Dealing with difficult issues and having sensitive discussions is a part of life. However, when it comes to children, addressing these issues can be challenging. However, if you know how to approach and explain these difficult topics so that they can understand them in a thoughtful and age-appropriate way, discussions will be less stressful and the outcome will be better for everyone involved.

If you’re a parent, please take the time to review this set of general guidelines as well as more specific suggestions for handling certain topics to arm yourself for those challenging discussions that are sure to come.

General guidelines for explaining difficult topics

No matter what the topic, there are certain principles that can be applied. Knowing what they are will give you a good foundation for talking to your young children or teens.

Don’t overwhelm them with details. Let your child be the guide and follow his lead in how much information to give.

Remember to be age appropriate with the amount and type of information you share. The details that a teenager might handle would not be assimilated in the same way by a younger child.

Break down the data in a way that benefits or addresses the concerns of the child in question.

Allow children to ask their own questions and answer honestly. Encourage openness.

Incorporate your family values ​​into difficult discussions. If you’re not sure how you feel about a certain topic or conversation your child should have, be honest and share your mixed feelings with your children. It’s okay to let them know that you don’t have all the answers, but you can research the topic and try to find the answers they need.

If you want to chat with your child, plan an activity together and have the necessary conversation while both of you are busy at work or play.

While some issues can come out of the blue, some are predictable. So plan to talk to your child ahead of time about topics that are bound to come up. That way you’ll beat your peers on the topic!

Listen carefully to what your child says on whatever topic is being discussed. You’ll get clues as to how much to tell them or what they really want and need to hear: what their concerns really are. Be patient with yourself and with your child, talk as long as your child needs.

talking about divorce

If a child is concerned that their parents may divorce but their relationship is healthy, he or she needs reassurance. They also need to know that some arguments between adults are normal. The child simply needs reassurance that her family unit is stable and intact.

But if a divorce is looming on the horizon, the conversation will be very different. However, you should always start and end with ease. Tell them that they will always be loved and that will never change. Children should be reminded that no part of the decision to divorce is a reflection on them.

He always approached the general topic of divorce objectively with an explanation that it is a reality for many families.

Talking about the concept of being gay

Whether the topic comes up as a generality or a child asks about the same-sex parent of a friend or neighbor, the topic of being gay is another discussion that some parents are uneasy or unprepared for. This is an area where your values ​​can come into play, so you may want to approach it from a factual standpoint.

You can explain to your child that some people love another person who happens to be of the same sex. For a small child, this should be enough. For a teenager, the discussion of sexual orientation can be more complicated and fraught with legal and moral issues. No matter how you choose to handle this, be open and encourage your children to treat everyone as you would like to be treated. Remind them that whether a person is gay or not has no impact on their humanity.

Talking about the death of a parent or loved one

Death is one of the most difficult topics to deal with with children or adolescents. However, when faced with him, there is no shying away from him. Effective communication about the issue can go a long way in helping young people deal with loss.

Discuss the physical aspects of death, such as a disease that cannot be cured; injury that could not be repaired; and how bodies just stop working at one point. When it comes to the spiritual realm of death, values ​​and religion reign. He shares what his family believes. Comfort your children with the idea that death does not change love. Allow your child to openly express her feelings, be sure to provide a safe and judgment-free environment for her to do so.

Talking about strip clubs

When your child notices the strip club on the road on the way to school or church, she’s most likely in for another awkward conversation. Fortunately, this discussion doesn’t get too close, so it can be treated in general as you look at the choices some people make. Be sure to make it a life lesson. You can also explain that just as children have playgrounds, like amusement parks that are just for them, so do adults. Just tell the kids that a strip club is a place where some adults go to have fun.

Talking about sex, pregnancy and where babies come from

Talking to your kids about sex, pregnancy, and where babies come from is one of those inevitable discussions every parent should have. One of the most important things to remember is to be timely with that discussion. If possible, talk about it before your child finds out from her friends or classmates. Therefore, you would like to start early on this topic. As soon as questions arise, answer them honestly, with young children, keeping it short and simplistic is very important, not divulging more information than is absolutely necessary.

Keep in mind that before you decide to introduce any difficult subject with your young children or teens, have a game plan. Know how much information you want to share. Plan to be receptive to their input. And when topics come up unexpectedly, staying calm and honest will save the day. Share appropriately to create a well-balanced child who knows that they too can come to or seek help from their family to understand the difficult things in life.

You’ve probably heard stories about how celebrities can gain and lose weight so quickly and easily and jump from role to role without much difficulty. Sometimes they share with the public how they lost weight so fast, but there are some secrets they don’t want you to know. The fact is that most training programs on the market today are ineffective and just some marketing schemes for these companies to make money off of you. Is Arnel Ricafranca’s 6 pack abs program just another useless training program or is it a real deal?

Most of the commercials on television for diet programs and fitness equipment are not really what they appear to be. If you don’t already know, those sexy, muscular models he saw are just actors who were hired to say anything to get him hooked on publicity. In fact, I’m pretty sure most of those models don’t even use the products to get that type of body. They probably worked hard in the gym and stuck to a strict diet program to get those results.

Arnel Ricafranca 6 pack abs instant workout program, in my opinion, is one of the best programs out there. The main reason is that Arnel Ricafranca was fat before starting this abs training system and you can actually see real photos and videos of him. If you really want to lose fat and get six pack abs, you’ll want to see real evidence and results not from models but from regular people like you who lost fat and gained muscle.

The only celebrity weight loss secret that Arnel Ricafranca will explain to you is about motivation. Has he ever put in 100% of his effort to burn fat and lose weight? If the answer is no, Arnel will make sure you get that motivation and energy to help you overcome your hump and start changing your life forever.

What I liked the most about this program that really gives me that boost to lose weight is the 1 on 1 week by week training program. You will not be suffocated with all the information at once because Arnel will send you such a program every week Like a meal plan. You will no longer get discouraged by reading long and boring e-books, instead Arnel will provide you with a complete video course that you can follow or download to your iPod.

Square lock boxes for electrical panels are specially designed to lock switches with levers. This device encloses electrical outlets and switches. Different manufacturers of lockout products offer various types of EP lockouts available on the market.

Here we have put together the types of electrical lockout panels along with their uses. This article will help you better understand the types of lockout panels and make an informed decision when choosing lockout tagout products for your machinery procedure.

Types of electrical panel lockout

• EP-locking square box This is used when more than one drive needs to be locked to a single panel; We recommend using our Electric Squeezer lock with the yellow wire that feeds through the access holes of these electric squeezer locks and locks in one location for multiple users.

• Square E-Panel Lockout Box – Large 90 Degree – Manufactured from special grade heavy-duty transparent material, each unit has been developed to include electrical outlets to prevent machines from being fully energized.

• Wide square box EPL- To lock different sizes of EP by square electrical panel lock. It is made up of a superior grade of PVC, two piece construction with a flat brass padlock.

• EPL – Ellipse – This is a transparent electrical panel. A padlock can be fitted to lock/isolate the switches.

• Electrical Panel Handle Lock- Electronic Panel Handle Lockout EPHL’s patented design freezes the movement of larger handles/levers installed on electronic panels.

• Normal Push Button Lock- This is made for electrical purposes. Highly secure and effective for locking emergency stop mushroom buttons.

• Oversized Push Button Lock- This is the most appreciated locking solution for large electrical pushbuttons in EP or control stations. It also finds its application in crane/heavy machinery Specials.

Choose the EP based on your requirements and budget. Once in place, electrical sockets/switches/buttons can be isolated by placing the housing unit on top of the base plate, preventing access to the remote switch. They can then be locked into place with a lockout padlock.

Which electrical panel lockout should I buy?

Good! The answer to this question is hidden in your business requirements. To better solve this question, analyze your task requirements, and then choose the best electrical panel.

These were the popular types of electronic lockout panels and their uses. As a trusted lockout provider, Safety House Loto brings you the best products. In addition, we are an ISO certified company; therefore, you can be free from worry about the quality and longevity of our lockout tagout products.

What are you going to? A Jedi or a But-Me?

You always have a choice on how you approach things…so would you like to be a Jedi or a But-I? Let me make sure you understand the differences between Jedi and But-me… You probably remember what a Jedi is, but you may not know what a “But-me” is. A But-Me is the part of our personality that is stubborn, unwilling, uncooperative, stagnant, moody, quarrelsome, and finds fault and finds problems everywhere…especially within ourselves.

Our But-Me part says, “But I can’t. But I don’t know enough. But it’s too hard. But I don’t have the right tools. But I don’t have the time.” Meta-I, Meta-I, Meta-I. I think you get the idea. Our But-Me is full of ifs, ands, or buts, is that you?

And the Jedi? You remember them… from Start Wars… Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, lightsabers and “may the Force be with you.” With amazing powers and strong qualities, the remarkable Jedi can teach us something about how to succeed in our internet marketing businesses.

What qualities do the Jedi have that could be applied to internet marketing success?

1. serve jedi
2. The Jedi are brave.
3. Jedi do what is ethically correct
4. They act quickly and decisively.
5. They lead (they don’t command).
6. They are calm and at peace, in control of their emotions.
7. The Jedi know that complete concentration and patience are essential.
8. They seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.
9. edi balances using his strengths with controlling his weaknesses.
10. They work with the light side of the Force, not the dark side.

“Oh my God,” you say, “I’ve been trading like a But-Me! I’ll never make it!”

Fortunately, once you understand how a Jedi operates, you can begin to take steps to change your mindset and approach. Each of us has But-I traits and Jedi traits. We can use the Jedi as models and choose the qualities we want to emulate, and allow our But-Me qualities to fade away. To be successful as an Internet Marketer, you must work on those Jedi qualities. So let’s take a look at those qualities and see how we can apply them… read on.

Attend

Serve by providing information and value, answering questions, and directing people where they can find answers (you don’t always give them all the answers yourself). You’ve probably heard the expression “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, but teach him to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” Although your goal is to serve, this doesn’t mean you have to do too much! We take away the opportunity for growth that occurs when people have to work and learn if we do too much for them.

Be brave

Starting a new endeavor and having to learn a lot of new things can be scary. Courage doesn’t mean being without fear…it means overcoming fear and acting anyway. Heroes are just ordinary people who act in spite of fear. A person who is successful is the person who lets go of fear and goes ahead and does it anyway.

Do what is ethically correct

Basically, don’t lie, cheat or steal. Be honest and authentic in your relationships. This means being real, not being perfect. When people feel like you’re genuine instead of seeming perfect, they’ll connect with you more easily.

Act quickly and decisively

Avoid analysis paralysis and the bad habit of rethinking every decision after you’ve made it. If you need help making decisions, grab a pen and paper and write down as many pros and cons as you can think of, then let go of any feelings related to them and decide. Then go ahead with your decision. Could you make a mistake? Of course it’s possible, we all make mistakes… but that’s one of the best ways to learn! Don’t hold back from expanding and learning out of indecision.

Be calm and at peace and in control of your emotions

I can’t be clear when I’m not calm. When I’m unclear I’m confused, and when I’m confused I’m not effective. It is important that I give myself time and space to foster a calm and clear mind, and not allow my emotions to run wild. Meditation and working to stay organized go a long way with this.

Know that full concentration and patience are essential

In today’s busy world, we find it difficult to focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking is overrated – studies have shown that it doesn’t work very well, at least with humans! I constantly work on improving my focus and concentration, and I practice letting go of other things when I’m working on an important task. I usually work in one or two hour chunks, then take time to do smaller things, and this helps me stay focused, while giving myself a little break from time to time. Patience is certainly essential in all parts of our daily lives: it makes growth, improvement, and expansion possible.

lead (not command)

You’ve probably heard the saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. As a leader, you set the example and provide encouragement, information, and support, but you don’t make the decisions or do the work for someone else. Make a call to action (always a great practice) but keep in mind that the other person may or may not take that action, and it’s not up to you to force it.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and be more, you are a leader.” john quincy adams

Improve yourself through training and knowledge

We always have new things to learn. As I learn more, I have more value to offer to others, as well as to myself. Acquiring new skills is beneficial to me and also helps me to benefit others. There are things to learn beyond marketing skills, such as developing good work habits, a great mindset, glowing health, and flourishing relationships. As I learn, I expand as a person.

Balance using your strengths with controlling your weaknesses

We all have weaknesses and we all have strengths. Really strength and weakness are really two aspects of the same thing. The most important thing is to begin to recognize our strengths and our weaknesses, and from there we can see where to focus our efforts. Controlling your weaknesses means becoming aware of them and allowing them to disappear as you develop your strengths, rather than trying to force your weaknesses.

Work with the light side of the force, not the dark side

Focus on the positive, not the negative. May your attention expand. What you think will happen. If you think you can do something or you think you can’t do anything, you’re right (Henry Ford). We’ve all heard clichés that go along with this… but it makes common sense that if I put my thoughts and energy into something, I’ll get more of it, don’t you think? Put your thoughts and energy into what you want, what you would like to create, what will benefit everyone involved; this is much more constructive than focusing on the negative aspects of things.

Choose your perspective and choose your way of thinking. Then take action. The right mindset will lead to the right action.

May the force be with you!

tucker hill air plumbing electric open

Tucker Hill Air Plumbing and Electric is dedicated to providing exceptional service and being readily available to our valued customers in Scottsdale. We understand that plumbing, HVAC, and electrical issues can occur at any time, so we strive to have convenient operating hours to accommodate your needs. Our company is open Monday through Friday to ensure prompt service and timely assistance.

Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing and Electric – Scottsdale

From Monday to Friday, our team is available to assist you with all your HVAC, plumbing, and electrical needs. Our operating hours during these days are typically from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. During this time, you can contact us to schedule service appointments, request estimates, or seek assistance for any urgent issues you may be experiencing.

We believe in providing timely and efficient service, which is why we have structured our operating hours to align with the schedules of our customers. By offering service during regular business hours, we aim to make it convenient for both residential and commercial clients to access our expertise and solutions.

what days are tucker hill air plumbing electric open

While our regular operating hours are from Monday to Friday, we understand that emergencies can occur outside of these times. We also acknowledge that some customers may have scheduling constraints that make it difficult to avail our services during standard operating hours. To cater to such situations, we offer emergency services and flexible scheduling options.

If you encounter an urgent plumbing, HVAC, or electrical issue outside of our regular operating hours, we have an emergency response team available 24/7 to address your needs. Our emergency services ensure that you can reach us anytime, day or night, to mitigate potential damage, restore functionality, and provide you with the necessary support when you need it most.

Additionally, we offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate your specific requirements. If you are unable to schedule a service appointment during our regular operating hours, we will work with you to find a time that suits your schedule. We understand that everyone has different commitments and obligations, and we strive to be as accommodating as possible.

To find out more about our specific operating hours or to schedule an appointment, you can reach out to our friendly customer service team. They will provide you with the most up-to-date information regarding our availability and work with you to find a suitable time for your service needs.

At Tucker Hill Air Plumbing and Electric, we are committed to providing timely and reliable service to our customers in Scottsdale. Whether you need HVAC repairs, plumbing installations, or electrical upgrades, our team is ready to assist you during our regular operating hours from Monday to Friday. In case of emergencies or special scheduling requirements, we offer 24/7 emergency services and flexible scheduling options to ensure that we can address your needs promptly and efficiently.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment or to inquire about our operating hours. We look forward to serving you and exceeding your expectations with our top-quality services and customer care.

wireless access points it can work in three different types of modes: root, repeater, and bridge.

root mode – This is the most common type of mode where multiple users access the access point at the same time as one access point. In root mode, users with laptops or PDAs can access the Internet to watch videos of Torino games or simply check email. As a side note, there is a difference between being a mobile user and a roaming user. A mobile user remains connected to a wireless access point. A roaming user moves from one access point cell to another access point cell. I point this out because of the additional load on the access point.

repeater – Repeater mode is used when you want to extend your signal beyond your current limits. You must place the repeater access point within range of your current root access point. You need to be close enough to the root access point for the repeater to repeat a strong signal and not a weak signal. If you end up repeating the weak signal you won’t be able to watch the Torino Olympics.

Bridge – The bridge acts as a wireless cable. Two access points in bridge mode will only communicate with each other, no other client will be able to access them. Bridging is useful when connecting two buildings or large temporary locations where cable routing is not cost effective.

to set up a wireless bridge you will have two access points and two directional antennas. Depending on the distance, it will use voltmeters or the manufacturer’s software to target the access points. Before you do this, you’ll need to enter the MAC address of each access point so they know who to align with.

Mounting your antennas correctly is one of the most important things. If you mount your antenna on your roof, make sure it is attached to a stud. Keep in mind that wind is a factor when aligning the antennas. It could give a great signal on a windless day and no signal on a windy or snowy day. Choosing the right wind rated antenna and the right tower or mounting brackets are the key to the bridge.

So when you buy a wireless access point Actually, you are buying three types of wireless connectivity: Root/Hot Spot which is used to connect multiple mobile clients at the same time, Repeater which is used to extend the signal of another access point. The last mode we talked about was the wireless bridge, which is another way of saying wireless cable.

One of the cheapest but most reliable wireless access points I’ve used is the linksys WAP54g. I have installed it in houses, small offices and schools. 15-20 people can access them at a time and they almost never break. The WAP54g comes with all the latest security features, including WPA2 with AES encryption. If you’re new to installing wireless access points, you can also take advantage of Linksys Kickass technical support.

As you go about your workday, do you take the time to negotiate the obstacles you regularly face, or do you just walk away in disgust?

Please don’t leave, come back and negotiate. Almost everything, in every aspect of your life, is negotiable. Having effective negotiation skills is the key. Especially in these difficult economic times, your ability to negotiate can mean the difference between success or ruin.

We negotiate transactions and conflicts, from which restaurant we choose for lunch to how we structure our businesses and our lives. Here are the nine things you need to know before you sit down for your next negotiation.

1. Every negotiation provides an opportunity for meaningful and positive interaction. So instead of viewing your negotiations as stressful hurdles, view them as possibility-seeking endeavors.

2. Negotiation is a process, not an event. A diagram of what a negotiation should look like includes four flowing phases. The first phase is individual planning, preparation and analysis. This is followed by relationship building; then an exchange of information that includes a first offer, persuasion, concessions and compromise; and finally, agreement.

3. Before you meet the person on the other end, prepare yourself. Do your homework. Find out as much as you can about your negotiating partner and what their interests might be. Get the facts and know your alternatives.

4. Prepare to deal with conflict by knowing yourself and your natural responses to conflict. If you are afraid of conflict, you may not be able to move forward in a difficult but necessary discussion. It is often better to respond without reacting. And while that may not be easy when you’re emotionally triggered, it can bring you significant benefits.

5. Work with the person on the other side, not against them. Use your best communication skills, be clear and concise. Ask open-ended questions, then be quiet and listen. Be flexible and open to unseen possibilities.

6. Try to understand cultural and personality factors that may affect the process, but don’t stereotype or pigeonhole.

7. Be prepared for dirty negotiation tactics. Dirty tactics fall into three categories: deliberate deception, psychological manipulation, and positional pressure maneuvers. When you’re up against a dirty bargainer (for example, the car salesman who leaves you sitting in a room for long periods of time) you have three options. You can identify and confront the dirty tactic, you can fall prey to it, or you can walk away. Make your decision based on the circumstances and your motivation. Remember, you choose your answer.

8. The balance of power is a critical component of all negotiations. When negotiating, always consider potential power imbalances and the differences between having ‘power over’ (coercion, control and domination) and having ‘power to’ (the ability to act, influence, say no). Also, consider the source of power, which can be money, position, rank, or personal power that emanates from a person’s individual characteristics. Finally, keep in mind that a more motivated negotiator can often overcome a lack of power.

9. There are five basic negotiation styles: compete, avoid, accommodate, compromise, and collaborate. Each style has strengths and weaknesses and can be effective at certain times, in certain situations, and with certain people. While each of us may have a preferred style, knowing when and how to use each style properly can produce the most successful results.

a) Competing works when the goal is to win and winning is more important than the relationship with the person on the other side.

b) Avoidance is effective when neither the end nor the relationship with the other party matters. When misused, important goals are put at risk and the opportunity to improve the connection with the person on the other end is lost. So use this strategy carefully.

c) Accommodating works best when the goal is to maintain relationships and please the other party.

d) Compromising is effective when you want to find a quick balance between reaching goals and building or maintaining a relationship.

e) Collaboration is effective when it is essential both to meet one’s own objectives and to improve a relationship. While this may seem like the ideal strategy, it is not appropriate for all situations; Collaboration can be time consuming and often requires a commitment to the process that is unrealistic unless there is a serious level of connection between the parties.

Finally, here is your assignment: keep learning about negotiation and about yourself as a negotiator. And then please write to me and tell me about your findings.

There are two main ways I see the future of pay-per-click advertising progressing from where it is now. Currently, PPC is heavily focused on computers, such as desktops and laptops, and businesses have been more focused on getting clicks than converting those visitors into conversions. Going forward, PPC will continue to move towards mobile platforms, as businesses refine their marketing messages to focus more on conversion rates.

Google has seen this trend and is helping to promote it with its new and improved AdWords Campaigns. Previously, tablets were bundled with mobile devices when choosing which type of devices to target. Now, with tablets like the iPad, Kindle Fire and others increasingly closer to miniature computers than mobile phones, it’s increasingly difficult to tell the difference between them.

Additionally, about 20% of internet searches already have a local intent, where people are looking for directions, local restaurants, or goods and services provided by someone close to home. Searches conducted on mobile devices like smartphones have approximately 60% local intent, opening up entirely new avenues for targeting pay-per-click ads to these search engines.

This isn’t just for local businesses, either. With one in four Americans located within the top 10 cities, even national ad campaigns can target search engines with a message tailored to that area of ​​the country. Cultural trends in one city or another can target people based on their location and the type of device they use.

Another trend that will grow over time is the use of metrics so that advertising campaigns do not focus on clicks but on conversions. This is primarily a problem with large businesses, which can have thousands of ad groups and millions of keywords in a given corporate account. With so much advertising, clicks are pretty much guaranteed, but conversion rates can suffer with so much data to analyze.

In fact, most businesses don’t have a problem with traffic. They have a problem converting that traffic into sales. Looking at data from AdWords and AdCenter is valuable, but tweaking different aspects of landing pages and doing more A/B testing will increasingly consume the time of PPC marketers and web designers.

Therefore, the future of PPC will be more focused on mobile devices and local intent searchers. Both small and large businesses will compete to get their messages across to consumers based on their geographic locations and the types of devices they use. Additionally, companies will start to take a closer look at the data they collect from all pay-per-click advertising and start testing the best way to convert their marketing dollars into sales.

So you planted a garden this year, and the tomatoes are growing out of your ears. maybe your neighbors planted a garden and tomatoes are coming out of their ears and landing in a cardboard box on their front porch. Either way, you have too many tomatoes to eat. The solution? Turn those tomatoes into spaghetti sauce.

Preserving tomatoes for spaghetti sauce is the perfect solution for a large quantity of tomatoes. Spaghetti sauce is versatile. It can be used in anything from lasagna to pizza and yes, it can be used in spaghetti.

Making and canning a great spaghetti sauce is much easier than you might think. Many of you may have memories of your mother or grandmother slaving away in the kitchen on the hottest day of late summer. The house was filled with the warm sour smell of tomatoes. You’ll still get that a bit, but at least we have air conditioning now, right?

Here are the basics for making spaghetti sauce:

Clean and sterilize your jars – When it comes to canning, cleanliness is next to godliness. or at least keeps him out of the hospital for food poisoning. be sure to follow all guidelines for cleaning jars you will be using for storage.

prepare your tomatoes – This is probably the most time consuming step. Your tomatoes need to be washed and cooked. You have to remove the skin and seeds. Once this is done, the spices called for in your recipe should be added. It is very important to follow a recipe. Adding other vegetables to the mix could be a big mistake.

can your sauce Once the sauce has finished cooking, pour it into the clean, sterilized jars. Be sure to wipe up any excess or any sauce that may have spilled down the sides of the jar. Take special care to clean the rim of the jar. Any sauce in there could affect how the jar is sealed. Put the lid on the jar, seal the lid with a ring, and place in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes or so. Adjust the elevation if necessary.

You’ll know the jars are sealed when you hear them “pop” as they cool. Once they’re cool and you’re sure they have a good seal, you can store them in the pantry for future use. Keep jars out of direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.

I hope this gives you a little idea of ​​what it takes to can can spaghetti sauce at home. Like I said before, it really isn’t that hard if you put your mind to it.

Nowadays, more and more people use text to speech software to improve their reading efficiency and save time. As an important component of text-to-speech technology, voices, that is, speech engines, are the lifeblood of text-to-speech software. Because text-to-speech software must invoke them into synthetic speech.

However, the default voices that ship with operating systems, for example Microsoft Sam on Windows XP, don’t sound very natural. Actually, you need to install more high-quality voices. Fortunately, there are many speech engines available on the Internet today, such as Microsoft Add-On Voices, Lernout & Hauspie TruVoice and TTS3000, AT&T Natural Voices, Cepstral, IVONA, etc. Most of these voices are better than the default on your system.

Here is a list of text-to-speech voices available on the internet.

Microsoft Mike, Maria –

Microsoft Mike and Microsoft Mary are optional male and female voices respectively with higher quality, available for download from the Microsoft website or other third-party text-to-speech related websites.

The most notable feature of these three is that there are SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 versions of them. SAPI 5 versions are only available on Windows 2000 and later Windows NT-based operating systems. As an exception, SAPI 5 versions of these voices cannot be installed on Windows Vista and Windows 7. SAPI 4 versions are more compatible. They can be installed and used on Windows 98 and all subsequent Windows operating systems.

In general, the higher the SAPI version, the better the quality.

microsoft anna –

Microsoft Anna is the default English voice included with Windows Vista and Windows 7. Microsoft Anna is a SAPI 5-only speech engine and is designed to sound more natural than the previous system default voice, Microsoft Sam.

This excellent female voice is based on the new Microsoft SAPI 5.3/5.4. So you cannot use it directly on Windows XP and there is also no standalone installer for this voice on the Microsoft website. The only way to use this fantastic voice in Windows XP is through Microsoft Streets & Trips. Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 and later versions install voice and the new Microsoft SAPI on Windows XP computers for the voice directions feature.

Some third-party text-to-speech websites provide smaller repackaged Microsoft Anna installers for Windows XP users. However, it is incomplete and does not work correctly on Windows XP because the SAPI version of Windows XP is 5.1.

Cepstral Voices –

These high-quality voices take up less disk space (less than 50mb on average) than most premium voices, don’t use as much processor power, and are very fast when creating audio files.

AT&T Natural Voices –

An award-winning text-to-speech technology developed by AT&T Laboratories. Many believe that Natural Voices is the most natural sounding TTS available, the “highly scalable” multi-threaded technology can automate and add tremendous interactive and humanistic value to a wide variety of applications and projects.

IVONA Voices –

Human voices for your PC: Use the most natural text-to-speech voices ever heard for fun and work.

CereProc Voices –

High-quality voices for computers running Microsoft Windows XP and Vista/7. You can replace Microsoft’s default American English voices with a wide range of other accents and languages. CereProc Windows voices are compatible with Microsoft SAPI5, and all voices are 22khz for excellent clarity and naturalness.

Voices of Lernout and Hauspie –

Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products, or L&H, was a leading Belgian-based speech recognition technology company. This company released dozens of high-quality SAPI 4 voices in multiple languages, including ten American English voices and two British English voices.

In addition, Lernout & Hauspie Michael and Michelle are also optional male and female voices licensed from Microsoft by Lernout & Hauspie and available through Microsoft Office XP and Microsoft Office 2003 or Microsoft Reader.