The Complete Idiot's Guide to a Smart Vocabulary


Book Description

Defines over 1,000 words in subject areas such as people, computers, business, law, culture, and government, as well as foreign terms and new words.







The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating a Website


Book Description

In the 21st century, it has become very difficult for a business to survive without a website - today's equivalent of a mid-1990s yellow-pages listing. Today's websites require advanced features that visitors have come to expect- streaming video and audio; e-commerce; custom surveys, forms, and polls; and discussion groups. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Creating a Website, readers will find- ♦ How to create a webpage-all the basics and tables. ♦ Using good design. ♦ Publishing your site. ♦ Automating your site. ♦ How to make your site profitable. ♦ Publicizing your site. The CD contains many custom templates with which to start a website, as well as numerous JavaScript scripts.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to WordPress


Book Description

Take advantage of the #1 blog publishing application. With more than 22 million users worldwide, WordPress is the #1 blog WordPress publishing application in the world. This guide provides users of both its hosted blogging service (WorldPress.com) and its self-hosted application (WordPress.org) with everything they need to know to create, customize, manage, and share their WordPress blogs with the world.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weird Word Origins


Book Description

Get ready to chew the fat. This engaging, humorous new book explains the not-so-common origins of such commonly used phrases as “apple-pie order,” “chew the fat,” and “hat trick.” Presented in a fun, easy-to-read style, it provides entertaining insight on metaphorical phrases, weird words, and strange expressions and takes readers on a journey through the bizarre and eccentric origins that make up our everyday speech. • Word books have gained in popularity not just with students and linguaphiles, but with a general population interested in the fascinating development of our language. • Contains back stories for 500 intriguing words and phrases. • Fun to flip through and also fun to read cover to cover.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to U.S. History, Graphic Illustrated


Book Description

History comes alive! Presented in a high-impact, graphic novel format, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to U.S. History, Graphic Illustrated is a visually exciting and easy–to–understand alternative to boring textbooks. Innovative design and lively illustrations transport readers back in time to witness these events and more: • The changing lives of the Native Americans • The abolishment of slavery • The achievement of suffrage • The scandals, wars, and assassinations of the twentieth century • America's famous and infamous historical figures




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Into Top Colleges


Book Description

Cruise your way to the Ivy League! It's no secret that it's harder to get into college these days. Ivy League and other selective schools have record numbers of applicants, making the competition even steeper. This must-have guide carefully explores the to-do's to gain admission to a top-tier school. Students and parents will learn about choosing the right school, what college admissions officers really consider when making their decisions, early decision versus early action, and what being on the waitlist means. • Provides sample essays, recommendation forms, resources, and websites • Includes advice from guidance counselors and admission officers of top colleges • Between now and 2015, there will be more than 3 million high school graduates each year




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Windows XP


Book Description

Demonstrates the operating system's features, covering managing files, installing programs, troubleshooting, networking, and security.




Word Spy


Book Description

Language wears many hats, but its most important job is to help us name or describe what's in the world. Words define us, our actions, even our existence. And just when you think that you have all the words you need, you discover new ones, hear new uses for old ones or see them mutate right before your eyes—a neologism is born. Those neologisms are actually one of the best ways of keeping tabs on the way our world and culture are changing. One of the people who's been keeping tabs is Paul McFedries, the president of Logophilia Limited (logophilia is Greek for "the love of words"). His scorecard is Word Spy, a daily newsletter that has been reporting from the neological frontier since 1998 and that has more than 100,000 visitors a month and more than 12 million page views. In Word Spy, McFedries demonstrates how new words both reflect and illuminate not only the subcultures that coin them but also the larger culture in which these groups exist. Neologisms give us insight into the way things are even as they act as linguistic harbingers of what's to come. Each chapter of Word Spy is a cultural snapshot, a slice of the zeitgeist that focuses on a specific idea or sociological phenomenon, with an emphasis on the words and phrases that it has generated. These snapshots cover various aspects of modern life, including relationships, business, technology, war, aging, multiculturalism, and even fast food, all the while introducing us to hybrid words: If your kids can't seem to get away from their computers, they may be addicted to "fritterware" (time-wasting game software). If you're a new mother with a passion for petitioning, you may be a "lactivist" (breast-feeding activist). And if you keep finding yourself staying way later at the office than you ever imagined, you may be suffering from "presenteeism." Word Spy is an exciting and informative travelogue through the evolving landscape of our language and, consequently, the cultures and subcultures that continually mold and shape not just the language but all of us who speak it.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Power Words


Book Description

In this high-tech, instant-communication world, communication should be easy. Not so! In fact, messages can often become diluted because most people's writing and language skills aren't what they used to be. Studies suggest that many people today have a tougher time relating to each other, and in fact technology may be to blame. But the good news is that it's possible to recognize the situation, adapt to it, and learn the 'power words' and phrases that can push through today's communication clutter to set one's self apart from others-and have a much easier time getting their way. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Power Wordsshows readers how to do just this. This book provides forceful-but not pushy-words and phrases that offer punch to a conversation, letter, e-mail, instant message, or text message. It supplies verbal expressions and replies that will help readers cut through today's muddle of words and misunderstandings to be more assertive, and to impress and inspire (but not intimidate) others. When necessary, these phrases will also help readers change direction correctly and confidently. There's more to effective communication than simply having a healthy vocabulary or the gift of gab. In this book, author Scott Snair provides- Words that clearly define how it's possible to fill an important need Phrases that get attention in a world saturated with attention-getters Statements that get to the point quickly and effectively Expressions that work to convince others Words that lower the opponent's defenses Rogerian phrases to gain support Thoughts that concede the point but set up the ultimate win Phrases that help keep arguments simple. Useful, hidden devices within words. Knowing how to use the right words-and use them well-has unlimited benefits, and not knowing how to use them keeps things out of your reach. In this world of insecurity, poor social skills, short attention spans, and high-paced, high-volume transmission of irrelevances, the gift of understanding these power words and phrases will give readers the advantage.