tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67302604973795119162024-03-23T11:55:56.940-07:00The Guest Writer BlogDo you have a story to tell, a recipe to share, a skill to teach? The Guest Writer blog is the place for you.
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Please email us at usstatesblog@gmail.com to submit your articles. <br><br>The articles we publish on this blog will include a link back to your website or blog.Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-23304019967874438762016-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:002016-07-14T08:14:56.538-07:00Rick Henry’s Jazz Art: Original Photos and Graphics Pay Tribute to Jazz Musicians <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Rick Henry’s Jazz Art: Original Photos and Graphics Pay Tribute
to Jazz Musicians <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">- By Irene Economou <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">“Rick Henry’s Jazz Art” by author and graphic
designer, Rick Henry, is a book that combines his original, digitally rendered
graphics and photos with his love for jazz musicians. Each graphic is
accompanied by a one-page summary of highlights about each jazz musician. The
digital enhancement of each graphic creates visuals bursting with rich colors
and unusual depth. What I especially like about this book is the strong visual
focus that directs our senses to appreciating jazz musicians from a different
perspective. It’s a fascinating concept. I wanted to better understand how this
idea came about and Rick’s thinking process to make it happen, so I asked him a
series of questions about this project. I hope that his responses also answer
many of your questions, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3m1gaZEHEVUa7QvUvNRIYdJ4_5_xB8VxkRMT1SS0FeqTyVMEeylTW8QX61YYSjt48b2dZg5Sj6BE01an0xfbi1t0FdSjqB8NL3G3M9XwLx4j-pcLA1FNLViwyX9HnYp-NF-R42uamuzM/s1600/111111+1+1+1+1+1+1+jazz+ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3m1gaZEHEVUa7QvUvNRIYdJ4_5_xB8VxkRMT1SS0FeqTyVMEeylTW8QX61YYSjt48b2dZg5Sj6BE01an0xfbi1t0FdSjqB8NL3G3M9XwLx4j-pcLA1FNLViwyX9HnYp-NF-R42uamuzM/s400/111111+1+1+1+1+1+1+jazz+ad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Irene
Economou (IE):</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> Rick, there are a lot of books today written about
jazz musicians, but none that I have seen that combine the concept of using a
graphic visual to associate with a jazz musician. What was your inspiration for
making such a book that focuses on what you are calling jazz art?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Rick
Henry (RH):</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> It really was a case of happenstance. I was looking
at one of my Facebook photo albums that I call "Rick's Jazz Art."
This is a place where I keep some of my more unusual or abstract digital art.
At that time I thought that I would really enjoy making a book containing jazz
art created with drawings and photographs that I edited with digital software
that were dedicated to my favorite jazz artists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> The
experience is somewhat esoteric, isn’t it? What is it about jazz music that
speaks to your soul? How exactly does it make you feel? Is it only jazz, or can
you get this feeling with other kinds of music? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
It's the overall feel of the music, the blending of instruments that just seeps
right into my heart and soul. Yes, other types of music also reach into my
inner being, especially many forms of alternative rock. A good electric guitar
part can always send me to that point of "chill."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
There are so many jazz musicians, both past and present. Rick, how did you
decide on the ones that you chose to focus on?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> I
wrote the names of about 70 of my favorite jazz musicians on raffle tickets and
put them into a box and randomly chose 24 names. Those are the ones that ended
up in my book. I also chose the order in which they appear in the book in the
same way with the exception of Miles Davis. I reserved the last two pages of
the book for him, because Miles is the most influential jazz musician of
all-time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> You
mention in the introduction of your book that it was Ornette Colman that first
intrigued you in jazz music. Is he your favorite jazz musician? If not, who
would you say is your all-time favorite? What makes him/her top of your list?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> I
love too many jazz musicians to have a favorite, but Ornette is in my top ten.
He was my first exposure to real jazz music. I discovered him in 1981 when I
was working in a music store. One of the guys that worked there used to play
Ornette quite a bit, and his avant-garde style really caught my attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> I
saw a documentary recently about jazz musicians, and I remember that Ornette
Coleman was viewed as being very progressive and a real game changer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Yes, that is one of the things I love about Ornette. I have always been
attracted to cutting-edge, game-changing music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> In
your opinion, how does jazz music today compare with jazz music in the past? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Great jazz music is great no matter what era it was made. I do feel that the
70s is jazz music's greatest decade. That's when it reached its artistic and
experimental peak. But really there is a lot of great jazz music being made
today. Mind you, I do not consider easy listening, instrumental music to be
jazz. There is a big difference between true jazz and easy listening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> Do
you feel that jazz music is timeless?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Yes! But isn't that really all about one’s personal taste in music?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose you are right about that. We
are the ones that determine what music is timeless for ourselves based on our
own perspective and choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see
your point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Moving on, how familiar are you with each of the jazz
musicians you are featuring in your book? Do you own works performed by each of
them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> I
own music of all the musicians in my book and have a musical bond to each of
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am very familiar with the
music of each of these 24 musicians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
That’s awesome! Tell me more about the photos/original art you included in this
project. Did you create new pieces for your book, or did you work with existing
artwork and photos and modify them? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> All
but one of the images are new creations made specifically for the book and each
musician.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> I’m
curious as to how you matched the graphics with each musician. Was it based on
a feeling, or did you know something special about a particular musician that
drove the design process and matching?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> All
the images were based mostly on the actual music itself, and the colors and
moods of what I sense from the music. Now, on the other hand, the image for
"Brother Jack McDuff” was based mostly on his love of food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> I
have to admit that photo of the peas, potatoes and tomatoes that you used for
Jack McDuff is very appetizing!! Continuing with this thought, Rick, would you
pick a few other examples from your book and tell us why that particular
graphic was paired with the given jazz musician?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Certainly! For Twin Danger, I created an image that has a sort of dangerous
look to it. It has low, blue flames of fire surrounding two (twin) circles of
emptiness. In thinking about Thelonious Monk, I find that his music is somewhat
rustic, yet sensational. The image with the water bottles emphasizes the feel
of everyday life, yet it is encased with abstract colors and a dramatic red
background giving the image a sort of sensationalism. When it comes to Hermann
Szobel, his music is out of this world, cutting edge and a universe all its
own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Some of your photos/graphics focus on objects that are easy to identify. But
many of the photos fall into the realm of abstract art. What are the objects in
each of the abstract photos? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
That's just it! The objects in the more abstract images are no more than
abstract drawings of abstract feelings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Thank you for reminding me that feelings can be the inspiration for an artist's
creation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I like how you styled the book to be two pages per
musician, with one page as the visual graphic and the adjacent page highlights
of the musician, with concise details that include the genres, highlighted
albums, collaborators, nicknames, and interesting trivia and facts. I also like
your use of bright, colorful backgrounds for each of the pages, too. It’s very
appealing done this way! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Thank you! It looked good to me so I went with it. I always attempt to design
text so that it is easy and quick to read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> The
cover of your book is especially intriguing. I think it’s pretty cool! What can
you tell us about it? What are the steps you took to arrive at this design?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Believe it or not, I was actually trying to take a photo of my car battery,
which is in my trunk. It was starting to get dark outside, but I decided to
take the photo anyway. When I looked at the photo, instead of seeing a battery,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6730260497379511916" name="_GoBack"></a> I saw a picture of just the shadow of my head. I realized
that I had accidentally </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">changed the
camera orientation to take a selfie photo.</span><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it was pretty interesting and unexpected, so I
decided to work with it. I uploaded it into Photoshop and with my iPhoto editor
added the other particles of the image – multiple colors, confetti, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
That’s pretty funny, Rick! Accidental photos can be amazing. I’m glad you
decided to be flexible and spontaneous with the photograph that you ended up
with because the final resulting cover is pretty outstanding! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Looking into the future, I understand you are planning
to do a sequel jazz art book that will include more original graphics and
photos and different jazz musicians. What is your estimated timing for it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> The
sequel will most likely be released in late 2017. Right now I am working on two
books, one about my mom called "Tears for My Mother" and a Donna
Summer album-by-album book. After those two are completed I will start working
on a Pink Floyd book along with Jazz Art II. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Wow, you are going to be one busy person! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">RH:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Going to be? I already am busier than ever... and here I was going to try and
lighten my load.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">IE:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">
Thank you, Rick! This was extremely informative! I have been enjoying “Rick
Henry’s Jazz Art” very much and have it out on display on my coffee table for
guests to enjoy. I also purchased two extra copies to give, as gifts to a
couple of my friends that I know will enjoy the photography as well as the info
about these musicians. Your next few projects sound very interesting, too. I
will look forward to seeing them as well as your next book on jazz art. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Best wishes on all of your projects, Rick!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">*****************************************************<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14.0pt;">For More Information:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Check
out the video about “Rick Henry's Jazz Art” on YouTube: </span></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Ec9c-G-Gw"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Ec9c-G-Gw</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Visit
Rick Henry’s Facebook page, “Jazz Music Exploration” dedicated to jazz music
at:</span></b><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/699523530116816/?__mref=message"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.facebook.com/groups/699523530116816/</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">You
can purchase “Rick Henry’s Jazz Art” exclusively from Amazon.com at the
following worldwide sites:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">USA:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/178-8197791-4948466?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&tag=populasongsmu-20"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/178-8197791-4948466?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&tag=populasongsmu-20</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">United
Kingdom: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464792220&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464792220&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Brazil:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com.br/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791569&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.com.br/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791569&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Canada:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791432&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.ca/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791432&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">France:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.fr/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791667&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.fr/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791667&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Germany:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.de/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791620&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.de/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791620&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">India:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.in/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227?ie=UTF8&keywords=Rick+Henry%27s+jazz+art&qid=1464791721&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">http://www.amazon.in/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227?ie=UTF8&keywords=Rick+Henry%27s+jazz+art&qid=1464791721&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Italy:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.it/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791815&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.it/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464791815&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Japan:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.jp/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/376-1649318-7017103?ie=UTF8&keywords=rick%20henry%27s%20jazz%20art&qid=1464791899&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.co.jp/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/376-1649318-7017103?ie=UTF8&keywords=rick%20henry%27s%20jazz%20art&qid=1464791899&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Mexico:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com.mx/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464792020&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.com.mx/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464792020&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Spain:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.es/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464792111&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art"><span style="color: #294387; font-family: "helvetica"; text-decoration: none;">https://www.amazon.es/Rick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-Henry/dp/1533487227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464792111&sr=8-1&keywords=rick+henry%27s+jazz+art</span></a><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "helvetica"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fbsbx.com%2Fv%2Ft59.2708-21%2F13576054_10208720653188179_303534349_n.docx%2FRick-Henrys-Jazz-Art-final-blog-article_word-doc_7-10-2016.docx%3Foh%3D9d4d18a6a2134e7d0458e1951a1609c6%26oe%3D5787431F%26dl%3D1&h"><span style="color: #294387; text-decoration: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><o:p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rick Henry's Jazz Art </span></b></o:p></span></div>
Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-75665669011968738152013-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:002013-02-24T20:31:38.277-08:00Illuminated Signs in Las Vegas written by Marie BarocciIlluminated signs in Las Vegas written by Marie Barocci<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8cB_0L47T479UBooE2ExZ16jDrxlT0BYf1pjvv4erTgWufbTAOx4sqAGouWb6FC10M4mh0WrKVMLZka0LKmEh0KfxvKvD3mwyiBYnOe0g60IbwjUnH59BMZ109_2weZf3bx5NPZlHJg/s1600/Las+Vegas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8cB_0L47T479UBooE2ExZ16jDrxlT0BYf1pjvv4erTgWufbTAOx4sqAGouWb6FC10M4mh0WrKVMLZka0LKmEh0KfxvKvD3mwyiBYnOe0g60IbwjUnH59BMZ109_2weZf3bx5NPZlHJg/s400/Las+Vegas.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%;">Illuminated
signs in Las Vegas</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfFSC-LlNbwso61qBv8hP5r-TCx7go2-tDFaNPQ-fO6Q8Z5xn7HA-dcrB4vxAjtA1XuQe19z_uYqPnRRWrlfTUIpJxMifoV3hkVUWbR_4OobsQ_FTajhaS_hNzp5cLeITgYX9NAjKlXM/s1600/Las+Vegas+Welcome+Fabulous.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfFSC-LlNbwso61qBv8hP5r-TCx7go2-tDFaNPQ-fO6Q8Z5xn7HA-dcrB4vxAjtA1XuQe19z_uYqPnRRWrlfTUIpJxMifoV3hkVUWbR_4OobsQ_FTajhaS_hNzp5cLeITgYX9NAjKlXM/s320/Las+Vegas+Welcome+Fabulous.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-AU">When you think about <a href="http://theblueprint.com.au/signage/illuminated-signs/" target="_blank">illuminatedsigns</a> the first thing that comes to your mind is THE STRIP IN LAS VEGAS. In
fact Las Vegas is maybe one of the most illuminated streets in the entire
world. In this street there are so many types of illuminated signs as the most
famous one the Las Vegas sign. The street is approximately 6.8 km long and has
a unique distinction of being a scenic route during night time. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-AU">As you decide to create an illuminated sign
the most important thing is that it is to be seen by a maximum of people. In
fact those signs are there to attract the attention to the Las Vegas visitors.
The passant must be impressed by the size and the brightness of those illuminated
signs. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-AU">The goal of those huge signs is that we
remember it as long as possible. If you are able to create such an attractive
illuminated sign you will for sure catch the attention in a second and this is
what happens in Las Vegas. Most of the people know this night life city for its
attracting illuminated sign. The more illuminated and creative the sign is, the
more the people will remember it and be amazed!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-AU">Obviously the most famous one in the strip
is the Las Vegas one, which was created in the early 1959. The sign was designed
by Betty Willis. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-AU">Could you imagine for a second the sign of
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada out of power? Did you know that it
actually happened? In 1999 the sign went dark for about a month when the
company that had been paying the power bill was bought by another company, who
did not pay the bill. The power was turned back on as soon as the problem was
discovered. Did you also know that as the original illuminated sign of “Welcome
to fabulous Las Vegas was too far from the Las Vegas strip? Due to that, in
2002 Las Vegas council decided to build a new one on the boulevard of Las Vegas.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6730260497379511916" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y3phRIEpWcA3sOvk38aGbQ8ir7EbUugS6MaWAb6et2Fv7ZUGELQmbnvtJFP4u16E5X7r56mD48M3S5TFODZP8Jc9jfNH6atx_qMPweM04gP9NTMVN75iDTjlbs0uJUvxMdbWQQKbotE/s1600/Las+Vegas+M&M+sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Y3phRIEpWcA3sOvk38aGbQ8ir7EbUugS6MaWAb6et2Fv7ZUGELQmbnvtJFP4u16E5X7r56mD48M3S5TFODZP8Jc9jfNH6atx_qMPweM04gP9NTMVN75iDTjlbs0uJUvxMdbWQQKbotE/s320/Las+Vegas+M&M+sign.png" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"> </span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%;">Let’s have a look at the
M&M sign in Las Vegas. To be more attractive they don’t only have their
logo on it. It is a pretty attractive one and it makes you want to enter the
shop and buy something. You may
have never thought about this before, but an attracting sign will obviously
make you want to enter and probably buy at the end. This works! All those signs
in Las Vegas have to be seen during the whole night as it is the </span>
<span lang="EN-AU" style="line-height: 115%;">city that never sleeps,
therefore all hotels, shops; casinos on the Strip have illuminated signs! Let’s
hope the city will never be out of power!!!</span></span></span><style>
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Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-76895911761394215132012-10-15T05:40:00.001-07:002012-10-15T10:28:28.433-07:00We Will Rock You: The High Earning Musical at the Dominion written by Angelina<span style="font-size: large;">We Will Rock You: The High Earning Musical at the Dominion written by Angelina</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Angelina is a freelance writer who primarily writes reviews on </span>films and stage plays in the UK. Much of her work appears on the <a href="http://www.boxoffice.co.uk/" target="_blank">Box Office</a> website which can be found at <a href="http://www.boxoffice.co.uk/">http://www.boxoffice.co.uk/</a>.<br />
<br />
This article is a review on the musical, "We Will Rock You" which is based on the music of the rock band Queen. The play is currently showing at the Dominion Theater in Camden (London, England).<br />
<br />
Thank you Angelina for you contribution to The Guest Writer Blog.<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">We Will Rock You: the
high earning musical at the Dominion</span></b></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: small;">Based
on music by the band Queen, and named after one of their most popular hits, the
musical We Will Rock You has become one of the Dominion Theatre’s most popular
productions. Now in its eleventh year, and on its 400th show, We Will Rock You
has gone on to break box office records and is now the most successful
production showing in the capital. This production has become the highest
earning musical at the Dominion Theatre, and during the final week of 2008
managed to bring in an audience of 20,000; making it the show with the highest
attendance for the entire year.<br />
<br />
The </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.boxoffice.co.uk/venues/5807/dominion-theatre.aspx"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Dominion Theatre</span></a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></b><span lang="EN-GB">is the perfect venue
for a powerhouse musical like We Will Rock You. For years the Dominion has
played host to some of the most famous stage shows around. Some of these
include: Grease, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, and Beauty and the Beast,
as well as a host of others. In the beginning the Dominion Theatre had trouble
maintaining a sufficient audience base until it was converted in order to play
films as well. The theatre remained this way until it began showing live
performances once again in the 1950s. With the production of South Pacific in
1958, and the production of The Sound of Music in the 1960s, the status of the
Dominion as the premiere location for great theatre on the West End was sealed.
To this day the Dominion Theatre continues to feature great shows to entice
audiences to return again and again.<br />
<br />
We Will Rock You tells the story of a future where individuality is no longer
allowed. The planet's youth must all dress alike, think alike, watch the same
entertainment and listen to the same music consisting of only boy bands and
girl bands. Luckily on Planet Mall a resistance movement is growing. Young
rebels are trying to bring back a time known as the Rhapsody, when people were
able to form their own bands and write their own songs. The rebels began
searching for a fabled mighty axe (guitar) that is now buried deep within rock.
Legend tells them that this instrument once belonged to a great guitar god, a<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6730260497379511916" name="_GoBack"></a>nd a new hero is needed to pull the legendary guitar from
the stone. Featuring nineteen Queen classics, We Will Rock You is a journey
into another world that enchants audiences and leaves them wanting more. </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4Asy3RPdCgpwt2n_9AHwzHlu6kp3h7vlx5nHY2-FaOX3D4CGq_J3I69Tg_2v-ISYxbDBesH1G-LSkiKtrmEYNcMtRvrbGKhyphenhypheni-VUejkicbSrYCVQzEjn5jMDNZFn7U4ZFC8FnYl8dQI/s1600/we+will+rock+you+musical+dominion+theater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4Asy3RPdCgpwt2n_9AHwzHlu6kp3h7vlx5nHY2-FaOX3D4CGq_J3I69Tg_2v-ISYxbDBesH1G-LSkiKtrmEYNcMtRvrbGKhyphenhypheni-VUejkicbSrYCVQzEjn5jMDNZFn7U4ZFC8FnYl8dQI/s400/we+will+rock+you+musical+dominion+theater.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
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Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-45882142825551918172012-08-24T07:51:00.000-07:002012-08-24T07:51:49.083-07:00The Dark Poetry of Priyanka DeyPriyanka Dey is an introspective writer. Her thoughts come from deep inside her soul and contain a sense of darkness with a hidden touch of joy. Her words burst right off the page and gently hit hard.<br />
<br />
-Randall Webb<br />
<br />
<b><i>A few words from Priyanka:</i></b><br />
I have been a scribbler since I could gather my senses. I observe a lot
of things happening around me. Some with me, some with the people
associated to me. All of it affects me, directly or indirectly. People who
read my poems often joke about how every poem can be used for writing a
novel. Well I wish I could actually sit down and pen them so. But writing
Prose is so very different than writing Poetry. Poetry to me, is like
that inner voice, which makes you feel Alive. Do visit my Neverland
(blog), and you'll hopefully understand what I mean! :)<br />
<a href="http://www.priyankazneverland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> http://www.priyankazneverland.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<b><u>1.The Curse</u></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">The taint is too daunty to the soul<br />
To be camouflaged into an exemplary role<br />The holocaust is scarried not without<br />But deep within.<br /><br />Your high pitched voice<br />Still echoes like a distant cry<br />My mind still shudders with fright,<br />Like there is a storm outside.<br />
<br />But it resides beneath the skin<br />A tempest,that burns inside<br />The curses pinch like glaring eyes<br />That stared at me, as I hid my self, or rather my 'malice'.<br /><br />Daddy left you, i wish he didn't<br />
I know he hit you,<br />And you cried<br />But did you see that I prayed for you<br />Of how my little soul slowly died?<br /><br />Everytime you twisted my arm and wringed me to the ground<br />I scathed and pleaded<br />While you hit me, made me blue eyed.<br />
People at high school called me names<br />Sometimes mad, gothic n maniac<br />And others thought I was a confused whore<br />They mocked at me, pinched me around<br />As I kept applying some more makeup<br />To hide the bruises, that showed.<br />
<br />The Curses, hurt though the cuts have gone<br />Tears have dried but my heart is numb<br />You cursed me Mommy, now look at me<br />A failed marriage, a heart broken me<br />As I await to kill another life<br />Abort the life that is forming inside<br />
I failed as a daughter, you told me I would fail<br />But I won't let one more Amanda be born<br />And die a death every single day she'd live<br />Look what you cursed me into, Ma<br />I live a living death,<br />as I await to abort her, my baby..<br />
She won't be cursed. No more.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6v37Hg_b14QSakzC4_9y0VFQ0Zw53ZcRhlgtuhdALgysyPRgOR3xXNNT6m2RnRLDKjsBMaipmCb2042vNn7R650t2hhCTxaDBr2rTuFw0ymrL1erS6ltBrX79-xNK-SAk1TBtGGLI6U/s1600/foetus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6v37Hg_b14QSakzC4_9y0VFQ0Zw53ZcRhlgtuhdALgysyPRgOR3xXNNT6m2RnRLDKjsBMaipmCb2042vNn7R650t2hhCTxaDBr2rTuFw0ymrL1erS6ltBrX79-xNK-SAk1TBtGGLI6U/s320/foetus.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><b><u>2.The Murder</u></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">And I wiped off the stains</span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">from my dress, now a pale white</span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">
</span>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Nevermind, I have done my job</span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Yes! I'd won the fight.</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The untouched tea, a witness of my act</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
was flushed away, into the sink</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
as I washed the last traces of the vestiges</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
into the flow of water, it was all lost and gone.</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I suddenly felt the surge of victory within</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
and I laughed out my pride</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
as I recalled the murder I'd committed,</div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Of the poor little M<i>ice</i>!</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMaov8auxs2cCEAQT5GxeEJvBFmSGg_Sfjg-egF9biA9wWZEEPrhyy2hgtavjnTmboavu2_B9pSet4oGJ43_cydBUclny21R9A4iAfZUQC_Uz3N82bTRt9aR7HtN0nLWOA2KTRap6QOU/s1600/poor+little+mice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMaov8auxs2cCEAQT5GxeEJvBFmSGg_Sfjg-egF9biA9wWZEEPrhyy2hgtavjnTmboavu2_B9pSet4oGJ43_cydBUclny21R9A4iAfZUQC_Uz3N82bTRt9aR7HtN0nLWOA2KTRap6QOU/s320/poor+little+mice.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"></span>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-30047869991696849882012-07-30T05:56:00.002-07:002012-07-30T05:56:45.383-07:00The Changing Ways of Education in the Computer Age written by Samantha Gary<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Written by Samantha Gary </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Computers have done many things for our
society—there's no denying this. We could (and many have) go on and on about
how revolutionary computer technology has been for the current age. Today
"the computer age" means so much more than it did even 10 years ago.
In just a decade, the "computer age" has become the "age of the
internet". Computers and the online world too have done endless things for
the betterment of our society. Education is one area that the online world and
computer technology have influenced greatly. As the world of computer
technology continues to play a larger role in our everyday lives, the world of
online education and the online classroom have gained more attention and
acceptance. Of course, with anything there are both merits and disadvantages to
how the online world and computer age have influenced education. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Accessibility
to Higher Ed</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For some time, online education was frowned upon
in the academic world. With a history of focusing on reputation, the higher
education world took some time to adapt to the idea of online learning.
However, today many online schools and online learning platforms are praised by
academic and student alike. One merit of modern computer technology and online
education is broader accessibility to higher academia. Where at one time a
college degree was limited to those who had the money and flexibility to attend
college for four years at a brick and mortar institution, online degree
programs have opened up new avenues for the non-traditional student. More and
more people are earning degrees while also maintaining fulltime jobs or raising
a family with the help of online learning and computer technology. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjBzftZP2mLCbylwYDi3x9cXtZBc8StVHdKBTp0xvfxzmeVojzsaX3hD3s2OoCPuLBlTO2HSKKbuaTFgEglHpNDvEjASV6uYz42ag4CAQESaYIMTQczyTH_NU7j2acDjfYJrc4H3ib38/s1600/online+education.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjBzftZP2mLCbylwYDi3x9cXtZBc8StVHdKBTp0xvfxzmeVojzsaX3hD3s2OoCPuLBlTO2HSKKbuaTFgEglHpNDvEjASV6uYz42ag4CAQESaYIMTQczyTH_NU7j2acDjfYJrc4H3ib38/s200/online+education.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Access
to Resources</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The undeniable merit of modern technology and
the online world is immediate and vast access to educational resources. With
tools like Wikipedia, <a href="http://www.ted.com/">TED</a>, <a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/">Khan Academy</a>, and so much more, students
of any age have access to endless knowledge and tools for learning. These
resources help students understand topic they've explored in school, introduce
them to new and exciting topics, and provide a more thorough understanding of
academic issues. The web is a vast expanse of useful information and tools that
students, parents, and teachers can all utilize to better experience the
educational world and academic material. Online platforms have made it easier
for collaborative learning across cultures and the online educational world has
broadened our perspective as human beings. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7XeHdBov4aQRc-ATQumUM_T7d8czU2cRn0PTSC8C98sfBc7Uqsr7a0-nB4c27-dPQLaNxHZX6tpmuoHNvZpwBu16rIKtBsYEquTNr0ge2nQikJ9cAvUlXsnY04rsUu9QCvlXdUHpu5g/s1600/computer+age.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7XeHdBov4aQRc-ATQumUM_T7d8czU2cRn0PTSC8C98sfBc7Uqsr7a0-nB4c27-dPQLaNxHZX6tpmuoHNvZpwBu16rIKtBsYEquTNr0ge2nQikJ9cAvUlXsnY04rsUu9QCvlXdUHpu5g/s200/computer+age.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Possibility
of Misinformation</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While vast amount of information can be an
extremely positive thing, it also comes with its setbacks. Because the web
offers a completely open experience, there is the ever-looming possibility of
misinformation. This issue in academics often comes up when discussing online
research and Wikipedia. Because anyone can make a claim and post it somewhere
online, the validity of information found online should be examined. While many
of the tools and resources out there work to provide useful and educational
material, there is always the possibility of mistake. While this can make
online research more difficult and brings a somewhat negative perspective to
online learning, the web should not be discredited for its usefulness.
Technology has given the educational world so much. With greater accessibility
to quality learning material, there comes greater accessibility to bad learning
material. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Samantha Gray is an expert in online education
and a freelance writer. Pursuing an <a href="http://www.bachelorsdegreeonline.com/">online bachelor's degree</a> is
often fraught with myths and misconceptions. Samantha shows her readers the
way. She wants to hear your feedback and ideas, too, at
samanthagray024@gmail.com. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-33118560990196753732012-07-23T19:54:00.000-07:002012-07-24T08:10:15.148-07:00How We Communicate Through Digital Devices by Rob PellRob Pell is a freelance writer who works in the field of digital communications. <br />
<br />
You can visit Rob's website @ <a href="http://www.simplifydigital.co.uk/broadband/">http://www.simplifydigital.co.uk/broadband/</a><br />
<br />
Thank you Rob for your contribution to The Guest Writer Blog<br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6730260497379511916" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How We Communicate Through Digital
Devices</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Written by Rob Pell </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The digital age has made the spread, flow and reception of
information far easier, so it’s no wonder that it has also dramatically altered
the ways in which we communicate with one another. Traditional factors that
drove conversation in bygone ages have disappeared and been replaced with new
methods of communication.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even the dynamics of communication have changed; once upon a
time we had to be where we said we were going to be at any given time, now this
is not the case. The increased reliability of digital communication devices
that can be used on the move has, in turn, allowed humans to become less
reliable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whether this has made us better communicators or worse
communicators is a matter of debate. What is certain though is that the ability
to send a text to a friend explaining that we will be late or requesting to
meet in a different location has introduced levels of insincerity into the
communicative process that previously did not exist.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hVME9cReQrlj1XpywJ3Aozy-ymDh_Cq10UcPzO-xBGRX9WY-LzNzxqUhEPWXG9xqPBnY0UWfHYgA_NGdiJFogltRETDwiPBTA1Dko6Z3WWTJqL4DeSjF0YjWLiXoS4BkPTwO_qzy1aE/s1600/text+message.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hVME9cReQrlj1XpywJ3Aozy-ymDh_Cq10UcPzO-xBGRX9WY-LzNzxqUhEPWXG9xqPBnY0UWfHYgA_NGdiJFogltRETDwiPBTA1Dko6Z3WWTJqL4DeSjF0YjWLiXoS4BkPTwO_qzy1aE/s320/text+message.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These new methods of communication have skewed the way in
which we perceive ourselves as individuals and as parts of a group. The
connectivity of digital devices means that we are almost never truly alone; we
are almost inescapably connected to all our friends and contacts, 24/7.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This connectivity means that, while we previously had very
clear perceptions of what it means to be alone or together, the lines are now
blurred. We now operate a sort of ‘communication hierarchy’ where certain
methods of communication are given more prestige than others.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For example dumping someone or passing on important
information by text is considered a major no-no, while telephoning someone to
give them a textable piece of micro-information is similarly a social faux pas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The paraphernalia that comes with such digital communication
devices has also altered the ways in which we communicate. While headphones
have been available since the 1980s, the popularization of smartphones and
other digital devices that double up as media players has led to a marked
increase in their use.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wearing headphones is akin to wearing a sign that says
“don’t talk to me”, giving us a simple way of avoiding potentially important
confrontation, discussion and communication. This form of non-communication is
actually communicative in itself as it shows others how receptive we will be to
interaction. , another modern communication anomaly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Away from smartphones and portable devices – although not
entirely disconnected, this is the digital age after all – are the worlds of
Facebook, Twitter and other social networks that exist digitally online. These
methods of communication – coupled with the rise of <a href="http://www.simplifydigital.co.uk/broadband/">broadband internet</a> –
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unprecedented levels of cross-platform conversation.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigflOfWG50xioZMCxP2IjjMHXX4IYOoR5PeanYf5c72z_8nxbSywRdu1tzMIkJub9lVyBbLu4Nu2Bs0QYkJ2GtTjMOCy_YYy9k50JJA-XMyQqOplYROKO20uEA8SH7h2InIZxcprUN5Xg/s1600/facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigflOfWG50xioZMCxP2IjjMHXX4IYOoR5PeanYf5c72z_8nxbSywRdu1tzMIkJub9lVyBbLu4Nu2Bs0QYkJ2GtTjMOCy_YYy9k50JJA-XMyQqOplYROKO20uEA8SH7h2InIZxcprUN5Xg/s320/facebook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two friends might be discussing something via text; they may
want to add a third friend to the conversation so they move to WhatsApp; one
friend wants to share a video and does it quickly and easily on Twitter; the
three friends then decide to organize something and so set up a Facebook group.
This back and forwards, cross-pollination of information is something all
effective digital communicators will be aware of, the ease of such complex
communication in the modern age has made it a regular occurrence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is where the argument that modern technology is killing
the art of communication falls apart; in many ways modern technology is giving
communication an element of sophistication it has never enjoyed before. You
could say that what we are experiencing is communication, but not as we knew
it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_nt4rmoKsxeNI9BMTmlzlPS9zd2SjmX1SXnnng5bL8IeBgopP0WVZF2St_-y6r5b-UXc1qqeAkWjRnJIWMxOA_1Opgj5lNS9P9zMZOFtPWtPiVzMWPshtDPpJwq9qxWxSsYXpJBxItY/s1600/smartphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_nt4rmoKsxeNI9BMTmlzlPS9zd2SjmX1SXnnng5bL8IeBgopP0WVZF2St_-y6r5b-UXc1qqeAkWjRnJIWMxOA_1Opgj5lNS9P9zMZOFtPWtPiVzMWPshtDPpJwq9qxWxSsYXpJBxItY/s320/smartphone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-89887434860675909042012-06-29T08:09:00.000-07:002012-07-23T19:50:09.738-07:00Channeling Perseverance and the Will to Never Give Up written by Nancy Parker<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="docs-title docs-title-disabled" id="docs-title" role="button">Channeling Perseverance and the Will to Never Give Up</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="docs-title docs-title-disabled" id="docs-title" role="button">written by guest author Nancy Parker </span></b></div>
<span class="docs-title docs-title-disabled" id="docs-title" role="button"> Please visit Nancy's website @ <a href="http://www.enannysource.com/">http://www.enannysource.com/</a></span><br />
<span class="docs-title docs-title-disabled" id="docs-title" role="button"></span><span class="docs-title docs-title-disabled" id="docs-title" role="button"></span><br />
<span class="docs-title docs-title-disabled" id="docs-title" role="button"><br /></span>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Channeling Perseverance and the Will to Never Give Up</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The biggest hurdle we typically have to overcome when it
comes to achieving our goals is ignoring the voice in our head that tells us
that we aren’t good enough, that we won’t succeed, and that we should just
throw in the towel now before we get too far invested in something, only to
fail. When you’re armed with a plan for success, circumventing the demoralizing
voice telling you that you’ll never succeed becomes easier to achieve, and your
chances at success increase exponentially. Use these five steps to help channel
your inner perseverance: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Make an
outline</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Spend time thinking about your ultimate end goal, and
then outline the steps that you’ll need to take along the way. By laying out
everything that needs to be done in front of you, you get a better sense of
exactly what needs to be accomplished to reach your goals. It’s easier to forge
on knowing exactly what you’re up against. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Set
small goals</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Once you have an outline in place you should
set small, manageable goals for yourself. Trying to tackle everything at once
is overwhelming and almost always ends in failure. Chipping away at a little
bit at a time makes it easier to celebrate small victories that will eventually
result in conquering your ultimate goal. Don’t be afraid to celebrate the small
victories either, because it is those celebrations that will continue to renew
your will to succeed.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Recognize
excuses</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – It’s unlikely that you’ll ever completely rid yourself of
self-doubt, however being able to recognize when you’re starting to make
excuses as to why you’re going to fail is the first step in countering those
excuses with results. When you can pinpoint and recognize them, you can conquer
them. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t
be afraid of failure</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – No matter what you’re trying to accomplish,
there will always be road blocks and setbacks along the way. What makes the
difference in failure and success is how you react to this. If you let one
failure completely crush your will power then you will never succeed. However
if you learn from that failure and use it to propel you forward then your
potential is limitless. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Envision
success</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – One of the best ways to guarantee success is to envision
it. Regularly see yourself accomplishing your end goal. It will give you purpose
and a renewed will power to continue to reach for your goals. Before you know
it you won’t be envisioning success, you’ll be living it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The will to persevere through life’s trials isn’t something
that you easily come by, and finding the will to keep pushing forward is
something born out of discipline and mental fortitude. Never give up on your
goals, because it’s likely that the only thing holding you back is yourself,
and you have the power to counteract that. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6730260497379511916" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tb5PIws-6gf-VIASH7_F96iZUC1zihbjW4dsiu6Oquk_amzcKDqvtf6MOiCznT5wBpGVaJLJ3YsP0AQHFM6xJrNeguyJbhgPfHFzNv5VaWQ5zqwLYISiYwpf2GkBE6mDN7S05909Q6g/s1600/perseverance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tb5PIws-6gf-VIASH7_F96iZUC1zihbjW4dsiu6Oquk_amzcKDqvtf6MOiCznT5wBpGVaJLJ3YsP0AQHFM6xJrNeguyJbhgPfHFzNv5VaWQ5zqwLYISiYwpf2GkBE6mDN7S05909Q6g/s320/perseverance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Author
Bio</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write
about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, <a href="http://www.enannysource.com/">nanny background check</a> tips etc. You
can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com.</span></div>
<br />Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-71395993435474858602012-05-15T21:58:00.004-07:002012-05-15T22:07:26.903-07:00Brain Drain: The Concussion Problem in the NFL written by William W.This is the the third full article by William W. (aka Billy w) that has been featured here on The Guest Writer Blog. Over the past year William (Billy) like his evolving blog name has shown much growth and maturing in his writing style and in the topics he chooses to write about. <br />
<br />
With the recent suicide of football Hall of Famer, Junior Seau, this article is a timely piece on a topic which had made many headlines in sports, medical and general news around the world. Thank you Billy for sharing this with us. <br />
- Randall Webb<br />
<br />
To see other articles written by William W. please visit his blog at: <a href="http://www.sportspinandstuff-billyw.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.sportspinandstuff-billyw.blogspot.com/ </a><br />
<br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Brain Drain: The Concussion Problem in the NFL </span><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Written by William W. </span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZTwLbiVBUP0BR2VSz8hxclRg2pkooa_2gFI5yjWb3j-6B8EAvfK7NQgfnIz2DGw9AXcL1XwC_16kGyfPo_4woWm8ausV4zX2uTSCyjrZrA2OevNGe8SHh1LwhsXobjv-vgbiHFvtHEg/s1600/gun+and+bullets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZTwLbiVBUP0BR2VSz8hxclRg2pkooa_2gFI5yjWb3j-6B8EAvfK7NQgfnIz2DGw9AXcL1XwC_16kGyfPo_4woWm8ausV4zX2uTSCyjrZrA2OevNGe8SHh1LwhsXobjv-vgbiHFvtHEg/s320/gun+and+bullets.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">February 17, 2011, April 19, 2012, May 2, 2012, are all
dates that will live on forever. Why? They are all the dates of NFL player
suicides. Dave Duerson, a safety for the infamous Chicago Bears defense of the
1980s commit suicide on February 17 of last year. Ray Easterling, a cornerback
for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers left us on April 19th, and yesterday, legendary
linebacker Junior Seau died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the chest. All of
them played in the NFL, all of them were reported to suffer concussions, but
that was before anyone really knew what a concussion actually was or what the
terrifying repercussions may be. Now, we know that a concussion occurs when the
brain itself slams into the skull, often causing severe headaches and nausea.
However, when concussions go unnoticed and continue to occur, life-threatening
damage can result. Players, especially at high-impact positions like corner,
running back, linebacker, defensive and offensive line, and wide receiver, have
complained of bodily harm after retiring since the game's conception. Football
is a violent game, as we all know. However, they didn't realize that their
brains were slowly being destroyed. NFL players have higher rates of
suicide--six times the national average to be specific--Alzheimers, and even
depression. Some have lost complete bodily function, like Eric LeGrand, a
defensive lineman who, in symbolic gesture, was signed to the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers. After suffering a debilitating spinal chord injury, many doctors
said he would be forced to live off a respirator and be paralyzed for the rest
of his life. This is just the beginning of an issue that is just now coming to
life. </span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2gjieAvzDdvMggEK6tEbvfSG20F9STORd2c4gwHncmt8Wzf3f4UuxMf8Zbd0qlCwq4V8gHDDrzpzx0B9Nja6N0_4IKPJhYj1ouhXujVNkfsv1HMCPlyDhA9JYkam1MFs9RRL-5hENQY/s1600/concussion+athletes+brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2gjieAvzDdvMggEK6tEbvfSG20F9STORd2c4gwHncmt8Wzf3f4UuxMf8Zbd0qlCwq4V8gHDDrzpzx0B9Nja6N0_4IKPJhYj1ouhXujVNkfsv1HMCPlyDhA9JYkam1MFs9RRL-5hENQY/s1600/concussion+athletes+brain.jpg" /></a></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Before one can
fully understand the problem concussions actually are, it is necessary for a
brief overview of what being concussed actually means. The simple definition
mentioned above is sufficient for a non-football concussion. In the NFL, a
defensive back like Duerson or Easterling can tackle a player with over
1,600lbs. of force, and a linebacker like Seau could hit even harder. Keep in
mind a Smart Car weights 1,609lbs. These guys hit each other with the force of
a small car, yet the NFL doesn't think concussions could cause dangerous
side-effects. An insurance company pays better than the NFL. That's saying
something. A concussion occurs much more often then players themselves think.
Let's assume a 6'3, 250lb linebacker who runs a 4.6 forty yard dash hits a
player with the force of 2,000lbs. The running back, like the linebacker, is
running at full speed. A collision occurs. The both players go from full-speed
to full-stop. Their helmets protect their skulls, but it only hurts their
brains, as the brain continues moving even after the head stops, causing a
concussion. The force necessary to cause a concussion gets progressively less
as each one occurs, though the severity of the consequences increase
exponentially. The linebacker walks off the field for a few plays, while the
running back only feels dazed and gets back in the huddle. The running back
knows his time in the league will most likely end by his thirtieth birthday,
and he needs to support his family. He has to go back in the game, thus he puts
his career, and his life on the line. There's clearly a problem, and only
recently has the NFL decided to make a change for the better.</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54682ww0c9gN6UtKiIGAppkGAWJ6A-skWQ7hsPh_464U-h4W_4-28t-QnPbLNzxEq4Q6E20NLTq1ZAia0Wno4WRyADgiNFUnxP5M3s_nkxL0AbVHGW1W6p6StLxVK-bNwcb-0lvH571c/s1600/Dave+Duerson+note.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54682ww0c9gN6UtKiIGAppkGAWJ6A-skWQ7hsPh_464U-h4W_4-28t-QnPbLNzxEq4Q6E20NLTq1ZAia0Wno4WRyADgiNFUnxP5M3s_nkxL0AbVHGW1W6p6StLxVK-bNwcb-0lvH571c/s400/Dave+Duerson+note.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: small;">D<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">ave Duerson was
a safety and defensive back for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and New
York Giants. He was an All-American at Notre Dame, and a Super Bowl champion
with the Bears. He had the record for most sacks by a defensive back with seven
until it was broken by the Cardinals' Adrian Wilson. As a pass-rusher along
with being a defensive enforcer in the secondary, he supposedly had multiple
concussions in his career, though they were, at the time, considered
"getting your bell rung" and nothing more. At the time, a player
would have his teammates help him up and stagger back to the huddle. Duerson was
one of those players. He loved the game. He was a warrior. He got back into the
huddle...a lot. After retiring in 1993, his condition quickly deteriorated.
According to his son and ex-wife, he had trouble spelling words, suffered from
Alzheimers, dementia, and had a terrible short-term memory. In the years
leading up to his death, he was accused of many "spur of the moment"
crimes, such as battery or domestic abuse, most likely because he could no
longer make decisions without seriously contemplating his options for a
substantial amout of time. One doctor who analyzed his brain was surprised
Duerson was even capable of WALKING. In his final act, he shot himself in the
chest to save his brain and left the note shown above. He knew something was
wrong, and he decided to make a change for the better by donating his brain to
science. Duerson's brain was shown to have a protein deficiency known as CTE
caused by significant, and most importantly repeated, brain trauma. His brain
was literally being destroyed bit by bit. His family has received nothing. All
because the NFL refused to acknowledge football played a factor.</span></span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf77ltLURrViG0YUdijZIEkebrC1k4bJhCqPCrn5Vak-pCGF47JHXJK2CYpP_VFtzy-9iTtZbPXdn7tuDxaPvJ4_4Fiq5Sro3bf8EMjbVimAqOBAtChIsJ7H9zJ7e3KCAHDPT0clleYdE/s1600/Ray+Easterling+falcons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf77ltLURrViG0YUdijZIEkebrC1k4bJhCqPCrn5Vak-pCGF47JHXJK2CYpP_VFtzy-9iTtZbPXdn7tuDxaPvJ4_4Fiq5Sro3bf8EMjbVimAqOBAtChIsJ7H9zJ7e3KCAHDPT0clleYdE/s320/Ray+Easterling+falcons.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Ray Easterling,
also a safety, was a player for the Atlanta Falcons. A defensive captain, he
was a key player for a team that had arguably the best defensive season of all
time. With a tough defense, players get competitive. There's nothing worse for
a man's brain than to put him in front of millions of people and surround him
with twenty-one other testosterone-fueled men. He tries to get the knockout,
the highlight hit, the devastating tackle that knocks out the star offensive
player. That's exactly what happened with the Falcons. After retiring, his body
was destroyed. He had over twenty orthopedic surgeries, and was, like Duerson,
was diagnosed with dementia. In an interview with Fox Sports Network, his wife
Mary Ann, said:</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>
</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“He had been feeling more and more pain. He felt like his
brain was falling off. He was losing control. He couldn’t remember things from
five minutes ago. It was frightening, especially somebody who had all the plays
memorized as a player when he stepped on the field.” </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Easterling committed
suicide, like Duerson, by shooting himself in the chest to preserve his brain
for study. His brain was also found to contain tau, a key sign for the
existence of CTE. Easterling, like Duerson, was a part of a lawsuit suing the
NFL over, according to Easterling's lawyer:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"Continuously and vehemently denied that it knew,
should have known or believed that there is any relationship between NFL
players suffering concussions while playing . . . and long-term problems such
as headaches, dizziness, dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease that many retired
players have experienced."</i><br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFEBRD016LhhEu58hfcHGAvRt9lqJ1XZr3SG062CzwJ5OfGnzrBWFDC6jaQgNUOQBpfyDQcFcA71o0teIV56SPdxx_LsSkY9EEFrqCAeqtCIKwqOv4FSrU1Cck8-kOayl-Rkd-GpkHmc/s1600/Junior+Seau+San+Diego+Chargers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFEBRD016LhhEu58hfcHGAvRt9lqJ1XZr3SG062CzwJ5OfGnzrBWFDC6jaQgNUOQBpfyDQcFcA71o0teIV56SPdxx_LsSkY9EEFrqCAeqtCIKwqOv4FSrU1Cck8-kOayl-Rkd-GpkHmc/s320/Junior+Seau+San+Diego+Chargers.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Junior Seau was a
Hall of Fame linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and New
England Patriots. He hit with a ferocity only seen in gladiatorial death
matches. He was a warrior. He never went on the disabled list for a concussion,
though, according to his ex-wife, he suffered many of the symptoms. He was
depressed, hard to believe for such an upbeat man, and had the symptoms of CTE
that afflicted Duerson and Easterling. He was accused of battery, a sign of a
heightened sense of aggression that has been linked to brain damage and a
possible lack of decision making ability.
He too shot himself in the chest to save his brain for testing. It
doesn't do Seau justice to simply say he played with the joy of a boy but the
intensity and heart of a man, it doesn't do him justice to write a few paragraphs,
let alone a few sentences. It doesn't do Junior Seau justice to leave his
family unpaid for something football caused. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Only recently has
the National Football League taken a stand against concussions and overly
violent play. Commissioner Roger Goodell has become one of, if not the most,
controversial commissioners in all of professional sports. He made it clear in
late 2010 that concussions were a problem and harsh penalties would be brought
upon those who refused to follow the new, safer rules. Some have lauded this
stance, while others claim this is just the beginning of a gradual shift to the
NFFL, the National Flag-Football League, where nobody can tackle anyone. They
fear the "Glory Days" in which the Bears could literally break the
backs of their opponents and the Purple People Eaters could probably get away
with actually eating their offensive victims. These people fail to realize the
days of vicious defense and ruthless hits are over. The very hits we used to
celebrate are now the same hits we fear may contribute to an terrible,
life-threatening injury and eventually a violence-filled life after football
riddled with bouts of depression, dementia, and possibly suicide. A change has
to be made. Now. </div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-56996003677211612422012-05-07T11:41:00.004-07:002012-05-07T11:41:51.656-07:00I’ll Take “Zen Master in Training” for $200… written by SupermomThe Supermom Liberation Project is a blog written by a mom of 3 crazy high maintenance kids, whom she refers to as "The Munchkins". She is the life partner of one super-cool calm and collected Tattooed Guy who keeps her from losing her mind.<br />
<br />
Supermom describes herself as being :<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Confessed Chocoholic</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Bold Word Addict </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Professional Daydreamer </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Lover of Salsa Dancing <b> </b>(and Salsa eating)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">World Traveler Wanna-be </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Blogger Extraordinaire</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Rockstar of Life </span><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b></b>With her blog she hopes to help moms around the world to liberate the fun, smart, sexy, awesome Supermom who is YOU!<br />
<br />
you can visit The Supermom Liberation Project @ http://supermomliberationproject.com/<br />
<br />
<h2 class="title">
I’ll Take “Zen Master in Training” for $200… <span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Written by Supermom </span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iiLAqH1DBfilYwNKmTZgqdMgwzhdLAcMxO0ubqGqzYUkXtEGgzMEQZuaHeWcKPQk1I7Pw9oOdRavhbYGyx5R69vz6BIrvMMh-3q0_8NCst19TCwRSn2yr2Xb5XoGhqvPZ6KfnGyPt6I/s1600/zen+master.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iiLAqH1DBfilYwNKmTZgqdMgwzhdLAcMxO0ubqGqzYUkXtEGgzMEQZuaHeWcKPQk1I7Pw9oOdRavhbYGyx5R69vz6BIrvMMh-3q0_8NCst19TCwRSn2yr2Xb5XoGhqvPZ6KfnGyPt6I/s1600/zen+master.jpg" /></a></div>
Why is it that no matter what you try to do, whether it be raise your
kids as you see fit, live a life of generosity and kindness, try to get
ahead in your career (or start a new one), or even travel down the path
of self-reflection and improvement, there is always someone who has to
voice their disapproval in an attempt to bring you down? I totally hate
that – it’s one of my biggest pet-peeves!<br />
<br />
Example: So I’m laying in bed last night after a busy day of
launching my blog and I decide to check Facebook one last time before I
fall asleep (mistake #1), only to find a snide comment under one of my
posts left by a “friend”, who obviously does not approve of my new
venture. As having “thick skin” is not one of my strong points, I lay
there questioning why she would do such a thing, and in a public forum
no less (mistake #2). At the same time, I did have a fan who shared my
post and gave it a great review (which I am very appreciative of – THANK
YOU!!), saying that she loved what I had written and was looking
forward to reading more. Despite that, though, the pissy, bitchy little
comment was all I could think about. For the next 20 minutes, I lay
there in bed trying to figure out how to respond. Do I confront her? Do I
type a pissy, bitchy message back for all to see? Or do I try to forget
about it and not let it bother me (almost impossible).<br />
<br />
Tattoo Guy (in case you haven’t read the “About” page, he is my calm,
cool, and collected life partner) said “Don’t worry about it, Baby –
who cares what she thinks. You’re trying to spread a message that is
important to you, and probably to a lot of other women too. And, you
know, she only has the power to upset you if you give it to her.”
Excellent point…and after thinking about it, I came to the conclusion
that he’s absolutely right. (Wow, my man is a total Zen Master in
training!)<br />
<br />
In the end, I just deleted it. No response, no confrontation,
nothing. Why? Because, I realized that giving any attention to this
petty b.s. would have given this woman even more power – and, after all,
that’s what this was all about, right? Her slighting my work made her
feel powerful; she tried to break my spirit, hurt my self-esteem, and
make me feel bad, all because she didn’t like what I had to say. And,
any type of negative response on my part would have just validated her
statement.<br />
<br />
Why am I telling you all of this? Because, this type of thing –
criticism and judgment – is what we moms face EVERYDAY from friends,
family members, acquaintances, and society in general.<br />
<br />
This needs to stop!<br />
<br />
Come on, Ladies – we are all women, we are all individuals who have
our own values, beliefs, and identities, and we are all simply trying to
the the best we can with what we have. With that being said, what if
instead of putting each other down, we made a conscious, deliberate
effort to start encouraging of each other? What if we put our own
personal opinions and biases aside and started affirming one another? I,
personally, think that would be pretty damn awesome!<br />
<br />
I constantly hear people passing judgment: “Can you believe she did
that? She should have done ________ instead. She’s gonna be sorry, just
you wait and see”. To which I reply “Well, everyone has to live their
own life. What’s right for you may not be right for her.” (though in my
head I’m thinking WILL YOU FREAKIN’ STOP IT ALREADY! HOW ABOUT YOU STOP
BEING A JUDGMENTAL PAIN IN THE ASS AND GIVE HER SOME GOD-DAMNED
SUPPORT!!!) Maybe one day I’ll sum up the courage to say that out loud.
Who knows, my inner self still a work in progress…<br />
<br />
My point is we need to start being each others’ biggest cheerleaders!
We need to start bonding together as a community of sisters and build
each other up not cut each other down!! And we need to start right here,
right now… TODAY!<br />
<br />
Just imagine, if everyone did that, what an even more wonderful,
amazing world this would be. And just imagine, if you had the support of
your friends, family, and peer group, how much more you could achieve!
In my life, I’ve found that frequently one of the biggest things that
holds us back from being the very best we can be is fear of what other
people will say – either to us or about us to others. Imagine if that
was taken out of the equation entirely and you had nothing but support
and encouragement. That’s the goal – let’s try to make support and
positive validation of each other the norm instead of the exception.<br />
<br />
Ok, my Supermom Lovelies, here is your next assignment: CHOOSE ONE
MOM IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU INTERACT WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS AND FOR THE
NEXT MONTH BE HER BIGGEST CHEERLEADER!<br />
<br />
You know, give her a sincere compliment – tell her you like her
outfit, tell her how well-mannered her kids are, or tell her what a
great job she’s been doing in general. And, if she does something that
makes you want to pass judgment, DON’T! Bite your tongue, take a deep
breath, and realize that the things other people do, in the grand scheme
of things, have NO effect on your life UNLESS YOU ALLOW THEM TO!<br />
<br />
For one month practice being a supporter. You can do it… you know
why? Because you’re a Supermom! You’ve got this; you’re in control of
your emotions and you’re going to start spreading a little, extra
positivity in the world! (Not to mention that you’ll be setting a great
example for the kids to follow too. I’m working on this as a way to get
the Munchkins to stop fighting with and tattling on each other all the
time. Because frankly, their fighting and tattling drives me FREAKIN’
CRAZY!)<br />
<br />
Until next time, Ladies – LIVE YOUR AWESOMENESS!<br />
<br />
(oh, and don’t forget – BUCKETLISTS! … DO IT!)<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>*</b></span></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-71482535179137393522012-04-03T23:06:00.000-07:002012-04-04T08:11:43.941-07:00What Makes You Happy?I emailed a few of my blogger friends and asked them what makes them happy.<br />
<br />
The following are some of the answers I got.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * * * * * *</span></b></div>
<br />
This first response comes from a blogger known as <b><i>Perfectly Imperfect</i></b>. You can visit her blog at: <a href="http://iamexactlywhereiamsupposedtobe.blogspot.in/">http://iamexactlywhereiamsupposedtobe.blogspot.in/</a><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new york',times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">
Q. <span style="font-size: 12pt;">What do you do to feel happy when you're feeling down?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new york',times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ans.
Feeling down sucks, and we humans are so prone to it. Anything that
does not happen according to our way, we make a fuss about it and punish
ourselves by feeling down. I'm a human too, when something happens in
my life which I didn't want I get pretty hyper too and spoil my mood.
Here, music comes into play. Music has it's super power that can lift up
your mood or make it more worse. I listen to pop/dance/electro songs
full of energy and the beats cheer me up. Also, I'm addicted to the
night sky. Whenever I'm confused or simply does not feel good, I gaze up
at the night sky, the stars which twinkle like diamonds and the
flawless floating moon. I think about my life while gazing at it's
beauty and magically everything sorts
out within me.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman','new york',times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">We just need to </span>remember<span style="font-size: small;"> that
whatever happens, happens for a reason. It makes you stronger and life
is never meant to be easy but if you enjoy whatever comes your way, you
are the most happiest person on earth! We tend to complicate things in
our mind. Cheer your mood up by doing what you like ( I listen to upbeat
music) and then sit down peacefully in a silent place away from your
mobile/laptop and think about the problems you are facing. You would get
your answer. ;)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Q. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">What has happened in your life recently that made you laugh just when you needed it most? or What makes you
laugh?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
Ans.
I have a pet dog named Scruffy. He detects my mood and when he see that
I'm feeling down, he comes up to me sit down on my lap and looks at me.
I think it's his way of saying that he is always with me when no one
else is but whatever the reason is, it makes me smile and anyways he is
too cute and adorable! :D</div>
<div>
My friends too get to know
about my mood by hearing my voice on the phone and they start getting
all crazy and cracking jokes for me. Knowing someone is there for me
through thick and thin makes me smile too :)</div>
<div>
</div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * * * * * *</span></b> </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Jamie Jordan</b></span></i> contributed the following thoughts. You can visit Jamie's blog at: <a href="http://itsagaylife-jamiessmiles.blogspot.com/">http://itsagaylife-jamiessmiles.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
What makes me happy when I am down are my friends and family. It's
so cliche, but I feel blessed sometimes with a unique mix of people who
I can turn to for different things. I have a strong support network,
and wonderful people who genuinely care, as I care for them. I think in
the end sometimes you have to rely on other people. No man is an
island.... a problem shared and all that;)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
As cruel as it sounds, I laugh at people. No, not
at them, as such, but just the human bits of all of us that seem silly
to others. I laugh at my stupid friend, my brain dead friend, and they
laugh at me. My pet name for my boyfriend is "f****ng idiot", and his
for me is "Dumb a**". I think if you can laugh at yourself along with
others it makes you a little more of the human experience. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * * * * * *</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The nest entry comes from <b><i>Bill Weber (aka Billy W.)</i></b>. It took him a little longer to respond to my question about happiness as he says High School+girlfriend=no free time.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Bill recently posted an article on his blog about the legal fallout in sports, check it out at: <a href="http://www.sportspinandstuff-billyw.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">www.sportspinandstuff-billyw.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</a></div>
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<div>
It really depends on the problem, if it's with a personal
failure, such as getting below a 96 on a paper, I feel the worst, so I
just bottle it up and write/listen to some hard rock. I know it's not
the best suggestion, but I'm not a therapist. I have near-impossible
standards for myself. When something else happens, I usually talk to a
few of my good friends, go on the coffee shop to take my mind off the
current problem, or I listen to some upbeat music, or write. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I have to admit, I am downright hilarious when I
want to be. I usually tell jokes and rant about the sociopathic maniac
that is me. So I prefer to listen to comedy from Ron White. He fits me
in the way that we're both like honeybadgers...we don't give a
sh**....(Feel free to censor that mangled sentence if you want.) </div>
<div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
hard rock is my release</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">* * * * * * *</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The last response I got was from a fantastic writer named <b><i>Sara Lemos</i></b>. It took her a while to respond as she had been traveling through the world.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
You can see Sara's blog at: <a href="http://www.theninjatravels.com/">http://www.theninjatravels.com/</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I try and remember all the good times I've had on my travels, the new
places I've experienced and the interesting people I've met. But it
usually doesn't take more than just having a chat with friends and
family to appreciate life. I also have a very cute picture of my nephew
on my laptop which guarantees a smile every time I log on.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Looking for work and a home in Bangkok has been pretty stressful at
times, especially running around Bangkok in the heat of the day. This
morning i took an air-con train to the airport to meet my mum from the
UK. Her energy and excitement after a 14 hour journey made me smile and realize there is more to life than constantly stressing about the little
things.</div>
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<div>
Thank you friends for reading this blog post. Your friendship makes me happy.</div>
</div>
</div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-67712297723594215072012-02-19T08:40:00.000-08:002012-02-20T07:56:39.251-08:00You're Just 5 Steps Away From Starting Your First Internet Business by Izzy Woods<style>
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<b><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">You’re Just 5 Steps Away
From Starting Your First Internet Business</span></u></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">With
Examples From Financial Lead Generation</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">The
fortunes that can be made online are alluring. Many, many people have tried and
sadly failed to make money online. Many of these were simply unprepared - an
online business is just as likely to fail as an offline one in the first couple
of years. It’s important to go into your first online venture with a good
understanding of the challenges. Once these challenges have been met you are
one step on the road to success online.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">1.
Naming Your Business</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">This might
seem the most trivial step involved. Perhaps you already have a ‘pretty neat’
name that you, your family and all your friends absolutely love. In the offline
world this might be fine - go get your sign ordered and get cracking.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">Online
you’ll have to think about what domain names go well with that brand as well as
whether those will be optimal for search engines. At the moment most search
engines give a significant boost to domains that have your main keywords as
part of the domain name. So a brand such as ‘Avertio’ would initially be harder
by some amount to get near the top of the results than ‘financeadvice.com’
would be for the phrase ‘finance advice.’</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">This
becomes a bit of a game of long versus short term. In the short term it might
be easier to rank one of the two domains but in the long run ‘Avertio’ might
become a household name or the search engines might start to see your site as
an authority site in the niche you are targeting which negates this
disadvantage.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">2.
Developing & Hosting Your Site</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">This is the
most important and perhaps the most challenging step. If your business requires
lots of tools, calculators (for example mortgage repayment calculators) and
interactive graphics then there will be no alternative but to hire a competent
developer. Luckily if you know exactly what you need there are many suitable
contractors overseas (particularly India) who can complete the work for a
reasonable cost. Unless you have significant backing outsourcing parts of your
site development like this will be important.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">The look
and feel of your site is crucial and is often best conducted with a small,
local design firm if you are looking to control costs and have face to face or
at least regular discussions in your local language about your design and the
brand you are trying to convey. Make sure you avoid anyone who seems to host a
huge number of extremely homogeneous sites that clearly are the result of
excessive template use. Look for someone who can do something for you that
really stands out from the crowd - but is offering a service at a price you can
afford. This step is important enough to spend a lot of time researching before
you accept a bid for the work.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">Make sure
the hosting package you select is scalable as your business grows. A VPS deal
from Hostgator for example allows you to simply increase the power of your
package as your business requires it whilst keeping your costs extremely low to
start with.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">3.
Developing Content Your Customers Love</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">This
heading can stand alone as singly the most important part of your strategy as
you launch an online business. Particularly if you operate in a less exciting
niche such as finance, providing content that users share instead of just
consume and forget will give you that extra little bit of exposure that is so
important for new sites. Your first e-mail newsletter should be something
people might share like “10 Predictions For House Prices In 2013” is much more
likely to get forwarded to other landlords than “Yields Move From 6.74% to
6.87% In London This Year”.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">Having a
large number of regularly posted articles which contain a huge amount of useful
information to your readers not only keeps them coming back and recommending
your site to others but starts to make your site an authority in the niche.
More and more long tail search terms will find their answer on your site.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">4.
Attracting Traffic To Your Site</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">In many
areas this is difficult to do right off the bat. If you could only make a
business out of cute cat videos (maybe you can? - have a think) then getting
shares and social excitement about your site would be easy. Unfortunately you
might be an expert in finance or accountancy and looking to generate leads in
those areas to sell to advisers or accountants. Since there isn’t much interest
online for cute accountant videos you will have to be a lot more creative.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">I’d say
first that by developing compelling content you will gain a lot of exposure on
the search engines as time goes by. As a new business you will want to make
things move a little more quickly and may look at hiring some search engine optimization
firms. SEO is seen by many who are new to selling online as a bit of a dark
art. Someone in India promises you ten thousand links and before you know it
your site isn’t even listed on Google anymore because the spam was caught. Find
a reputable digital marketing and SEO firm that talks to you about your
customers, outreach to other interested sites with high quality content to
obtain links, viral marketing (if your sector is appropriate) and avoid any
firms that talk about guarantees, magic and number one listings in a week.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">There are a
lot of steps you can take yourself to increase traffic to your site. Offer to
guest post on other sites in your niche - particularly if you are a known
offline expert. An eye doctor might find some medical blogs are delighted to
link to his surgery in exchange for some great, unique content. Becoming
involved in communities is a great step. Forums, discussion boards, groups, and
social networks all allow you the opportunity to communicate with people who
are interested in similar products and services to the ones you are offering.
Establishing yourself (without doing any aggressive promotion early on which
will put people off) in these communities will have huge long term benefits as
readers appreciate your input to their discussions and want to find out more
about you from your site.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">5. Don’t
Get Ripped Off Along The Way</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">The
Internet is a great shield of anonymity behind which many fraudsters lie. Treat
every new contract, every new offer with the same skepticism as you would treat
it from a stranger on the high street.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">Think
carefully before you believe those ‘too good to be true’ stories of easy number
ones on search engines without the need for good content or any effort on your
part. Don’t pick a cheap designer just because you would like to spend less
money only to find your site looks pretty boring and doesn’t work very well on
mobile devices.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">If you’re
going to be getting commission or selling leads for a share of the profit make
sure you compare programs. A low converting program or partner who pays 50%
might be worth way less than a high converting program that only pays 20%
share to you. Make sure you keep a close eye on exactly what business you are
sending and where it’s going - if something doesn’t look right to you, find out
what’s going on. Never be afraid to ask questions of anyone you’re working
with. You would do it in the offline world, and with nothing to hide they will
have no problems putting your mind at ease.<br />
<br />
----- </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">Izzy Woods loves nothing
more than relaxing on her <a href="http://www.sofasandsectionals.com/reclining-furniture">reclining sofa</a>
and scouring online stores for great deals. She works full time as a freelance
writer and reporter, spending all her spare cash online, indulging in her love
for online shops. As a writer she specializes in online marketing and branding
among other related topics. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;"> Reclining Sofa</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-3998065620933993492012-02-12T08:06:00.000-08:002012-02-12T08:06:56.131-08:00Your Laundry (a rock band)Oftentimes I like to use my blogs to introduce new musicians, artists, writers and so forth. with this post I wsh to bring to you a great new rock band from Denmark called "Your Laundry".<br />
- Randall Webb<br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">Your
Laundry is a power rock band from Denmark.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span>They’re
inspired by everything that rocks and makes your feet and move. Bands such as
Eagles of Death Metal, The Black Keys and the Danish blues-rock act The Blue
Van inspire are amongst their inspirations. </div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The band
was formed in 2011 and soon after that they played several huge gigs in
Denmark. Among others was a warm-up show for The Goo Men from Norway and a gig
on the big stage at Denmark’s largest bar for students preceding the famous
Danish rock band The Blue Van.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The fall of
2011 was a hectic period with gigs, song writing and recording of the debut EP.
The EP was recorded in Aarhus Lydstudie situated near the harbour in Aarhus. It
is produced and mixed by Peter Fjorbak. The EP is free and can be downloaded at
</span><span lang="DA"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/yourlaundry"><span lang="EN-GB">www.facebook.com/yourlaundry</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB"> .<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6730260497379511916" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">2012 is
going to be a rocking year and Your Laundry has just made their first
musicvideo for the song “Broken”. The video has been met with very positive reaction
and the it’s ironic twist has also got a lot of compliments. The video has also
been aired on national television in Greenland.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Please show
your support for Your Laundry on Facebook.com/yourlaundry </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Your
Laundry is the sound of dirty underwear and sunny days - Unpretentious as your
laundry!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Turn up the
volume, jump to the rhythm and forget all about fancy moustaches and today’s
duties.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">… Now its
time to do YOUR LAUNDRY! </span></div>
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<br /></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-87496314455279192082012-01-10T13:24:00.000-08:002012-01-10T13:30:38.815-08:00Fear The Deer by Billy W.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Billy W. is a 15 year old writer whose primary interest is sports. He writes in a comfortable conversational style. Periodically he will add his view on the topic at hand, which adds an extra dimension to the reader's enjoyment of his writing. This is the second time Billy has been featured on the Guest Writer Blog. <br />
<br />
You can see more from Billy at his blog named Sports and Stuff <a href="http://sportspinandstuff-billyw.blogspot.com/">http://sportspinandstuff-billyw.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fear The Deer by Billy W.</b></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUrgrzKuwMuN9wddiP_YO_7tgUN512Ug78lvhZkmFn95FBgmmhxKr9NWK17cxuxlDCP7FhyVEI0ItPuEWxei37Y6GLkACFnPQ-IGyHRrIYZ6_jCJnK8edrYXVpociyTrJCOXiETpgbQE/s1600/deer+antlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUrgrzKuwMuN9wddiP_YO_7tgUN512Ug78lvhZkmFn95FBgmmhxKr9NWK17cxuxlDCP7FhyVEI0ItPuEWxei37Y6GLkACFnPQ-IGyHRrIYZ6_jCJnK8edrYXVpociyTrJCOXiETpgbQE/s320/deer+antlers.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
Major League Baseball fears the deer. Yes, the largest professional
league baseball league in the world is afraid of a deer. What a sissy
of a league! Isn't this a sorry excuse of an American baseball league?
No! MLB has reason to be afraid of the deer, because if their antlers
are harvested at the right age, they can be turned into a product called
deer spray. This product does not show up in the steroid or anti-doping
tests employed by the MLB, which happen to be urine tests, because it is a natural supplement, but the spray shows up only in blood tests, which are not allowed.<br />
<br />
This spray supposedly has qualities similar to anabolic steroids
and, because it contains a chemical called IGF-1, it mediates the
level of human growth hormone (HGH). This supplement has been on the
World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnddg5PRPBxBtqzHuSvGY147nKXunvlx41n4cl46pAEKbmEgvIABDdsuLoE4oOOmbR-ahG5-5KWu-ASXQfHSEzRAykLF8xEmp3R2q12MhfQOsAGYIEmDKm8TjA0eCPOPngSzf-BVG794/s1600/ray+lewis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnddg5PRPBxBtqzHuSvGY147nKXunvlx41n4cl46pAEKbmEgvIABDdsuLoE4oOOmbR-ahG5-5KWu-ASXQfHSEzRAykLF8xEmp3R2q12MhfQOsAGYIEmDKm8TjA0eCPOPngSzf-BVG794/s320/ray+lewis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
for international competition for
a while now for its muscle building effects, and was supposedly used by Baltimore Ravens linebacker and future NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I know the league has good intentions at heart, but Major League
Baseball may have just created its own pseudo-steroids problem, because
they just went out and blatantly said that there is a highly
effective performance enhancer out there, and unless it is contaminated,
there is no proof any players have ever used it. Wow! I think that's no
better than telling a thief that a bank is closed, but the door to the
vault is unlocked and the security system is no longer working! What
idiocy! Then it gets worse.....the reason they banned the spray is not
because of its performance enhancing abilities, but because it could be
show an actually banned substance. I wouldn't be surprised if I
see homerun totals and power statistic in general go up. </div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
IGF1 is an example of one of the deer antler products attainable on the internet.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thank you Billy for this guest post!</b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
photos from: <span class="P11">http://www.shoarns.com/Red%20Deer.html</span> and http://www.katchop.com/Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-20301093943054212382011-12-24T21:57:00.000-08:002011-12-24T21:57:52.566-08:00Langawki Geopark - The Jewel of Kedah by Sara LemosSara Lemos is an avid traveler whose primary region of travel is South East Asia. She has been there three times. Currently she is in Thailand and recently was in Langawki, Malaysia. Sara is from the UK, but does not spend much time in her homeland as she is on the road most of the time. she started her blog "The Ninja Travels in order to archive her travels and keep a log of her experiences. You can see The Ninja Travels at <a href="http://www.theninjatravels.com/">http://www.theninjatravels.com/</a><br />
<br />
The article featured in this post is one she wrote for the Langawki Gazette and is about the Langawki Geopark. If you're not sure what Geopark is please read the following blog post. It's really quite interesting.<br />
<br />
- Randall Webb <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Langawki Geopark the Jewel of Kedah by Sara Lemos</b></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3a-D_JKKAw/Tva4E1Ge08I/AAAAAAAABMk/8HYn9qA7DlU/s1600/Langkawi+Geopark+1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3a-D_JKKAw/Tva4E1Ge08I/AAAAAAAABMk/8HYn9qA7DlU/s400/Langkawi+Geopark+1.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
In 2007 UNESCO declared Langkawi and its surrounds, one of 64 globally recognised Geoparks. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
What is a Geopark I hear you say?<br />
Well you could stab a guess and break down the word to something like
geological park. But as per UNESCO’s definition it is so much more.
They define it as<br />
<br />
<span style="color: navy;"><b>‘A territory encompassing one
or more sites of scientific importance, not only for geological reasons
but also by virtue of its archaeological, ecological or cultural value.’
(</b></span> <span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geopark" target="_blank">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geopark</a> )</span><br />
<br />
Essentially, this means that as well as geological heritage, a
Geopark also comprises recognised conservational efforts, local
community support and ecotourism. Geoparks are nationally protected
areas but, by and large, accessible for visitors to take in their wonder
while still upholding the notion of sustainable development.<br />
<br />
Langkawi’s branding as a Geopark is obvious in its array of
impressive rock formations surrounded by ancient jungle, vast caves with
stalactites and stalagmites, winding mangrove rivers, sea caves and
tunnels, wildlife and waterfalls. As well as these impressive features,
environmentally, eco-tourism is promoted in the community with areas
such as Laman Padi in Cenang. Here you will find a rice garden museum
with an 8.6 acres paddy field, educating visitors on the traditional and
modern ways rice is harvested. The cable car ride up to the top of
Machinchang Mountain, allows visitors the chance to explore the
waterfalls and fauna in the pristine forest below whilst still
preserving its natural beauty.<br />
<br />
The
99 islands in this region, which cover 10,000 hectares, make Langkawi
one of Malaysia’s top destinations to visit for natural beauty,
ecological harmony and geological significance. You will also<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vK0seHCkV_Q/Tva4h9dWkzI/AAAAAAAABMw/LDg11ueOi58/s1600/Pinnacles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vK0seHCkV_Q/Tva4h9dWkzI/AAAAAAAABMw/LDg11ueOi58/s320/Pinnacles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
find here
the most exposed and complete Palaeozoic sedimentary sequence in
Malaysia.<br />
<br />
Over 90 geosites have been found in the region but there are three
distinct areas that form the Langkawi Geopark, each with its own unique
geological makeup. The MaChinchang Mountain Ranges are renowned for
their Cambrian (first geological period of the Paleozoic Era) rock
formations; the Kilim Geopark for its Karst landscape; and the Dayang
Bunting Geopark for its marble formations.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dKsVNnRhB-I/Tva5F-QoebI/AAAAAAAABM8/jPjKdKB8ylE/s1600/MaChinChang.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dKsVNnRhB-I/Tva5F-QoebI/AAAAAAAABM8/jPjKdKB8ylE/s1600/MaChinChang.gif" /></a> <b><span style="color: navy;">The MaChinchang Mountain Ranges</span></b>Geologically,
the sandstone mountain range of MaChinchang, in the north western
corner of Langkawi, and Gunung Raya, a granite mountain at the centre,
are a great testament to its classification as a Geopark. Gunung Raya is
the tallest mountain range on the island standing at 881m. Machinchang
is the oldest rock formation on Langkawi, and stands 800m above sea
level. It was created over half a billion years ago and was the first
part of South East Asia to rise from the seabed during the Cambrian
period. The oldest part of this mountain range is Teluk Datai. This is where the oldest
grains of sand rest, its history displayed in the exposed surface of
sandstone in the upper part and mudstone/shale in the lower part.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OErgaCJK964/Tva5vAeXZ5I/AAAAAAAABNU/vyT8b42GNJw/s1600/kilim+karst.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OErgaCJK964/Tva5vAeXZ5I/AAAAAAAABNU/vyT8b42GNJw/s1600/kilim+karst.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="color: navy;"><b>The Kilim Geoforest Park</b></span>The
Kilim Geoforest Park in the north east corner, a rugged karstic
limestone terrain, offers an array of winding mangrove rivers to
explore. These are surrounded by pinnacles of various shapes, near
vertical karstic hills and caves formed from millions of years of
erosion. Within these caves you will see amazing limestone formations.
Here you can find plenty of marine life in the emerald green waters
below as well as spot birds, including the islands famous eagles, up
high. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bJsD3JasSwo/Tva57LKnQMI/AAAAAAAABNg/eb9sZplkmK0/s1600/dayang+island.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bJsD3JasSwo/Tva57LKnQMI/AAAAAAAABNg/eb9sZplkmK0/s1600/dayang+island.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="color: navy;"><b>Dayang Bunting Geopark</b></span>South
of Langkawi you will find the second largest island of the archipelago,
Pulau Dayang Bunting. Famous for the fresh water lake found nestled
amongst hills of rugged forest, it is also known as Lake of the Pregnant
Maiden. The lake originated as a massive limestone cave which
collapsed. There you will also find the finest Permian marble formations
in the world.
<br />
As well as its geological beauty, Dayang Bunting also contains a deep spirituality. Legend tells of a heavenly maiden, married to an earthly prince, who loses a child shortly after the birth. She is
said to have buried the child in the lake then blessed the waters with
fertility before parting earth for heaven. Nowadays it is populated by
tourists and locals who come to swim and admire the surrounding
landscape. From a certain angle, the shape of the island resembles a
pregnant maiden laying on her back. This magical quality as well as the
area’s overall astounding beauty is what many believe make Langkawi the
number one Geopark in the world.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: navy;">Things to consider when visiting Langkawi Geopark:</span></b>• Don’t leave your rubbish behind, and be considerate if you see any laying around – pick it up and put it in the bin<br />
• Please
do not feed the wildlife. You are not only disrupting their ecological
cycle but, especially the monkeys, they become accustomed to human
contact and may become aggressive if approached with food.<br />
• Be careful when swimming around the coral reefs. Standing on them is damaging and harmful to the ecology of marine wildlife.<br />
Be considerate to Mother Nature; she was here long before you!<br />
<br />
You can see this original article at the Langawki Gazzette @ <a href="http://www.langkawi-gazette.com/langkawi-geopark">http://www.langkawi-gazette.com/langkawi-geopark</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you very much Sara for lending this fantastic article to The Guest Writer BlogRick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-7721231802897386182011-12-11T22:33:00.001-08:002011-12-12T07:55:47.685-08:00Life as a Disabled Person and How I Feel About It by EmilyThis guest post comes to us from a fantastic and intuitive writer named Emily. What I like most about Emily is her blunt honesty. She basically says it as she sees it. What I get from honest people like Emily is that we can learn a lot from them. Emily is paralyzed from the neck down due to having a tumor removed from her brain in 2009. She is only 24 years old.<br />
<br />
With this post Emily shares her views on what it's like to be a disabled person.<br />
<br />
those of you who wish to know more about Emily you can visit her blog called Emily's world at <a href="http://emilylemony1987.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://emilylemony1987.blogspot.com/ </a><br />
<br />
- Randall Webb (aka RIW)<br />
<br />
Life as a Disabled Person and How I Feel About It by Emily<br />
<br />
I feel sorry for myself today, so I thought I would blog about what it
is like in my opinion to be so disabled. Well, to state the obvious it does
really suck! I know I am lucky really because I have three wonderful
caretakers. They are absolutely fantastic and I really appreciate all the
hard work that they do for me. They helped me feel so much better but I
can't stop wishing that I didn't need them. I don't need to name them,
if they read this they know that they are. I'm also lucky because I can
communicate. I have seen people who are fully aware in the head and they
cannot talk. I lived like that before three months when I had my tracheotomy. It is like being in your own personal prison. Even then I
was lucky compared to some people as I could move my lips. I know people
who can't. It must be hell. But even if I do compare myself to those
who cannot communicate, to those who I am far better off than I can't
help but feel sorry for myself.<br />
<br />
I often get this miserable feeling when I am sitting here on the
Internet or watching TV. I think back a few years to when I was very
active and going hiking, cycling and horse riding. Even to when I was
going out to work. I wish it was still the same now. I hate the fact
that my body is almost completely useless. I look down at my body, I
look at my arms and my legs. They look normal apart from being a little
thin. But, they are pretty much useless. I can just about move the thumb
on my right hand and I can slightly move my fingers on that hand and I
can move my wrist a bit. My left hand cannot do anything. I do have some
sensation in that hand which my occupational therapist says is a good
thing. It is still very frustrating not being able to feed my self, give
my cat a cuddle or even scratch an itch. My legs are also useless. The
muscles are wasting away. Before all this, I would've loved to have slim
legs, I guess you should be careful what you wish for. I can barely
move my legs at all. I can weight bear on them when I am having decent
physiotherapy and sometimes when I am doing a transfer into the car. I
have not got much sensation in my legs, but I can feel pain in them. My
joints often hurt a lot. I am on a morphine patch to help reduce the
pain. I am also on a lot of oral pain killers, medication to stop my
spasms, antidepressants and tablets to help me sleep.<br />
<br />
I guess I should talk about my physiotherapy. This is the thing that is
affecting me a lot and the moment. A few months ago my physiotherapy was
great. I was getting five sessions of it a week with two very
experienced physiotherapist's the sessions ran for an hour. During these
sessions the physiotherapists would stand me up. They had to support me
a lot whilst doing this. We built up the time of standing up to 20
minutes. It was painful but it was strengthening my legs and I was
beginning to be able to move them more. Unfortunately my therapy got cut
down to 3 sessions a week. I complained to the body of people that did
it. They then moved my therapy from the clinic that I was being treated
at to an NHS one. My new NHS physiotherapist hardly does anything with
me. She just wiggles me a little bit. My legs have wasted away a lot
since my therapy cutbacks. My motivation has also dropped. My new
physiotherapist has told me that I will never walk again. And I might as
well stop dreaming that I will. Other therapists that I have had have
said that I do have potential but obviously with being treated by this
woman I have no hope at all. I am fighting to get my therapy reinstated
to what I was getting. I am 24 years old I deserve a chance of recovery.<br />
<br />
I am also struggling with depression. My counselor and Doctor say it is
not surprising that I am depressed. I hate tthat I can't do anything
any more.. I am jealous of my friends when they go clubbing and things
like that of a night because I can't go. It feels like my life is over. I
do get invited out every now and again and sometimes I do go. I am
paranoid about being looked at. I have noticed that people do stare at
me. Haven't they ever seen a wheelchair before? Another reason that I do
not go out much is because of myy pain levels. With the counseling
that I have been receiving I have been braver lately about going out. I
went to the zoo and the other day and I really enjoyed myself. My
friend's baby daughter is getting christened next month and I am going
to go to that. I am really looking forward to it. I do want to go out
with my friends when they go out. But sometimes I can't because places
are all accessible. I suppose I am a bit like a Dalek I can't do stairs.
I don't want to waste my life sitting in my house. My physiotherapist
has told me I just need to accept the fact that I am not going to get
any better and this is as good as it is going to get. I cannot live my
life like this. Without trying to sound dramatic I think I would rather
be dead. I know that is a selfish thought. After all these things that
people have done to help me and I am thinking bad thoughts like that.
The annoying thing is there are people who could make my life more
bearable. They could give me the therapy that I need. They could give me
the equipment I need. (I would like a standing frame and a car hoist)
but they will not do it and that is because of money in my opinion. I
think they need to put themselves in my shoes. Just for one day they
need to live the way I have to live and then maybe I will get what I
need. I don't think they realize that I am normal as such in the head.
They think I'm some kind of vegetable just because I am in a wheelchair.
Do they not realize that I have feelings and thoughts that I am
actually an intelligence person? I did not ask to be put in this
situation. I often ask myself what I did to deserve this. Yes I know
this is another selfish thing to think but I cannot help it. Wouldn't
you think the same if you have to live like me?<br />
<br />
I am grateful for what I do have. I have fantastic friends and carers
and a good family. I have a lovely bungalow and a gorgeous little cat. I
have a car. I get some therapy. I suppose I should be grateful for what
I do have. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Sorry about this
blog being all moany this is just me on a bad day. Yet again I apologize for bad grammar and writing style hope this isn't too boring.
Much love XX<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">love makes the world go round </span></div>
<br />Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-25037365628247518992011-12-03T21:58:00.001-08:002011-12-03T22:24:38.755-08:00Geothermal Power: A Dark Horse in Renewable Energy written by David Fessler<div class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px;">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geothermal_energy_methods.png" target="_blank"></a> </div>
<i>Note from RIW (founder of The Guest Writer Blog). I am very interested in renewable and green sources of energy. I feel this is our future. Future for job growth and future for saving our environment as well as saving money. I am always researching this topic. The article on Geothermal Energy came to me from two sources. The first source is a blog that educates people on "green energy" sources and is called "The Green Energy Blog" you can find them at <a href="http://thegreenenergyblog.com/">http://thegreenenergyblog.com/</a>. They have several great articles which are very educational and informative. The second is an online newsletter website called Investment U they have some great article on investment suggestions, you can find them at <a href="http://www.investmentu.com/">http://www.investmentu.com/</a>. I hope you enjoy the following article. I found it quite interesting.</i><br />
<i>- RIW </i><br />
<br />
<br />
When you mention the words “renewable energy,” most people immediately
think of wind and solar. Over the last decade, renewables in the United
States (excluding hydropower) have more than tripled.<br />
<br />
In 2009, renewables reached 53 gigawatts of installed capacity. Renewables have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 14 percent since 2000.<br />
<br />
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<br />
It’s no big secret that wind and solar are the fastest-growing renewable sectors. In 2009 alone, wind installations here grew by 39 percent and solar PW grew by nearly 52 percent.<br />
<br />
Even with these heady <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">growth</span> <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD7">figures</span>, renewables represent a very small percentage of our overall installed electrical generation capacity: about 4.7 percent as of the end of 2009.<br />
<br />
The renewable that’s garnered the least amount of attention in America’s three-year push to renewables is geothermal energy. In stark contrast to the growth figures for solar and wind, <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">geothermal</span> has grown a mere 1.2 percent annually from 2000 to 2009.<br />
<br />
In spite of those dismal growth figures, the United States <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">leads</span> the world in geothermal installed capacity at about 15.2 GW as of the end of 2009. Most of that is installed in California.<br />
<br />
<b>Advantage Over Wind, Solar</b><br />
Geothermal energy has one advantage over wind and solar. It doesn’t
care whether the wind is blowing, or if it’s a sunny day. The energy
available from geothermal is available 24 hours a day, every day of the
year.<br />
<br />
That makes it available as a baseload source of renewable energy, something most other renewables aren’t capable of.<br />
<br />
So why isn’t the United States deploying more of this eco-friendly
renewable resource? It’s certainly not because we don’t have the
potential resources. Take a look at the map below from the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvPxkaYBuqcBgqNVZ6bUtXz2wNQD-aoY4lbraCZzExX5RDp6kvtnscE1EK-4RrQH3UUvrITEiTmd_DqefzclF5Hn136bXeqofvuo8-3jpUyKcyZPspstCpRfqj_PQazk4vy0zgtCE2jY/s1600/geothermal-power-generation+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvPxkaYBuqcBgqNVZ6bUtXz2wNQD-aoY4lbraCZzExX5RDp6kvtnscE1EK-4RrQH3UUvrITEiTmd_DqefzclF5Hn136bXeqofvuo8-3jpUyKcyZPspstCpRfqj_PQazk4vy0zgtCE2jY/s320/geothermal-power-generation+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
As you can see, it depicts all of the available geothermal “hot
spots” in the country. The greatest growth potential for geothermal is
located in the western part of the country, with Nevada having the most
identified hydrothermal sites with temperatures greater than 90 degrees
Celsius.<br />
<br />
As you can see from the map below, most of the present geothermal electrical generation
is located in California, with over 2.5 GW of geothermal electrical
generation. This satisfies about five percent of California’s total
energy demand.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
However, it’s interesting to note that Nevada has more projects in
the planning stages, and it certainly has the potential sites to supply
them.<br />
<br />
<b>How Geothermal Power Works</b><br />
Geothermal power production is a relatively simple process. At least
two wells are drilled into a known geothermal site. The down-hole water
or steam temperature is evaluated to determine what type of system will
be constructed, but most of them ultimately involve the use of steam
turbines connected to electrical generators.<br />
<br />
The water, which can be as hot as 700 degrees Fahrenheit, is brought
to the surface, flashed into steam, and used to spin a turbine connected
to an electrical generator. It’s then re-condensed and re-injected into
the earth through a second well.<br />
<br />
<b>The Hold Up</b><br />
While geothermal power plants are relatively inexpensive to build
compared to coal, natural gas, or nuclear plants, they have to be
located where the resources are. These are, particularly in the case of
Nevada, often in the middle of nowhere.<br />
<br />
Lack of nearby transmission lines, especially in sparsely populated western states, has hampered the growth of geothermal.<br />
<br />
While the plants are relatively inexpensive, development and
construction can take anywhere from four to eight years. This is far
longer than solar and wind, and it means potential investors have to
wait much longer to recoup their capital investment.<br />
<br />
There’s risk involved, as well. Even after extensive testing, not all
geothermal resources produce as much energy as originally anticipated.
This has led more recent projects to be developed incrementally in order
to mitigate this risk and the costs associated with it.<br />
<br />
<b>Taking a Back Seat</b><br />
<b>Ormat Technologies, Inc.</b> (NYSE: ORA)
is the developer and operator of the most geothermal resources in the
United States. Ormat is vertically integrated, designing the plants and
equipment, and developing and operating the final site.<br />
<br />
Due to a lack of investment in geothermal, the company has had a
somewhat lack-luster year, with its stock down over 35 percent in the
last 12 months.<br />
<br />
Last quarter, it announced that revenue was up by about 9.2 percent
over the same quarter a year ago, but earnings came in at $0.02 per
share, well below analysts’ estimates of $0.14 per share. Not exactly
outstanding results.<br />
<br />
In spite of the zero-carbon footprint of geothermal, there’s a glut of natural gas in this country.
There’s also a much bigger focus on wind and solar. At least for now,
geothermal seems to be relegated to the back of the renewables bus.<br />
<br />
Perhaps this will change at some point in the future, but for the
present, investors would be prudent to invest their dollars elsewhere in
the energy sector.<br />
<br />
Good investing,<br />
David Fessler<br />
<br />
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<br />Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-60603474801610246462011-11-14T08:01:00.001-08:002011-12-02T08:11:37.143-08:00Shadow by Riw Wtb This post is borrowed from The "Word Thoughts" <a href="http://thewordthoughtsblog.blogspot.com/">Blog http://thewordthoughtsblog.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shadow by Riw Wtb</b></span><br />
<br />
Shadow is one of those words which evokes thoughts and feelings of
mystery. The word covers a varied array of meanings and descriptions.<br />
<br />
Let's
being with the automobile named Shadow made by Dodge. It was in
production from 1987 to 1994. There were two door and four door models
and while it appeared to have a trunk it actually had a hatchback. It
was an economical car which got fairly good gas mileage. <br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Dodge Shadow</div>
<br />
To shadow a person is to follow and watch as to learn from them. In this meaning dictionary.com gives the following definition: <span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; cursor: default;">"to</span> follow (a person) secretly<span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: blue;">,</span> in order to keep watch over his/her movements<span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">".
I remember when I started a new job in the early 80's I was teamed with
a seasoned employee to shadow in order to learn the job. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">My favorite use of the word is the most obvious one of which dictionary.com gives several definitions.</span></span></div>
<div class="dndata" style="color: black; text-align: center;">
<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">dark</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">figure</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> </span>image<span id="hotword"> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">cast</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">on</span> </span>the<span id="hotword"> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">ground</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">some</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">surface</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">by</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">body</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">intercepting</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">light.</span> </span></div>
<div class="luna-Ent" style="color: black; text-align: center;">
<span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"> </span></span><br />
<div class="dndata">
<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">shade</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">comparative</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">darkness,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">as</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">in</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">an</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">area.</span> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="luna-Ent" style="color: black; text-align: center;">
<span class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"> </span></span><br />
<div class="dndata">
<span class="secondary-bf"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">shadows,</span> </span></span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">darkness,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">especially</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">that</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">coming</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">after</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">sunset. </span></span><br />
<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">A reflected image.</span> </span></div>
</div>
<br />
A
shadow is such a mysterious image, which is either still or can move
about - just depending on the subject from which the shadow is coming. I
am always intrigued by shadows as I move about my day. I enjoy looking
at the unusual shapes made by shadows. A shadow, just like words or any
sort of image, can be seen and interpreted in different ways. Sometimes a
shadow can look dark and gloomy other times it can have an effect of
joyful movement. I've seen talented performers do shadow tricks with
their hands which really capture that sense of youthful amusement. A
shadow can be a creative and artistic statement.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GWERQUz4G4iliOuW1nWUPpdnROFhITm3kBabESgO1yQ0EcW13-DTnFMFD96sMl7qq67TRHCcEi45oka0Z_Z1X0qH0uku8E_G6N4QXEY3TgQhSnnhvgtu_Qx73PEg79P9jbe6dsa_rzM/s1600/shadow+Hand-Shadow-Arts-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GWERQUz4G4iliOuW1nWUPpdnROFhITm3kBabESgO1yQ0EcW13-DTnFMFD96sMl7qq67TRHCcEi45oka0Z_Z1X0qH0uku8E_G6N4QXEY3TgQhSnnhvgtu_Qx73PEg79P9jbe6dsa_rzM/s320/shadow+Hand-Shadow-Arts-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shadow Puppet</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7S-f_p0s6J820aNjs1llIkTxvXfsda8NnRBVEgi0jqKBucEkKsbYO4QQJkaDLzzgoasvkPN4dy6oQFQjFuecJYScAHgvVc_nO_pVRdrOQD8vr-HUuXv5orJJrSVOB9MpBN1YpbrK54c/s1600/shadow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7S-f_p0s6J820aNjs1llIkTxvXfsda8NnRBVEgi0jqKBucEkKsbYO4QQJkaDLzzgoasvkPN4dy6oQFQjFuecJYScAHgvVc_nO_pVRdrOQD8vr-HUuXv5orJJrSVOB9MpBN1YpbrK54c/s320/shadow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shadow</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDLmL8mfm13tMlpCp9XvpRntsE8-Xe_xy7s8o2h-s7jxL6QMwUAnZj_WnTiX7H5hDvfBoxlLdNtVVX4qCT60iMhL6bgfbP9xG9kVB5WVSN31qD3J9-GH29o9wUq-SU67A7sKfDuG4qjY/s1600/shadow2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDLmL8mfm13tMlpCp9XvpRntsE8-Xe_xy7s8o2h-s7jxL6QMwUAnZj_WnTiX7H5hDvfBoxlLdNtVVX4qCT60iMhL6bgfbP9xG9kVB5WVSN31qD3J9-GH29o9wUq-SU67A7sKfDuG4qjY/s320/shadow2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Shadow</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwNDxJPQIgUa8qdkpOsAvgejkjVgSS8Be4UYO7YsXepF-zwjA_VAUHS5GtkR6x1iK9WI3cSOi3EGqJraYc6MiF0vrFVrdWFsYIAOUMkwPQ9qhWZTa53cUIK3vLdMtefNFuzDdvse32Ik/s1600/shadowboxing2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwNDxJPQIgUa8qdkpOsAvgejkjVgSS8Be4UYO7YsXepF-zwjA_VAUHS5GtkR6x1iK9WI3cSOi3EGqJraYc6MiF0vrFVrdWFsYIAOUMkwPQ9qhWZTa53cUIK3vLdMtefNFuzDdvse32Ik/s320/shadowboxing2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Shadow boxing</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Dark Shadows was a popular gothic soap opera which aired from 1966 to 1971</div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/XF_xNp9thF0/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XF_xNp9thF0&fs=1&source=uds" />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beat-Noir-Fingerprintz/dp/B0018G6NHY?ie=UTF8&tag=populasongsmu-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fingerprintz - Shadowed (1981)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=populasongsmu-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0018G6NHY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/dfF4t9-wpCM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-On-The-Sun/dp/B00137O5FK?ie=UTF8&tag=populasongsmu-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Audioslave - Shadows on the Sun (2002)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=populasongsmu-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00137O5FK" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moonshadow/dp/B000W04NM4?ie=UTF8&tag=populasongsmu-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Cat Stevens - Moon Shadow (1971)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=populasongsmu-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000W04NM4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>SHADOW</b></span></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-5057923265511616162011-11-04T21:35:00.000-07:002011-11-05T21:42:21.973-07:00Tips To Care For Leather Shoes and Sneakers written by Lords Screw The following article was written by Lords Screw. You can find his blog at: <a href="http://www.shoesnsneakers.com/">http://www.shoesnsneakers.com/</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> Tips To Care For Leather Shoes and Sneakers</b></span></div>
<br />
In today's busy world of hustle and bustle it's important to take the time to proprely<br />
take care of our belongings. Leather <a href="http://www.shoesnsneakers.com/">shoes and sneakers</a> require a little extra care and<br />
maintenance.<br />
<br />
We have a few simple and easy tips to care for leather shoes and sneakers.<br />
Leather is sensitive to water or excessive sunlight. <br />
<br />
Tips for maintenance:<br />
The following are some general tips to follow and keep your shoes in good condition<br />
and extend their life:<br />
<br />
The best care for shoes begins at the time you buy them. You should buy shoes<br />
or sneakers that are a perfect fit, otherwise, it may easily tear or deform and<br />
then cause discomfort to your feet.<br />
<br />
Never wash leather shoes with water as contact with water will deform the leather<br />
and deteriorate it to wear off soon.<br />
<br />
To clean leather shoes, you can use a hard brush to clean the dirt that gets stuck<br />
to the surface of the shoes. Brush-clean the shoes regularly as this will keep<br />
the shoes ventilated.<br />
<br />
If in case the shoes are damp or wet, then to dry them it is suggested that<br />
you lean them against a wall in an upside down position as this will dry them<br />
properly as the foam material in the shoes is difficult to dry hence placing<br />
them upside down helps in restricting the water from entering into the foam.<br />
<br />
Do not place your shoes in sunlight or dry them with the help of blow dryer.<br />
This excessive heat will cause easy wear and tear of the shoes. To naturally<br />
allow the shoes to dry, stuffing it with newspapers is suggested.<br />
<br />
To take proper care of the leather shoes and sneakers, it is also suggested<br />
that you should have more than one pair of the shoes, so that you may<br />
alternate your shoes to let them dry naturally to avoid damage to life.<br />
<br />
To polish the shoes, select a suitable color and suitable form from the<br />
available forms such as liquid, cream and paste. Creams and pastes are suggested<br />
over a liquid polish. The liquid polish may cause cracks in the shoes over a period<br />
of time.<br />
<br />
Before polishing, remove the dust properly with the a hard brush or slightly damp<br />
cloth. In the case of small segments or tight areas to polish, you can use an old toothbrush<br />
to make sure polish reaches every tiny area of the shoes.<br />
<br />
Special sneaker shampoos and brush applicators are available at most shoe retailers. Washing<br />
them in a washing machine should be avoided and simple hand wash will be more beneficial<br />
to keep the fit and life of the sneaker in tip top condition.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgite-6SEWW4J0XtFh8bpsYHF0B1xG9zFincPg-OgpvoPcvkbnB2LV0H9OKUfKJRTmrpgsnr91ZqWwYdrI6iJuoLRvaD3_BVhe9m1m7W2KRxlcqcqDpV3BHpuFGj2x1tbxQfi_3UvDP884/s1600/leather-shoes-for-men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgite-6SEWW4J0XtFh8bpsYHF0B1xG9zFincPg-OgpvoPcvkbnB2LV0H9OKUfKJRTmrpgsnr91ZqWwYdrI6iJuoLRvaD3_BVhe9m1m7W2KRxlcqcqDpV3BHpuFGj2x1tbxQfi_3UvDP884/s320/leather-shoes-for-men.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-21164408747370184522011-10-27T20:45:00.000-07:002011-11-11T21:57:55.159-08:00"Go Fish" written by Alex<h1 class="title entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The following post is from my friend and blogger favorite Alex (aka ima girl and Alex Waits). She is a talented teenager with much to offer to the world of art and blogging.</span></span></h1>
<h1 class="title entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">You can visit her trendsetting blog at: <a href="http://art-poems-stories.blogspot.com/">http://art-poems-stories.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></h1>
<h1 class="title entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
Go Fish<br />
</h1>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Tish the fish and the other dwellers of the deepest, darkest depths of the seas are calm. The search for food is always a priority, to eat or be eaten is a fact of life down below. Look out for cave dwellers because only the eyes appear to gaze serenely in repose. In accordance with the law of nature, the beast hides within.</div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-53918593221794959872011-10-20T21:22:00.000-07:002011-11-04T21:36:45.396-07:00Wardrobe Makeover for the Halloween written by Lords Screw This entry was contributed by Lords Screw who has a halloween blog called "Halloween", which is chock full of tons of information about the history of halloween, costume ideas, stories, recipes and more. You can see the blog at: <a href="http://www.halloweeney.com/">http://www.halloweeney.com/</a><br />
<br />
If you have a blog or website you would like to share with us here at The Guest Writer Blog please put together a short blog entry such as this one by Lords Screw and send it to me at usstatesblog@gmail.com <br />
<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wardrobe Makeover for the Halloween written by Lords Screw</b></span><br />
<br />
Are you all set to celebrate this Halloween with all the creepy and eerie ideas for this season? If not, then you have to buck up and get going soon as it’s high time to line up the things for the festive night. What about the <a href="http://www.halloweeney.com/halloween-costumes.html">Halloween costumes</a> and what about giving a thought over your wardrobe makeover for Halloween.<br />
<br />
Steal the show while you carry your best suitable wardrobe collections for Halloween and surprise the people. Get your closet ready for the stuff that goes along with the Halloween theme. Refresh your look and be prepared to disguise yourselves to make the viewers scream while they watch you in a ghostly appearance.<br />
<br />
Do you think you need to do a lot? Of course not, you may just think of a black hoodie to do the job. Now does it sound simple? Well, it is and you can visit any nearby store of your choice to check out any suiting and killing hoodie.<br />
<br />
Why did I say black hoodie? It blends with a Halloween makeover and a ghostly look.<br />
Moreover, the hoodie will also help you to hide your face to make your victim burst into screams as he/she comes close to you.<br />
<br />
A white ghost mask will be a perfect match for the disguise as a ghost and will also add the effect when combined with a black pullover. Now, while checking out the hoodie, you may look for various features such as a scary or killer logo on it or you may even wish to go with a plain black hoodie while resting every responsibility of a disgusting look, over the mask you will wear on that festive night.<br />
<br />
Another thing to remember while going for your Halloween makeover is the season. Halloween is in the autumn, so select hoodies that will be cozy and keep you warm.<br />
<br />
While terrifying the victims, you may also be stylish and select the hoodie from a wide range of styles, colors and matyerials. A cotton and polyester blend will be soft to touch and just a bit thicker to keep you warm. A hoodie for a ghost face can be with a pullover with a kangaroo pocket to give a loose and comfortable look.<br />
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You can also go for a ribbed sweatshirt that has a front zip and a fur lined hood. This will give you a stylish look at the same time it will attract the attention of your victims of the night. You need to get a couple of black sweat bottoms as well to go along with your ghost hoodie costume.<br />
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In case, you land up in confusion, then you can pull any black top that makes you feel comfortable. Don't forget the accessories, such as spooky key chains to hang out of the jeans or bottoms. You can also accessorize with combo spider chains for that ghost face appearance.<br />
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Visit <a href="http://www.halloweeney.com/">Halloween</a> for more information about Halloween Party, Halloween Costumes,<br />
Halloween History, Halloween Stories and Halloween Recipes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUa42WaIGqCxKP0gJaBMxvdkirQTB51cBJmvIi8KqMcrxzN680h-Z7n08watmpFWnHEO0thLtPQX_fR2HyaoVdRZCXVSPdNEMq7RzlMFaREodi0-rC-DaouUne4HNEb_KN0vWYTpoLlfc/s1600/hoodie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUa42WaIGqCxKP0gJaBMxvdkirQTB51cBJmvIi8KqMcrxzN680h-Z7n08watmpFWnHEO0thLtPQX_fR2HyaoVdRZCXVSPdNEMq7RzlMFaREodi0-rC-DaouUne4HNEb_KN0vWYTpoLlfc/s320/hoodie1.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3ZSOZDCqyn2nWDO8J7AcqziF5ryokP5Do1n33rLn399kDS0eh1q_GE_gSo3iZ12i6FeafSGuRgQqbxSwUEloTu9SAHBeH2UzXp5m-7nSUKFJwNpawfUcBxY9-lCsV75NgMz5i7twx90/s1600/hoodie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3ZSOZDCqyn2nWDO8J7AcqziF5ryokP5Do1n33rLn399kDS0eh1q_GE_gSo3iZ12i6FeafSGuRgQqbxSwUEloTu9SAHBeH2UzXp5m-7nSUKFJwNpawfUcBxY9-lCsV75NgMz5i7twx90/s320/hoodie2.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-48411738849298880982011-10-12T08:21:00.000-07:002011-10-12T20:36:35.991-07:00I Am A Minority Part 2 written by anonymous<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Introduction by Riw (the founder of The Guest Writer Blog). Part two of this article has materialized due to several questions the google community had in one of it's forums called The Coffee Shop. I contacted "anonymous" and he agreed to do a follow-up to his original article. This follow-up explains his story in more detail. At first "anonymous" did not want to do this article as he claims not to be a good writer and has troubles putting things down on paper. I assured him I would help him put this together (as I did with his first article). I myself am not a great writer but I'm pretty good at putting words together in a fashion that makes them easy and interesting to read. "Anonymous" sent me a jumble of thoughts, family history and timelines and I assembled them into this article.</span></div><br><br><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Without further ado I present "I Am A Minority Part 2" written by anonymous</span></div><br><br><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I was a young child I knew I was different, I just never knew how or why. I remember hearing my mom telling my dad that she wasn't ready to talk about it. I knew they were talking about me, I just didn't know what "it" was. I really didn't recognize the fact that I had a different skin color from the rest of my family. I was only seven years old and the topic never did come up in my family. My mom pretty much controlled the family, I guess she was never ready to tell me that I was different. It wasn't until I was nine years old when a friend had asked me if I was adopted. I told him no and asked why he wanted to know. That's when he said that it was because I am white and the rest of my family is black. I was baffled at this. All I could think is, "how can this be?“ I just did not believe it. How could I have not notice this? When I got home I was very quiet that night. My mom asked me if I was feeling okay. She thought I was getting sick. I never did ask her about it. I just didn't feel comfortable bringing up the subject. My mom has never been big on expression. She's a career woman and it seems that her work always took her time and emotions. She's probably only said she loves me about 3 or 4 times in my life. I'm 33 now that's an average of once every ten years. Everytime I've tried to discuss a family issue she would tell me to work it out myself. </span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">My dad wasn't any better. He was pretty much my mom's puppet. Whatever mom said dad did. He never followed through on any of his promises. I can remember when we moved into a new house my brother and I worked all day helping him turn the soil in order to able to landscape the yard. It was hard work. Dad promised us that he would take us out for an ice cream sundae for all our hard work. My brother and I worked extra hard in anticipation of that sundae. My brother and I never got that sundae. It still brings a tear to my eyes when I think back on that. </span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I went through a period when I wasn't sure if I was adopted or not. I was about twelve years old and very disturbed by this. I even wondered whether or not my dad was really my dad. I had a lot going around in my mind and it was mostly due to the kids in school. I went on this confusing trip for several weeks before saying anything. Finally, I opened up to my parents and asked if I was adopted. My mom, who was at her desk nudged and said she was busy. In a very nonchalant way my dad answered, "What do you think. If you think you're adopted than maybe you are." After that my mom told me to go play because she had to meet a deadline.</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I was 16, I finally found out the truth to my confusion. It was during the reception at my older sister's wedding. My aunt had been drinking a few vodka tonics and she seemed to be in a more than talkative mood. She confirmed that I am not adopted. Both parents I've grown up with are my biological parents. She told me that my great great great grandfather on my mother's side was white. He was a plantation owner in Missouri. My great great great grandmother was a black slave on the plantation. He used to force my ggg grandmother to have sex with him. My mom always resented my great great great grandfather for this eventhough she never knew him. I suspect since I came out white like him she transferred some of that resentment on to me. She was never affectionate with me yet my brother and sister were her darlings.</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's taken me many years to come to terms with myself. For the longest time I felt that I deserved the racist and racial jokes that would be uttered in my presence. I felt like I was a dirty black man hiding behind a white man's body. I was a coward playing a masquerade. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the age of 30 I finally couldn't handle this inner confusion and turmoil any longer. I first went to see a hypnotist, and that helped. Shortly after I began seeing a therapist and started opening up about who I am. I did it baby step by baby step. I started by letting my closest friends about my background. This helped me develop a support system and finally currently at the age of 33, I am proud to be me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-38015014861368213452011-10-06T08:23:00.000-07:002011-10-06T08:23:01.957-07:00Speed Talking written by Dan HillmanThis one is just for fun... a little humor for your day<br />
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Written by Dan Hillman to see more of his brand of blogging you can check him out at: http://dansfrivolity.blogspot.com/<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>SPEED TALKING</b></span><br />
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Has anyone noticed how fast people speak english these days? I really feel for people who are learning the language, it's almost like a buzz sometimes.<br />
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I noticed this a few weeks back when a friend visiting from spain was pointing out to me it's raining outside. I told her "It's ok I have an umbrella" and smiled, she just stared at me blankly, now she does speak english as a second language and I wondered why she was looking at me so strange, then I realised what I had actually said was "ITSOKIAVEANUMBRELLA" at about 210 wpm, No wonder she was bewildered. It's not just me though, working in a coffeeshop sprouts of sorts of problems in this area, you wouldn't belive the amount of times I have accidently made a customer a <i>cup of tea</i> because they have said <i>cappuccino</i> too fast, Ironically in this case though it probably is the caffeine.<br />
Nonetheless this has lead me to a project, I've decided to see if people will try and join in on a joke they have no idea about simply by saying "ahhgarahsiow!" very fast then laughing loudly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOo9gBwi5QfXFJuAUfqUrZV950EMOq7Pktvrv9QjRbhUbqgmT5ex4EB2A2fhEB2SoJ-xBtJKss_M0KODmLX2bMRgPOkLvEA1fwneSBOfmseo8bDJdTnVvlN2C_BdLotiK1ydB2R4HNals/s1600/sign-bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOo9gBwi5QfXFJuAUfqUrZV950EMOq7Pktvrv9QjRbhUbqgmT5ex4EB2A2fhEB2SoJ-xBtJKss_M0KODmLX2bMRgPOkLvEA1fwneSBOfmseo8bDJdTnVvlN2C_BdLotiK1ydB2R4HNals/s320/sign-bar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-38054497163714798282011-09-26T21:17:00.000-07:002011-09-28T23:32:20.923-07:00I Am A Minority written by anonymous<div style="text-align: center;">This writer chooses to remain anonymous. Therefore this introduction will be short.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Guest Writer Blog is proud to present:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"I Am A Minority" written by Anonymous</b></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">I do not consider myself to be a minority. But in the sense of the word I am actually a double minority. Because I do not want this article to be about the actual minorities themselves I will remain vague as to which categories I am a minority. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One is in my political beliefs. I am a minority in the county and city that I live in. Even the local newspaper states their political beliefs and this really bothers me because the newspaper has decided to make up my mind for me with the articles they print. Instead of unbiased fact based articles they publish articles that are slanted to their beliefs and have the facts partially incorrect and sometimes completely incorrect. They use rude or condescending names to describe the political party of which I support. This bothers me because I am a person and the editors, authors and publishers of this newspaper are calling me names. They don’t even know me. I’m actually a fairly intelligent person, but in the eyes of my local newspaper I am not. This doesn't bother me, as I don't give my money to this newspaper. I read it occasionally when it ends up in a dentist’s office or other waiting area. I purchase the neighboring county’s paper that publishes articles that are less slanted and more fact based. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the past when visiting friends I would remain quiet if the conversation turned to politics. The majority of my friends had an opposing view to mine. Plus, in my younger years I wasn’t educated enough on politics nor did I follow the news so I would have fumbled through such as conversation. As the years have progressed I’ve tuned into politics more. I do a good amount of research and fact hunting. I avoid the traps such as the propaganda and conspiracy sites. I stay away pretty much from anything that leans to far in any direction. I am not interested in radicalism regardless of which direction it leads. I will admit though on occasion I do read the propaganda and conspiracy theories – this helps me to really take apart and research each aspect of their conspiracies and theories and come to my own educated conclusion – usually my conclusion is opposite what the conspiracies say. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My other minority is my nationality. I am a minority in the area I live. The catch with me is I do not look one bit like the minority I am. I look like a dark haired, blue eyed Caucasian. But, I am not. I have unusual feelings about myself sometimes because of how I hear people talking about my nationality sometimes. It’s not always nice. A lot of people say things right to my face. I work with the public and I encounter quite a few people each day and they say all kinds of things to me. I hear religion, politics, household projects, vacations, family issues, and personal opinions. You name it I hear it. Even acquaintances will say negative things or make racial jokes right in front of me not realizing that they are putting me down. My friends never make such racial jokes, because I do not hang with people who joke about things like that. I don’t think making fun or putting down another persons heritage or lifestyle is funny. I guess I feel this way because I have heard the racial jokes all my life and it would hurt sometimes. When I was younger I didn’t say anything because I was ashamed that I was the minority they were joking about. Because of my looks I was able to hide who I am. People are always surprised, some are shocked when they find out my nationality. I’m not ashamed anymore. I still usually do not comment when somebody tells a racial joke. But, I will at least say something short like, “that really wasn’t funny” or “tasteless don’t you think?”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For many years I have been used to hiding my emotions, my opinions and my ancestry. Sometimes I think I’m unable to change that part of me. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">- Anonymous</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSBwW17_TDeGtk1-qR1DJwUE3edomeEUATH2ncgZ4CHNIxSm87thE5Pk2qVs3tRp4T3HggHM4EFJbY81RrzBZN0Txk2FnP-AIa65OFU0S1WngXMnO-RfEWSKwRanjh5ByAh9jz9xRvHs/s1600/Hide_my_Face_by_grezige.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSBwW17_TDeGtk1-qR1DJwUE3edomeEUATH2ncgZ4CHNIxSm87thE5Pk2qVs3tRp4T3HggHM4EFJbY81RrzBZN0Txk2FnP-AIa65OFU0S1WngXMnO-RfEWSKwRanjh5ByAh9jz9xRvHs/s320/Hide_my_Face_by_grezige.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-70247536553026809672011-09-15T08:03:00.000-07:002011-09-15T08:04:48.994-07:00Accepting Me For Who I Am written by T. LacyT. Lacy is a heartfelt young writer who's writings focus on teen issues. T. Lacy writes from honest feelings and sober-minded. She brings out the reality of life in a very positive and easy to understand way. What T.Lacy writes really makes sense and is inspirational to read. Thank you T. Lacy for sharing your insights.<br />
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If you wish to read more by T. Lacy you can check out her posts on her blog called "Teen Issues" at <a href="http://xxsome1likemexx.blogspot.com/">http://xxsome1likemexx.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Accepting Me For Who I Am written by T. Lacy</span></div><br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">Accepting Me For Who I am </h3><div class="post-header"></div><h1><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">No matter whom you are or what you think of yourself, you were put here for a reason. YOU are Special and there is NO ONE like YOU!</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Learning to cope with who you are as a person maybe one of the hardest things ever to accomplish. Especially when the world around you is constantly judging you and it seems like your being evaluated each time you step out the door. People usually have gotten their first impression of you within the first 30 seconds of meeting you, and you know what they say first impressions DO count!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">So with that being said, where do you start? First, you should stop worrying about what others say about you or think about you(character). You are your own person and that’s what makes you, YOU! Everyone is not always going to like you and someone is always going to have something to say. So why not let it be about who you truly are. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Second, I would learn to start accepting your imperfections. You are original, no one on this planet is like you. No one has your exact eyes, teeth, ears, fingerprints, and most importantly…..YOUR THOUGHTS. Someone may have similar qualities but not even identical twins are exactly the same. If you don’t like your body size, or your hair color, or maybe even your eye color….change it. But make sure you are changing it for you and not for someone else! But know that your features and personality are what make you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Third, I would say learn to focus on the things that you do like about yourself. Maybe you get a lot of compliments on your hair or maybe your eyes. Embrace the things that you do like about yourself. The more you focus on things that you do like about yourself the less time you will have to focus on the things you don’t. Keep reminding yourself of the things that you do like and sometimes it may take some time and digging to find those good qualities. But, all in all everyone has something that they like about themselves. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Last but certainly not least, develop positive thinking patterns. Your mind is a VERY powerful tool, at times maybe too powerful. Keeping a positive mind set can really ease things along. For example saying I like this about me or love how my whatever looks. Learn to shy away from the “I don’t like” and frowning when you look in the mirror. Embrace who you truly are and don’t let anyone tell you anything differently!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/g2gy1Evb1Kg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Song of Inspiration: TLC-Unpretty</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Dly96HNv2BLjcufQsx0sDiOoJz-f3sh8xpEhn0S2OPZ95vWgOOYclBQpgRPFn-BWobK3KG6pbkregmlOEsU6neef1DTESKGx58fjkNeNL7dcjQqBRhpWNvfXxfx1CnqQBPHxboRONbY/s1600/Love_Me_For_Who_I_Am.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Dly96HNv2BLjcufQsx0sDiOoJz-f3sh8xpEhn0S2OPZ95vWgOOYclBQpgRPFn-BWobK3KG6pbkregmlOEsU6neef1DTESKGx58fjkNeNL7dcjQqBRhpWNvfXxfx1CnqQBPHxboRONbY/s320/Love_Me_For_Who_I_Am.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6730260497379511916.post-58124773370203638362011-09-08T08:18:00.000-07:002011-09-08T08:18:41.093-07:00Berlin, Germany written by Vee<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmIrJTZlUZI/TizTZZ8gsmI/AAAAAAAAGBE/qHbl3l4yb8o/s400/Pics+898.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
This next post is written by a blogger named Vee. She has an interesting story. In 2010 she decided to make some major changes in her life so she walked away from her profession and began traveling the word. <br />
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Here's her story as she has posted on her blog:<br />
<i>Only 1200 characters to tell you about myself? That's not enough!! Here's a snippet... In 2010 I decided to change my life. I walked away from my profession, sold everything that didn't fit in a backpack and started traveling the world. I am not on holidays - traveling is the lifestyle I have chosen. I have seen some amazing sights and met some beautiful people. I wish to continue exploring the planet but need to work in order to pay my way. I have just finished a TESOL course and hope to become an English teacher soon. I plan to continue with my travels for as long as I'm able. I'd like to find a base somewhere in Asia and travel from there. I am passionate about traveling! I love to take photos, eat street food, and immerse myself in the local culture. I have learned to live on a shoe-string budget and I love my life. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading about my travels and looking at my photos. </i><br />
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If you wish to read more on Vee's journeys you can do so by visiting her blog Travels at: <a href="http://vee-travels.blogspot.com/">http://vee-travels.blogspot.com/ </a><br />
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Berlin, German by Vee<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">If I had to choose one place that has surprised me the most during my travels I would have to say Berlin. I'm not sure what I was expecting before I arrived but 'ultra clean' and 'super tidy' weren't high on the list but that's the first thing I noticed when I stepped off the train at Berlin Central Station.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite its tumultuous history, Berlin is a beautiful city which is undergoing an incredible restoration project and many buildings, which were flattened by bombs during the war, have been rebuilt to their original specifications and are now standing proud once again. While I was there I learned that during the war a decision was made to remove all the statues and domes from the top of the buildings and hide them underground so they couldn't be destroyed by bombs. It proved to be an excellent idea and as each building is restored/rebuilt they put the statues back on top and then, at a later stage, make the buildings look old, like they've always been standing there. </div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Original old dome on top of a new building</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">There's still a noticeable difference in the West and East sides of town even though the Berlin Wall came down back in '89. The East side isn't as neat and upmarket as the West and people from the East side of town don't seem to walk as tall; as though they're still feeling oppressed. Hopefully as Berlin goes through the motions of healing it will filter through to all the residents, regardless of their address. Parts of The Wall still remain and one section of it has been made into an open-air gallery where artists from all over the world have made a contribution. The East Side Gallery is subjected to frequent damage from the weather as well as vandalism and graffiti. A restoration project commenced a couple of years ago although it has been met with controversy as some of the original artists refused to repaint their self portraits if there was a chance they would be defaced by vandals again. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remnants of the Berlin Wall</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The East Side Gallery </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As you can imagine, there's heaps to do in Berlin. The place is packed with history, memorials, and museums. I rarely go inside museums because I find them a little boring but being a Jewish girl I couldn't go past the Jewish museum and ended up spending the best part of a day there. It is a deeply moving place and many people were in tears long before reaching the exit. Jewish or not, I think it would be difficult for anyone to go through the museum and not be touched by the atrocities that so many millions of Jews had inflicted upon them. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is also worth having a look at. It is quite eerie walking among the slabs of concrete which are of varying heights and have been built on sloping ground. It is said that the uneasiness and confusion that people feel while they walk through the Memorial was one of the objectives of the man who designed it as it depicts, albeit in a very small way, how the Holocaust victims must have felt when they were on their final journey. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xDDKfmisTks/TiyYRPjFPKI/AAAAAAAAFh4/OR_aN4AwWl8/s1600/Pics+852.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xDDKfmisTks/TiyYRPjFPKI/AAAAAAAAFh4/OR_aN4AwWl8/s400/Pics+852.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Monument to the murdered Jews of Europe</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The next two photos are of a sculpture, located inside the War Memorial Building, called "Woman With Dead Child" by artist Käthe Kollwitz. The sculpture is housed in a large empty room and is positioned beneath a hole in the ceiling subjecting the sculpture to the elements. At times it's covered with snow, other times it's wet from rain, or as seen in my photographs it is lit from the bright sunshine above, almost like it's under a spotlight. "Woman with Dead Child" is meant to symbolise the suffering of civilians during World War II and indeed serves as a poignant reminder to us, and future generations, of the perpetual tragedy of the loss of life caused by war. I challenge anyone to stand in front of this sculpture and not be moved by it. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span class="vcard" id="Neue_Wache"><span class="description"> </span></span></div><span class="vcard" id="Neue_Wache"><span class="description"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Another interesting place is the new Parliament building known as the <span class="st">Reichstag. It was built with a large glass dome on the top which the public can get to by way of a spiral platform. From the top you can see a 360</span><span class="st">° view of Berlin and you can also </span><span class="st">see all the way to the bottom where the politicians sit. The idea behind the glass dome is so that parliamentary sessions are always visible to the public, decisions aren't made in secret, and the politicians only need to look up to be reminded that it's the people who are in charge, not the government. <i>Tip:</i> </span>If you decide to visit the Reichstag be aware that the queue to get in can be very long and there is no shelter. The building is open daily from 8:00am until midnight and to avoid endless hours of waiting in line it's a good idea to go first thing in the morning or late at night. Also, you and your bags will be security checked a couple of times before you can enter. The guards take their job very seriously!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looking down the glass dome to the politicians' seats in the Reichstag. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reichstag Building with the glass dome at the back.</span></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">There's much more to Berlin than museums and memorials and it's not hard to find a bit of fun without too much difficulty. For example, if you go grocery shopping and have a couple of beers in your basket, the shopkeeper will offer to open one for you so you can drink it while you wait for your items to be scanned! Berlin is the only place I've ever been to that does that! I was finished my beer before I'd even paid for my groceries and right near the exit there's a counter where you can return your empty bottle and they give you a refund which is almost the same amount as the purchase price! How cool is that!! The idea is to help reduce the litter and broken glass in the streets and it works as, like I mentioned, Berlin is a seriously clean and tidy city. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The night life in Berlin is lots of fun and there's heaps of good bars and restaurants dotted around the place. If you do decide to go to Berlin one day, I recommend spending at least a week there, longer if you can. It's a brilliant place with an excellent transportation system and many wonderful sights to behold. You can hire a bicycle and head out to the canals or ride around the parks. There's also a huge zoo with an aquarium if you're into that type of thing or you can go to the theatre if you're looking for an indoors activity. I had a great time in Berlin! I hope you enjoy my photos and thanks for reading. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brandenburg Gate</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Altes Museum</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love this car!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What's a European city without a canal!</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Rick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286892593002933797noreply@blogger.com4