internet Marketing. Read my weekly 14-part series on the 2007 College Football Season. Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/Sports.html

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Sagarin College Football Ratings: What They Are, How to Read Them and What to Do With Them

(HD) 090830 Hongki – speed reading cut @ G.a…g Ni.g..ht

Speed Reading for Success (Unabridged) $11.99 Speed Reading for Success will show you how to read faster – and understand and recall what you have read….

Triple Your Reading Speed $14.38 A complete program of practice exercises designed to improve reading speed and comprehension includes tips on study habits and test-taking skills. Reprint.

Speed Reading for Dummies (Paperback) $19.81 A guide for time-pressed students and employees reveals how to change reading methods in order to process information more quickly and accurately while improving retention and recall, in a guide that outlines the latest speed-reading techniques for a variety of media. Original.

Speed Reading For Professionals $23.03 Barron`s Business Success books offer useful advice to career-minded men and women who are looking to get ahead in the business and corporate world. Titles touch on all levels of management, marketing, organization, and related business operations. Reading and comprehending a large number of documents and reports—many of them specialized and technical—is a vital task that is intrinsic to fulfilling management and executive responsibilities. The authors of this practical book recommend techniques and exercises designed to increase reading speed dramatically and to retain important information more easily. They also offer tips on methods for comprehending dry and often difficult reading matter.

A Guide to Speed Reading (Unabridged) $5.89 Do you ever find yourself wishing you could save time by reading faster? The author of this program felt exactly the same way just a few short months ago….

The General, Union-Captured Locomotive Racing at Top Speed Through Georgia, 1862 $19.99 The General, Union-Captured Locomotive Racing at Top Speed Through Georgia, 1862 – Premium Poster

Buzan Bites: Speed Reading: Accelerate your speed and understanding for success $4.89 This bite-size version is of one of Tony Buzans most enduring topics; Speed Reading. Tonys innovative approach to this subject makes speed reading easy to understand, enabling you to apply it immediately to all aspects of your life. Its fun as well! An ideal tool for students, teachers, executives indeed, anyone eager to improve the speed, comprehension and quality of their reading. This book offers a swift introduction to Tony Buzans tried, tested and very successful techniques.

Guided Meditation for Speed Reading $15.19 Do you have unread books piling up because you think you just don’t have the time to read them? Here’s help….

Tony Buzan: Speed Reading Book (New) $8.99 Imagine the time you could save, and all the amazing new information you could consume, if you were able to read at speeds of over 1000 words per-minute. And we don�t mean just simple skim-reading, but also properly and completely comprehending, understanding and retaining the information you�ve read. This fully revised and updated edition of the powerful book from the world-renowned authority Tony Buzan, will show you exactly how you can quickly start to read at amazing speeds. Speed Reading is simple to follow, easy to understand and fun too. You�ll find out how fast your reading speed is now and then discover how you could be reading dramatically faster in no time. And you won�t just improve your reading speed, but your concentration and comprehension levels will soar too. The techniques in the book are ideal for teachers, students or executives � indeed, anyone who wants to improve the speed, comprehension and quality of their reading. The benefits of speed reading are numerous, no matter where or why you read. You�ll be able to zip through whole novels in one sitting; you�ll speed through newspapers and magazines in minutes; you�ll be the envy of your colleagues as you consume and understand business reports in record time. Speed Reading will revolutionise the way you read. You�ll save days, weeks even months of your precious time; you�ll learn more efficiently and quickly; and you�ll be left marvelling at your new-found speed-reading abilities.

Georgia Bulldogs 21×31 Bedrest $38.99 Unbelievably comfortable- this Georgia Bulldogs bedrest is the perfect accessory. Whether you are reading in bed or playing video games in front of the sofa- this Georgia Bulldogs bedrest delivers relaxing support. Filled with a special poly-styrene blend- this Georgia Bulldogs bedrest is easily moved from room to room. Officially licensed.

Georgia Bulldogs LED Book Lamp $12.99 Never stop reading with the Georgia Bulldogs LED Book Lamp! Great for reading while traveling to your favorite sporting event. Featuring team colors and team logo. Officially licensed.

Georgia $21.99 Georgia – T-Shirt

10 Days to Faster Reading $4.99 Speed reading used to require months of training. Now you can rev up your reading in just a few minutes a day. With quizzes to determine your present reading level and exercises to introduce new skills quickly, 10 Days to Faster Reading will improve your reading comprehension and speed as it shows you how to: Break the bad habits that slow you down; Develop your powers of concentration; Cut your reading time in half; Use proven, specially designed reading techniques; Boost the power of your peripheral vision; Learn how to scan and skim a written report.

Georgia Gameday Center $148.27 Georgia Gameday Center is located in Athens, close to 40 Watt Club, Classic Center, and Sanford Stadium. Nearby points of interest also include University of Georgia Athens and Georgia Museum of Art. Hotel Features. Recreational amenities include a fitness facility. This Athens property has event space consisting of banquet facilities and small meeting rooms. The property has a roundtrip airport shuttle, which is complimentary. Guest parking is complimentary. Additional property amenities include secure parking. This is a smoke free property. Guestrooms. 68 air conditioned guestrooms at Georgia Gameday Center feature washers/dryers and coffee/tea makers. All accommodations have balconies. At this 3 star hotel, accommodations include kitchens with microwaves, refrigerators, and cookware/dishes/utensils. Bathrooms feature shower/tub combinations, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. High speed Internet access is available. In addition to phones, guestrooms offer free local calls (restrictions may apply). Televisions have cable channels. Guestrooms are all non smoking.

Georgia Palace Hotel $109.32 Georgia Palace Hotel is a beachfront luxury hotel located in Kobuleti. Hotel Features. This Kobuleti hotel has a private beach. Dining options at Georgia Palace Hotel include 3 restaurants. A swim up bar, a poolside bar, and a bar/lounge are open for drinks. Room service is available during limited hours. A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning. Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool, a children’s pool, a sauna, and a fitness facility. The property’s full service health spa has body treatments, massage/treatment rooms, facials, and beauty services. This 5 star property has a business center and offers small meeting rooms, secretarial services, and a technology helpdesk. Complimentary wireless and wired high speed Internet access is available in public areas. This Kobuleti property has 500 square meters of event space consisting of banquet facilities and conference/meeting rooms. The property has a train station pick up service, which is complimentary. Self parking is complimentary. Additional property amenities include a coffee shop/caf?, barbecue grills, and multilingual staff. Guestrooms. 156 air conditioned guestrooms at Georgia Palace Hotel feature minibars and espresso makers. Balconies offer sea, mountain, or garden views. Bathrooms feature jetted bathtubs and hair dryers. Wired high speed Internet access is complimentary. Televisions have satellite channels.

Ultimate Speed Reader $59.95 New Page 1More than 200 exciting reading passages presented in six engaging activities will help you increase your reading speed and improve comprehension. This program can teach anyone, from the reading novice to the more mature reader, how to more effectively move their eyes on the page, read more than one word at a time, and improve their rate of perception, for increased reading performance at school, at work, or just for fun!Perfect for Ages 8 and up. 

The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia (Hardcover) $48.56 Narrator Gladys Cailiff is eleven years old in 1938 when a new, well-traveled young schoolteacher turns a small Georgia town upside down. Miss Grace Spivey believes in field trips, Arabian costumes, and reading aloud from her ten-volume set of The Thousand Nights and a Night. The real trouble begins when she decides to revive the annual town festival as an exotic Baghdad bazaar.Miss Spivey transforms the lives of everyone around her: Gladys`s older brother Force (with his movie-star looks), her pregnant sister May (a gifted storyteller herself), and especially the Cailiffs` African American neighbor, young Theo Boykin, whose creative genius becomes the key to a colorful, hidden history of the South.Populated by unforgettable characters—including three impressive camels—The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia rides a magic carpet from a segregated schoolroom in Georgia to the banks of the Tigris (and back again) in an entrancing feat of storytelling.