Benchmark: timing 100 iterations of Method One, Method Three, Method Two...
Method One:  7 wallclock secs ( 7.60 usr +  0.11 sys =  7.71 CPU)
Method Two:  8 wallclock secs ( 7.83 usr +  0.11 sys =  7.94 CPU)
Method Three:  6 wallclock secs ( 5.82 usr +  0.10 sys =  5.92 CPU)