As a corporate executive, business owner, and occasionally traveling the world, I have noticed a disturbing trend that continues unabated in many countries around the world.

The star rating!

Traveling undercover, formally but more often than not informally, I have been surprised not to experience what was promised in the brochure or on the website and often, in fact, experienced the opposite – mediocrity.

This has occurred in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

One must ask the question: ‘why is this so?’ to quote the late Julius Sumner Miller.

From modest hotels and restaurants to the finest five-star hotels, resorts, and establishments, I have found that there are wide variations in star ratings.

These include:

1. Misleading advertising materials,

2. Inattentive and disinterested employees,

3. Superficial: Employees seem interested and well-groomed on the outside, but they are questioned and the veneer of customer service fades in the blink of an eye.

4. Inflexible petty rules and lack of flexibility from management and employees,

5. Advertised services not provided,

6. Dirty and dirty rooms,

7. An arrogant approach to customer service,

8. Unhelpful employees,

9. Incorrect prices,

10. Less attractive food and drinks.

This is not an exhaustive list of issues facing hotel, resort, and restaurant managers, but it is enough to raise some questions and concerns.

I have often pondered this conundrum when traveling to and from Australia to other far flung destinations, arriving tired and often just wanting to check in and rest.

But NO, expectations are often not met.

As an employee relations, human resources, and occupational health and safety professional with a keen interest in customer service, I pay special attention to these events.

However, this experience has not been limited to just me, but other travelers. Often these same travelers won’t let you know their concerns, won’t fill out your suggestion forms, yet they will spread the good or bad news to their business partners and friends. Bad news, as we know, travels faster.

Question: Can we trust the star rating?

With over 30 years of experience, I can honestly say that the star rating method is flawed and cannot be trusted.

This isn’t just a cultural thing, as some of the best establishments I’ve ever stayed and dined in are in places you wouldn’t normally expect.

The hospitality industry must align with customers and their expectations and live up to glossy brochures and marketing materials.

The common denominator

The most common denominator seems to be inconsistent customer service. Employees may be well groomed and outwardly immaculate, however once they open their mouths I feel like saying ‘excuse me, your attitude is on display – bad attitudes’.

On the contrary, I have been in establishments where the employees have gone out of their way to ensure that my colleagues and my stay are a pleasant experience and for this, management and employees should be congratulated and rewarded.

The challenge

As a businessman and private citizen who has worked in many strata of society, my conclusion is that management needs to make sure they deliver what they promise and this needs to be reflected in their marketing material or else they are promoting falsehood.

Second, and more importantly, employee selection should not be based on outward appearance of beauty, but on inner beauty and a consistently manifested service ethic.

While recently in Thailand for vacation and business, I stayed at a 4-star hotel in Chiang Mai. I received what the brochure and internet had promised to experience, plus found the employees attentive and service oriented (gang brand). Naturally, I now recommend this establishment to others.

Compare this to a resort in New Zealand that apparently seemed nice, however it was dirty and didn’t live up to your expectations.

Conclusion

In today’s competitive world, hotels, resorts and restaurants must deliver what they promise. Secondly, care and attention must be paid to the customer service of the employees, train them and understand the notion of flexibility.

Emotional intelligence over intellect appears to demonstrate a superior basis for evaluating attitude and customer service.

Thirdly consistency, consistency, consistency is definitely a must.

Your business will often grow or shrink depending on your ability to deliver. People often overlook minor issues if customer service is great.

These impressions remain for a long time in the traveler’s mind.

Can we trust the star rating – the answer, in my opinion, is NO!

Do your homework before you travel and ask other people who have been to the same area you are traveling to for their opinions. It could save you money and complaints.

Hoteliers, Resort and Restaurant Owners pay special attention to training and ensure good customer service. You will notice that your earnings and reputation increase.

Inside the Boxscores is a weekly feature by Matt Fargo that has been widely recognized as the best roundup in college football. Take an in-depth look at each game and extract the most relevant information that will help you in future handicap games. College football is full of wacky plays, misleading scores, and unexpected endings. Fargo takes you inside the action.

(9) STATE OF FLORIDA 24 Troy 17

The Seminoles’ offense once again struggled, generating just 381 total yards, but it was the running game that was sorely disappointing. Florida St. rushed for just 45 yards on 28 carries (1.6 ypc). Troy actually led this game with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter before the Seminoles tied the game and then took the lead following an interception. The Trojans rushed for just 24 yards on 14 carries (1.7 ypc).

MARYLAND 24 Middle Tennessee 10

Middle Tennessee outscored the Terrapins 321-274 but the Blue Raiders couldn’t execute when needed. They committed three turnovers and also turned the ball over twice. Maryland also had its share of errors, including two missed field goals. Middle Tennessee dominated possession time, but the Terrapins dominated field position as their average start was at their own 42-yard line.

SAN JOSE ST 35 Stanford 34

San Jose St. overcame a 20-point deficit by scoring the last 21 points to clinch the improbable win. After scoring the go-ahead touchdown midway through the third quarter, the Spartans defense went big with two turnovers and two forced punts. All three of Stanford’s turnovers occurred in Spartans territory and all came in the second half. San Jose St. rushed for 342 yards on 49 carries (7.0 ypc).

Indiana 24 STATE BALL 23

Ball St. blew a 16-point halftime lead as the offense shut down completely after the break. The Cardinals had just 110 yards of offense in the second half and a missed field goal proved to be the difference. Indiana scored touchdowns on its first two drives of the second half, and then hit the game-winning field goal early in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers held Ball St. to 41 rushing yards on 22 carries (1.9 ypc).

(6) LSU 45 Arizona 3

LSU dominated early on, outscoring the Wildcats 461-152, while Arizona didn’t get on the board until their final drive of the game. The Tigers drove into Arizona territory on 10 of their 11 drives and the scoring could have been worse as LSU committed three turnovers in three straight drives. The Wildcats crossed midfield just once in the first half and finished with just 38 total yards.

ARKANSAS 20 Utah State 0

Arkansas had 457 yards of offense, including 279 rushing yards on 38 carries (7.3 ypc). The Razorbacks had two drives totaling 159 yards on which no points were scored due to a fumble and a missed field goal. Utah St. punted on their first 10 possessions of the game and ended up turning the ball over on attempts at the Arkansas 7-yard line on their final drive. The Aggies’ average starting field position was their own 18-yard line.

(21) CALIFORNIA 42 Minnesota 17

Minnesota drove 71 yards on their first possession to take an early lead, but then California took over. The Golden Bears outscored the Gophers 522-281 the rest of the way with the only other touchdown allowed coming on a kickoff return. After that, California opened the tying game by outscoring Minnesota 28-3. California dominated time of possession and went 10-15 on third- and fourth-down conversions.

HOUSTON 45 Tulane 7

Houston outscored Tulane 621-224 and dominated the running game gaining 244 yards on 35 carries (7.0 ypc) while holding the Green Wave to 55 yards on 23 carries (2.4 ypc). The Cougars turned the ball over twice inside Tulane territory while also turning the ball over twice. Green Wave managed to gain just 84 total yards on their last nine possessions.

IOWA STATE 16 UNLV 10

The Cyclones outscored UNLV 340-292 but the Rebels missed chances for victory. UNLV missed a 23-yard field goal late in the third quarter and then had a chance to win the game by putting together a 69-yard drive in 16 plays, but fell short as time expired. A completion was ruled out of the end zone on the last play of the game. The Rebels finished with just 74 rushing yards on 31 carries (2.4 ypc).

KANSAS 21 UL-Monroe 19

The Warhawks outscored Kansas 466-377 and a missed 2-point conversion was the ultimate difference. After La-Monroe got within two points late in the fourth quarter, the Jayhawks were able to time out and not return the ball. Kansas held the Warhawks to 51 yards on 23 carries (2.2 ypc) but allowed 377 passing yards. All three of Kansas’ touchdown drives were 80 yards.

NORTH TEXAS 24 EMS 6

North Texas only outscored SMU by 43 yards when Mean Green started the scoring by blocking a punt for a touchdown. The Mustangs were able to put in some decent drives, but entered the red zone only once. North Texas used ball control to keep the ball away from SMU as they won the TOP battle by over 17 minutes. A Mustang fumble late in the fourth quarter set up the final game-ending North Texas touchdown run.

(13) TENNESSEE 31 Air Force 30

Air Force was about to give the upset, but the failed conversion of two points cost him the victory. The Falcons were down by two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter, but they went 78 yards to pull within seven and then got the onside kick back. It only took another minute for them to add up the final score. Air Force finished with 281 rushing yards on 51 carries (5.5 ypc) while Tennessee only had 79 yards on 32 carries (2.5 ypc).

TEXAS A&M 51 UL Lafayette 7

The Aggies outscored La-Lafayette 496-171 while holding a 26-10 first down lead. Texas A&M was inside the Cajuns’ red zone on their first nine possessions and scored eight times, the lone exception being a missed 32-yard field goal. La-Lafayette crossed midfield just twice and finished with just 17 passing yards on 2-12 passing. The Aggies went 10-15 on third and fourth down conversions.

WEST MICH 31 Toledo 10

Toledo actually outscored the Broncos 306-261, but the Rockets were hit with four turnovers that led to 14 points. One of those touchdowns for Western Michigan was a 92-yard interception return that turned a potential three-point lead by Toledo into an 11-point deficit. The Rockets have had three turnovers in their last four series. The Broncos held Toledo to 88 rushing yards on 32 carries (2.8 ypc).

UAB 17 East Carolina 12

The Pirates nearly won this game, but a fumble at the Blazers’ 5-yard line with 1:12 remaining cost them the win. East Carolina outscored UAB 376-323 but that fumble along with an interception in Blazers territory and two short field goals were the difference. 10 of UAB’s points came on turnovers, but the Blazers also shot themselves in the foot on two fumbles inside the East Carolina 7-yard line.

SOUTH FLORIDA 21 Florida International 20

Florida International kept this close with defense and special teams, as he scored touchdowns on a punt return and an interception return. The Golden Panthers held a 13-point lead, but the Bulls scored the last two touchdowns with the last one being facilitated by a fumble recovery. Florida International recovered the ball but was unable to move. A missed extra point on the Golden Panthers’ first score was the difference.

State of Oklahoma 35 STATE OF ARKANSAS 7

Oklahoma St. limited the Indians to just 188 total yards and kept their offense out of the end zone. Arkansas St.’s only score came on a 51-yard interception return for the game’s first score. After going scoreless in the first quarter, the Cowboys scored touchdowns on their next four possessions to end the game. Arkansas St. had just 78 passing yards on passes 7-19.

KANSAS STATE 45 Florida Atlantic 0

Kansas St. only had 346 yards of offense, but opened the game returning the kickoff for a touchdown. Three of the Wildcats’ six scoring drives were 27 yards or less, while 17 of their points came from missed fourth-down conversions by the Owls. Florida Atlantic finished with just 200 total yards, including 59 rushing yards on 42 carries (1.4 ypc). The Owls won the TOP battle by 11 minutes but also committed 12 penalties.

(10) Georgia 18 SOUTH CAROLINA 0

The Bulldogs outscored South Carolina 387-255 and held the Gamecocks to just 35 rushing yards on 22 carries (1.6 ypc). South Carolina had plenty of chances, but fumbled three times in the second half, including one at the Georgia one-yard line. The Gamecocks also turned the ball over on opportunities at the Bulldogs’ 2-yard line in the fourth quarter. Both teams were 4-11 on third-down conversions.

New Mexico 34 NEW MEXICO ST 28

New Mexico St. outscored the Lobos 532-426 but the Aggies committed five turnovers, four of which occurred in New Mexico territory. 20 of Lobos’ 34 points were turnovers and while the Aggies were in New Mexico territory on nine possessions, they left with just four scores. New Mexico St. passed for 472 yards, but was held to just 60 rushing yards on 30 carries (2.0 ypc).

(1) State of Ohio 24 (8) TEXAS 7

Ohio St. outscored the Longhorns by just 22 total yards, but turnovers made the difference. A 14-point swing went the way of the Buckeyes as they recovered a fumble at the two-yard line and then drove 50 yards for a touchdown. Texas also threw an interception deep in their own territory that set up a field goal. Texas had 211 total yards on the first half goal just 115 yards after the break.

(24) Texas Tech 38 TEXAS-EL PASO 35

The offenses dominated the game as UTEP gained 495 yards while the Red Raiders put up 479 yards. Texas Tech missed two field goals in the fourth quarter, and the Miners capitalized on the second with a game-tying touchdown run with 1:04 remaining. Following an overtime interception, the Red Raiders kicked a 49-yard field goal for the win. The teams combined for 751 passing yards.

(22) STATE OF ARIZONA 52 Nevada 21

Arizona St. outscored the Wolf Pack 486-306 and the defense forced four turnovers, three of which occurred in Nevada territory. Five of the Sun Devils’ touchdown drives covered at least 73 yards. After the Wolf Pack tied the game in the second quarter by returning an interception for a touchdown, Arizona St. scored 24 straight points in the quarter to pull away. Nevada finished just 2-4 inside the red zone.

(18) Oregon 31 FRESNO STATE 24

Oregon jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs battled back to tie the game on two different occasions before the Ducks scored the game-winning touchdown with 4:55 remaining on a fake field goal. Fresno St. dominated the time of possession thanks to 206 rushing yards on 41 carries (5.0 ypc). The Ducks blocked a field goal, but rallied, then scored a touchdown to take a 24-17 lead.

UCLA 26 Rice 16

UCLA outscored the Owls 401-184 and held Rice to just 53 rushing yards on 31 carries (1.7 ypc). The score could have been much worse, but the Bruins were forced to kick four field goals and also committed four turnovers. UCLA wasn’t forced to punt until their final possession, as they racked up 26 first downs and won the TOP battle by 10 minutes. The Owls went 2-13 on third-down conversions.

Today’s corporate success requires a diverse body of talent to implement new ideas, insights, and perspectives. The customer base has become multicultural and the need for effective communication demands diversity. In the past, white men made up more than 60% of the American workforce. A steady growth pattern created a shortage of skilled personnel that resulted in today’s multinational workforce and an altered image of the typical American worker.

The report “Future Work:” Trends and Challenges for Work in the 21st Century from the US Department of Labor states: “By 2050, the US population is expected to increase by 50 percent and Minority groups will make up nearly half the population Nearly two-thirds of the nation’s population growth The population of older Americans is expected to more than double One-fourth of all Americans will be of Hispanic origin Nearly one in ten Americans will be of Asian or Pacific Islander descent And more Women and people with disabilities will be at work Clear communication is obviously a must However, in today’s workplace communication is lacking due to accent of much of the international workforce.

R. Roosevelt Thomas, author of “Beyond Race and Gender,” states that diversity management is “a comprehensive management process for developing an environment that works for all employees.” However, that compatible environment does not yet exist in the workspaces. Some American coworkers have a very bad attitude and a severe lack of patience when it comes to conversing at any level with those who speak with a thick accent. Their attitude is “Why can’t they just go somewhere and learn English?”. The truth of the matter is that they have gone somewhere and learned English and it is not unusual to see statistics showing that non-native speakers often score better on the standard grammar test than native English speakers. So “learning” English is not always the problem, but speaking it is.

The second language learner (including Americans acquiring a foreign language) speaks the acquired language in the same manner as the native language is spoken, therefore creating an “accent.” Rhythm, accent, intonation, and voice projection from the native language are transferred to the second or acquired language, and when spoken, it causes a number of distortions in word formation, pronunciation, etc.

Callous American co-workers have said, “Why can’t they just listen and repeat like our children do?” If simply listening and speaking were the only requirement for language acquisition, there would be no communication problems anywhere in the world. There is nothing simple about language acquisition. In fact, it is a very complicated business. In addition to linguistic characteristics, there are other factors that contribute to speaking with a foreign accent. (On the nature of foreign accents, Daniel P. Dato, Ph.D, CCC)

Example (1) physical factors: speaking a single sound involves using an estimate of 100 different muscles in the throat, larynx, mouth, lips, tongue, and breathing mechanism. We do a lot of this unintentionally. Imagine consciously trying to control something so complex.

Example (2) cognitive factors (mental activity involved in problem solving). One has to consider perception, memory, ideation, and language processing. Children acquire language more easily using all the modalities of the senses and acquiring new knowledge. The adult acquires language generally in an artificial classroom environment where neural activities are limited and their sensory associations are restricted. He does not have significant experience with the new language 2) He does not live these experiences, but analyzes them 3) He ends up over-intellectualizing the language and therefore limiting its natural flow. In addition to cognitive factors, there are emotional factors involved. These can be fear, humiliation and inhibitions. These combined cause even more ineffective communication.

Example (3) socio-cultural factors When learning a second language, one has to learn a second culture as well. The learner must be able to interact, exchange points of view, accept new ideas, risk making mistakes and assimilate in a new and strange environment. If the learner views the new culture with a negative stereotype, learning is inhibited. In addition, there are pressures from natives of the culture to expect language proficiency to be a sign of intelligence, good faith, and a willingness to communicate. How many times have foreign people in a country been treated by the natives of that country as if they were stupid or hard of hearing because they couldn’t communicate clearly? There is also pressure from the student’s ethnic group who feel it is unfair to their native culture to learn the target language and culture of another country.

When adapting to a new culture, one’s own identity, among many things, is altered. Underlying cultural differences often cause culture shock, which can create physical or mental illness. The student of a second language living in another culture loses all commonly perceived and understood symbols and signs of social communion.

Many native English speakers do not realize all the complexities involved in the acquisition of English by non-native speakers.

There is a tendency to be callous towards those with an accent and some live blissfully in the dark that they (Americans) do not have an accent. Could not be farther from the truth. People who have not studied English in the United States have learned British English (an English that sounds very different from the one spoken in the US) a new way of speaking and listening.

Native American speakers articulate using schwa (reduced vowel sound), contractions (combining two words to form a [can’t, don’t, etc]), and reduced sentences ([gonna, want to, etc.]Dimensions Vowell, Howard B. Woods). Now, imagine the confusion when the non-native speaker hears, “Jeetjet?” when they expected to hear “Have you eaten yet?” Hence, the rhetorical question, “Why don’t you go somewhere and learn English?” from the perspective of the non-native speaker it can also be applied to the native speaker of English.

The responsibility for communication falls squarely on the shoulders of the non-native English speaker. If there is going to be an environment that works for all employees,” then half the responsibility for communicating falls on the shoulders of the American. To be fair and common sense, some well-placed listening and sensitivity workshops should be a mandatory part of all Americans employee training.

In reality, diversity is the future, and growth and success depend on the ability to communicate with customers around the world. Qualified personnel are no longer just white male, just American; therefore, training non-native speakers to sound more like American will not be enough. The American future will have to tolerate, assimilate, and relearn how to communicate.

How to get kids to eat healthy snacks and improve diet:

While it doesn’t take much to convince kids to head out on the playground for their daily dose of physical activity, navigating nutritious food options can be easier said than done. Here are some tips and tricks that adults can consider.

Cut down on junk food, don’t cut it out.

Sugary and high-fat snacks tend to be popular with young children, so it can be tricky to ditch them entirely. However, reducing the amount of junk food kids eat can keep them happy while freeing up room for healthier options like fruit slices, yogurt, veggie sticks, and nuts.

Established standard snack times.

Another great way to keep kids on a beneficial diet plan is to set up regular snack times so kids aren’t always trying to steal a cookie or candy bar at odd hours. By allowing children to have a short snack at the end of the school day or mid-morning, you will help stave off hunger pangs without ruining their appetite. A nutritious snack can also keep a child’s metabolism strong and active, an important factor in combating obesity. .

Trick them into eating healthy food

Children can be picky about what foods they want to eat and when, so having flexible healthy snack options can help them eat well. For example, offering a delicious cup of yogurt with fruit will help them get the calcium and vitamins they need. Similarly, a fruit smoothie can be a nutritious alternative to chocolate milk or a can of soda. By disguising healthy foods as snacks, you can encourage kids to improve their diet in a fun and easy way.

Three preventive tips for childhood obesity:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last three decades. In 1980, only 7 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 11 were classified as obese. In 2008, that percentage jumped to nearly 20 percent. As for children aged 12 to 19 years, obesity increased from 5 to 18 percent during the same period. For the sake of clarity, there is a difference between being characterized as obese and overweight. The CDC defines overweight as being overweight for a particular height due to fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these parts. Rather, obesity refers solely to having too much body fat. Both conditions present as a caloric imbalance, with not enough calories being burned through physical activity to make up for the calories consumed.

So what can you do to help prevent the spread of childhood obesity? Here are some tips to keep in mind when trying to get kids up and moving!

go out and play

First, it’s important for children to burn off the excess calories they consume during daily meals and snacks. However, emphasizing that just one obese child needs more physical activity can be alienating and discouraging, so it’s best to encourage all children, whether in a church group, family, or classroom, to spend more time running outside, participating in organized sports. or just playing in a playground.

Maintain weight through healthy eating.

While it is vital to reduce the consumption of greasy fast food and fatty snacks from obese children’s diets, the focus should be on good health and not losing weight, notes the New York Department of Health. Maintaining their current weight will allow children to reach a healthy weight as they grow. Encouraging diets filled with fruits, vegetables, nuts, low-fat dairy products, and healthy whole grains can put children on the right track.

cut sedentary time

Time spent in sedentary activities like surfing the Internet, watching TV, playing video games or just lounging indoors should be kept to a minimum to encourage kids to exercise, the CDC notes. Ideally, kids should get at least a half hour to an hour of physical activity four to five times a week, and limiting indoor fun will encourage kids to play on the playground equipment or start a ball game outside. .

Teaching children dietary tips and tricks for a healthy life:

It’s not just up to parents to control their children’s eating habits: children need to be involved in the conversation, too. So, in addition to allowing little ones to spend plenty of time on the playground equipment, here are some tips and tricks to teach kids to improve their eating habits.

Learning the importance of hydration

It’s no big secret that drinking plenty of water is important to living a healthy life, especially with children at peak development. But staying well hydrated is also important from a dietary standpoint. For starters, drinking water helps the body’s metabolism work effectively, so kids can burn calories from food throughout the day. A glass of water can also combat hunger pangs that can occur around meals. Encourage children to drink several glasses of water each day to keep their digestion in check.

Doing snack time right

Many schools have a snack time for hungry children. While this may seem like a bad idea from a nutritional standpoint, especially if the snacks consist of junk food and candy, it can actually be done in a way that benefits children. First, replacing cookies and chips with nutritious options like fruit slices, yogurt, and nuts can help kids get the nutrients they need. In addition, eating a small snack between meals can stimulate children’s metabolism,

resting enough

You may not think that sleep has anything to do with a healthy diet, but you would be wrong. Getting a full eight hours of sleep every night is important for a strong digestive system. Beyond that, being well-rested reduces overall stress and anxiety levels, which can severely affect your body’s ability to burn calories and convert food into energy.

I didn’t really pay attention to college basketball this year, so I decided to take a different approach to fill out my group.

I started by downloading the full Division 1 men’s basketball schedule (pulled from rivals.yahoo.com), along with each game’s score, date, and home team.

In the model, I assume that each team has two (unknown) vectors of real numbers that describe how good their offense and defense are in various attributes, respectively. For example, we might want to represent how good the guards on each team are, how good the forwards are, and how good the centers are, both offensively and defensively. We could do this using an offensive and defensive vector:

Insulted: [5, 10, 4]

Defending: [2, 3, 10]

This means that the guards are 5 attack and 2 defense etc. In my model, it will be easier if we assume that high numbers are better for offenses and low numbers are better for defenses.

The score of a game between team i and team j can be generated as the dot product of the offensive vector of team i with the defensive vector of team j, and vice versa. In our example run, if our previous team played a team with vectors:

Insulted: [3, 2, 4]

Defending: [2, 5, 5]

So the score of the first team is predicted to be 5 * 2 + 10 * 5 + 4 * 5 = 80

and the second team’s score is predicted to be 3 * 2 + 2 * 3 + 4 * 10 = 52

What a blowout!

Now, the only problem is that we don’t actually know the vectors that describe each team’s offense and defense. Okay, we’ll learn them from the data.

Formally, the objective is to find the latent matrices O and D that minimize the sum of the squared error between the predicted scores and the observed scores. In mathematics,

sum_g (gi_score – O_i: * D_j:)^2 + (gj_score – O_j: * D_i:)^2

where I use the notation that team i played team j in game g (i and j depend on g, but I remove this dependency in the notation to keep things simple)*.

I won’t go into details, but we can take the derivative of the error function with respect to each latent vector to find changes in the vectors that will make them more closely match the results of all games earlier in the season. I repeat this until there is no change that improves the bug (batch gradient descent, for the detail oriented folks).

Results In the case where I choose the latent vectors to be one-dimensional, I get as output an offensive and defensive rating for each team. Remember, to predict the first team’s score against another team, multiply the first team’s offensive rating (higher is better) by the second team’s defensive rating (lower is better).

Here are the top 10 offenses and defenses, as learned by the 1D version of my model:

offenses

North Carolina (9.79462281797)

Pittsburgh (9.77375501699)

Connecticut (9.74628326851)

Memphis (9.71693872544)

Louisville (9.69785532917)

Duke (9.65866585522)

UCLA (9.59945808934)

West Virginia (9.56811566735)

Arizona Street (9.56282860536)

Missouri (9.55043151623)

fangs

North Carolina (7.02359489844)

Pittsburgh (7.0416251036)

Memphis (7.05499448413)

Connecticut (7.07696194481)

Louisville (7.14778041166)

Duke (7.18950625894)

UCLA (7.21883856723)

Gonzaga (7.22607569868)

Kansas (7.2289767174)

Missouri (7.2395184452)

And here are the results of simulating the entire tournament with a 5-dimensional model. For each game, I report the predicted score, but for the pool I just picked the predicted winner.

=================== ROUND 1 ======================

Louisville 75.8969699266, Morehead St. 54.31731649

Ohio St. 74.9907105909, Siena 69.6702059811

Utah 69.7205426091, Arizona 69.2592708246

Wake Forest 72.3264784371, Cleveland St. 64.3143396939

West Virginia 66.7025939102, Dayton 57.550404701

Kansas 84.0565034675, North Dakota St. 71.281863854

Boston College. 65.0669174572, USC 68.7027018576

Michigan Street 77.3858437718, Robert Morris 59.6407479

Connecticut 91.9763662649, Chattanooga 63.9941388666

BYU 74.7464520646, Texas A&M 70.5677646712

Purdue 69.8634461612, Northern Iowa 59.4892887466

Washington 81.8475059935, Mississippi St. 74.6374151171

Marquette 73.4307446299, Utah Street 69.1796188404

Missouri 83.8888903275, Cornell 68.1053984941

California 74.9638076999, Maryland 71.2565877894

Memphis 78.3145709447, CSU Northridge 59.0206289492

Pittsburgh 85.5983991252, E. Tennessee St. 64.8099546261

Oklahoma St. 81.6131739754, Tennessee 81.8021658489

Florida Street 59.994769086, Wisconsin 60.9139371828

Javier 77.3537694, Portland St. 63.8161558802

UCLA 76.790261041 VCU 65.2726887151

Villanova 72.9957948506, American 58.6863439306

Texas 64.5805075558, Minnesota 62.3595994418

Duke 85.084666484, Binghamton 61.1984347353

North Carolina 99.2788271609, Radford 69.7291392149

LSU 65.0807263343, Butler 64.9895028812

Illinois 70.6250577544, West. Kentucky 57.6646396014

Gonzaga 75.0447785407, Akron 61.0678281691

Arizona Street 64.7151394863, Temple 58.0578420156

Syracuse 74.7825424779, Stephen F. Austin 60.5056731732

Clemson 74.4054903161, Michigan 70.8395522274

Oklahoma 78.5992492855, Morgan Street 59.7587888038

=================== ROUND 2 ======================

Louisville 67.3059313968, Ohio St. 60.5835683909

Utah 71.3007847464, Wake Forest 73.2895225467

West Virginia 67.9574088476, Kansas 67.4869037187

USC 62.1192840465, Michigan Street 64.56295945

Connecticut 76.8719158147, BYU 71.8412099454

Purdue 74.245343296, Washington 73.6100911982

Marquette 76.4607554812, Missouri 80.5497967091

California 64.7143532135, Memphis 70.9373235427

Pittsburgh 79.1278381289, Tennessee 70.6786108051

Wisconsin 63.0943233452, Xavier 63.5379857382

UCLA 74.1282015782, Villanova 71.4919550735

Texas 66.3817261194, Duke 70.9875941571

North Carolina 86.2296333847, LSU 73.8695973309

Illinois 62.6218220536, Gonzaga 65.6078661776

Arizona Street 74.0588194422, Syracuse 71.254787147

Clemson 76.9943827197, Oklahoma 78.9108038697

==================== SWEET 16 ====================

Louisville 72.8097088102, Wake Forest 68.2411945982

West Virginia 66.1905929215, Michigan St. 65.2198396254

Connecticut 70.4975234274, Purdue 67.014115714

Missouri 66.6046145365, Memphis 69.9964130636

Pittsburgh 72.8975484716, Xavier 64.848615134

UCLA 72.3676109557, Duke 73.1522519556

North Carolina 84.6606149747, Gonzaga 80.3910425893

Arizona Street 67.8668018941, Oklahoma 67.0441371239

================== ELITE EIGHT =====================

Louisville 64.0822047092, West Virginia 61.7652102534

Connecticut 64.875382557, Memphis 65.9485921907

Pittsburgh 72.8027424093, Duke 70.5222034022

North Carolina 76.2640153058, Arizona St. 72.3363504426

==================== FINAL FOUR =====================

Louisville 60.7832463768, Memphis 61.4830569498

Pittsburgh 80.3421788636, North Carolina 81.0056716364

==================== END GAME ======================

Memphis 73.8935857273, North Carolina 74.259537592

In the end, these predictions were enough to win my group. Obviously, everything has to be taken with a grain of salt, but being a PhD student in Machine Learning [http://www.machinelearningphdstudent.com/]it was fun to put my money where my mouth was and have a little fun.

Oh, and let me know if you want the data I collected or the code I wrote to make this work. I am pleased to share it.

* I also regularize the latent vectors by adding independent Gaussian priors of zero mean (or, equivalently, a linear penalty on the squared L2 norm of the latent vectors). This is known to improve these matrix factorization-like models by encouraging them to be simpler and less willing to detect spurious features of the data.

It is not a game full of passion and emotion. A game where everything can change in 30 seconds. A game called ‘SOCCER’. I can proudly say that it is fashionable in the world of sports. The popularity of football is increasing at a very fast rate in India. A country that is completely immersed in cricket has finally started to lean towards football. Here, football can be considered a breath of fresh air. Different soccer academies are trying to further increase the craze by having competitions and training programs for the kids.

Many professional gamers have also visited India in recent years, bringing a wealth of knowledge to all who are interested in the game.

One would also recall that recently Germany’s most decorated club Bayern Munich came to India to play East Bengal in a friendly. The match was witnessed by a sellout crowd. All these activities are only going to increase the football fan base in India.

People of all ages are interested in the game, including girls. This is a sport you can talk about with your girlfriend. Many different soccer leagues in the world also have women’s soccer teams, which is generating more interest from girls. The girls also keep track of soccer matches through the use of the Internet. All kinds of information is available on the net related to any form of football.

Even the movie industry is doing its part in creating the football mania. Movies like Bend it like Beckham, in which a woman aspires to be a footballer just like David Beckham has created a stir among women about football, or Goal (international version) showed a man willing to do anything to play football, or Goal (India Version) which also showed how Indians living in England love to play football etc. This is not all, even Bollywood actors like John Abraham, who has a large female following, have been supporting football on TV. He was also present at the announcement of the Eurocopa that is currently being broadcast. All this goes to show that the football fever is going to affect not only India but globally.

The craze is so much that you can notice a significant increase in the jerseys of the clubs in India. On the streets, one in 5 people will be wearing a soccer jersey. This sudden increase only supports the fact that soccer is all the rage. The euro championships have taken football fashion to the next level. Wherever you go you can see billboards of football players or teams on the walls or in shopping malls etc. Overall, the tournament has given people a football boost and after the tournament is over, the football season will start with leagues like Premier League, La Liga, Seria A, etc. All of this keeps fans wanting more.

Also, mobile phone companies have come up with schemes that help you keep track of your favorite team wherever you go. You can check live scores, match updates, live commentary, in-depth analysis from experts, etc. on the progress. The internet has also played a pivotal role in creating the mania for soccer. Many informative sites like goal.com provide viewers with all the necessary information to know about soccer, keep us up to date with current transfer news happening around the world, what’s happening in the FIFA community, etc. You can even check how your team is doing while checking your email, since many sites will send you the latest news when it happens. Many sites also have a competitions section where you can test your soccer knowledge. TV shows also help bring football closer to viewers from different countries, especially since nokia is crazy about football.

All in all, I would like to say that the FIFA mania will never end and you should be a part of it too if you don’t want to be a social pariah. I would like to end with a sentence that says a lot about the passion for football.

“Some people think that football is a matter of life and death, I am disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you, my friend, that it is much more than that.”

We need to stop using food as our way of relaxing, then we will start losing weight fast. Let’s face it, that’s what we all want. It is very easy to grab food, especially “junk food”, to help us calm down and relax. Many people not only eat, but use alcohol or cigarettes as a way to relax. None of these are good for us. Alcohol, cigarettes and food, yes food, can all be addictive.

We need to eat food for nutrition and energy, not as the main way to relax. We can easily change our daily habits for new habits that will help us easily relax without eating, feel good and achieve the weight loss we are looking for. It normally takes about 21 days for a new habit to take place. That may seem like a long time, but it’s not. Just think about it: three weeks to a new you. Someone who can now lose weight fast and relax without eating.

Don’t confuse “relax eating” with “emotional eating.” They are two completely different issues. Many people suffer from emotional eating. They eat different emotions, such as fear, nervousness, being upset, having an argument, or just anxious about something. What I’m referring to is people who eat for no reason other than relaxation. Many people use excuses like: “I’ve been working all day, I just want to relax” or “I’m done for the day, I’ll sit down to read or watch TV and relax.” Sounds familiar? It sure happens to me!

So now that we recognize our problem with eating to relax, we need to learn how to change “eating to relax” to “relaxing without eating.” We can do this easily. And this is how:

1. We just make dinner our last moment to eat. Now I know that this can be difficult. Especially if dinner time is in the late afternoon or early evening. At the end of the night is when we need to settle down to start the day and eat low-calorie snacks, such as raw vegetables, without dressing, or unbuttered popcorn.

2. We need to make a rule of not eating in front of the TV. All meals and snacks must be eaten in a designated eating area, such as the dining room, nook, or kitchen counter. Also sit down when you eat and appreciate what you have and how good it tastes when you eat it slowly. You will feel full faster when you eat more slowly. No more unnecessary eating in front of the TV or computer for long periods – we can tend to eat a lot more this way. Instead, drink a large glass of water or even decaf coffee.

3. Talk about a walk of at least half an hour. Carry a large water bottle with you and drink slowly. You don’t need to walk fast. Walk slowly and enjoy the scenery around you. Walking is very relaxing.

4. Chew gum – This can help trick your brain into thinking you are chewing food.

5. Find an interesting activity to keep your mind occupied. Many times we feel that “we have to be doing something” to help us relax. This may sound silly to adults, but think about the things you used to do as a kid. Paint by numbers, crossword puzzles, word searches, puzzles, coloring, writing stories, etc. If you really like it, your mind will be busy thinking about what you are doing, without getting bored or tempted to eat.

6. Browse the Internet. You will be surprised at the amount of information available to you on any topic that interests you. But, this is not the time to be eating. Make it a rule not to eat on your computer.

7. Spend time with your family or friends and show them that you don’t need to keep eating all the time.

Take it step by step and you will see your progress every day. Be satisfied with your progress and don’t be hard on yourself if you slip up. Alright. Get back on track and always focus on relaxing without eating. Remember that if you feel full after eating a lot of carbohydrate-rich foods, you are going into fat storage mode. You don’t want to overeat and feel full, you want to focus on being full, satisfied, and feeling good; versus feeling tired and full.

Natural relaxation is extremely important for our health. We need to relax and give our body a rest so it can repair itself naturally. But remember, you’re not helping your body if you’re eating for no other reason than to relax. It’s important when we eat, that we eat the foods that are good for us, as you can find in our original PowerFood reports.

Try a few of the things mentioned and you’ll be on your way to relaxing, feeling great, and losing weight easily. It will get easier for you as you start to lose weight, look and feel better, and have new clothes to relax in.

It’s a fact of life that ugly guys don’t end up with hot women, despite what propaganda movies like Shrek, Groundhog Day, and Jaws II have tried to teach us.

That is unless you play in a band for a living, it doesn’t even have to be a credible band for a country band. So join us as we countdown the top 10 ugliest musicians and gorgeous women.

Number 10 – Gene Simmons (Bassist – Kiss)

This fire-breathing, womanizing, bass-playing “big-tongued guy” claims to have slept with over 1,000 women. We honestly don’t understand how this overweight aging rocker, who hasn’t put out a good record since 1974, sticks around with his long-time girlfriend (and former Playboy playmate) Shannon Tweed, while getting away with everything and everything. every one of the women he chooses (including an Austrian supermodel, famously filmed in the Gene Simmons sex tape). Also, he looks at his hair…he’s 58…how come it’s NOT a wig?

Number 09 – Billy Joel (Solo)

The original “pianist”. In the early days he was barely visible, but unfortunately the years do bad things to people and poor Billy hasn’t aged well. These days he looks more like a golf ball sitting on the rough 5 yards of the green, but not to his ex-girlfriend, supermodel Christie Brinkley, and other tumbling rumors, including Elle Macpherson and Dina Meyer.

Number 08 – Kid Rock (Redneck Rap Rocker)

A disgrace for all musical genres that transcends. The country rap-rock “artist” has always been wreaking havoc on audiences while producing terrible records. However, with a history of dating women like Jamie Presley, Sheryl Crow and, most famously, an engagement to Pamela Anderson, it makes me want to grow a goatee and play the banjo.

Number 07 – Vince Neil (Vocals – Motley Crue)

Vince Neil is probably eating pizza, drinking beer, and watching porn as we speak. He is the biggest bum in rock music. The least talented member of Motley has been singing for them since 1981, and though he’s sold more than 80 million albums, he’s also dated Shannon Doherty, Tori Spelling and was even briefly married to model Heidi Mark. Not bad for a man who looks like an overweight bearded woman.

Number 06 – Pete Doherty (Vocals – Babyshambles)

A cocktail of drugs that walks and talks. The only man in the history of science to be partially made of cocaine. Perhaps it’s that amazing feat that Kate Moss found so attractive?

Number 05 – Adam Duritz (Vocals – Counting Crowes)

It’s no secret that Counting Crows is the worst band in music history. Unfortunately for Adam, he also wins the prestigious award for worst hair and worst beard. Although, despite getting him to grow a gerbil out of his chin, he has managed to woo the likes of Christina Applegate, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox AND David Schwimmer. PS one of these is not true.

Number 04 – Steven Tyler (Vocals – Aerosmith)

Nicknamed “The Screaming Demon,” Aerosmith frontman and ’80s rock icon Steve Tyler is probably most famous for boasting lips that wouldn’t look out of place 10,000 feet under the sea. He may have even written ‘Dude (looks like a lady)’ about his own addiction to plastic surgery! This doesn’t seem to turn women away, though: After ending his 17-year marriage, he rushed into bed with Tara Reid, 28 years his junior.

Number 03 – Marilyn Manson (Vocalist – Marilyn Manson)

The self-confessed “Antichrist Superstar” is the weirdest man in rock. Maybe he goes with the whole “burning bibles” thing that he does to look like one part Dracula and one part Krusty The Clown, but what Evan Rachel-Wood, Rose McGowan, Jenna Jameson, and Dita Von Teese see in him … who knows. ..?

Number 02 – Ric Ocasek (Singer/Guitarist – The Cars)

Now we’re getting into the REALLY ugly ones. To think that there is actually someone in the world UGLIER than Ric is terrifying, surely his wife, Czech supermodel Paulina Porizkova, must a) have a fetish for the human walrus or b) lack vision.

Number 01 – Lyle Lovett (country music singer/songwriter)

Lyle Lovett is an institution. It gives hope to even the most hideous looking men on the planet. The 50-year-old Texan who sings country music for a living was born as unfortunate looking as one can imagine, but in 1993 he married Julia Roberts. Yes, that’s right… he married Julia Roberts. Unfortunately, the couple broke up in 1995, but the damage had been done. Lyle Lovett, you are a king among men.

The Gold Coast, located in south-east Queensland, is one of Australia’s leading holiday parks. With 70 kilometers of sun-drenched beaches, World Heritage-listed rainforests, theme parks, shopping and nightlife, it’s a world-class and elegant vacation destination. In fact, the Gold Coast has been identified as one of the world’s most desirable places to live based on political, social, health, personal safety, economic, and environmental factors.

The Gold Coast is located in the subtropical region of the southern hemisphere and enjoys warmth and sunshine throughout the year. Australian seasons are the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere: the average temperature in summer is 25 degrees Celsius and in winter it is around 15 degrees Celsius. You can expect over 300 days of sunshine each year, with the rainy season from December to March when the northwest monsoons move south from Asia bringing heavy rain.

Your flight will most likely land at Brisbane International Airport, which is a 45-minute drive north of the heart of the Gold Coast. Alternatively, if your Australian holiday started in, say, Sydney or Melbourne, you may choose to fly into the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta, which is approximately 35 minutes south of Surfers Paradise, considered by many to be the epicenter of Gold. Coast. Both airports have tourist information points and car rental companies represented in their terminals.

All foreigners except New Zealanders require visas for all visits to Australia. Citizens of some countries can obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), which is a tourist or business visa valid for stays of up to three months. These ETAs are available online and through travel agents when you book your flight to Australia. If you apply for your ETA through your agent, there is generally no fee for applying directly.

Lodging – With everything from upscale 5-star hotels to farm stays and sunny beachside cottages to sun-dappled bed and breakfast properties, you’ll be spoiled for choice. A visit to http://www.gold-coast.net and a click on ‘accommodation’ will show you a variety of hotel options, including location and cost, which you can search and compare. Most visitors find themselves in the center of Surfer’s Paradise, however, if you prefer somewhere quieter and less crowded, you might consider a canal-view apartment at Runaway Bay or an inland retreat at Mount Tamborine, where rainbow parrots will greet you every morning.

Driving: Australia drives on the ‘left’. Overseas visitors who are used to driving on the ‘right’ should be careful until they get used to this; roundabouts can be especially tricky. Your travel agent will be able to tell you if your current driver’s license is valid in Australia. Check this several weeks before departure so that you have time to apply for an international driver’s license if necessary. Australia has a well-maintained road and highway system where speeding, drink driving, driving while using a mobile phone and wearing seat belts are not tolerated. If necessary, most car rental companies will provide you with child car seats and these are also required by law.

Sightseeing and activities: Once you’ve settled into your Gold Coast accommodation, you’ll want to plan what to see and do. If you’re traveling with kids, theme parks will be high on your agenda. Gold Coast has four main theme parks; Dreamworld, Movie World, Sea World and Wet and Wild. Our family’s favorite is Dreamworld because it has something for all ages (including a water park) and is home to the Australian version of the popular reality show Big Brother.

There are also a couple of wildlife parks on the coast that offer great educational talks at regular intervals throughout the day and make a great excursion. At David Fleays Wildlife Park and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, you can get up close to snakes and birds of prey, cuddle with a koala and feed kangaroos. In both parks there are cafeterias, picnic areas and games where families can rest and play in the shade.

When you visit the Gold Coast, you’ll also want to hit the beach, where you can attend a surf lifesaving carnival, join a surf lesson, or just swim and build sand castles. Some of the most popular beaches are Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads and Currumbin. There is also a very family friendly sheltered beach at Paradise Point which includes a beachfront park, BBQ’s, picnic tables, lots of shade, play areas and some great take out outlets within a stones throw.

Unfortunately, one of the most common causes of death for tourists in Australia is found on its glorious beaches. Every year, a good number of tourists (and sometimes locals as well) drown on its shores. Australian beaches, particularly the long stretches common on the Gold and Sunshine coasts, have extremely strong rips and pulls that most people cannot detect or handle. Never swim in beaches that are not supervised by lifeguards. Look out for the yellow and red surf lifesaving flags and swim between them to keep yourself safe and within sight of the local lifeguard.

With nine times as many waterways and canals as Venice, get ready for many kinds of water fun on the coast with sunset cruises, sailing, jet skiing and fishing charters.

For a different experience, head inland and visit beautiful inland areas like Tamborine Mountain, or experience the country lifestyle in country towns like Beaudesert. The Gold Coast has some of Australia’s most diverse wildlife regions, with World Heritage-listed rainforests near the New South Wales border, where you can walk among ancient Antarctic beech trees, see the spectacular springbrook waterfalls or head for freshness. from Lamington National Park.

For golfers, there are more than 40 championship golf courses in the region. Three hundred days of sunshine a year means golf can be on your vacation agenda no matter the season, and you can play on magnificent courses designed by Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus.

For golf widows and widowers, shopping centers abound on the Gold Coast with some of the largest shopping areas in Australia. Visit Pacific Fair, Marina Mirage, Harbor Town or Runaway Bay Shopping Center on the waterfront or head inland to find artisan shops, farmers markets and art galleries.

Dining: At the end of a hard day of shopping or sightseeing, choose from more than 500 restaurants and enjoy fresh seafood or authentic ethnic cuisine, from Italian to Japanese and Thai to Chinese.

Within an easy day trip from the coastal areas, you can enjoy locally made wines on the Gold Coast Wine Trail, which begins in the suburb of Oxenford and meanders west towards Mount Tamborine. Many wineries offer gourmet food, cheeses, host live jazz bands and other types of live entertainment such as poetry readings and classical quartets.

When it comes to entertainment, the Gold Coast is exciting. There are events like the annual Indy car race in October, horse races, carnivals, marathon events, and tackle. Alternatively, you can go to the movies, see a live musical or theme show, go to a nightclub, or visit the Jupiter Casino. Families can head to Surfers Paradise, where free movies are regularly shown on a giant screen located on the beach. People bring their own chairs and towels and when the sun goes down, the family-friendly movie doubleheader begins.

Excessive sun exposure in the Australian latitudes is responsible for many cases of sunburn, heat stroke and heat exhaustion each year. In the long term, premature aging and skin cancer are also at risk. Even in the coldest areas of the south, the proximity to the hole in the ozone layer means that the risk of sunburn is much higher than in the northern hemisphere. Fair-skinned people are at particular risk and it is recommended to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30+. Sunny Australia has a simple message for the traveler “Slip, slip, slap!” Put on a shirt, put on some sunscreen, and put on a hat!

Australia as a whole enchants its visitors. From the friendly attitude of its people to the breathtaking blue of its skies, it is a place like no other, with animals and landscapes that you will not find anywhere else in the world and an unparalleled diversity of people, flavors, aromas and sights.

This vast island-continent has a relatively small urbanized population of just 20 million people. By contrast, the UK is home to around 60 million people and is 30 times smaller than Australia. Australians are also a culturally diverse nation where multiculturalism is not just tolerated, but embraced. Approximately 5.6 million people have emigrated to Australia since World War II, representing a large percentage of the population; in fact, more than a quarter of the current population was born abroad.

People from all walks of life come to the Gold Coast to work, live, play and study – the lifestyle is laid back, the people are friendly and if you are like us you will return from your Gold Coast holiday and apply to migrate. australian. ! We have lived in it for the past six years and now call it home…

Solar powered fans are the latest solar product. They work best when they are needed most. When the sun starts to sizzle, these devices spring into action, providing a nice cooling breeze – for free!

Another great advantage of solar fans is that you can install them anywhere. You don’t have to worry about electrical outlets and power cords. It’s just the fan, man.

There are many different types of solar powered fans that you can buy. These are some of the most popular:

Solar Powered Attic Fans Your attic needs ventilation to reduce the enormous amount of heat that builds up when the sun hits the roof. Heat creates moisture, and moisture turns into rust, rot, bacteria, and mold. These are not things you want in your house.

In addition to creating a health hazard, the heat in your attic travels through your home, warming each room. Have you ever noticed that during an unusually cool summer day your house is still brutally hot? That’s because the stifling air in your attic has nowhere to go but down.

Solar powered attic fans cool the entire home by creating a draft that draws all the hot indoor air into the attic and exhausts it through the fan. Meanwhile, fresh air from outside is sucked in in the house through the windows. The result is a cool, healthy attic – and house!

Solar Powered Gable Fans Like attic fans, gable fans ventilate and cool your attic. But while attic fans are located on the roof, gable fans are installed on the gables, naturally. Although smaller than attic fans, gable fans can be powerful. A 10-watt solar-powered gable fan can ventilate 1,200 square feet. These fans are also perfect for garages, barns, lofts, workshops, or storage sheds—anywhere moisture can cause mold and mildew.

solar powered vents The vents are smaller than gabled fans. They are perfect for smaller spaces where moisture collects, like on your boat. I know someone who even installed a solar powered vent in their doghouse. Now that he’s one lucky dog! You can also put one in your motor home, RV, or van. These little solar powered fans will keep everything cool and clean, at no cost!

Solar energy is here to stay. One of the world’s foremost futurists, Ray Kurzweil, said The New York Times that solar energy would be as important an energy source as fossil fuels in about 5 years. And he firmly believes that in a couple of decades, all our energy will be derived from clean sources.

But you don’t have to wait. There are plenty of solar products out there that can help you save money—and the environment—right now. And there’s no better place to start than with solar powered fans.