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Harry Potter
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Armageddon
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Beauty and the Beast
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Blues Brothers
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City Hall
Dialogue One
New York City. So many things have been said about it, but there is only one which I really like. 'New York, it can destroy you or fulfil you, depending a good deal on luck.' No-one should come to New York unless he is willing to be lucky, and I got lucky.
I had an apartment down town but home was City Hall. That's where it all began.
The day started out like a lot of other days with some ceremonial function. The Mayor of New York was giving the key of the City to the Govenor of Tokyo.
.....tradition. He liked soup for breakfast, fish soup. When my Dad hearing of this offered to put it on the menu. But 'No, no, no, no' Mr Hyatoma said, who is a very gentle soul by the way, 'No, it would be too much trouble.'
My Dad replied, ''Too much trouble' has no customers!'.
The Mayor, and he was the best Mayor this City ever had, was my Boss, and I was his Deputy Mayor, his right hand man or his boy ? depending on who was talking about me.
But in Brookland, something else was going on that was gonna (going to) change everything.
Dialogue Two
Around the dinner table
Highlander
Dialogue One
From the dawn of time we came. Moving silently down through the centuries. Living many secret lives. Struggling to reach the time of the gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last. No-one has ever known we were among you until now.
Sex in the City
Tommy Boy
Explaining Sales Dialogue
Explaining sales Tommy boy
Closing a Sale Dialogue
Sales close Tommy Boy
The Office - New Job
Dialogue One
New Job - Office
Now, I know I promised you some kid of answer today, but I don't think it's the one that you were expecting. Firstly, I'm moving on.
The Office - Redundancies
Dialogue Two
Redundancies Office
Bridget Jones - Public Speaking
Dialogue One
Speaking in Public - Bridget
Bridget: Ladies and gentlemen ?..OH,OH !
Friends - The Motivator
Dialogue One
Motivational speaking Friends
Working around the board table, on Christmas eve.
Hitch - 90 percent
Dialogue One
60% of all human communication is non-verbal, body language. 30% is your tone. So that means that 90% of what you're saying ain't commin' out of your mouth
Hitch - Breathless
Dialogue Two
But always remember: Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away!
Hitch - Listen
Dialogue Three
A: Listen to what she is saying and respond
Politics - Bill Clinton Denial
Dialogue One
Bill Clinton Denile
I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm gonna (going to) say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinski. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time, never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the American people. Thank you.
Politics - Bill Clinton Confession
Dialogue Two
Bill Clinton Confession
Hilary Clinton reading from her book;
He (Bill Clinton) told me for the first time that the situation was much more serious than he had previously acknowledged. He now realised that he would have to testify that there had been an inappropriate intimacy (with Miss Lewinski). He told me that what had happened between them had been brief and sporadic. He couldn't tell me seven months ago he said, because he was too ashamed to admit it and he knew how angry and hurt I would be. I could hardly breathe.
Politics - Churchill World War II
Dialogue Three
Winston Churchill
(We shall go on to the end), we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender,
Politics - Bush 9.11
Dialogue Four
Bush on 9 11
President Bush is going to make a statement on the plane crash.
Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Centre in an apparent terrorist attack on our country. I have spoken to the Vice President, to the Governor of New York, to the Director of the FBI, and I have ordered that the full resources of Federal Government go to help the victims and their families and to conduct a full scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed this act.
Politics - Ronald Reagan Star Wars
Dialogue Five
Text
Business - Avertising Stretegy
Dialogue One
Product qualities and product attributes are complex. Sellers know far more about what it is they sell, than buyers know about what they buy. Advertising is about managing that gap in information.
If you look at adverts from the early 20th century, you can see that they were full of positive statements ?. Coke was 'Refreshing' and 'Healthy'
. Today all you are told is that 'Coke is it'. Tobacco advertising demonstrates that you can still advertise extensively even if you are not allowed to make any claims for the product at all.
The only information most modern advertising conveyed was the information that the advertiser had spent a lot of money on advertising. It tells you that the advertiser is committed to the product and to the market. It also makes sense to devote resources to insuring the quality of his product.
So, consumers are actually right to believe that branded products are of good quality but because there is little point in branding products that are not good quality products in the first place.
Business - Business Presentations
Dialogue Two
Now, is it possible to make a business presentation actually NOT boring?
'It was the babies bib that brought on the final crisis' but that is the jump to the end of the story!
Let us start at the beginning, once upon a time one fine sunny morning I was sitting hunched over my computer looking things up on Google. I typed in 'Storytelling' and 'Corporate'. I was trying to find out more about the fad that says telling stories is the best way of communicating, leading and getting people to do what you want them to do.
In the last few years this craze has got out of control. Almost every institution believes in story telling. At the 2004 annual national storytelling conference there will be 52 work-shops, a telethon and a special support group for story tellers.
There turns out to be a huge industry of people with 'Storyteller' or worse 'Story practitioner' written on their business cards who make a living helping executives with their stories. A book has just been written called 'Around the corporate campfire'. I've never liked camp fires as I have never liked ghost stories or singing 'blowing in the wind', but putting 'Camp fire' and 'Corporate' together is truly terrifying!
My own story of my morning on the Internet did not end there, I stumbled across a Web site selling story telling merchandise, there were mugs, mouse mats and the story teller's babies bib ($6.99)! When a management fad crops up on a baby's bib it is a sign that the end is near!.
There is however a contradictory postscript made necessary by the tale of Stephen Denning' who used to be the Head of Knowledge Management at the World Bank and has now re-modelled himself as a story telling Guru. He tells about getting colleagues at the bank to accept knowledge management. They had taken no notice of his logical PowerPoint presentation. He then told a 150 word story about a health worker in Zambia who's job was transformed by being able to look up 'malaria' on the Internet. They all saw the point of how powerful sharing information can be to them. He then went to see a Master Storyteller only to be told that his story was pathetic. There was no plot or character development. Denning knew the that the story teller was wrong, a fancy story would have gone down badly with the World Bank people who, like most busy people, want to get to the point in seconds. Denning is right, a short judged story will often reach places dry analysis can not.
I would not call this story telling but giving a relevant example. The power of an example is glaringly obvious and may make something easier to understand and remember. The trouble is, 'Give an Example' is a rather flimsy basis for a management fad. Might not look bad on a bib, though!
Business - Computer problems story
Computer problems story
Receptionist Danny
Dialogue One
Early, one Tuesday morning the Receptionist at Trust Corporation called Danny had a problem. His computer stopped working and he said 'I must have a Virus'. So Receptionist Danny went off to tell the IT Manager.
On the way along the corridor Receptionist Danny met Accountant Billy. 'Listen, Billy' said Receptionist Danny, 'I've got a Virus on my computer and I'm going to tell the I T Manager'. Accountant Billy said 'Let's go together.'
Dialogue Two
So, Receptionist Danny and Accountant Billy went to tell the I T Manager there is a Virus on his computer. On the way along the corridor Receptionist Danny and Accountant Billy met Salesman Teddy. 'Listen, Teddy' said Receptionist Danny, 'I've got a Virus on my computer and I'm going to tell the I T Manager'. Salesman Teddy said 'Let's go together.'
So, Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy and Salesman Teddy went to tell the I T Manager there is a Virus on his computer. On the way along the corridor Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy and Salesman Teddy met Quality Manager Larry. 'Listen, Larry' said Receptionist Danny, 'I've got a Virus on my computer and I'm going to tell the I T Manager'. Quality Manager Larry said 'Let's go together.'
Dialogue Three
So, Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy and Quality Manager Larry went to tell the I T Manager there is a Virus on his computer. On the way along the corridor Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy and Quality Manager Larry met Engineer Freddy. 'Listen, Freddy' said Receptionist Danny, 'I've got a Virus on my computer and I'm going to tell the I T Manager'. Engineer Freddy said 'Let's go together.'
So, Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy, Quality Manager Larry and Engineer Freddy went to tell the I T Manager there is a Virus on his computer. On the way along the corridor Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy, Quality Manager Larry and Engineer Freddy met Buyer Kenny. 'Listen, Kenny' said Receptionist Danny, 'I've got a Virus on my computer and I'm going to tell the I T Manager'. Buyer Kenny said 'Let's go together.'
Dialogue Four
So, Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy, Quality Manager Larry, Engineer Freddy and Buyer Kenny went to tell the I T Manager there is a Virus on his computer. On the way along the corridor Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy, Quality Manager Larry, Engineer Freddy and Buyer Kenny met CEO Harry. 'Listen, Harry' said Receptionist Danny, 'I've got a Virus on my computer and I'm going to tell the I T Manager'. CEO Harry said, follow me and I will help you. So, Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy, Quality Manager Larry, Engineer Freddy and Buyer Kenny all followed CEO Harry. But CEO Harry didn't take them to the I T Manager. Instead, he sacked Receptionist Danny, Accountant Billy, Salesman Teddy, Quality Manager Larry, Engineer Freddy and Buyer Kenny for waisting company time and Receptionist Danny never said to the I T Manager there is a Virus on his computer!
Business - Innovation in Companies
Dialogue Four
Where do you have your best ideas?
According to a recent survey the bath and the shower are top creative venues. So too are the train and the car. In fact, most places are fine for ideas, up a mountain, in a bed, on a beach. The only place that seems never to produce any ideas is the office. Only one in a hundred ideas come to us when we're at work.
This is generally thought to be alarming. Companies go to extraordinary lengths to make their offices conducive to creativity. It seems to make no difference at all. I find these surveys alarming too, though for rather different reasons. Partly it's the vision of all those managers having their Eureka moments in a froff of shower gel. But mostly it's because I can't remember ever having had an idea in the bath, even a bad one. In fact, were I asked to name the place where I have most of my ideas I'd be unable to answer. In truth, I am seldom aware of having ideas at all. When occasionally I do have one, it generally occurs to me when I'm reading or chatting. All of this makes the office as creative a place as any.
Until recently I felt ashamed about my low idea state. However, the other week I received a book called 'The Big Idea' ? 500 new ideas to change the world in ways big and small. Now, any such shame has gone. This book is a list of ideas that have been chosen from a Web site called 'IdeaADay.Com'. Here's one picked at random;
Idea 74 ? Design a riding saddle for young children to ride on the backs of adults. The saddle would improve the safety of a popular toddler entertainment and act as a perfect introduction to horse ridding proper.
The other 499 are nearly as feeble. According to the editor of this book, the vast number of free ideas is supposed to be a cause for celebration. I can't see it like that. If any old thing counts as a valid idea, then we could generate millions of them, if we could be bothered. However, if you limit yourself to good ideas, the flow all but dries up. And even then, the toughest task is ahead, making the idea work in practice. Given this it's hard to see why companies worship at the temple of the idea. They go all 'gooey eyed' when they talk about creativity but what they have to say on the subject is generally guff.
The Harvard Business Review, the manager's bible, recently asked 18 CEOs for their top tip on innovation. Here are some of them;
- Ask, 'What if'
Business - A Presentation
Dialogue Five
My name is Brian Jones and I am the World Wide Communications Manger for Digo Plc. I will be brief, and please can you leave any questions till the end of my presentation.
Normal Speed - Women in Careers FAST
Dialogue One FAST
A study of women business leaders has found they can be more persuasive, more assertive, and more willing to take a risk than their male counterparts. Yet, only one out of every 18 UK Directors are currently women, and the figure is 1 in 8 in the United States.
Jan Babiak is a former American police woman who's now senior partner at Earnsten Young, she was part of the survey. She has told me she has noticed quite a few differences in the behaviour and treatment of women in the workplace in the two countries.
Yes I have, one thing is very interesting. There was a book written several years ago called 'Members of the club' about executive women coming into age and in this book it had a chapter on what they refer to as 'the third sex' and that was American women working abroad. I think culturally, because of what you see in society and in the movies and things like that, is this picture of these robust American women who just don't put up with being patronised and being treated like the nice little girl. There is a slight intimidation when a British male or indeed males from other countries encounter an American woman and I have actually witnessed situations where people have said things to British women, senior women, in my presence that they would never have dared say to me
We'd better be careful about this, otherwise there's going to be a flood of American business executives coming over to the UK because they can bustle their way in to all the top jobs
I think that coming over here there are good things and there are bad and I actually think that there is something about expatriates if they move abroad. The type of people who are willing to be an expatriate and are willing to leave their families and all of that tend to be more intrepid anyway so if you find British people in the US you'll actually find they will probably be more robust also and they will do very well.
I've got one other point to put to you. I was just doing a little bit of research, as you do, over the Internet about this. I came across a recent study only a month ago in New Women magazine which was making the point that the younger generation of women are rejecting the sort of role model that they have to have a successful career as their mums have fort for, and to some extent succeeded in doing. They were rejecting this and saying that they didn't want to have it all and be a sort of super business woman, family carer etc that their mothers had tried to be and there is a kind of backlash against that. Have you seen any of that?
I have two comments on that I don't think that is just women, I think this generation, male and female, are making choices that they don't want their parents' life. The men have seen their fathers not spend time with them and they want to spend time with their children. And they have seen, you know, their parents relationships destroyed by the demands. So I think that that particular magazine would like to point that that is happening to women, when I think it is happening to both. The second point is, in a way, a great victory is that women are actually making those choices because I don't think the answer for every women is have a career, have a baby, have this have that. We all make choices and it's good that they see they have those choices.
Slow Speed - Women in Careers SLOW
Dialogue One SLOW
A study of women business leaders has found they can be more persuasive, more assertive, and more willing to take a risk than their male counterparts. Yet, only one out of every 18 UK Directors are currently women, and the figure is 1 in 8 in the United States.
Jan Babiak is a former American police woman who's now senior partner at Earnsten Young, she was part of the survey. She has told me she has noticed quite a few differences in the behaviour and treatment of women in the workplace in the two countries.
Slow Speed - Women in Careers SLOW
Dialogue Two SLOW
Yes I have, one thing is very interesting. There was a book written several years ago called 'Members of the club' about executive women coming into age and in this book it had a chapter on what they refer to as 'the third sex' and that was American women working abroad. I think culturally, because of what you see in society and in the movies and things like that, is this picture of these robust American women who just don't put up with being patronised and being treated like the nice little girl. There is a slight intimidation when a British male or indeed males from other countries encounter an American woman and I have actually witnessed situations where people have said things to British women, senior women, in my presence that they would never have dared say to me
Slow Speed - Women in Careers SLOW
Dialogue Three SLOW
We'd better be careful about this, otherwise there's going to be a flood of American business executives coming over to the UK because they can bustle their way in to all the top jobs
I think that coming over here there are good things and there are bad and I actually think that there is something about expatriates if they move abroad. The type of people who are willing to be an expatriate and are willing to leave their families and all of that tend to be more intrepid anyway so if you find British people in the US you'll actually find they will probably be more robust also and they will do very well.
Slow Speed - Women in Careers SLOW
Dialogue Four SLOW
I've got one other point to put to you. I was just doing a little bit of research, as you do, over the Internet about this. I came across a recent study only a month ago in New Women magazine which was making the point that the younger generation of women are rejecting the sort of role model that they have to have a successful career as their mums have fort for, and to some extent succeeded in doing. They were rejecting this and saying that they didn't want to have it all and be a sort of super business woman, family carer etc that their mothers had tried to be and there is a kind of backlash against that. Have you seen any of that?
Slow Speed - Women in Careers SLOW
Dialogue Five SLOW
I have two comments on that I don't think that is just women, I think this generation, male and female, are making choices that they don't want their parents' life. The men have seen their fathers not spend time with them and they want to spend time with their children. And they have seen, you know, their parents relationships destroyed by the demands. So I think that that particular magazine would like to point that that is happening to women, when I think it is happening to both. The second point is, in a way, a great victory is that women are actually making those choices because I don't think the answer for every women is have a career, have a baby, have this have that. We all make choices and it's good that they see they have those choices.
Abruzzo Property Market
Dialogue 1
Dialogue 2
Dialogue 3
Dialogue 4
Dialogue 5
Dialogue 6
, Dialogue 7
, Dialogue 8
, Dialogue 9
Dialogue 10
Dialogue 11
Dialogue 12
The Abruzzo Property Market (2014)
-What state is the property market in southern Abruzzo at the moment?
The outlook is very positive for the next five to ten years. The Southern Abruzzo property market is made up of two sectors, the local market and the holiday homes market. The local market tends to focus on apartments near the work place and is influenced heavily on local job security. Presently the main companies in the area are growing and they are feeling bullish suggesting a positive outlook to the property market.
The holiday homes market is influenced by many factors and this is the market which I specialize in. One major influence on the market is the increased local taxes on property ownership as part of recent austerity measures. There was a tendency for local people to hang on to property which had been left by previous generations. As the cost of these properties increases, the desire to sell them off increases. So properties like Grandma's old farm house in the countryside are now filling up the market creating a short term drop in prices. At the same time currency movements are having a positive effect. There is a trend for a lower Euro and the non Euro countries (Britain, Scandinavia and USA) seem to be enjoying a recovery and increases in their currency. So , let's say British people get more Euro for the pound making the property cheaper. The combination of these factors means prices are very affordable today with a very positive outlook even in the holiday homes market. Abruzzo is also still relatively unheard of. Italy is a very popular brand for holidays and culture , but many buyers still don't know about how affordable Abruzzo is and its unique offerings like mountains, clean beaches and no concrete jungles.
Prices are at a similar level to 2007 with a rosy future. The Southern Abruzzo property market did not suffer in the same way as many other economies. As a general rule people will sell a house if they have too much un-affordable debt , builders go bankrupt if they cannot afford their debt when building new blocks of housing that can't be sold. The Italian market has remained very prudent towards debt, Italians save, they do not over-spend and they hate debt. So the when they lose their jobs or fear for the future the house is not a major burden. Construction companies prefer to build from cash reserves not bank loans. So if the property they are building doesn't sell, they can wait. Granma's empty house can stay empty for a few more years if it doesn't sell. There has not been a wave of repositions or desperate sellers for the above reasons which has avoided a major down turn and subsequent filling up of the market with un-wanted properties.
The trend to the market is a slow and steady recovery in prices over the foreseeable future. There is a good supply of quality holiday homes in fantastic locations with currency markets playing in the right direction. The Abruzzo brand is also becoming more and more discovered, the idea of an affordable holiday home close to both skiing and beaches is attractive.
Prices are much higher closer to the main cities and the beaches. The difference can be three fold! Even the local market likes the beach and close proximity to the cities. It is ironic, the peace and tranquility, and the fantastic mountain views are found more inland in the cheaper areas. Perfect for affordable holiday homes.
The British market is very important, and traditionally they love the mountain views. The Swedish, Norwegian, Finish, Dutch and American markets are also very important. Each nationality tends to be drawn to different factors, and tend to have differnt budgets.
Value for money is number one, where else can you get skiing, beaches, Italian charm and friendly locals at these prices.
The trabocco coast is a serious hot spot. A trabocco is a small fishing hut in the sea connected to land by a walkway /peer. They are often wooden structures and are now used as fish restaurants. They are located along the coast from Ortona to Vasto. Ten years ago the local councils moved the railway line 500 meters in-land from the Trabocco coast and much of it is protected from development. If a new build is authorized, they build only villas and small blocks of flats. The result is a peaceful coast line with protected areas and traboccos, without the concrete jungle.
You can get a detached farm house with one or two aches and in need of some renovation. You can get a finished town house in the city of Lanciano, or an apartment three minutes' walk to the coast, with a sea view
Everything is negotiable! It is the seller who decides what price he is willing to accept, nobody else. I have seen very cheeky offers (30% off list) accepted, just like, deals have been lost for Euro 2000.
It can be very difficult to itemize a wish list when you have little idea about the area. Try to focus on your long term objectives from the property, before you leave to view. The beauty can carry you away to dream land and then you may end up with the wrong house. Think generally. Do you really want to be isolated on top of a snow covered hill at 75 years old? Do you want to be part of a community? Do you enjoy the challenge of renovations? Do you envisage selling the property within ten years? I feel buyers have only two or three really important requirements. When you find the property you like, and you know it when it happens, keep your sensible hat on. Look in the area for similar properties to check the price is competitive. Ask for independent, hands on, practice advise in writing, and pay for it. Ask and ask questions, and get the important stuff in writing.
You will need to pay for three things. An agency fee, Notary fee and the government tax (stamp duty). Everything is negotiable, except the stamp duty. If you are not planning to request residency you can expect fees to be around 15% of the purchase price. Should you transfer to Abruzzo within 18 months this can be reduced to 9%. However, if you are buying agricultural land, this percentage can increase.
The legal system in Italy is fantastic for buyers. You will own the land free hold, the Notary is very strict to follow the letter of the law and you should feel completely protected as a buyer. The weak area in Italy is not related to the buying and selling in front of the Notary, but the after sales development of the property. A Notary does not check if what you want to do on the property is possible, he only checks the present state. Problems can arrive with properties that need structural development, extensions or building from scratch. Underestimated work costs for example. You may have forgotten to request for a cost of windows, or paperwork. Try to play games with your contact. Ask for a sqm cost of renovating or rebuilding, do the maths, and then ask for an estimate. Any difference? Ask why?
Perhaps more importantly, having permissions to do what you want to do if you are planning to make structural work /extensions /new builds. The issues are so many, I recommend independent advice from a technical person (Geometra)with no interest in the property, or in selling other properties. Pay for his advice and ask questions. Get it all in writing.
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