Red - Peter Varholak

Honourable president, dear toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and most welcomed guests.

In the word red is associated with the color of blood when it is exposed to sunlight, flowers, fruits,fire and the sun and the sky at sunset. Red is associated with dominance in a number of animal species. Red can also affect the perception of dominance by others. In humans, wearing red has been linked with increased performance in competitions. Controlled tests have demonstrated that wearing red does not increase performance or levels of testosterone during exercise, so the effect is likely to be produced by perceived rather than actual performance. Judges of tae kwon do have been shown to favor competitors wearing red protective gear over blue. Red is used as a symbol of revolutionary movements guilt, sin, passion, and anger, often as connected with blood or sex.

The color red is associated with lust, love, beauty, evil, agressivness, danger and sometimes even happiness. The association with love and beauty is possibly related to the use of red roses as a love symbol. Psychological research has shown that men find women who are wearing red more attractive.Red is used as a symbol of courage and sacrifice, as in blood spilt in sacrifice, or courage in the face of lethal danger. In Roman mythology red is associated with the god of war, Mars.

If you are wearing red you have a zest for life. You are exciting, animated, optimistic, emotional, and extroverted. Desire is the key word, so you hunger for fullness of experience and living. Red is a force to be reckoned with and is always up for adventure. Your passion is infectious.

Red can speed up the pulse, increase the respiration rate, and raise blood pressure. It is associated with fire, heat, and blood, so it is impossible to ignore. And so are you (or would like to be). You are high maintenance and high profile, a mover and a shaker. You are enthusiastic, energetic, courageous and confident with great sense of protection from fears and anxiety. You are winner, achiever, intense, impulsive, active, competitive, daring and aggressive.

Negatives. Since you crave so much excitement in your life, routine can drive you nuts. Restlessness can make you fickle in your pursuit of new things to turn you on. It's hard for you to be objective, and you can be opinionated and overbearing. You have a tendency to listen to what others tell you and then do whatever you please. Patience is not one of your virtues. In contrast to its positive effect in physical competition and dominance behavior, exposure to red decreases performance in cognitive tasks and elicits aversion in psychological tests where subjects are placed in an "achievement" like IQ test. Statistics have shown that red cars are more likely to be involved in accidents or stolen. And red is not recommended to use in negotiations and conflicts.

Thank you