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Advertisers Join Forces To Fight Online Ad Fraud
As marketers grow increasingly concerned about the integrity of the online advertising inventory they are buying, a trade group and 30 well-known marketers are forming a coalition to address the problem.
The group, which is being led by the Association of National Advertisers, has hired ad fraud-detection firm WhiteOps to study and help stamp out so-called "bot fraud."
Bots are computers hijacked by viruses that are programmed to visit sites and mimic human behavior, creating the illusion of authentic web traffic in order to lure in advertisers. Bot traffic costs advertisers because marketers typically pay for ads whenever they are loaded in response to users visiting Web pages -- regardless of whether the users are actual people.
The ANA said that some marketers estimate that about half the money they spend on digital advertising is wasted because of "bot fraud." With digital ad spending around the globe expected to grow 17% this year to $140 billion, according to eMarketer, the stakes are high.
Ad executives blame the rise of fraudulent traffic on advertisers' increased use of automated software to purchase ads via exchanges, ad networks and other middlemen. Such arrangements, they say, are far less transparent than buying ad space the traditional way by through human salesforces.
The ANA declined to reveal the names of the 30 advertisers participating in the anti-fraud group, but the trade organization's members include blue-chip marketers such as Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and General Motors.
Starting next month, WhiteOps will track campaigns of the 30 companies for one month and report back the level of bot fraud occurring across the digital advertising industry, including display, video, mobile and social ads. The ad fraud-detection firm will also give advertisers lists of the sites and exchanges that have fraudulent traffic.
Other marketers will be able to use the study as a benchmark to compare their own data on ad fraud with the industry as a whole.
Fears are mounting that marketers will pull back on some online ad spending because of rampant fraud. In response, some publishers and ad companies are trying to address the problem themselves.
Google, for example, acquired Spider.io, a London-based company that specializes in identifying and blocking online-traffic fraud in February. Meanwhile, ad-buying giant GroupM said recently that it would stop buying online ads from "open" ad exchanges entirely by the end of the year, because it is concerned about the quality of ad inventory that's available in these marketplaces and their lack of transparency.
Open exchanges are automated marketplaces through which advertisers buy and sell ads from across the web. Private exchanges, on the other hand, allow marketers to link directly to publishers and media companies.
But advertisers "cannot delegate this to be solved by agencies and publishers, they need to be involved," said Bill Duggan, an executive vice present at the ANA. "Advertisers have the most to lose with bot fraud."


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Also, the fabulous Liz Fielding has released a new craft book! Liz Fielding's Little Book of Writing Romance is now available to all aspiring romance writers. Get it here.
Happy writing!
Ooh, I didn't know Liz had that book out! Thanks, Lacey!
Awesome! Will go one click Liz's book. Am excited to read it.
Am also dusting off my NV characters in the hope I am able to pitch them. As I already have a sub in, I'm waiting for confirmation it's ok for me to pitch.
Talli - You're welcome!
Catherine - I'm so glad they gave you the green light! You're going to wow them.
Golly! Just clicked my blog link to Lacey's to visit and saw my cover. Thanks so much.
And bless you Talli and Catherine. :)
You're very welcome, Liz :)
Thanks for stopping by!
I'm part way through Liz's book and loving it (C5 Developing Sexual Tension right now!), lots of great examples to illustrate each point. Good luck Lacey and Catherine with the pitches, will keep my fingers crossed for both of you :-)
Thanks so much, Susie! I need all the luck I can get ;-)
I have Liz's Little Book next on my to read now. Thanks for highlighting Lacey! And all the links and info- you're awesome!
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subset: commoncrawl


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Many health club owners complain after health fairs that they didn't get even one new member. Yet hundreds of potential members passed right by their display. What went wrong?
These six tips help you dodge the pitfalls of health fair marketing:
1. Establish realistic marketing goals. Most people need several exposures to your health club or personal training business before they decide to buy. Don't expect to make lots of sales or get lots of hot leads at health fairs and wellness expos.
Instead, focus on these realistic goals:
- Education—for example, tip sheets, quizzes, and self-assessments
- Lead acquisition—for example, getting new subscribers to your newsletter or inviting people to a free seminar
- Product sampling—for example, a free, quick fitness assessment or health risk assessment
2. Always gather contact information. If you do nothing else at a health fair, get e-mail addresses for everyone who stops by your booth, and get permission to contact them in the future. Have them fill out a short form with their e-mail address that grants you permission to send them your newsletter in exchange for entering them into a drawing. Announce the winner of the drawing in your first follow-up e-mail after the event.
3. Choose strategic giveaways. When you choose freebies and giveaways to offer event attendees, avoid giving away something incredibly extravagant or appealing that is completely unrelated to your business. Sure, you'll get lots of entries if you offer a drawing for free iPhones or a trip around the world, but hardly any of the entrants will be interested in anything you sell. They just want the trip or the iPhone. A better grand prize choice would be a year's worth of personal training, or a six-month free membership.
And when you choose low-value giveaways, avoid trinkets and trash like flimsy water bottles and sticky notes with your logo. Instead, choose something useful that illustrates the value you add. For example, one health club gives away small notepads with a daily healthy living checklist. It prompts an ongoing comparison between the potential customer's actual lifestyle and a healthy lifestyle. A wellness center offers a one-page flyer with a free five-question personal energy audit to jump-start conversations with prospective clients. The reverse side has additional information about their services.
4. Create your follow-up marketing in advance. Many club owners drop the ball on follow-up marketing. Why? They don't plan ahead, and after the event, they just never get around to finding the time.
Avoid this problem by creating a marketing e-mail specifically for health fair attendees before the actual event. For example, a customer success story is an interesting and low-pressure marketing communication. Of course, if you entered names in a drawing, you'll want to announce the winner. As soon as the event ends, just fill in the name of the drawing winner, add your newly acquired e-mail addresses to your list, push the "send" button, and you're done.
5. Break through the clutter. Most health fair exhibitors sit at their tables behind piles of brochures and cheap giveaways. It's visually boring and encourages "stroll and grab" behavior by people who only want the freebies.
Get wildly creative. Grab attention for your booth or table. For example, one personal training studio that offers wedding boot camps attended a bridal expo. They hired a very fit individual to wear a wedding dress while demonstrating exercises at their table. They signed up more than a dozen new boot camp clients on the spot and went home with a long list of additional qualified prospects.
6. Track your results. Monitor the number of prospective clients you add to your e-mail list after each health fair. Periodically, tally how many of those prospects actually turned into customers. Then, add up the time and money your health club invested in health fair marketing and divide your total cost by the number of new clients. Compare the marketing cost per new client to your other marketing activities to decide whether to continue, tweak or call a halt to future health fair marketing.
Use these tips to plan, implement and assess your health fair marketing and make the most of your marketing investment.
Sign up for free weekly business tips just for health and wellness businesses at www.RadialGroup.com. The Radial Group, led by Leslie Nolen, provides marketing and strategy makeovers for health and wellness businesses.


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We generally recommend about 10-15 hours as the most
effective amount of time to devote to test prep. Longer
time periods tend to show diminishing returns, and
remember that test
scores are just one part of your application. Save some
time for other activities, like extracurriculars and
special class projects, so that you have a balanced
In addition to familiarizing you with the tests,
our site is designed to teach you valuable skills
like critical reading, advanced vocabulary, algebra,
and geometry. So if you want to spend some extra time on
the website
improving your academic skills in these areas, that's ok too. The vocabulary builder is particularly valuable for
longer-term study.
<<< back


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in-mn needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 44 designs submitted by 17 freelance designers.
We are a directory site that hosts listings of small & local businesses. We drive consumers to companies profiles (to either have them find an address, hours, location, or website).
Consumers looking for specific companies listed in our directory
The original layered document in a vector format. If you do use fonts, we would need to know what foundry they are from so we can edit this at a later date.
As far as ideas, something other than some stock photo of magnifying glass, etc.
This logo must be able to be used on light/white backgrounds. The key element is emphasizing backup portion of our name. As far as size, it needs to look ok in a 200x85 size, and a 300x130 size.
Full name is "SearchAndAdvertising.com"
Maybe incorporate an address bar, or SearchAndAdvertising.com seen through magnifying glass in yellow pages listing... nothing cartoonish.
The rest is up to the talented designer such as yourself.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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SAN DIEGO, CA — On Saturday afternoon, Tomasz Adamek will battle Travis Walker for the IBF North American heavyweight championship. That bout plus a full undercard will kick off a strong fall lineup coming to Wealth TV.
That event is just the beginning of a strong lineup that Wealth TV will be bringing the fans over the next several months.
On Friday night October 12th, Adonis Stevenson will take on Donovan George in an IBF Super Middleweight elimination bout that will originate from a raucous Bell Centre in Montreal.
The very next day, It will be a battle of Olympic medal winners from Great Briton as undefeated top prospect David Price takes on former world title challenger Audley Harrison.
Adamek and Walker will start off the action this Saturday from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The action begins at 3pm eastern.
Adamek (46-2) is now ranked number-four by the IBF and a win on Saturday will put him back in line for a world championship opportunity.
He has to first get by the hungry Walker (39-7). This is a fight that Walker has been longing for and knows that this is a chance to cement his name as one of the top contenders.
On the intriguing undercard, Former two-time Cruiserweight world champion, Steve ÜSS" Cunningham will make his Heavyweight debut when he takes on battle tested Jason Gavern.
On Friday night October 12th, An important Super Middleweight clash between Adonis Stevenson and Donovan George will take place Live at 7 PM Eastern.
George and Stevenson have had this showdown postponed two times with the last scheduled fight was ticketed for August 17th.
The winner of the bout will be in line to face IBF champion Carl Froch.
Stevenson of Montreal has a record of 18-1 with fifteen knockouts and is thought of as being one of the most explosive punchers in the talent-rich Super Middleweight division.
The twenty-seven year old native of Chicago started his career with a record of 20-0-1 which included a win over future world title challenger of Osumanu Adama (17-1).
The very next day at 3 PM eastern, the British and Commonwealth Heavyweight titles will be on the line when 2008 Bronze Medal winner David Price (13-0) will take on 2004 Gold Medal winner and former world title challenger Audley Harrison (28-5).
This bout has importance due to the fact the Price has been mentioned on a short list to face Wladimir Klitschko in 2013 while Harrison is looking for one more opportunity to live up to the lofty expectations that were set upon him when he took home the Gold in the 2004 Olympics games.
"We are prepared to make Wealth TV, a significant player in the boxing industry ", said Charles Herring, President of Wealth TV.
"Where some networks have shunned away from the Heavyweight division, we believe that there are some great fights to be made and at the end of the day, the Heavyweight championship is the greatest prize in professional sports. With fights featuring Adamek, Tyson Fury and David Price, we are giving the American fans the opportunity to see the stars that will challenge the Klitschko brothers in the next twelve months"
"We at Wealth TV are prepared to bring the best fights from all over the world", said Thomas Morris, Director of Live Events for Wealth TV
"We have secured the rights to broadcast six shows from Canada with Yvon Michel and six events from England with Hennessy Sports. We want to reach out to all the promoters and want to feature top quality fights on Wealth TV as we anticipate thirty to forty fight dates over the next fifteen months.


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Today I'm going to show you how to blind hem with your sewing machine. It's really easy, and really worth it to give your garments a professional finish.
First, to see if your machine can do one, look for a stitch that looks like this:
In my case it's on a fashion disc that I change out of my machine, but most newer machines will have this stitch as well.
I'm going to show you this hem on a pair of pants. Start by pressing your hem, making sure that the raw edge is turned under at least 1/2″. Baste the hem in place with a seam allowance 1/4″ from the top of the hem.
Fold the hem to the right side, so that you can see the 1/4″ seam allowance sticking out.
You're going to line the hem up in your machine so that the straight stitch part of the stitch lands on the seam allowance, and the needle will barely go onto the pants when it zig-zags to the left. Use your fly wheel to make sure you can line your needle up precisely when it goes to the left.
Sew around the hem. If you choose to backstitch make sure you do this on the straight stitch part, not the zig-zag part. Go slowly as you sew around, making sure not to zig-zag too far to the left.
Your stitching will look like this inside.
Remove the basting stitches and press the hem again. This is the final result from the outside.
And a close up – you can barely see the stitches, hence, a blind hem.sign up for my newsletter!


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Greenware Files
by Kemper
Lightweight, two-sided, flexible greenware files, specially designed for cleaning large and small areas. These are the no fatigue tools that shape to the contour of the greenware. Cut cleaning time even on low-fired porcelain bisque. Smooth arm, leg, and doll neck holes with ease. Medium Grit on one side for sanding rough areas. Fine Grit on other side for smoothing.
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After almost 40 years away from working in pottery and ceramics, I have again begun working with greenware. Where I used to use small squares of mesh screening to smooth and sand my pieces, I now have...[more]
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When it comes time to pick a bank, choose wisely. The one you select could give you more than good savings account rates; it could also lead to less stress and an improved outlook on your financial future.
Continue Reading Below
That's according to a new survey from TD Bank that suggests there is a link between having a bank you love and lower financial stress. Six in 10 consumers who say they are happy with their bank also report having low or no financial stress. In addition, more than half of happy bank customers spend a full hour less fretting about their finances each week as compared to those who are less satisfied.
"All banks are not the same when it comes to the service they provide," said Ryan Bailey, executive vice president and head of deposit products at TD Bank, in a written statement. "Research shows those who feel valued by their bank are more likely to be happy with their financial state."
Bank satisfaction on the rise
If better banking leads to less stress, then there should be an increasing number of relaxed customers around the country. According to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, customer satisfaction with banks increased 2.7% last year to 77. The index is scored on a 100-point scale.
While Chase had the highest satisfaction of the big banks with an index score of 74, customers at smaller institutions appear to be the ones really feeling the love. Smaller banks have a satisfaction score of 79, while credit unions boast a score of 82.
What makes bank customers happy
In publishing satisfaction scores, the ACSI notes personalized service and fewer fees may be what boost the scores of small banks and credit unions over those of big banks. The TD Bank survey echoed this idea.
Among those surveyed, most consumers told TD Bank the following factors led to them feel valued by their financial institution.
- Friendly service: 82%
- Knowledgeable advice: 62%
- Reliability as a financial resource: 60%
While friendly service was valued by consumers of all ages, Millennials appeared more likely to look past a curt teller or two. Among those ages 18-34, only 75% felt friendly service is key to their banking satisfaction, compared to 89% of those in the age 55-and-over crowd.
Can your choice of bank really reduce stress?
The TD Bank study links worry-free customers to the banks they love, but that doesn't necessarily mean finding the bank of your dreams will instantly make you stress-free. It may be that those who are already feeling relatively stress-free about their finances are more inclined to be happy with their bank.
Those who are already on solid financial ground -- which may make them eligible for better bank rates and help them avoid fees -- simply may be more likely to be satisfied regardless of where they bank.
Still, it is hard to argue with the benefits of a friendly face smiling at you from behind the counter. For the ultimate satisfaction, consumers might want to combine a bank with good service with their own good money-management skills. Taken together, these factors may create the formula for a worry-free financial future.
The original article can be found at Money-Rates.com:Could a better bank lower your financial stress?


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South High School is trying to capitalize on the success of its Diplomas Now program, which could be in jeopardy if revenue streams aren't found soon.
South High School is trying to capitalize on the success of its Diplomas Now program, which could be in jeopardy if revenue streams aren't found soon.
South promoted 98 percent of freshmen to the 10th grade on time and lowered by 93 percent the number of freshmen who were retained in ninth grade.
Of 44 schools in 12 cities, South quietly earned High School of the Year honors last year because of its efforts.
But there are harsh realities on the horizon for the initiative.
William K. Ragland II, who runs the program at the school, said a federal grant that funds Diplomas Now will run out at the end of the school year.
"It's just wait and see, really," Ragland said.
He's mobilizing a campaign to get federal Title 1 money, grants and corporate partnerships to continue funding the program to the tune of $433,000 a year.
"I'm confident in my kids and I'm confident in the city of Columbus," said Ragland, a 2003 Northland High School graduate and Ohio State University alumnus.
Diplomas Now looks to increase attendance rates, decrease behavior infractions and increase course passage rates for freshmen and sophomores. The partnership involves Talent Development Secondary, a program through Johns Hopkins University, City Year and Communities in Schools.
The program also debuted last year at Linden-McKinley and Mifflin high schools, but their funding is secure through 2015, Ragland said.
Ragland said he meets each week with educators to discuss "early-warning indicators," or signs that students are falling off track. He said he then tailors a specific intervention for each student, such as finding tutoring services, shelter, clothing and food. The school will even place a wake-up call to students in the morning.
"The program is based on making the right intervention at the right time," he said.
Even with the success of Diplomas Now at South, Ragland is not satisfied. He wants to see 100 percent of students promoted to grade 10 and the program extended to juniors and seniors.
He also wants 75 percent passage rate for sophomores on the Ohio Graduation Test. That means a 75-percent passage rate in all five subjects tested: reading, writing, math, science and social studies.
Principal Edmund Baker said it would be a shame to lose Diplomas Now at South High School.
"It's extremely important to continue with this program because it's yielded tremendous results," he said. "I see the value in it. Our students benefit from it daily."
Getting to the kids early is key, he said.
When they fall behind and start to lose credits toward graduation, it "begins to get discouraging," he said.


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A promising goalkeeper that has represented Canada at youth international level, Callum Irving joined Whitecaps FC Residency in the summer of 2010 after being a member of the club's Prospects program.
2011: Irving made eight appearances and recorded a goals-against average of 1.38 during his second PDL season for Whitecaps FC Residency, as they finished third in the Northwest Division of the PDL's Western Conference. 2010: Irving made his PDL debut when he started the 1-1 away draw with Kitsap Pumas on June 27. He made three PDL appearances that season and recorded a goals-against average of 2.00.
2010-11: Irving started two matches during the team's six-match tour of Mexico. This included the 6-1 victory over the U-19/U-20 side from Atotonilco FC on Nov. 12, 2010, and the 2-2 draw versus the U-19/U-20 side of Estudiantes Tecos on Nov. 16, 2010. In the U-19 Super Group at Dallas Cup XXXII, Irving started the 2-0 Bracket C defeat to Real Salt Lake U-17/U-18 Academy on Apr. 20, 2011. 2009-10: As a 16-year-old, Irving appeared on the Residency team's two-week trip to Madrid, Spain, in Nov. 2009. The goalkeeper appeared in one match, as Whitecaps FC defeated the U-18 side of Torrelodones Club de Fútbol 4-3 on Nov. 8. With the 'Caps down 2-1 at halftime, Irving entered the match as a substitute and only surrendered one goal to the Spanish side.
2009-10: In addition to his tenure with the club's U-16 Prospects side, Irving was a member of the Whitecaps FC U-18 Prospects team that won the Men's Division One title in the Fraser Valley Soccer League. 2007-08: Irving was a member of the Whitecaps FC U-16 Prospects squad that competed in the 2008 Las Vegas College Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada. In their first match of the tournament, Irving entered the match as a substitute on 41 minutes and only surrendered one goal, as Vancouver defeated Chicago Kickers 6-1. The keeper also started the second match of the tournament, as the Prospects drew 1-1 with FC Sacramento Rangers.
U-18: The goalkeeper's first call-up to the Canadian national team program was with the country's U-18 squad for a Jan. 2011 camp in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Irving started playing soccer at the age of four. From 1997 to 2007, the keeper was a member of Vancouver's Marpole Soccer Club before spending two seasons with Vancouver Selects (now Vancouver FC). Irving also gained invaluable experience with Total Soccer Systems (TSS) Academy in Richmond, BC. With TSS, he won an Evergreen U-11 tournament title, a Wesburn U-12 tournament title, and was a Pateadores Cup U-12 participant in California. In the summer of 2005, Irving was a member of the TSS U-12 side that travelled to Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. He was also a member of British Columbia U-16 provincial team squad that finished fourth at the 2009 Canadian U-16 All-Star Championship in Richmond, BC.
Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Irving attended David Lloyd George Elementary School and Sir Wilfred Laurier Elementary School before moving to Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School. His parents are Sheila and Robert Irving, and he has three siblings named Ceilidh, Elizabeth, and Geordie.
Outside of soccer, Irving enjoys listening to music, hanging out with friends, and playing golf.


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From being a large-bore and small-bore rifle competitor in my past I wanted to share some great information with the people that have trouble with the shakes while shooting normal or telephoto photography. A position used in competition rifle shooting can be easily taken into the photography field as a method of shooting.
(used with permission from www.smallbore.us explicitedly, some notes removed that were rules specific to weapon ranges)
Construction of the standing or off hand shooting position
1. Removed
(a) Removed
(b) Removed
(c) Removed
2. Taking the position: STANDING/OFFHAND
GENERAL It is said this is the most difficult of all the shooting positions. As a result of a very small floor area and a very high center of gravity, both the body and the rifle are subjected to considerable movement. The standing position requires a highly perfected firing technique, a properly balanced body, perfect rifle positioning, and non-dominant mental control over the neuromuscular systems. The standing athlete must be able to use the non-dominant mind to stabilize the standing position. Above all the standing position must be balanced and serenely quiet with bone-to-bone contact. The position or body has a natural sway in its attempt to become stable. It is never without movement or perfectly quiet. However, it is possible for the athlete to stop body sway from one half to one second by using the QZ~. During this QZ~ period the body stops all movement and is as stable as the prone position. This is accomplished by the non-dominant mental entities direct control over the neuromuscular system. It is very easy to accomplish and as it can be used in every position including prone, there is no reason the competitive athlete cannot be a Champion without peer.
BUILDING THE POSITION (for a right handed shooting athlete) The standing position is established in the following manner. Feet pointing 80 to 90 degrees to the right of a reference line commencing from the target to the firing point. The upper body turning to the left about 1 to 4 degrees and the rifle firing across the athletes chest and pointing approximately 1 to 5 degrees away from the chest. The degrees specified is dependent upon the structure and build of the shooting athlete. Rifle and rifle stock forward of the pistol grip may not rest against the chest. Care must be taken to keep the trigger hand away from the body during the firing sequence.
BODY POSITION The athlete leans the body slightly (1 to 3 degrees) backwards and to the right, in order to balance the weight of the rifle if necessary. Generally speaking the athlete does not have to lean backwards as long as the even distribution of weight on the legs is accomplished with the purpose of ensuring a balanced stance. In many cases a more upright position with just a slight counter balancing is all that is necessary for stabilizing the position. The feet will only be the width of the shooter shoulders. No wider than the shoulders. Bone-to-bone structure is required in the construction of the position and during the firing sequence, the lungs exhaust all air from the lungs until a balance has been achieved. During this phase, the spine is compressed to finalize the body shooting structure.
HIPS As the body is leaning slightly backward, the hip is thrust forward a little, serving as a support for the left elbow. The last statement is always held as a truth, but, in actual practice the hip is never used in support of the left elbow. The left elbow in fact makes contact with the rib cage and rest on not less than three of the ribs. The amount by which the hip is moved forwards and the body is moved backwards will depend on the build of the athlete. An athletic person(wide shoulders, narrow hips) will move further back for example than a person with very slim hips. The hips are always level.
SPINE The spine generally holds the body torso together and forms a support structure for the torso. Within the athletic position the athlete will find increased stability by compressing the spine during the optimum firing time. The spine is compressed by exhausting the lungs to achieve lung balance and of course the spine will again expand upon the inhaling of new air into the lungs. Excessive twist or back bending for achieving balance will cause the shooting athlete trouble in that the athletes indurance will be shortened during the stress and strain of the excessive twist and muscle restriction.
LEFT ARM The left arm is tucked firmly against the left ribs and directly below the rifle. This means the weight of the rifle is supported by the bone structure of the left arm and is not supported by muscular effort. It is very important for a stable stance with the rifle, that the muscles of the left hand and left arm are completely relaxed, and the rifle rest on the thumb ball joint. The left arm forms a pedestal in support of the bone rifle system. The rifle is further stabilized by firmly holding the rifle stock between the pistol grip and butt assembly against the chest and shoulder or hook under the arm.
KNEE The total weight of the left arm and rifle is supported by the left leg. The upper and lower parts of the leg is straight and the knee is in a normal position. This position must not be forced, otherwise the stable bone-to-bone structure from forearm to the foot will be broken and the position will become unstable. The knees will be subject to considerable stress if they are flexed.
FOOT POSITIONING The feet will be in normal position with the feet not wider than the athletes shoulders. A wider foot position will produce stress and is unstable for the athlete. The feet moved closer together will increase body vibrations and make it difficult to correct the overall balance. The athlete moves the weight mass on the balls of the feet in this manner. Sixty-five percent of the body weight is positioned on the ball of the foot and the remaining thirty-five percent on the athletes heel.
ANKLES The ankles are the most vulnerable part of the standing position. For this reason, they must be supported by suitable footwear. Leather uppers of the shoes must support the foot and restrict the amount of movement of the ankle. The weight is distributed evenly on both legs. The ankles are the most overlooked portion of the standing position in that the athlete seldom uses shoes that will support the athletes ankle and the position.
POSITIONING OF THE HEAD It is a well known the body balance is detected by the ears(hammer and anvil transducer). This means that the head must be erect for body balance maintenance. The balance as we know it is not the balance required by a competitive athlete. The competitive balance required by the athlete is controlled by the non-dominant mind and will last ½ to ¾ of a second. The athlete must time the shot to occur in a two second or less one-shot match in each match shooting position during a competition.
NOTE FUNCTION: The athlete does not therefore lower the head onto the rifle but bring the rifle to the athletes head. The saying is bring the rifle to the head, never the head to the rifle. The rifle may have to be canted one to two degrees and this is no problem as long as it is accomplished the same way each shot.. In some cases the rifle cant indicates that the rifle stock is not correctly positioned in the right shoulder pocket or the rifle stock is not correctly adjusted or sized for the body measurements in the standing position. Generally you will not Cant the rifle in the standing position.
RIGHT SHOULDER The standing shooting position, the shoulders must be relaxed and at right angles to the spine including parallel to a line between the target to firing point. The spine must be compressed in order to achieve bone-to-bone contact and stabilize the standing position. This requires compression of the spine when the lungs has expelled the air to a point when the lung balanced and failing in its attempt to inhale or exhale.
RIGHT ARM The standing position, a good shoulder contact is important. But it is not always easy when the shoulders are almost parallel to the rifle stock for the hook or but assembly to be held securely under the arm or against the biceps and ball of the shoulder. Even with the shoulder pushed forward, the area of contact is not large enough.
The only solution is for the right arm to be slightly raised allowing physical contact and achieving rifle control during the optimum firing period in standard rifle and the arm down when using the hook under the arm. This resistance is necessary in order to reduce or eliminate rearward movement of the rifle as a result of the trigger pull or the breaking of the shot.
RIGHT HAND The right hand holds the rifle stock securely from one-shot match to the next one-shot match. The fingers must remain in their natural, curved position all the time. If the finger muscles are flexed, a `hook' is formed . The grip is firm, as the outstretched muscles of the open hand do not tire as easily as in the clenched hand. Furthermore, when the hand is clenched, the muscles of the lower arm are flexed and this must be avoided at all costs. The `hook' formed by the fingers holding the hand grip of the stock, and depending on the type of rifle, pulls the rifle stock firmly into the shoulder or upper arm using the middle two fingers of the right hand. The thumb lies loosely against the stock. As in the kneeling and prone positions, the wrist is extended in a natural position. The right index finger should not press against the stock. The slight movements caused by the trigger pull could easily be transmitted to the stock thereby causing lateral movements. This could cause or result in complete misses.
LEFT HAND The success of the entire position depends principally on the position of the left hand. It is the left hand that determines the steadiness of the rifle position, final height of the position and final stance of the athlete. There are many different possible combinations of hand an finger positions.
NOTE: Possible left-hand grips during a match.
a. The palm of the left hand is turned forwards, the lower arm muscles are relaxed and the weapon is supported. This is not recommended as it places excessive strain upon the muscles and therewith restrict the abilities of the left arm during position construction and functional work.
b. The rifle is held with its weight directly supported by the forearm, palm facing toward the body and upturned with the rifle resting on the thumb ball joint. Arm muscles are again relaxed. As the rifle rest on the ball joint of the up turned palm, the shooters fingers are curved in contour of the stock without direct contact or griping by the fingers on the rifle stock.
Preferred method and currently used by World Class Shooters.
c. The weight of the rifle rests securely on the back of the hand, and thereby on the forearm. Palm is facing the body and the rifle is resting on the knuckles with the fingers pointing to the rear parallel to the rifle stock. This method is also not recommended to the shooting athlete.
A problem arises in rifle presentation during the construction of the standing position. The big question by many shooting athletes is what is the rifle doing in relation to the body. We will review the possible methods used in placement of the rifle in the position.
1. The rifle is presented while using the shoulder pocket of the right shoulder. Such a use of the shoulder will make the rifle presentation point 3 to 15 degrees away from the chest and requires the body to twist excessively to the left in compensation for the rifle presentation of 3 to 15 degrees during position usage. The right arm will position itself along the left center of the ribcage.
2. The rifle is presented while laying across the chest while insuring the trigger hand and finger will not touch the body. This presentation of the rifle requires the rifle stock butt to be placed at the upper arm instead of the right shoulder pocket. Preferred method and one that is used successfully by current World Class Athletes. Care must be exercised when placing the left arm down outside the rib cage. The arm can slip during the firing procedure upsetting the rifle presentation and point of aim. In this case the butt hook is placed under the arm but not in the arm pit. The arm can be dropped to the side as a test to determine if the hook is positioned correctly without changing the rifle position or aiming point.
Item 1 has the ADVANTAGE of placing the left arm into a fixed position which has a buttress of muscles for preventing the arm from sliding or otherwise moving during the firing sequences. This method locks the left arm into location. The DISADVANTAGE is the rifle must point out and away of the shooting position causing stress and tensions on the shooting position. The procedure also increases the twist of the spine causing additional uncomfortable stress during shooting sequences. Item 2. has the ADVANTAGE of placing the left arm in one of two places on the rib cage, left center and left side rib cage. Additionally, the rifle is moved closer to the body thereby reducing the 3 to 5 degree rifle position away from the body and reducing the amount of spine twist required during the shooting sequences. The DISADVANTAGE is the rifle is closer to the body and the shooter must be careful not to violate the rules by allowing the rifle to touch the body in front of the trigger hand grip and the forward portion of the rifle. This also includes the trigger hand touching or being supported by any part of the body during the shooting competition. Otherwise this is the preferred shooting position of world class shooting athletes.


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Damnnn: 2 Crews Gettin It Rockin Inside A Restaurant In Montreal, Quebec! (Chairs, Tables & More Get Thrown All Over. Wreck The Whole Place Up)
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They're not at the break-even mark yet, but something is starting to creep into the Lakers these days.
They're smiling. They're having fun. Most importantly, as they await the return of Kobe Bryant, they're playing with few worries, just as they did Friday night in their 102-95 win over Golden State at Staples Center.
"To me the big thing is everybody's accepting of the guy in front of him or beside him," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Everybody's rooting for everybody, and we just didn't have that last year. Obviously we're not as talented, but it's a lot better team."
And the reserves are just not reserved at all. While Pau Gasol was scoring 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, Jordan Farmar and Nick Young came off the bench to help infuse 44 points into the effort.
Young in particular is displaying more than just the fashion sense that got him on a GQ list. Young had 14 of his 21 points in the second half as the Lakers (6-7) pulled away after Golden State caught them at 63-63. He hit two 3-pointers as the Lakers closed the third period with a 12-0 run.
"He got it going sharing the rock," Young said, crediting Farmar. "We've kind of been playing together for a while, so we already had that chemistry coming in. I feel comfortable with him out there.
"I'm getting comfortable, everybody's starting to fill in their roles on the team."
It all comes with the backdrop of Bryant's comeback, which has been fast-tracked this week with his return to practice. D'Antoni didn't seem to think Bryant's return to the court would interrupt whatever progress they had made to this point.
"We're well into the season where I think we're good enough where we can do that," D'Antoni said. "That's one reason it was kind of good he backed off a hair so we could have one practice with the team. I'm sure everyone is sensitive about that, but it's important to get him in there and practice normally."
The Lakers have impressed D'Antoni with their effort, but he's also impressed with Young's acceptance of his role off the bench since beginning the season in the starting lineup.
"He has a great personality," D'Antoni said. "He's fun, he's always up, he's always laughing. Plus he's playing defense, which makes his jokes even funnier. He's concentrating, he has a lot of energy."
Already without guard Steve Nash, the Lakers also had to go without center Chris Kaman (back).
On the day Gasol announced he would donate $1,000 per point to UNICEF for typhoon Haiyan relief, his wallet got lighter and lighter as the game progressed. Gasol had given away $24,000 and Steve Blake keyed a second-quarter run with two 3-pointers.
"I definitely had that motivation of scoring points tonight for the Philippines," Gasol said. "Once I started knocking down those outside shots, things opened up for me."
Gasol also reeled in $50 per point and $50 for each of his 10 rebounds from former coach Phil Jackson, but could have scored another $1,000 if he had taken Jackson's challenge to draw a charging foul.
"Charges are not my thing," Gasol said. "Phil knows that. It wasn't on my mind at the time. I had too many things on my mind already. I wished I could've taken a charge so he contributes a little more."
The Warriors had to go without guard Stephen Curry, who sat out with a mild concussion. They had Andre Iguodala take over point guard duties and Golden State got off to a predictably slow start but didn't go away.
Curry was a game-time decision for Coach Mark Jackson, who got a bigger headache when Iguodala had to leave in the third quarter with a strained hamstring.
Farmar made 6 of 9 shots and added 14 points and eight assists with no turnovers.
"That's the guy we need every night," D'Antoni said of Farmar.
Blake finished with 14 points for the Lakers, who saw a bit of a dip in production from Jordan Hill (10 points, nine rebounds) for the first time since he took over the starting job.
That just might underscore the value Hill has shown in his four starts, during which he he averaged 18.8 points and 12 rebounds.
"Everybody's been impressed," D'Antoni said of Hill. "It's not like he's hitting 3's or falling down and throwing in shots and it may not last — he's doing what he does and he's able to sustain the energy for 30-some minutes, which is notable. He's playing at a very high level."
David Lee scored 21 points and had 13 rebounds and Harrison Barnes had 20 to lead Golden State. Klay Thompson added 19 points.


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Living With HIV -- and Everything Else
Fall 2011
Recently, a 55-year-old gay man announced to his dinner companions, "Well, I hear that having HIV is now just about taking one pill a day. I can do that, so I'm going to stop using condoms."
As anyone living with HIV knows, managing this disease is about far more than taking a pill. First, the once-daily pills will only work if you are infected with a strain of HIV that's not resistant to any of the medications in the pill (it's estimated that up to 27% of new infections contain drug-resistant virus). But even if the virus is easily controlled, new research shows that HIV can cause damage even at higher CD4 counts, due to the inflammation caused by HIV's constant activation of the immune system. That's one of the reasons the recommendation to start HIV treatment has been bumped up to include anyone with a CD4 count below 500. Some experts and public health authorities (such as the New York City and San Francisco Departments of Health) are recommending that treatment be offered to anyone with HIV, regardless of CD4 count (although preventing new infections is also a factor in this approach).
And living with HIV often means living with other chronic conditions known as comorbidities. Whether these are caused by another virus (such as hepatitis C) or are one of the illnesses so often seen in older adults with HIV (such as osteoporosis), these conditions complicate the care of people with HIV and make their lives anything but simple. This is not to say that life with HIV is miserable, just that it takes a lot of health management and remains something to be avoided -- especially if the choice is between using condoms or living with a lifelong infection.
The good news is that people with HIV may live as long as someone who is HIV-negative if treatment is started early enough. But while advances in HIV treatment have saved many lives, the medications used can have side effects that affect different people in different ways. This article will look at some conditions that people with HIV should be aware of, whether they have been on meds for years or are new to them. We'll also examine how people can improve their quality of life without taking more meds.
This condition is defined as the abnormal loss of fat from one area of the body -- usually the face, arms, and legs -- and an increase of fat in the stomach or at the back of the neck ("buffalo hump"). In women, breast size may increase due to fat buildup. Lipodystrophy became well known in people with HIV in the mid- 1990s when combination HIV treatment was first used. Over the years, it has decreased, since the newer meds are less toxic. With the earlier onset of aging associated with HIV and one's own genetics, however, there is still a risk for lipodystrophy later in life. While there are meds that can be used to treat lipodystrophy, they are often very expensive and may not be covered by insurance.
Managing lipodystrophy can be approached in different ways. First, if one is taking meds that have been shown to cause fat loss, switching may help restore some fat or stop further loss. A few studies have already shown this approach to be effective. If one is not able to switch because of drug resistance or other reasons, non-medicine treatment options include weight-bearing exercise and nutritional supplements. Weightbearing exercises include things like bench presses, squats, lat pull-downs, etc., and has been shown to increase lean body mass. Aerobic exercises like running and cycling are not helpful in building lean body mass because they break down muscle even further. If total body weight and lean body mass are stable, however, people can alternate aerobic with weight-bearing exercise. People should talk to their health care provider and an educated trainer before starting any exercise program.
Research also shows a relationship between the fat buildup in the stomach and insulin resistance. This is a condition in which the body's natural insulin becomes less able to lower blood sugars. Fat and muscle cells need insulin to absorb sugar. When these cells don't work properly, blood sugar levels rise beyond the normal range and cause negative health effects like high cholesterol. Supplements such as milk thistle, N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), and Alpha Lipoic Acid have all been shown to help the body absorb sugar. Omega-3 fatty acids and carnitine can help lower high cholesterol caused by lipodystrophy. These supplements may also have other benefits, such as reducing fatigue, muscle weakness, and neuropathy (pain from nerve damage).
Wasting can also occur in people on HIV meds. Wasting is generally defined as an involuntary loss of 10% or more of total body weight. Changes in metabolism, lack of appetite, low testosterone, gastrointestinal disorders, and changes in the immune system can all cause wasting. It can be due to any one of these conditions or a combination of them. When the body is under attack from infection, lean body mass and muscle are usually the sources of energy the body uses to fight back, which can result in wasting. When meds are able to control HIV, the weight does return, but usually in the form of fat and water weight. This means that lean body mass and muscle are lost and treatment to address this may be needed.
Treatments for wasting vary. They may include nutritional supplements like L-glutamine, protein supplements, testosterone replacement, or treating an infection that is causing diarrhea. Weight-bearing exercise and proper nutrition can also help ward off wasting. Providers may differ in their approaches to diagnosing and treating wasting, so it's best to ask questions to understand the causes of wasting and what can be done to combat it better.
HIV disease can also lower testosterone, needed to build bone and muscle mass. Testosterone also increases muscle strength, increases bone density and strength, and is useful in preventing osteoporosis. Women produce testosterone, but to a much lesser degree than men. Testosterone levels gradually decline with age, usually starting in the late 20s in men.
There is disagreement about if or when to use testosterone replacement or anabolic steroids in older men. There is not even agreement on the level of testosterone below which a man would be considered for treatment. And there are no standards for when to treat women. Identifying severe loss of testosterone in an older man by symptoms alone can be difficult because testosterone levels change based on the time of day and the type of test.
Replacement therapy can be taken by injections, gels applied to the skin, pills, and patches. Negative effects of synthetic testosterone range from minor problems like pimples, oily skin, and hair loss to serious complications like increased red blood cells, which may require removing blood. These side effects are more commonly seen in people who overuse testosterone or steroids.
While there is no proof that testosterone replacement causes prostate cancer, it is recommended that physicians screen for prostate cancer with a digital rectal exam and PSA (prostate specific antigen) test before starting therapy. And if therapy is started, red blood cells and PSA levels should be monitored closely. People using steroids must have regular liver function tests and providers may recommend supplements to boost liver health.
This article was provided by ACRIA and GMHC. It is a part of the publication Achieve. Visit ACRIA's website and GMHC's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services.
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ATLANTA, June 15 (UPI) -- Freddie Freeman singled home the game-winning run Saturday, capping a ninth-inning rally that sent the Atlanta Braves past San Francisco 6-5.
Trailing 5-4 entering their final at-bat, the Braves began their comeback when pinch-hitter Evan Gattis drew a one-out walk from Giants closer Sergio Romo (3-3) and Andrelton Simmons reached on shortstop Brandon Crawford's fielding error.
Justin Heyward singled to load the bases and Romo then issued a base on balls to Justin Upton, scoring pinch-runner Reed Johnson with the tying run and pushing Simmons to third.
That brought up Freeman, who sent a single to right for a walk-off game-winner, snapping Atlanta's four-game losing streak.
B.J. Upton clubbed two homers and Craig Kimbrel (2-1) earned the decision for the National League East leaders.
Tony Abreu went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Hunter Pence knocked in a pair for San Francisco.


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Apartments and Houses for Rent in Cloverleaf, TX
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What Life Is Like in Houston a Year After Hurricane Harvey
A born-and-raised Houstonian discusses the city's landscape over a year after the devastating hurricane hit.
6 Reasons Why I Love Houston
One native Houstonian shares the top six reasons why this city has his heart.
The 5 Best Day Trips to Take from Houston
Looking to get away for the day or weekend? Head to one of these spots near Houston for the perfect getaway.
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Ready to get your laugh on? Head to one of these must-visit spots in Houston.
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Looking for the perfect sports bar to watch the game with friends? Head to one of these top-rated spots in Houston.


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Course Description
BI 425 Endocrinology 3 cr.
- Offered: Fall
- Prerequisite: BI 104, BI 207 or BI 327, junior standing or instructor's permission.
Structure and physiology of endocrine glands, biological actions and biochemistry of hormones, emphasizing their role (at the systems level) in homeostasis, intermediary metabolism, reproduction and behavior of mammals.


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Posts Tagged 'media mount'
AAC Apps for Self Expression – Part 4
In our recent posts covering some of the best AAC apps currently on offer for both iPad and iPhone, we have featured contemporary and easy-to-use AAC aids that we hope will provide both you and your child with a modern and fun way to communicate via touch screen technology.
In part 4 of our AAC iPad app guide we have yet more innovative titles as provided by Jane Farral – a speech pathologist and special educator with over 20 years of practical knowledge in the field of disability and assistive technology. Jane is highly experienced in the teaching of both adults and children with varying abilities, and holds a Masters in Special Education, where she concentrated on literacy acquisition in children and adults without speech.
The Expressionist iPhone app comes highly acclaimed by schools and therapists world-wide, for providing an intuitive and easy-to-use aid in helping children learn about self-expression and emotions. Each scene includes a cartoon character of a little boy, who's easy to understand facial expressions and gestures inspire children to imitate and then utilise for expressing their own wants and needs. This straight-forward app includes a wealth of over 120 commonly used expressions, which are organised in to several different categories, including; greetings, feelings, senses, activities, questions and more.
Expressive is a Smarty Symbol based app for both iPad and iPhone that helps those with communication disorders (such as autism and apraxia) express their wants and needs via a powerful yet easy to grasp interface. This app has been specifically designed for ease of use, and little to no previous programming experience is necessary to get started with the app. The app includes over 600 pre-installed symbols and allows you to upload your own personal images and record audio, to provide a truly bespoke AAC aid, to fit your child's personal needs.
Flashables is a flash card style app that utilises the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to help children to communicate via images rather than words. The symbols are designed so that the child chooses their desired object (food, toys or activity for example) and it is then up to the parent or caregiver to instantly provide the child with the expressed object, helping to reinforce the understanding of cause and effect for children whom struggle to communicate via verbal prompts.
The Gabby iPad app is a fun and informal app that allows children and adults with learning difficulties to express themselves easily via images and audio. It includes an abundance of features of tailoring the app experience to fit your child's specific needs, and also includes an admin setting to make sure little hands can't modify or change important settings.
Thanks to leaps in technology, providing children with smart and intuitive AAC aids is easier than ever before, and Trabasack understand that usability is all-important in assuring your child has a relaxed and fun learning experience. That's why Trabasack have created the new Media Mount – a mounting device that can be used with electronic equipment such as iPads, tablets and slates, to ensure they remain steady and upright whilst in use. The soft hook and loop receptive material, along with a Velcro strip attached to one side, means that it fits perfectly onto the Trabasack Connect tray surface and can also be manipulated easily into many different shapes to achieve the right angle and hold for the object you're trying to support.


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Saturday, March 17, 2012
More bunny love
So after my disappointing ending with the Hunger Games I have moved on to a different kind of read. It's the Song of Fire and Ice series that starts off with the Game of Thrones. It's much more adult themed than the last few books that I've read and I'm finding the world of Westeros, that George R.R. Martin has created, utterly fascinating.
The first season of Game of Thrones has been on HBO and was recently released on DVD. I normally try to wait and watch book based shows only after I have read the books but I couldn't resist with this one. Like I said, very adult, but my-oh-my how I LOVE it! Now my only problem is disciplining myself to not get completely lost in the books at the expense of everything else. So far so good on that one as I have only allowed myself to read just before bed each night. :)
Alrighty, onto today's card. Apparently I have a bit of a bunny theme continuing, though this time it's with one of the newer Gorjuss Girls stamps. It felt good inking this pair up for the first time and coloring them up in some spring like colors. No pastels or anything, but even if it is a bit different from a traditional Easter card, I think it could still work for the upcoming holiday. Speaking of holidays... don't forget to wear some green today so that the leprechauns won't pinch you! ;)
Ok, it's time for me to get ready for work. Have a great weekend everyone!
Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
paper/stickers- Basic Grey (Plumeria)
stamps- Santoro (Love You Little Rabbit Gorjuss Girl), My Favorite Things (Pure Innocence sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Colorbox creamy brown
Kaiser Craft pearls
Divine Twine
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
hair- E40, E41, E42, E43
clothes- V000, RV63, RV66, YG91, YG95, YR14, YR18, BG72, BG75
bunny- E30, E31, E34, R01, R02, E40, W00
19 comments:
- Madu said...
- March 17, 2012 at 5:03 AM
- Larisa said...
it is cute as always!!!
- March 17, 2012 at 5:23 AM
- Chelsea said...
Cute. Love the colors!
- March 17, 2012 at 5:29 AM
- Janine said...
aaahh, so cute
- March 17, 2012 at 6:39 AM
- Nancy Thomas said...
So pretty - love the colors of her clothing/stockings.
- March 17, 2012 at 7:47 AM
- Maria Therese said...
Beautiful Amy ♥ Love the light spring colors too!
- March 17, 2012 at 8:35 AM
- Dangina Martinez said...
Gorgeous colors and coloring!
Tons of Hugs, Dangina
- March 17, 2012 at 9:09 AM
- Rhonda Miller said...
Oh, this is to cute.
- March 17, 2012 at 9:17 AM
- Mimi said...
Amy, so adorable! such pretty papers and borders, and the Gorjuss Girl is just "gorjuss"! Have a fantastic day! ;D
- March 17, 2012 at 10:11 AM
- yvon said...
Gorjuss card, love the colors you've used. So sweet.
Hugs, Yvon
- March 17, 2012 at 12:32 PM
- Tonje said...
So pretty. Loooove the Gorjuss girl and her rabbit, and love the colours you've used to colour her in with.
The first season of Game of Thrones has been on TV here in Norway too. I absolutely loved it, so I'm considering buying the books myself.
- March 17, 2012 at 1:51 PM
- gobeagirl said...
Hi Amy. Thanks for the info on the new books your reading. I looked it up on my Nook and I love that they give you a sample, so I can see if I want to read it. I am amost finished with a four book series that I have been reading, so this has come at the perfect time. lol... I love your bunny theme by the way. This on is no exception either. So cute and I love how you are always able to put the such color into the stockings on her. Very very cute. I hope you have a great day at work. We were so busy and it was just the two of us. I feel like I've been run over, but that's ok as it felt like I was only there for an hour instead of five. lol... Hugs, Lisa
- March 17, 2012 at 2:07 PM
- Marzenciuk said...
I love Game of Thrones too. I read it a month ago and also watched serial. I can't wait next season.
This card is absoluttely lovely :)
- March 17, 2012 at 2:44 PM
- Damaris said...
I have a few Gorjuss stamps, but am so intimidated to try coloring them.. lol.
Anyway, thanks for sharing such a cute card.
x0, D
- March 17, 2012 at 3:11 PM
- Have A Scrap Happy Day said...
Soooo sweet and adorable.
- March 17, 2012 at 8:59 PM
- Heidi Brawley said...
AWE this is sooooo darn cute! love it!
hugs, Heidi
- March 18, 2012 at 2:57 PM
- Team Craftwell said...
Team Craftwell
- March 21, 2012 at 6:19 AM
- Leanne said...
Aw, very cute! I love how you colored her stockings! Adorable!!
- March 23, 2012 at 1:52 PM
- RiNNE said...
i miss reading books!! :) hope this new one has a better ending for you. awesome card...the color scheme is very pretty!
- March 31, 2012 at 11:41 PM


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Chat is available between 9 a.m. to
3 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
For more information and to chat.
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COME HOME DURING THE SUMMER: You may be able to graduate from your four-year school even earlier if you take a class or two during your summer breaks at home and transfer those credits as well!
As an early high school grad, you follow the regular admission process, starting with submitting an Admission Form. You're encouraged to do this by mid-November, since new student registration for spring courses start in November.
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College of DuPage
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2019 College of DuPage


text:
Pretty good app for free.
Found some of my test files (like eicar.txt, that just has the eicar string which isnt dangerous), and notified me that the file wasnt dangerous (which it isnt). But the amazing thing is that it found it, and reported it to me, and was correct in saying it was no longer a threat. The other 5 spyware software I tested did not even report and/or find it.
And it is xp, xp64, vista, vista64 compatible.
I strongly advise against installing the crawler toolbar (web security guard) though.
It seriously slowed down my browsing, and even seemed to affect my general windows speed.
Spywareterminator by itself is great though.


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Weathertop (Sindarin Amon Sûl, "Hill of Wind") is a significant hill in the Eriador region of Middle-earth, the southernmost and highest summit of the Weather Hills.
Weathertop overlooks the Great East Road east of Bree, about midway between The Shire and Rivendell. The hill rises a thousand feet above the level lands round about, and was the site of a watchtower in the days of Arnor. The watchtower and fortifications were burned and destroyed in T.A. 1409, but the top is still flat and surrounded by a ring of stones. A path leads from the top northward, connecting to the other fortresses of the Weather Hills. The tower originally held one of the seven Palantíri.
Weathertop is not mentioned in The Hobbit, but is a scene of action in The Lord of the Rings. After fleeing from Bree, Strider and the Hobbits avoid the main road and approach Weathertop from the north. At the top they discover a cairn with a message from Gandalf, and see the Ringwraiths approaching in the distance along the road. That night, the Ringwraiths attack their camp in a dell below the summit, stabbing Frodo with a Morgul blade, but then being driven off by the others.
- Possibly the Rednal Hill of the Lickey Hills, Worcestershire, England.
- "The boys [Ronald and Hilary] had the freedom of these grounds [Rednal, Worcestershire], and further afield they could roam the steep paths that led through the trees to the high Lickey Hill"
- ― J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography
- The Lord of the Rings, book 1, ch. 11
- The Atlas of Middle-earth, which has a detailed map of the hill


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Spleen removal (splenectomy) is surgery to remove a diseased or damaged spleen. This organ is in the upper part of your belly, on the left side underneath the rib cage.
The spleen helps your body fight germs and infections. It also helps filter your blood.
Splenectomy; Laparoscopic splenectomy; Spleen removal - laparoscopic
The spleen is removed while you are under general anesthesia (asleep and pain-free). Your surgeon may do either an open splenectomy or a laparoscopic splenectomy.
In an open spleen removal:
For laparoscopic spleen removal:
Some conditions that may require spleen removal are:
Risks for any surgery are:
The risks or problems that may occur during or soon after this surgery are:
Risks are the same for both open and laparoscopic spleen removal.
You will have many visits with your doctor and several tests before you have surgery. Some of these are:
If you smoke, you should stop several weeks before this surgery. Spleen removal is major surgery, and smoking will increase your risks of problems.
Always tell your doctor or nurse:
During the week before your surgery:
On the day of your surgery:
You or your child will spend less than a week in the hospital. Your hospital stay may be only 1 or 2 days after a laparoscopic splenectomy. You should heal in 4 to 6 weeks.
The outcome of this surgery varies depending on what disease or injuries you have. People who do not have other severe injuries or medical problems usually recover after this surgery.
After your spleen is removed, you are more likely to develop infections. Talk with your doctor about getting needed vaccinations. Children especially may need to take antibiotic drugs to prevent infections. Most adults do not need antibiotics long-term.
Everyone who has had a splenectomy will need to get a flu vaccine every year.
Shelton J, Holzman MD. The spleen. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 19th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 57.
Brandow AM, Camitta BC. Hyposplenism, splenic trauma, and splenectomy. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW III, et al., eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 481.


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Main The Holy Bible: International Standard Version (ISV 2.0)
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The Holy Bible: International Standard Version (ISV 2.0)The ISV Foundation Committee on Translation
You can write a book review and share your experiences. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books you've read. Whether you've loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them.


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How To More Effectively Connect With The People You Meet At The Women's Conference
(This article was written for the Womens Conference put on by @mariashriver, and attended by people like @oprah, Michelle Obama,
Diane Sawyer, Tony Robbins, Donna Karen, Howard Schultz of Starbucks
and other amazing luminaries and personalities It was posted to their homepage www.womensconference.org
I wanted to share a few tips with you that will allow you to have more success networking and connecting at the Women's Conference hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. These strategies will help you at any other event you attend in the future.
Here are six things you can do before, during, and after the conference that will allow to create more powerful connections with the people you meet, and get a higher ROI of your time and money from attending.
What To Do Before the Event
1. Research. Nothing will be more important than doing your homework. Who do you want to meet with? What will you say to them when you meet that will get their attention and cause you to stand out?
Here are some of the tools that can help you do with that research. A good place to start is always Google or Bing.
Other great resources to tap into include
Make sure you read up on someone's previous blog posts and read their bio; perhaps you have something in common with them. If you know someone they know, grew up in the same town, went to college at the same place, share the same passion, or support the same charity, you will likely connect more easily quickly.
Reviewing someone's Twitter feed or Facebook posts is another great way to find insights that can be helpful in starting a conversation. A few years back, I was able to connect quickly with Sir Richard Branson; he gave me his private email after meeting him at a charity function in less then 30 seconds. When I was reading articles about him, I uncovered something that pointed to one of his priorities at the time, and when I met him I invited him and executives from his team to an event at which they would find value.
2. Knowing What To Say When Someone Asks You What You Do. This could be the biggest opportunity most people miss. It is amazing that this happens, because we all know most people, at some point in a conversation, will ask what you do. You have 10-15 seconds to grabs someone's attention, and if you do a good job perhaps another two minutes to whet their appetite about your product and services.
For example here is mine: Have you ever met someone who is mega connected in their industry and very influential at what they do, and as a result they are able to get more business in less time, and get more referrals then their peers? Well I teach entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and sales professionals to become highly influential, and then go to people in their industry.
What To Do During The Event
1. Have a Giver's Mindset. If you want to easily differentiate yourself from most everyone else at the event, show up with a giver's mindset. Most people tends to have a taker mindset (looking for what can they get from other people when they first meet them). If you, on the other hand, focus on being a giver and seeing how you can serve other people, you will find it much easier to connect with others.
2. Knowing the Right Questions To Ask. Here are some questions I have found to work most effectively when connecting with people at an event.
What do you do for fun when you aren't doing ______ ?
How did you get started in the business?
What brings you to the conference?
Who are you looking to meet while you are here at the event?
If and when you have rapport, a great question to ask is this: What is the most important project you are currently working on in case I or my network can help you in some way?
I can't tell you how many doors this last question has opened up! With good follow up and leveraging one's network, you can add instant value to many people you meet.
What To Do After The Event
1. Prioritize Your Follow Up. One thing you should do when you first meet people is to make notes of important information that someone may have shared with you on the back of their card. Do it quickly, as it's easy to quickly forget what others have shared.
I like to write down personal things they may have shared about their family or what they like to do in their spare time. I also like to record where I met them and what was discussed. If there is a way I can add value, I note that on the card, as well as any next steps we may have discussed.
It also makes sense to prioritize the contacts you met in an A/B/C fashion:
A – Must follow up. There was a good connection and there is a strong possibility of doing business in the near future.
B – Great people to stay in touch with. While there may not be a possibility of doing business in the short term. there could be strong possibilities in the future.
C – Keep in contact. This could be someone who you may just want to put into your online newsletter and stay in touch with in case something develops down the road.
2. Follow Up Fast and Add Value. If at all possible, to follow up within 24 to 48 hours while the event is still fresh on someone's mind. The key element in terms of taking a contact and turning it into a connection is to add value to your new-found friend. Can you make a referral for them? Can you share a book or an article that can help them? If they were a speaker at the event, perhaps you give them a testimonial they can use on their website. Can you invite them to an upcoming event that can help them generate more business or help their favorite charity?
The faster you can add value to someone else, the easier it will be for you to turn your new found contacts into long-lasting, profitable connections.
Good connecting to you.
Larry Benet is known as The Connector. He is CEO and Co-Founder of the Speaker and Authors Networking Group (SANG). He is known for helping entrepreneurs, speakers, authors, and sales professionals to effortlessly turn contacts into connections.
He has shared the stage with Tony Robbins, Jay Leno, Paul Abdul, Keith Ferrazzi, Peter Guber, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (from Chicken Soup For the Soul fame). To get more connection tips please visit http://www.larrybenet.com


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University of Vermont
Vermont Quarterly
Beasts of the East
Vermont skiers dominate for sixth NCAA crown
- 04-12-2012
- By Amanda Waite
Departments /
Catamount Sports
Beasts of the East
Vermont skiers dominate for sixth NCAA crown
By Amanda Waite '02 G'04
Not only did the UVM ski team win the 2012 NCAA Skiing Championships, they outpaced the competition with two record-breaking numbers—an overall score of 832 points and a 162-point margin over second place Utah. "You dream about things falling together like they did," says coach Bill Reichelt. "We really had as perfect a week as you can possibly imagine."
The national victory came on the heels of winning the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association Championship, a title the Catamounts captured for the second time in two years. Reichelt, director of skiing and head alpine coach, credits a depth of talent on the team for its successful season, including those who qualified for the NCAA championships but, because of the limit of twelve athletes per team, did not make the trip to Bozeman, Montana.
"Everyone skied to their potential and strength," Reichelt says of the team's performance at nationals, adding that the Catamounts also performed exceedingly well in events that historically have not been as strong.
"So many things have to come together to have a great championship," adds Patrick Weaver, UVM's head Nordic coach. "Alpine has to stand; Nordic has to stay healthy; we all have to hit the wax. I wasn't at all surprised at how all the athletes performed—they're all great athletes. I was just excited and happy for them that it all came together so well."
This year's win is the sixth in the program's history, following past UVM national championships in 1994, 1992, 1990, 1989, and 1980.
Leading the Cats to victory were two women who captured the titles in their individual events, one alpine, one Nordic. Sophomore Kate Ryley, from Toronto, won the women's slalom with a two-run total time of 1:35.17 (17-tenths of a second faster than teammate Kristina Riis-Johannessen.) And senior Amy Glen, from Anchorage, was winner of the women's 15K classic race.
Ryley's win came under trying circumstances. "Kate shattered her hand earlier this year," Reichelt says. "She had three operations and was unable to train slalom for about two months." On top of that season setback, Ryley, who was named women's collegiate alpine skier of the year by Ski Racing Magazine in 2011, also heard some very difficult news the morning of the slalom at nationals: close friend and former teammate from Canada Nik Zoricic had died in a skiercross competition accident in Switzerland. Despite these challenging conditions, Ryley turned in two runs down the course that earned her a national title her sophomore year.
"I couldn't believe it," Ryley says of her win. "I knew I had a lot of time to make up on the second run, and I knew the course was going to get rough. I had to go for it but ski smart at the same time." She is the first Catamount to win an individual title in the slalom since Gibson LaFountaine won back-to-back championships in 1993 and 1994. Ryley, a business major with a concentration of entrepreneurship and marketing, is the third UVM skier to win a slalom title at the NCAAs on the women's side.
Glen's win ended with a thrilling photo finish when she crossed the line less than two inches ahead of rapidly closing Dartmouth skier Sophie Caldwell. The time between the photo finish and the delivery of the results was tense for anyone watching. But the athlete, modest about her successes both on the snow and in the classroom, says she was content no matter the results. "I knew that whether Sophie or I had gotten it, I'd given it my best effort, which was my real goal," Glen says. "Whether I was second or first wasn't going to change how I felt about my race."
Coach Pat Weaver added, "Amy has been extremely consistent over the past two years. She's a hard worker both on the trails and in the classroom, loves to race, and always want to improve herself. In my mind, with her work ethic and determination it was bound to happen, and I couldn't be happier that it happened during her last college race."
Glen closed out her final semester at UVM as a national champion in skiing with a 3.96 GPA as a biology major and animal science minor. "UVM was a place where I was excited about both the ski team and the academics they had to offer," she says of her decision to enroll four years ago. As for what will come next, "there's almost surely more school" on the agenda down the road. But in the meantime her plan is to "stay in the East and give skiing a shot full-time this next year."


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Laughtalk: A combination of laughing and talking. While laughing, a person will try to carry on a conversation. However, this attempt more that not fails, resulting in "laughtalk" or words unable to understand. "Laughtalking" usually results in more laughing due to the sheer humor of it.
"Haha that girl was laughing so hard..."
"Yeah, she was totally laughtalking...what a badass."
"Yeah, she was totally laughtalking...what a badass."
by Bcochrane March 21, 2009
buy the domain for your pet blog


text: This is Brooklyn, New York, actually, in 1941, where at ages 4 and 7 we were starting kindergarten and second grade at a school called Berkley Institute. Hair ribbons and little purses! Little did we know that within months we would be having air raid drills. After Pearl Harbor was bombed, people thought that New York might be attacked. My memories of that time are in the autobiographical novel Autumn Street.


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You Say You Want an Evolution
Previewing Helix Code's New Mailer/Calendar
Almost a year ago, the GNOME project's mercurial founder, Miguel de Icaza made mention of the Camel mail API, but only long enough to whet the appetites of GNOME fans: no client was immediately forthcoming, but the architecture was there. Since then, the number of GNOME mail clients has exploded, and few nondevelopers have seen much. That recently changed with a preview release of Evolution, Helix Code's upcoming contribution to the desktop wars.
Though the GNOME desktop already has plenty of mail clients, a calendar, and an address book, a certain level of integration has been missing from the equation. Few of the mail clients, for instance, take advantage of the address book. None of the programs available offer the sort of all-in-one convenience of a Groupwise or Outlook. Evolution was designed to change this, and provide additional features along the way that may cause many non-GUI mail hold-outs to take a second look.
Getting Evolution 0.1
Those curious about Evolution have an interesting road ahead. Like most early release software, it's heavily dependent on leading-edge libraries, though RPMs have been created for Red Hat 6.2 users. The RPMs also work gracefully enough with alien on a current Debian 2.2 (Potato) machine with the latest Helix Code GNOME release.
If the RPMs or alien don't cut it, you'll have to pay a visit to Helix Code's site and download the source. Instructions are provided at the site, and it's worth your time to read the README file provided. Getting Evolution to compile isn't the simplest proposition, though we got it to work on Debian, Red Hat, and Mandrake boxes. There's little advice to offer, except to follow the directions in the README, and have some time on your hands.
Once they have Evolution compiled, users should also beware that in its current state, Evolution is more about the pieces they can't see. The back-end is largely in place, but the user interface is not much more than a scaffolding. Some features aren't implemented, many menus include the label "FIXME", and some things you can't help but click on induce crashes. As with the general GNOME environment before it, Evolution's developers have chosen to toss a rough draft out to the public to attract feedback, curious developers, and (considering Helix Code is behind much of the development) some buzz for what promises to be a Fall season dominated by desktop-oriented software.
Looking at the Mailer
There's a widespread belief that a good GUI mailer is hard to come by in the Linux world. This perception seems to stem from the notion that users require an all-in-one solution. Most Linux users with a little time under their belts have probably set up a working fetchmail/procmail/client pipe that works interchangeably with whatever client is at hand. Plenty of clients offer direct support of POP and IMAP if fetchmail isn't an option, and a few others offer built-in filtering if procmail seems like too much to deal with.
With even those outside the Linux community predicting that Linux will "kill"; Microsoft in the server arena, though, the new fight is for the desktop, and the ever-elusive "typical user" migrating from "friendlier" environs wants integration (and, it's safe to admit, probably doesn't want to deal with regular expressions). Evolution will not only provide the friendly GUI, but some nice tools for processing mail that will rival (and likely surpass) most offerings in the Windows world. It's the added features and eventual polish (already showing through despite the preview's lack of completeness) that will make Evolution a hard app to beat.
Consider, for instance, Evolution's use of virtual folders. Users of Emacs' Gnus or vm readers will be familiar enough with this feature, since it allows the user to "can" queries that organize mail without requiring the creation of "real" folders in the user's file system. This, in turn, allows users an added dimension of freedom in organizing their mail. A set of virtual folders might, for instance, allow a user to view mail by the mailing list it originated from, the user that sent it, or others who received the same message. This feature doesn't require a separate, space-consuming folder for each desired view of one's mail, and it allows users to experiment with mail organization without risking losing anything thanks to an ill-advised deletion of an undesired folder if an organizational scheme doesn't suit.
Though this sort of solution can be engineered easily enough in some existing clients, Evolution's designers have also decided to harness the somewhat new GNOME Druids to make design of virtual folders a relatively painless procedure. Users will have the ability to modify premade virtual folders, or create their own. Users who prefer to simply create filters can also do so, and the process is facilitated with easy-to-use Druids that use plain English to create the rules and conditions to move mail around.
One other convenience feature that sticks out is a handy search field, which allows users to look for keywords (or their lack) in either the subject or body of their messages.
- Skip Ahead
- 1. Previewing Helix Code's New Mailer/Calendar
- 2. Previewing Helix Code's New Mailer/Calendar


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Average Rating: 4/5
Best Bassinet
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Love it! It's pretty without being too frilly. It fits our nursery decor perfectly. ...
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At this year's All-Star Game, five of the American League starters and three of the National League starters were either born in Latin America or were children of Latin Americans.
It made sense given the strong representation of Latino players in MLB, currently at 28.5 percent, according to the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.
But there is not a similar correlation between the amount of Latino players and Latino managers.
With Fredi Gonzalez fired from the Braves in May this season, it left MLB without a Hispanic manager for the first time since 1991. With only two managers of color (Dusty Baker, who is African-American with the Nationals, and Dave Roberts,...


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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Rangers commission to hear evidence
Scottish Premier League chief executive Neil Doncaster insists the independent commission appointed to probe historic payments made to Rangers players must be allowed to complete its work.
The three-man panel, chaired by Lord Nimmo Smith, was set to begin hearing evidence on Tuesday after the SPL began an investigation into alleged undisclosed payments to Rangers players from 2000 to 2011.
The probe was launched before the original Rangers company was consigned to liquidation and the newco club have refused to recognise or co-operate with the investigation. At the weekend, Rangers called for the investigation to be halted and warned that the ultimate sanction of title-stripping could see fans refuse to attend away games in future.
But on Monday night Doncaster said: "The independent commission will start tomorrow, as has already been planned. There were allegations that a number of SPL rules were broken over a number of years.
"Those allegations are complicated and are serious. It's for an independent commission to take forward these complex issues and decide whether any SPL rules were in fact broken and, if indeed they were, to decide on any sanction.
"But it's an independent process and that independent process will start tomorrow. I'm not going to predict when there might be an outcome."
The payments centre on financial arrangements made by the Employee Benefit Trust scheme run by former Rangers owner Sir David Murray's company.
Murray International Holdings won its appeal in principle against a tax bill surrounding the EBTs, with most of the payments deemed to be loans. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs launched an appeal against the verdict.
The SPL charge relates to rules that say all payments to players for football activities must be stipulated in contracts registered with the league.


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Yep, it's another post about Atheism+. Just because Jen McCreight is on vacation to take a break from being trolled and harassed, doesn't mean the rest of us still aren't interested.
First things first: There's a new episode of Godless Bitches. Have you heard it? You should hear it, it is made of win. Beth, Tracie, and Jen were broadcasting in front of a sizable live audience at the Atheist Alliance of America national convention in Denver, along with special guest Greta Christina, who as far as I'm concerned ought to be on every week. Tracie had some inspired commentary on how she became interested in being more than a dictionary atheist and take on these issues. I can't sum up in a way that does it justice, go listen.
As you have probably heard, a lot of people have expressed discontent with the whole idea of Atheism+ on the grounds that it is somehow divisive, or an attempt to form a splinter group. But one of the odder accusations I've heard is that it's a high school clique-like, jocks vs. nerds effort to punish "socially awkward" people for not being cooler.
As an atheist who also plays video games and attends ultra-nerdy events like the totally awesome Austin Barcraft tournaments, I have a general interest in the social scene that gamers inhabit. So I'm no stranger to large groups of geeks, and to some extent the same conversation has been happening there for the last few years.
Recently, Dr. Nerdlove wrote an excellent post discussing the sexual
harassment assault incident that occurred at a party during PAX, the yearly convention hosted by the artist/writer team responsible for the gaming themed comic strip Penny Arcade. (Not familiar with Dr. Nerdlove? It's time to get acquainted. This is one of those blogs that, once you discover it, I hope you'll spend hours surfing. Check out the podcast too!)
Anyway, at this particular incident a woman was approached by a guy who, after engaging in a minimal amount of uncomfortable small talk, unzipped his pants, grabbed her hand, and put it down there. Which — regardless of how cool you might think you are in general — is not the most frequently recommended way of introducing yourself. The
harassment assault sparked a significant amount of conversation, but just as important as the actual incident is how the various actors responded. The woman, who had obviously done nothing wrong, was embarrassed and humiliated. The nearest security guard, who was in a position to actually do something about it, said something to the effect of "So… what do you want me to do about it?"
And just as predictably as always, some commenter showed up in the post I just linked to try to derail the conversation by saying "What I still don't get though, is why socially awkward, sexually reserved guys get branded as creeps." Seriously, I'm psychic about these things. Before I wrote this paragraph I had no idea whether anybody did that, but I said to myself, "Hey, I wonder if anyone in the comments tried to turn this into an argument about how unfair everyone is to men in general?" And what do you know, I found something that EXACTLY MATCHED UP with the thing I was saying a minute ago about social awkwardness.
Saying that the problem has anything to do with "social awkward guys" is really dismissive and trivializes the actual issue. Seriously, of all incidents that relate to making women feel safe and welcome in a traditionally male dominated social scene, holy shit, this is not a case of some poor hapless guy with a pocket protector who's being shunned because he loves Legend of Zelda so much.
Stories like this have been popping up semi-regularly in association with the world of gaming. Earlier this year, Dr. Nerdlove also wrote about professional gaming coach Aris Bakhtanians, who filmed himself while he was aggressively sexually harassing a female member of his team. Lots of people said he was way out of line. But lots more reacted by saying stuff like "Hey, look, competitive gaming is a man's world. Women should accept that this is just the culture, or shut up and GTFO of our tournaments."
The problem is not that some guys don't know how to act around women. The problem is being so territorial as to systemically alienate women from the group, and THEN angrily backlashing against people who try to discuss or deal with the problem in any way. Not only do many people apparently feel that such actions are acceptable, but they are regularly given cover by many of their peers who insist that, yes, that is how the gaming culture works, and it is how they want it to remain. That is a serious issue that has long term implications for the inclusiveness for any sizable social scene. It is, in fact, directly exclusionary. Referring to it as "social awkwardness" is doing the conversation a huge disservice.
The relevant point, though, is that this issue isn't really a "problem with gamers," nor is it a "problem with atheists." It's a much larger cultural issue in general. More often than not, men in public discussions (hi there) receive criticism that is focused on defeating their arguments, while a significant amount of the time, people discuss women's arguments in terms of how fat, ugly, or slutty they supposedly are, and send the women rape threats as a punishment for talking. This is, of course, true in a lot of places on the internet, and also pops up when women appear on TV. It's not just gamers.
Is the atheist community unusually bad about this problem? In my opinion, no. But atheism as a social force is growing fast enough that it's dealing with some of these issues for the first time. It would be a huge mistake to say that because atheists are "rational" they are somehow immune to this influence. In fact, the personal stories that Jen told in "How I Unwittingly Infiltrated the Boy's Club" really should make it clear how many members are openly hostile to creating a more welcoming environment for women. I know from direct acquaintances that Jen's experiences aren't that uncommon. When you come right down to it, this is the same problem that the gaming community is facing, even if it's on a smaller scale.
And to their credit, atheists are in a strong starting position to deal with an undercurrent of sexism. Some people who object to Atheism+ don't think twice when they wonder whether atheists should take on a prominent role in fighting for good science education, or for equal marriage rights for homosexuals. This is true even though most atheists aren't scientists, and most atheists aren't gay. They are still natural atheist issues, because the primary opposition to science education and gay marriage have religious roots, and no obvious secular justification. Similarly, many of the sexist conventions that exist today also stem from religious influences, and so overturning those conventions is an atheist issue by the same logic.
However, just as not every atheist actually cares about evolution or gay marriage, and so only some of them take it up as a pet cause, it's also the case that clearly only some atheists think that the issues surrounding Atheism+ are worth focusing on. That's fine. Not everyone puts equal priority on every issue.
Even so, I'd like people to think back to episodes of The Atheist Experience where Charlie Check'm, a.k.a. "Evolved Atheist," called in to argue against gay marriage. (Here, have some transcripts.) In our opinion he held a ridiculous and indefensible point of view, and we said so on several repeated calls. Lots of people who commented on the episode came away from the exchange with a very negative impression of the guy, and it may have hurt his reputation. Hopefully you don't think that that was inappropriate or divisive; we simply have to discuss individual arguments and situations as they come up. I have no doubt that the similar high concept arguments will take place going forward, as atheists wrestle with the question of what are appropriate ways we can encourage more diversity.


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An Interview with Zoe Crosher
Zoe Crosher's haunting photographs—showcasing spots where both fictional and non-fictional characters disappeared—have been on display for the last month at Las Cienegas Projects in Los Angeles. The show closes July 16th. Crosher recently sat down with DS writer Carmen Winant to talk about the project and her work in general. Carmen Winant: Hi Zoe! Thanks for agreeing to talk with us. In your latest series,[…..]