text:
Home /
Our Sources / About Us
/ FAQs /
Advanced Search
Not what you're
looking for? Try an advanced search.
Download the entire decision to receive the complete text, official citation,
docket number, dissents and concurrences, and footnotes for this case.
Learn more about what you receive with purchase of this case.
February 22, 2000
The opinion of the court was delivered by: James H. Alesia, United States District Judge.
Before the court is defendant Jewel Food Stores' motion for
summary judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56
(c). For the following reasons the court grants the motion.
I. BACKGROUND*fn1
Plaintiff Maurice Bell ("Bell") is an African-American man who
was employed by defendant Jewel Food Stores ("Jewel") from 1992
until March of 1998. Jewel owns and operates retail grocery
stores in the Chicago area. Bell brought this suit against Jewel
under (1) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title
42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.; (2) the Family Medical
Leave Act ("FMLA"), 29 U.S.C. § 2600 et seq.; and (3) Illinois law
prohibiting retaliatory discharge. Because Bell has voluntarily
dismissed his Title VII race discrimination claim,*fn2 the court
addresses only the two remaining claims. First, Bell alleges that
Jewel violated the FMLA when it refused to grant Bell leave for
his illness and instead terminated his employment. Second, Bell
alleges that Jewel violated Illinois law when it retaliated
against him for filing a workers' compensation claim by
terminating his employment.
The matter is currently before the court on Jewel's motion for
summary judgment. Jewel contends that it is entitled to judgment
as a matter of law on Bell's FMLA claim because (1) Bell has
failed to establish that he requested leave under the FMLA, and
(2) Bell has failed to establish that he suffers from a "serious
health condition" as required to qualify for leave under the
FMLA. Jewel also contends that it is entitled to judgment as a
matter of law on his retaliatory discharge claim because (1) Bell
has failed to establish the prima facie element of causation as
required to state a claim for retaliatory discharge, and (2) Bell
has failed to show that Jewel's reason for discharge was
Bell worked as an assembler — responsible for moving
products within a warehouse — in three different locations
owned by Jewel. Bell began working at a warehouse in Hillside,
Illinois, then transferred to the "Fresh Foods Center" in Melrose
Park, Illinois. Finally, Bell was transferred to the "Dry Grocery
Building" in Melrose Park, where he remained until his
termination in March of 1998. During Bell's employment at the Dry
Grocery Building, Dan Frasco ("Frasco") served as Distribution
Manager and Joe Herrmann ("Herrmann") served as Plant
Superintendent. At all times during his employment, Bell was a
member of the Chicago Truck Drivers Union and was covered by the
collective bargaining agreement executed by the union and Jewel.
In order to understand this court's opinion, one must be aware
of a number of facts. For the sake of clarity, a recitation of
these facts is in four parts. Part A discusses the relevant
policies and procedures in place at Jewel. Part B discusses
Bell's employment history at Jewel. Part C discusses events which
relate to Bell's FMLA and retaliatory discharge claims. Part D
discusses Bell's medical treatment.
A. Jewel's policies and procedures
Part of the collective bargaining agreement — entered
into between Jewel and the union of which Bell is a member
— is an attendance policy which governs employee absences.
This policy is based upon a point system. Under the policy, if an
employee is going to be absent, he is required to call work and
notify the supervisors of the reason for his absence. Points
accumulate for various violations of this policy. As the points
accumulate, Jewel must follow certain procedures and protocol for
disciplining the employees, which include sending a written
warning prior to termination. Bell admits that he was aware of
these call-in procedures.
Between June 26, 1996 and January 26, 1998, Bell received
several points under the attendance policy, resulting in five
separate written warnings. Moreover, in October of 1998, Bell
accumulated forty-five points, which is enough to warrant
indefinite suspension or termination. However, because Bell had
accumulated the points so quickly, Jewel was not able to follow
the correct protocol for terminating an employee.
In addition to the point-based attendance policy, the
collective bargaining agreement contains a rule referred to by
the parties as the "four day no call/no show" rule. Under the
four day no call/no show rule, "[a]n employee shall be considered
as quitting . . . (d) who is absent from
work without approval
for four (4) consecutive calendar days in a scheduled workweek."
(Def. Mot. for Summ. J., Ex. 10.) Bell admits that he was
familiar with this policy as well. In fact, Bell was terminated
— and ultimately reinstated — in 1995 for violating
this rule.
Related to the four day no call/no show rule, Jewel is in the
practice of treating an employee as "sick" for four days. In
other words, when an employee calls in sick, Jewel considers that
person sick for that day and the next three consecutive work days
(relieving the employee of the obligation to call in every day he
is sick). However, after four days, the employee must either
return to work or call in to report that he is still sick. If the
employee fails to call in and is absent for four consecutive
days, then that employee is subject to termination.
B. Bell's Employment History
In 1995, Bell suffered from ulcers and was absent from work for
four consecutive days. Because Jewel had no record of Bell
calling in to say he would be absent, it terminated Bell's
employment. In a letter dated June 5, 1998, Jewel explained to
Bell that it considered Bell as quitting because he was absent
for four consecutive days without calling in to notify his
supervisors of the reason for his absence. Bell was also
contacted by union representative Lloyd Caldwell ("Caldwell") to
explain that he had been fired for violating the four day no
call/no show rule. During this time, Bell met with his supervisor
and Caldwell, who both explained the four day no call/no show
rule to Bell. Bell claimed that he had, in fact, phoned in to
report that he would be absent. Bell backed up that claim with
his phone records which showed that he had called in on the day
in question. After proving that he had called, Bell was
Bell was also absent from work for two weeks in March of 1997
for an injury sustained while at work. As a result of this
injury, Bell filed a workers' compensation claim in June of 1997.
This claim ultimately settled for approximately $4,700.00,
including attorneys' fees, in 1998. Neither Frasco and Herrmann
claim to have any knowledge of Bell's workers' compensation
claim. (Def. Rule 12(M) Statement ¶ 23 (citing Exs. 11,
12).) Although Bell claims that the managers knew about his
claim, he does not offer any basis for this belief. (Def Mot. for
Summ. J., Ex. 3 at 194:5-17.) Furthermore, Bell even admits that
he had no conversations with Herrmann, or any other supervisor,
regarding his workers' compensation claim. (Id. at 192:2-6.)
C. Events leading up to Bell's claims
On February 24, 1998, Bell called Jewel and spoke to Judy
Kittredge ("Kittredge"), who is responsible for documenting
employee absences. Kittredge records the information regarding
employee absences, which she receives from the employees, and
forwards the information on to the supervisors, including
Herrmann. When Bell called on February 24, 1998, he told
Kittredge that he was sick and not feeling well. He further said
that he was "going to take [his] three days" and that he would
come in if he was feeling better. (Id. at 96:15-18.) Bell claims
that he was suffering from pain to his lower back at that time.
However, when he called in on February 24, 1998, Bell did not
explain his illness to Kittredge.
According to Jewel's practice, Bell had until March 2, 1998 to
either return to work or to call in to report that he was still
sick. Bell did not return to work on March 2, 1998. Instead, Bell
again called to say that he was sick and would not be returning
to work. This time Bell spoke to Matt Barkmeier ("Barkmeier").
Bell told Barkmeier that he was "still a sick man" and that he
was hurting and would not be in to work. Again, Bell did not
explain his illness or pain to Barkmeier. Bell did tell Barkmeier
that he was "going to be under [his] doctor's care," meaning that
he "was going to get back with them." (Id. at
102:2-7.) When he
called in on March 2, 1998, Bell was not under a doctor's care,
nor had he seen a doctor at that point.
Now, according to Jewel's practice, Bell had until March 8,
1998 to either return to work or to call in to report that he was
still sick. Bell did not return to work, but was absent from work
for five consecutive days during the week of March 8, 1998. Bell
did not call Jewel, or any agent of Jewel, after March 2, 1998 to
report that he was sick and unable to work. Kittredge recorded
that Bell was absent without notice on March 8, 9, 10, 11, and
12, 1998 and notified Herrmann of Bell's absences. On March 17,
1998 Herrmann prepared a letter addressed to Bell which stated:
"During the period of Saturday, March 8, 1998 through Monday,
March 16, 1998, we have no record of your calling to ...
Our website includes the first part of the main text of the court's opinion.
To read the entire case, you must purchase the decision for download. With purchase,
you also receive any available docket numbers, case citations or footnotes, dissents
and concurrences that accompany the decision.
Docket numbers and/or citations allow you to research a case further or to use a case in a
legal proceeding. Footnotes (if any) include details of the court's decision. If the document contains a simple affirmation or denial without discussion,
there may not be additional text.
Download the entire decision to receive the complete text, official citation,
docket number, dissents and concurrences, and footnotes for this case.
Learn more about what you receive with purchase of this case.
LRC, Inc. About Us


text:
Yes, it's here once again! Standardized testing time in Tennessee. You can hear the collective groans around the state this week as parents, teachers, and kids feel the pressure of test-taking.
How do you prepare your kids for doing their best when they face any kind of exam, presentation, or project? I have a few tried-and-true tools that I always pull out during standardized testing week and anytime that the kids need an extra "boost" to perform at optimal level.
Disclosure: I am not a medical doctor. Any statements made on this blog about essential oil use are not meant to treat, diagnose, or cure any condition. My statements about essential oils are my opinion and are based upon my own experiences and research.
I occasionally feature affiliate links in my blog posts. Should you follow my link and make a purchase or join a membership website, I will be compensated for my referral.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Pennsylvania has become the fourth American State to legalize online gaming. They join Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada as the only states in the US with legal online poker.
Online gaming bill H 271 was passed by the Pennsylvania Senate on Wednesday, and approved in the House on Thursday.
This gave Governor Tom Wolf 10 days to decide whether or not to approve the legislation. Wolf quickly signed the bill into effect, thus legalizing multiple forms of online gaming in the Keystone State.
Pennsylvania Finally Passes Long-Awaited Online Poker Bill
Pennsylvania is facing a huge $2 billion budget shortfall. And they've been considering online gaming to help meet this deficit for the past few years.
Unfortunately, negotiations on the overall budgetary package haven't gone smoothly on several occasions. But state politicians are coming closer to a resolution, which cleared the way for iGaming to be approved.
What Does H 271 Cover?
The passage of iGaming bill H 271 clears the way for multiple new forms of gaming in the state. From an online perspective, this includes casino games, daily fantasy sports, online poker, and slots.
In terms of land-based gaming, truck stops are now allowed to offer slot machines, and 10 mini-casinos will be built across the state.
The legislation also allows for legal sports betting in case New Jersey wins their lawsuit in the Supreme Court. The Garden State is currently battling the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which bans sports betting in all but four states (grandfathered in).
Poker Players Alliance is Happy
John Pappas, Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance, is excited about the prospect of legal internet poker in the Keystone State.
"Pennsylvania made the right decision today," said Pappas. "This is a major victory for consumers who, for years, have asked the state to step up and provide meaningful protections.
"The iGaming law will also help create new growth opportunities for the Commonwealth's brick and mortar casinos while providing needed revenue for the state budget."
Tags: John Pappas PPA, Pennsylvania legal online gaming, Pennsylvania legalizes online poker, Tom Wolf online gaming, Tom Wolf online poker


text:
Video: Best Coast - Our Deal (Directed By Drew Barrymore)
Thursday 4th August, 2011 11:03AM
Best Coast's highly anticipated new video for "Our Deal" directed by Drew Barrymore and staring Kick Ass star Chloe Moretz was released earlier this week. It's West Side Story meets Grease and while the official video is still geoblocked meaning we cannot watch it here in NZ someone has posted a pretty good recording on youtube for those of us who cannot wait - click here to check it out.
Share this


text:
Your shopping cart is empty!
My Accountlogin Create Account Tel: 0117 955 0156
- Training Toys & Props
- Bendy Products
- Fiddle Items
- Stress Products
- Mood Setting & Participation
- Games for Active Learning
- Trainers' Essentials
- Marker Pens
- Organisation
- Participation
- Giveaways & Prizes
- Books & DVDs
- Schools & Education
- Brand Your Goods
Customer Service
Newsletter Sign up
Sign up for our exclusive offers and
free content!
free content!
* Email Address:
* Name:
Koosh Ball - 11cm
Product Code: TS0638
Inc. VAT (where applicable): £11.99
Inc. VAT (where applicable): £11.99
Buy More for Less
10 or more £8.99
25 or more £8.49
50 or more £7.49
25 or more £8.49
50 or more £7.49
Back in stock the favourite 11cm Mondo Koosh Ball - this is the biggest Koosh Ball available in the range!
In a selection of bright, vibrant colours. Perfect for any creative training room and classroom and great to use in many different activities as well as great fidget/fiddle toys!
11cm Mondo Koosh Balls are now extremely rare and hard to find in the UK. Colours available vary due to stock levels.
Similar Products


text:
We speakEditorial
Content Insights is the editorial intelligence package created by editors
We go to the cutting edge of big data, so you don't have to
Want to see Content Insights in action? Request a demo today.
Why Content Insights?
Save time for creativity
The modern editorial environment is one of high-pressure and low resources. As former editors, we've been there, and we know how stressful it can be.
Understand in an instant
how engaged your readership actually is
Get easy-to-use editorial analytics
that you can use on the fly
Save valuable time on analysis and reporting,
so you can get on with the creative stuff
Hassle-free insights
Content Insights was developed to support your editorial decisions, rather than blind you with woolly science.
Get any insight in 30 seconds or less,
over email
Install Content Insights right out of the box and
start receiving editorial analytics in no time at all
Learn to spot opportunities and
understand ROI just by glancing at your screen
Be smart with your distribution
Content Insights tracks a huge amount of data to show you true content engagement and real attention time.
Receive reports alerting you to ineffective
'clickbait' headlines
Discover the channels that are driving
valuable interaction
Gather stats on exposure, engagement and loyalty, and work out where to put your distribution spend
Make better use of your time –
your most costly resource
Get new value from old content
There's a lot you can learn from your longtail traffic, and Content Insights will help you get the most out of that data in the shortest amount of time.
See instantly which older articles continue to engage readers
Learn which topics and sections produce the most engaging evergreen content
Use these editorial analytics to help you brainstorm new content, extracting fresh value from finished work
What others say?
"Writers have to know how to improve themselves and it's easy to see how with Content Insights."
Yogie Fadila, Editor, IDN Times
"CI has been really useful at looking at the efficacy of our content, rather than the content that shouts the loudest."
Nicholas Cameron, Digital Analytics Manager, Archant
"CPI offers us a one metric that matters solution that provides all the editorial staff, beginning from the Author to the Editor in Chief, meaningful and easy to understand insights."
Stefan Plöchinger, Digital Editor, Süddeutsche Zeitung
Schedule Demo
Content Insights: editorial analytics for editorial people. Let us know when you're free to take the demo.Request Demo


text:
7:30 p.m.
Acting Studio (Room 177), Math & Computer Science Building
Event is free. Entrance tickets required. Limited capacity.
By Egan Reich
Directed by Laura Berg
This hyper-physical allegory of individualism vs. collectivism asks, "Is rabid individualism what it takes to get ahead and what is the cost?"
Five whaling widows are faced with the toughest night of their lives. On the same day the sea takes their husbands, it offers up a beached whale, and with it the possibility of financial freedom.
The women set out to do their husbands' work of harvesting the whale oil to buy their way to New York City and to a new life that they control. But first they have to figure out how to kill it, cut it open and avoid the sharks circling - all before daybreak.
Performance Schedule:
Thursday-Saturday, October 12-14 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 15 at 2 p.m.
Box Office:
(440) 826-2240
Monday-Friday 12-5 p.m. & Saturday 10 a.m.-12 p.m.


text:
Google wants you to submit your awesome naming ideas for the upcoming Android N release. The company says that it is having a hard time deciding on a name, and has opened a new site for you to submit your ideas, as long as it isn't "Namey McNameface."
There are a number of obvious suggestions, like Nerds, Nutella, Nilla Wafer and more, but dig deep and think of some new and original names. What will your suggestion be? Let us know your best ones in the comments!


text:
You are here
Reviews Basics »
Coffee Gear Reviews
Whenever we have the pleasure of getting some serious hands-on time with a product, we do our best to give our honest review. Our product reviews cover our thoughts on product performance, what unique qualities a product offers, and where it fits in the coffee world. Wondering what we think of a certain grinder or brewer? Take a look at our reviews below!
Baratza Sette Series: Setting Expectations
Baratza's newest line of grinders - the Sette series - were first announced about a year ago now to much excitement and fanfare. They promised speedy grinding with a brand new drive mechanism, stepless micro adjustment, and a whole new way to grind by weight. We've long known Baratza to produce great value grinders for the consumer side of the coffee world, and stand by them with equally excellent support.
Baratza Encore Review: Is a $129 Espresso Grinder Possible?
Baratza Forte Review: 3 Reasons You'll Love this Grinder
The Palm-sized Secret to Better Espresso
If you've been paying attention to the world of espresso in recent years, you might have noticed the silent and steady takeover of puck-style tampers in competitions and in your local coffee bar.


text:
Jane is learning about 3 new words every day. She jibbers and jabbers all day and I can understand most of it. I don't think most people know what she's saying but I know quite a bit of it...
side = outside
nana = banana
cock = clock
gock = sock
tall tall = she wants to sing the snow man song
amal = animal
juice = any liquid
co = it's cold
mo = more
bop bop = either she tooted or heard a toot :)
I'm still not sure what two of the words are that she says ALL THE TIME.
One of them is... sounds exactly like a swear word and rhymes with hit. She's constantly swearing!!
The other sounds like "em-ee". Absolutely no idea.
Last night Jane ate some chicken nuggets for dinner. She had 5 which is normally a little too much for her to finish. Well, after she was done she kept saying, "mo bock" over and over. Brandt gave her some prunes and after she devoured those she still kept saying, "mo bock". It took a while but he eventually figured out she was trying to say "more chicken nuggets". She's so smart. Yes Jane, chickens do say bock bock.


text:
Sony announced over the weekend that it sold more than 1 million PlayStation 4 video game consoles in the first 24 hours of availability in North America, a record for PlayStation. But the launch was marred by massive problems with the PlayStation Network (PSN), which was not working properly for at least the first 48 hours of the PlayStation 4's availability for many, ruining their launch-day experience.
"PlayStation 4 was designed with an unwavering commitment to gamers," Sony Computer Entertainment president and group CEO Andrew House said. "We are thrilled that consumer reaction has been so phenomenal."
Sony's announcement indicated that the 1 million figure represents actual sales to end users and not sales into the channel. The PlayStation 4 launch on Friday was greeted by long lines of fans at retail locations throughout North America, and most of those locations reported selling out of their stock quickly.
Sony had previously announced that it presold more than 1 million PlayStation 4 consoles, as well. It's unclear whether this new 1 million figure is in addition to the presales. Either way, the PlayStation 4 is off to a strong start, at least from a sales perspective: The PlayStation 3 needed two months to sell 1 million units in North American back in 2006-2007.
But there were problems during this launch, too.
The PSN downtime problems manifested themselves in a variety of ways, with users unable to update the console's system software or games, download new games, sign in to their PlayStation account, access or sign up for the PlayStation Plus subscription service, or access the console's online entertainment applications. I wrote about the many downtime issues in "Sony PlayStation 4: First Impressions and Photos" and "Sony PlayStation 4: More Impressions and Screenshots" over the weekend, but they appear to have cleared up by Sunday morning.
Some users also reported that their PlayStation 4s arrived DOA. But Sony claimed only ".4 percent" of PlayStation 4 consoles were shipped in a non-working state to customers.
"A handful of people have reported issues with their PlayStation 4 systems," a Sony statement reads. "This is within our expectations for a new product introduction, and the vast majority of PlayStation 4 feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We are closely monitoring for additional reports, but we think these are isolated incidents and are on track for a great launch."
Sony will continue launching the PlayStation 4 around the world throughout the next few months. Next up is Europe and Latin America, where the PlayStation 4 will ship on November 29. Then Sony will bring the console to its home market of Japan in February.
Before then, however, Sony will need to contend with Microsoft: The software giant launches its next-generation console, the Xbox One, this Friday, November 22.


text: Club restaurant Poco Loco is located in the close centre of Pancevo, only 15 minutes away from Belgrade. It consists of two separate parts, a restaurant part and a club part. The selection of food is made in order to answer to different tastes and in order to give each of the guests maximum pleasure in this carefully made specialties. In a pleasant ambience, the interior of bright colors, with the sounds of water from the fountain, you can have a cup of coffee, enjoy in exotic specialties from our kitchen, refresh yourself with alcoholic and non alcoholic cocktail, and try some of our desserts… Special attention in our business is dedicated to catering services. A great selection of canapés, cocktail bites, salads, small desserts, ready dishes that we prepare, and if necessary deliver for you are the ideal solution for organization of private and business parties. We invite you to come and hang out with your friends, drink coffee, chat and discover new tastes!


text:
Apple's colorful mainstream flagship, starting at $749.
Apple Asks Supreme Court to Curb Patent Abuse Amid New $2 Billion Patent Lawsuit
Google, joined by 13 other companies, told the justices that patent-assertion entities have an unfair advantage because they don't make products of their own, leaving them effectively immune from countersuits.Apple and the other technology companies are asking the Supreme Court to make it easier for companies to collect attorney's fees when patent holding companies lose infringement lawsuits. This allocation of fees, they argue, would cut down on the number of frivolous suits.
Just as Apple moves to seek judicial assistance in addressing patent abuse in the U.S., German patent holding firm IPCom has filed two patent infringement lawsuits in the German court system that accuse Apple of infringing on cellular technology it owns (via FOSS Patents). Both the European and German patents describe methods of managing priority emergency access when wireless networks are overloaded. Apple could pay more than $2 billion in damages if it loses these legal battles.
The patent asserted in case no. 2 O 53/12, in which, inter alia, a partial claim of damages amounting to 1.57 billion euros ($2.12 billion), plus prejudgment interest, has been brought, is EP1841268. This patent has recently (on January 22, 2014) been the subject of a validity decision by the European Patent Office, in the first instance.IPCom obtained both patents from German automotive parts company Robert Bosch GmbH. Apple, Nokia, HTC and others asked the European Patent Office to invalidate the European patent, but the EPO denied this request.
In case no. 2 O 95/13, in which no quantified damages claims but requests for an accounting and for declaratory judgment of liability for damages have been brought so far, the patent-in-suit is DE19910239, a German patent.
Top Rated Comments(View all)
Apple is joining Google and 13 other companies in a combined effort to curb frivolous lawsuits from patent holding companies, ...
Talk about hypocrites!
Apple and its pals just took the $4.5B of patents they bought from Nortel, and gave them to a patent holding company that they created explicitly to troll other companies.
That company does not use the patents themselves, and consists only of a small group of engineers who do nothing but comb through other companies' tech to see if they can sue them with some of the transferred patents.
If you have a patent and don't want to manufacture the product, sell it to someone who will. If you hold onto patents and don't make anything using those patents, after some time you lose your ability to defend it.
That would solve 99% of the patent troll problem.
As used here, the term "frivolous lawsuits" means lawsuits that the defendants find annoying or irksome. The real meaning of the term is without value or merit. If a patent infringement suit is successful (and many are), this means (by definition) that it wasn't frivolous at all. These companies aren't worried about truly frivolous lawsuits. They are concerned about the ones that have merit under the laws.
Words matter.
This is the danger. If you are a little guy that legitimately invents and patents something, and big bad Apple or whoever comes in and steals it because they figure you are too small to fight, you are now a frivolous lawsuit. That is wrong. This is strengthening the bad patent system instead of fixing it.
I assume you place Google in the "hypocrites" camp as well, since they are also involved in this new effort despite having acquired Motorola, stripped out all the viable patents they could, and dumped the carcass to the Chinese?
That's not even close being the same situation. Not even a tiny bit.
To be equivalent to the Rockstar troll, Lenovo would have to stop making devices, and turn into a shell company that solely devotes itself to figuring out ways to sue others using the Motorola patents they bought.
Anyone who doesn't know what a design patent is shouldn't post here about patents.
If knowing what you're talking about was a prerequisite for posting here the forum would be closed. :D
Consider a home inventor who comes up with a new mouse trap, but has no funds to create a company to build it. (Or perhaps she's too busy inventing other things, or too sick to go into business. All sorts of possibilities.)
That inventor's best bet might be to sell her patent to someone who CAN make use of it.
Now, offering it to a major mousetrap company might be a bad idea, because they might want to just bury it in favor of their own design. Or perhaps they'll challenge her patent in court, and she cannot afford to fight it.
This is where patent holding companies are useful. She could sell/license her patent to them, and they can find others to license the patent to. They can also afford fight the legal challenges.
I think the main problem we see, is not so much NPEs, but the fact that many lawsuits involve SOFTWARE PATENTS.
Software patents simply should not exist, and do not exist in many countries.
Anyone who programs knows that there's 1) no way to stop and check every method to see if someone else has done it, and 2) plenty of ways for people to come up with the same ideas.
Almost every software patent lawsuit has nothing to do with outright copying, but instead is simply because someone derived the same method independently, but did not file for it.
Software patents quite simply favor big companies who can afford to submit lots of them, and some over and over again until the USPTO gives up and grants them.
[ Read All Comments ]


text:
+ News & Articles
AUFORN Reports Filer's Files News Reports & Articles Out There! Oz Files Sighting Reports UFO + PSI Magazine UFO News UK UFO Roundup
+ Magazines
E-Zines Magazines Mailing Lists
+ Research
Books, CD-ROMs & DVDs Events Humanoid Reports & Journal of Humanoid Studies Lecturers & Performers Magonia Database Museums Newsclippings On This Day Organizations Researchers Triangular Craft
+ More Pages
Acronyms Amateur Radio UFO Nets Awards Credits Faeylyn's Artwork Janus Products & Services Radio & TV Programmes Short Stories Therapy & Counselling UFOINFO's History
+ Links
UFOs Space Exploration More Links
Filer's Files
By George Filer
MUFON Eastern Region Director
September 11, 2000
George Filer: firstname.lastname@example.com
See all the photos at: www.nationalufocenter.com
and http://www.ufoweek.com
Air Force Colonel Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper who was one of the original Mercury astronauts claims that the government has withheld information that alien spacecraft have visited Earth. Cooper claims the government has "swept under the rug" the truth about unidentified flying objects. "Each administration has probably tried to figure out how, with the least embarrassment, they could confess to this whole thing," he said. His new book "Leap of Faith: An Astronaut's Journey in the Unknown" (HarperCollins Publishers, $25) reveals new information about his own encounters with UFOs. Cooper says "They need to clean the slate about what has been going on or has not been going on," Sitting on top of an Atlas missile he flew into space in 1963.
BERLIN -- My name is Carol, and last night September 10, 2000, my family was sitting out side and we all saw strange lights in the sky. They were flying in a circle coming together flying around again. If I could draw it on the computer it would look like a wheel. We watched for about twenty minutes. I wanted to call someone about it, but didn't know who to contact. When my husband got home from work he told me other people had also seen it in the sky and reported it. It was called in to some radio stations as unidentified. I have seen things over the years. I am 52 and it all started back in the 50s when I was around 12 years old. Thanks to Carol Alian10094
PITTSTON TOWNSHIP -- Chuck and a female witness noticed several strange flying objects in the sky on August 20, 2000, at 7:45 PM. He happened to have his Sharp Video camera with him and started to video tape shooting towards the sunset. A strange white disc shaped object was hovering in the sky. The object had a white and black exhaust or contrail beneath it. At first Chuck thought the object might be a rocket, but rockets do not hover in the sky for an extended period. The UFO started to climb higher in the sky and the exhaust or contrail disappeared. The disc was about the width of his thumb at arm's length with the exhaust about the length of his hand. The UFO did not appear to move laterally but climbed quickly out of sight almost straight up. Several other balls of light or UFOs are apparent on the film in the distance. The film shows a road scene, a restaurant, telephone pole and the objects in the distance. Chuck then zooms 64 times to a close up of the object that appears as a white spinning disc. The video is several minutes long and allows the viewer to see the UFO for an extended time. Further analysis of the film continues. Thanks to Chuck in Scranton.
ROCKY MOUNT TAR RIVER RESERVOIR -- Martin Richer writes, "I had a sighting of some sort in early September last year shortly after Hurricane Floyd came through this area and brought catastrophic floods. Many deaths occurred in this vicinity and rescue helicopters blanketed our area. My back door sits just 280 feet from the river's edge but luckily, my home sits high enough that we avoided major damage. Three days after the worst flooding, I took my boat out to explore the damage and as I returned to my home I waded towards shore when I stepped in a hole. I stumbled, dunking myself in the brackish flood fouled water. I rose up sputtering, gasping, and cursing, and tried not to lose my temper. I looked up and 500 yards across the reservoir was a craft of some sort.
It was about 25 feet across, and somewhat boxy in shape, although all edges were smoothed out and rounded. It appeared to be completely white in color, and had no visible windows, doors or, antennae. There were no apparent lights or seams. The sun had just set and was near the craft, but below the tree line. It made no detectable noise, and was at a distance no more than 100 yards past where I can easily hear a small motorboat engine. It just hovered there about 300 yards above the trees. It slowly moved away from me towards the north, rising slowly to 1000 feet. In a smooth motion, it accelerated rapidly and was lost to sight behind the tree line within a second or two. From the time I first noticed the craft or whatever sitting stationary till it began to move back and to my right took about 12-15 seconds. It took perhaps another 12-15 seconds to move out of sight. This thing didn't exhibit any flight characteristics unknown to conventional craft, only it's appearance and lack of sound was odd. Thanks to Martin Richer
COLUMBUS -- Researcher John C. Thompson writes, "A major break has developed in the February 5, 2000, central Georgia 'mystery boom' that was widely reported by Columbus news-media" Jim Steen of MUFON in Columbus alerted me to new witnesses in Mauk, Georgia. The Marion County couple were at home when at 5:20 PM they heard, like tens of thousands of others, a loud explosion that knocked items off their living room shelves. They ran outside and saw a high flying "tiny white speck" with contrail behind it almost directly overhead. Simultaneously, another object emerged at a 75 degrees from the contrail of what they thought was a fighter jet flying to the southeast. The 41 year old husband described the UFO as a "shiny metallic spear" that contracted and elongated as it moved at a dazzling speed away from the fighter.
The UFO looked exactly like a metal cigar canister that moved many times faster than the jet. At its greatest length, the UFO was "eight times" longer than the jet which could be compared near it. At its shortest, it was half that size. It "oscillated" in size as it flew away silently to the southwest. The wife said the UFO was many times bigger than the jet and was a metallic disc that was rapidly spinning as it sped away in excess of 2000 mph. A soft whoosh from the engines of the overhead jet could be heard. The large blimp size UFO--the husband said "was much bigger than any Fuji film blimp. It made no sound and covered a third of the horizon in only "4 seconds." It disappeared behind a stand of short pines. The visibility was excellent, ceiling unlimited, 65 degrees F, with little wind. The jet, whose swept back wings and fuselage could clearly be seen, meanwhile, was still in sight nearly two minutes later at a 140 degrees azimuth. Both craft appeared to be at the same altitude. It can be estimated, based on the fighter's small apparent size, that they were flying above 20,000 feet.
Within 18 hours 10 to 15 military jets were seen to be flying a "tic-tac-toe pattern" over Marion and adjacent Taylor County. This abnormal military air activity went on for ten days. Tree-hugging Blackhawk helicopters were seen within four days following the blast doing search patterns. The dark Blackhawks had absolutely no markings. Some were seen with side refueling probes and with forward "bulbs." Such helicopters, "Pave-Hawks," with refueling probes and forward infrared internal sensors, are stationed at Hurlburt Field near Eglin AFB in northwest Florida. Many thanks to Jim Steen and John C. Thompson, copyright 2000. All rights reserved.
Editors Note: The 347th Wing at MoodyAFB, GA. has F-16s fighters whose length is 49 feet 5 inches long. Estimated size is 8 x 50 = 400 feet in length for the UFO. Eglin AFB has F-15s that are 64 feet in length.
ANN ARBOR -- Daniel C. Hoppin writes that on Saturday, September 9, 2000, my brother and girlfriend were walking down a crowded main street around 9:30 at night. I saw a family pointing up at the sky and overheard the little girl ask her dad "What is that?" to which the father responded, "I don't know, we've never seen anything like it." I looked up and saw an object moving north, high overhead. At first I thought it was some kind of odd shaped balloon, but as I watched, it turned. The object was a red/ochre color, and shaped like a horseshoe, with the open end facing the back. At this point I drew my comrades attention to the object, and they watched it as well. The night was hazy, and the object wasn't lit, so it was not obvious unless you were looking right at it. My brother thought that the reddish color was actually a reflection of the downtown lights. We watched the object slowly move north straight above the street, until it faded away in the haze. A plane traveling a similar flight path flew over at what seemed the same altitude. We estimate the UFO was half a football field or 150 feet in length. We heard no noise. There are several blimps that fly out of Ann Arbor, but what we saw wasn't a blimp, airplane, helicopter, or flock of geese, it was solid, and like the little girls daddy said, "I've never seen anything like it." Thanks to Daniel Hoppin firstname.lastname@example.com (Daniel c Hoppin)
CLEVELAND -- On Saturday, August 19, 2000, at 2:00 PM, Floyd Juillard was a passenger aboard an America West jetliner making its final approach into Cleveland International Airport. Just then, he heard the pilot's voice on the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, Cleveland Center has just cleared us to descend to 12,000 feet. Please return your seats and trays to the upright position." As the jetliner entered the inbound air traffic over Olmstead Falls, Ohio, Floyd peered out his window, looking north towards downtown Cleveland, and spotted a rectangular UFO. It was "silent and fast, heading west at (bearing) 260 degrees true. I was looking north at first, but I followed it west with my gaze." He described the UFO as "four lights spread in a rectangular shape and first moving slightly up and down and slightly east and west, close to the terrain. At times it moved to the west and traveling at great acceleration until it was almost immediately out of sight." He added, that the four lights, "Resembled Fourth of July handheld fireworks. Thanks to UFO Roundup Volume 5, # 36 9/7/00 Editor: Joseph Trainor
DAYTON -- Ginny Burgess writes, "Thanks for accepting my call concerning the article "Ridicule of UFO Reports Started with the Robertson Panel." I wanted to let you know prior to sending the reports we documented of numerous kinds of aerial activity happening here in Ohio. We made this known to various UFO groups and government agencies in an effort to try to figure out what was going on here. We not only got treated with disbelief but with ridicule. Many of the reports I have of what has been happening locally here, for about six years now, are ones that I have had to document much of myself because sightings were happening so frequently starting in the fall of 1996. There was so much activity happening here that you may find the numerous reports by local people hard to comprehend as having occurred. Thanks to: Ginny firstname.lastname@example.com
LOVELAND -- On the night of August 25, 2000, my 14 year old son and I were returning home from football practice. As we were headed in a northerly direction at approximately 21:30 MT, my son exclaimed, "Hey Dad, what the heck kind of aircraft is that?" As I looked out the driver side window, I saw exactly what he was puzzled over. About 1000 feet up, directly over the city was what appeared to be a saucer or disk-shaped craft. This craft had, what I can best describe as a white, strobe-like light on top. Around it's entire circumference was a rotating orange band which seemed to revolve in a clockwise motion around the object. What was even more interesting was that this object then turned off the strobe effect and it's rotating orange light. At this point in time the craft was roughly 300 yards away from our car and we had been viewing it for about 1 minute. It then appeared to assume the conventional aviation lights of a small plane! As we turned west to continue the drive home, my son said "Look, that thing is following us!" It seemed to be keeping a parallel course with the route we were taking. As we pulled into our driveway, it remained on it's current course and we quickly lost site of view. The total viewing time of this incident was between 2 and 3 minutes. I am a computer specialist by trade and my son is a bright, mature, and fairly average teenage kid who dislikes being the center of attention. The only reason I'm reporting this incident is because we felt it so bizarre and it needed to be archived somewhere.
SEATTLE -- I awoke at 4:00 AM to use the bathroom on September 2, 2000. I heard a sound coming from outside that caught my attention because it was coming from the sky, but didn't have the focused, directional sound of a jet engine. When I looked out my bathroom window facing north, I saw a cigar shaped object with several bluish white lights on the side (roughly 1/3 to 1/2 way between the front and back). The object was flying fairly low in the sky in a singular, easterly direction and from it's size, it appeared to be fairly near. I viewed the object for 3 seconds before it flew out of the view of my window. The sound was still audible for a few seconds after I lost visibility. Slightly stunned, I returned to bed but was unable to sleep. I got up again 1 or 2 minutes later but did not sight the object again. (NUFORC Note: We spoke with this witness, and we found her to be exceptionally convincing in her description of her alleged sighting.) Thanks to Peter Davenport www.ufocenter.com.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - An F-117 stealth fighter flew close enough to a United Airlines jet to set off the passenger plane's onboard radar September 7, the airline and the military said. The incident occurred shortly after United flight 174 left Los Angeles International Airport for Boston about 8:30 a.m., said Chris Nardella, a spokeswoman for United, which is based in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village. The Boeing 757 was flying at about 10,800 feet when its onboard radar equipment detected an approaching aircraft. Nardella said the crew kept the plane at that altitude until the Air Force jet passed overhead. Preliminary reports showed the United plane and an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter came within 500 feet vertically and six-tenths of a mile horizontally of each other, FAA spokesman Jerry Snyder said Thursday night. According to Visual Flight Rules, which the Nighthawk flies by, ''this 500 feet separation was within safe perimeters for all passing aircraft's,'' Snyder said. The stealth jet, which is able to evade radar, was broadcasting its position publicly when the near-miss occurred. ''The F-117, on a training flight, was not in stealth configuration and was flying according to FAA rules,'' the Air Force said in a statement. Under such conditions the plane uses a standard transponder to alert other aircraft to its position, the Air Force said. The F-117 flies out of an Air Force facility in Palmdale, about 60 miles from Los Angeles, and the squadron is based at Edwards Air Force Base. The United flight carried 166 passengers and seven crew. Thanks to Kenny Young- UFO Research http://home.fuse.net/ufo/
Editor's Note: The article notes that the Stealth appeared on the jetliner's transponder and onboard radar. Some airliners carry a biostatic radar that can pick up Stealth aircraft. These radar's do not send out a signal in the normal sense but pickup aircraft in the general area. The Chinese Embassy in Kosovo used these Biostatic radar's to track Stealth Fighters during the recent war in Yugoslavia. After this information was passed to enemy forces the Biostatic radar's on the Chinese Embassy were destroyed.
Since the first of the year the sun has been near the peak of its eleven year activity cycle. There are more sunspots, solar flares and UV rays from the Sun than at any time since 1989. The sun is in the maximum phase of the solar cycle now, and it will probably persist for another year. This years activity is it's definitely bigger than average. Fortunately, our atmosphere shields you from most harmful radiation. There has been an apparent correlation between a lower number of UFO sightings and high sunspot activity. Last fall reports were averaging 400 reports per month but with the sunspot activity reports dropped sharply to around 200 a month. Larry Hatch has been conducting a massive study of the best UFO reports over many years had decided to compare high sunspot activity with his database of more than 10,000 highly reliable UFO reports. At first his raw data seemed to show there was no apparent difference between low and high sunspot activity.
He writes, "It took over 15 years to dig through all of this and catalogue some 17,660 sightings." I compared 239 months of Low sunspot (SS) activity with 193 months of high activity, so naturally one would expect more UFO sightings during the low months if you just take a raw count. Much more telling is the number of sightings per month, i.e., For LOW SS months I divided 6214 events by 239 months to get 26.0 events per month. For HIGH SS months I divide 4708 events by 193 months to get 24.4 events per month. Granted this is still higher for low SS months, but not much higher. I don't call myself a statistician, but would wager that they would not consider the small difference highly significant."
The U* Database Attributes deals with apparent or presumes activities of UFOs or their occupants. The majority of listings here fall into one or another category below. Here's the breakdown for Row #5, split between low and high sunspots months as described earlier:
ROW #5 Low SS (6179) High SS (4743) Count Percent Count Percent Observation 1669 27.01% 1230 25.93% Beams & Rays 458 7.412% 356 7.505% Samples taken? 162 2.622% 75 1.581% Missing Time? 88 1.424% 57 1.202% Abduction? 111 1.796% 65 1.370% Medical Ops? 39 0.583% 14 0.295% Signaling? 145 2.347% 120 2.530% Communication? 101 1.635% 61 1.286% ---------------------------------------------- All records --- 6179 100.0% 4743 100.0%
In all categories except one (Beams and Rays) the activities reported during low sunspot months exceed rates for those in high sunspot months. The biggest discrepancy is in "signaling", a loose grab of apparent behaviors indicating some sort of information transmitted to or from a UFO via lights, beams, radio, etc., etc. A classic example might be a pair of disks firing thin laser-like beams back and forth. This is nearly twice as likely during low-SS months. "Communication" means any transmission of information between a UFO "entity" and a human observer, often in the context of an abduction. Again this is much more likely in low SS months. "Medical Ops" are entirely or almost entirely within the abduction framework. Your classical nasal implant, if listed at all, goes here. With every caution against statistics of small samples, note the nearly two to one ratio favoring low-SS months. The 6th row specifies what is acted upon, or often merely "observed" or apparently studied by the UFO. Missing Time and Abduction reports alike are roughly 19% more common in the same low SS months. I find "sampling behavior" very interesting. Plants, animals, rocks, dirt, (humans?) Here the odds nearly double during low SS months. Whether simply observing or taking samples, something or somebody is acted upon. Row 6 of the indicates the apparent "objects of attention":
Row 6 Low SS (6179) High SS (4743) Count Percent Count Percent Nuclear Fclty 104 1.683% 70 1.476% Dirt, Soil.. 371 6.004% 228 4.807% Plants and Veg. 302 4.888% 198 4.175% Animals 220 3.560% 134 2.825% Humans 453 7.331% 303 6.388% Vehicles 907 14.68% 695 14.65% Structures 464 7.509% 331 6.974% UFO Landings 1281 20.73% 756 15.94% ______________________________________________ All records --- 6179 100.0% 4743 100.0%
In every category, low SS months show a higher incidence. Only Vehicle cases, (usually cases of vehicle interference) are in nearly equal ratios. Soil and animal samples, traces and effects show the greatest discrepancies. Nuclear Facilities are military and civilian and do not necessarily show "clear intent," often it was mere proximity. UFO Landings include cases where the craft stopped within say 2 meters of the ground, close enough to drop a ladder. Again, the non-SS months predominate by a nearly 4:3 ratio. Dirt and soil include trace cases (presumed landings) and soil sampling. The data accumulated so far, seems to indicate a smallish but consistent bias toward periods of low sunspot activity. The categories above, which generally indicate relatively close encounters, seem to bear this out more clearly than the raw numbers for sightings of all types posted earlier. As for quality of the data, please by all means check my list of *U* Database Sources: http://www.larryhatch.net/USOURCE.html A Special Thanks to Larry Hatch for his work. firstname.lastname@example.com
LAKE COWICHAN --On August 3, 2000, between 11:00 PM and 1:00 AM three persons witnessed reoccurring UFO sightings. The witness reports, "At first there was only one that we all saw and it moved in a triangular pattern for about half of an hour moving fast then slow, but always in the same triangle shape." The object was dim and then bright all of the sudden and repeated this the entire time. We saw along the horizon just above the tops of the trees about a dozen UFOs. It was hard to count because they moved so fast, almost dancing with each other. During this time there were numerous shooting stars with a huge bright flashes that flew in the exact direction to the spot where we observed the UFOs. The UFO's were red, green, blue and orange. Most had like a blue/green tracer that followed it. These must have been UFOs since I have never seen anything move in such sporadic directions as these did. They could move across our entire field of vision in a split second and then be right back were we first spotted them."
PITT LAKE -- The witness and two companions were occupying a cabin on August 4, 2000, when they spotted a bright white light that suddenly "appeared" without warning at 10:55 PM. Larger than any star or satellite they had ever seen previously. The light appeared in the Southwest and traveled slowly and erratically to the Northwest before fading from sight.
VANCOUVER ISLAND -- A woman was on her sundeck on August 7, 2000, looking westward when she observed a shiny ball-like object that seemed to be reflecting sunlight at 4:30 PM. It was flying towards Powell River at normal speed for a commercial aircraft. She watched it for several minutes as it flew above Harwood Island. She could see it fairly clearly and was sure it was not a normal aircraft. She called for her son to come out and have a look. That was when it stopped, appeared to reverse its course, climbed at an incredible speed and disappeared in a matter of 3 to 5 seconds.
PROCTOR FERRY-- On August 17, 2000, the witnesses two dogs woke up and wanted to go out at 11:30 PM, when she saw an object with red, blue and green flickering lights around the top. Calling her partner out they watched the object move up, down, left and right without any noise. The dogs normally stay asleep all night. After twenty minutes it headed off and landed on the nearby mountain top. Its lights went out, came back on and then went out again. The witness stated there have been lots of sightings in Proctor and over Kootenay Lake.
SURREY -- The witness was driving her truck along 96th Avenue on August-21, 2000 in, heading west towards Scott Road at 10:50 PM, when she suddenly saw a bright light "appear" on her left, traveling quickly at 500 to 1000 feet. She thought at first it was a plane about to crash. It was heading north and had red and green lights on it. She had it in view for no longer than 20 seconds before it disappeared from view behind some trees.
SHAWNIGAN LAKE -- On August-21, 2000, we saw a spectacular fireball come down over the south island. The fireball was some distance to the west, over the hills, fairly close to the horizon at 10:52 PM. The center of the fireball was green, and it left a bright, glowing yellow tail. At one point it flared brightly as if it had partly exploded, and then several pieces glowed yellow as they fell.
WHITE ROCK -- The witness looked out of her window around midnight and saw a bright white diamond-shaped light traveling south to north on August-21, 2000. She was looking west. As soon as she saw it a car alarm went off across the street! She turned away from the window and next she knew it was 1:00, it seems that she had somehow lost an hour. Thanks to: UFO*BC http://www.ufobc.org and Gavin McLeod
THE 11TH GREAT UFO CONGRESS will be held at the Days Inn in Bordentown, NJ on October 7 and *, 2000. Scheduled speakers are Tom Carey -Roswell Crash, Hans Holzer, Life After Death, Antonio Huneeus UFO Briefing Document, Don Ecker The Dark side of the Moon, Vicki Ecker - In search f the Secret Keepers, Mike Mannion Project Mind Shift, Pat Marcattilio -The Origeins of Civilizations, James Mosely - A Skeptical Ufologist Sam Sherman - Edwards AFB Encounter
I am contacting all of you to ask for your assistance in urging MUFON members to vote on the new MUFON By Laws; either for or against acceptance. This is the first time in many years that the membership has had an opportunity to vote on a revision to the Bylaws. The divided Bylaw committee worked very hard to arrive at a modern set of Bylaws for your consideration. It is up to the membership to determine whether or not we proceed to work under the new or old Bylaws. Thanks to John Schuessler MUFON International Director
All real estate agents are not the same? Some real estate agents or sales representatives are part timers and inexperienced. Others are experts with an excellent experience and capabilities. When you are selling or buying your home, you need to make sure you have the best real estate agent working for you before you make any important financial decisions on one your biggest investments! Remember, the majority of people do not know the right questions to ask, and what pit falls can cause major problems. Picking the right real estate agent can be a wonderful experience, and picking the wrong one can be a big mistake that can waste your time and cost you thousands! Find out, " What you need to understand before hiring any real estate agent!" These are the questions that many agents do not want you to ask. Learn how you can obtain the best real estate agent for your needs. To get a free copy of this report, just call (609) 654-0020 or e-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com. We can also help you with your own or corporate Worldwide Relocation to Australia, Benelux, Canada, Cayman Islands, England, France, Guam, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and US.
PHOTOGRAPH BOOKLET of some of the best UFO shots available and data on their propulsion systems by US Navy Commander Graham Bethune.. $10.00. Send check or money order to G. Filer 222 Jackson Road, Medford, New Jersey 08055
For more detailed monthly investigative reports subscribe by contacting email@example.com. Mention I recommended you for membership.
Filer's Files is copyrighted 2000 by George A. Filer, all rights reserved. Readers may post items from the files on their Web Sites provided that they credit the newsletter and its editor by name and list the date of issue that the item appeared. Send your letters to firstname.lastname@example.com. Sending mail automatically grants permission for us to publish and use your name. Please state if you wish to keep your name, address, or story confidential.
George A. Filer www.nationalufocenter.com and http://www.ufoweek.com
Please subscribe or see the Filer's Files website for images in this weeks issue.


text:
--Dalma Heyn, M.S.W.
Author of Drama Kings: The Men Who Drive Strong Women Crazy
A national and international bestselling author and psychotherapist. She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, Larry King, The Charlie Rose Show, The View, and Good Morning America
The book is divided into 3 sections: SEEK, FIND & KEEP.
In SEEK, the book outliness the first process of finding a partner or date. Being ready and self aware: Dating to Win, Does True Love Really Exist? Five Suggestions For Releasing Painful Relationship Memories. Links to portions of these articles are on the right.
In the second section FIND there are many articles on how to find a partner. On and offline dating: Dos and Don'ts, How to write an effective profile. How to get that second date, 5 Garanteed Ways to Turn a Man off, 10 Ways to Seduce a Woman and many more articles and useful information
In the section KEEP it's all about how to keep a relationship healthy: Asking for What You Want, The Dance of Intimacy, 5 Ways to Instantly Improve your Relationship and 31 more aricles..
Ability To Love Takes Root In Earliest Infancy
Change Your Perception Change Your Relationship
Could This Be Why You're Single?
Dating to Win
Does True Love Really Exist?
Five Suggestions For Releasing Painful Relationship Memories
Happiness - The Key To Being Captivating
Healing And Awareness Are Vital For Your Personal Growth
How To Improve Your Dating Success
How We Really Choose Our Mates
Men And, "The Hunt" Explained
The Secret To Online Dating Success!
Tips For A Successful First Date
There is a total of 70 articles that are included in the book that cover the entire spectrum of dating and relationships.


text:
Canon Solutions America is a Canon U.S.A. Company providing integrated systems technology that comprise one of the strongest solutions portfolios in the document management industry. Canon Solutions America offers a competitive compensation package including travel allowance, medical, dental, vision, 401(k) Savings Plan, profit sharing, success sharing, educational assistance, recognition programs, vacation, and much more!
Canon Solutions America Senior Digital Service Specialists are responsible for servicing specific business system products including: black & white and color printers and copiers, facsimile equipment, document management solutions and related software. If you are goal oriented, have an interest in technology, and excellent customer service skills, this may be the position for you!
As a Digital Service Specialist you will play a key role in the satisfaction of many loyal customers, which includes large companies and government offices as well as small to medium-sized businesses. Our Technicians are responsible for on-site service of Canon's networked digital imaging products. Working within a designated geographic territory, you'll be dispatched to various job assignments depending on the product and experience level. You'll be trained to make the necessary mechanical or electrical repairs as well as provide prevention maintenance on all machines serviced.
Your qualifications must include a Minimum of an Associate's degree in Electronics Technology or similar field of study or equivalent business experience, and excellent customer service skills.
New technicians participate in Canon's 6 week comprehensive training program known as Printing & Digital Imaging Foundations, you will learn the fundamentals of the electrical and mechanical systems that are integral to the office automation process, in addition to learning troubleshooting and customer service skills. On-going training and technical certification are conducted on a regular basis throughout your career as a technician.
Canon Solutions America, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law.
EOE Minorities/Females/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans
Software Powered by iCIMS


text:
|Case Studies
|Saturday, 18 April 2009
Case 1: Nursing Home patient diagnosed with Pneumonia
The first video is from the Nursing home side, the second video is from Telemedicine physician site.
Case 2: New Rash noted by the Nurse in an Elderly Patient with Dementia
This patient was found to have a rash on his right upper abdomen and flank. Because of his dementia, it was not possible to elicit a complete history other than what was provided by the nurse. The patient's primary physician was not available on site, so this evaluation was done via telemedicine by the remote consulting physician. A diagnosis of shingles was made and the patient was started on Acyclovir.
These Images were captured from the remote high definition video conferencing camera by the telemedicne physician.
Case 3: Follow up of a leg wound
This patient was recently hospitalized for an MRSA leg wound and was on IV antibiotics. Telemedicine allowed for frequent physician follow up evaluations at the nursing home in order to insure proper wound healing.
Case 4: Patient with rash on her hands
This is an example of a telemedicine progress note with images captured remotely in real time.
|Last Updated ( Friday, 08 May 2009 )


text:
Best Ibiza holiday apartments
Well done. Look what authentic hosts in Ibiza are offering to you on 9flats.
Popular accommodations in Ibiza
Show me apartments in:
Ibiza is famous for being one of the world's party capitals but there is another side to the island that locals know well and just a few lucky visitors get to see. Away from the bright lights and all-night revelry there is a landscape of pine forests, white beaches and sparkling sea; quiet whitewashed hamlets where locals linger outside cafés over plates of tapas and glasses of wine; and fascinating reminders of a history that dates back to long before Phoenician times. And the good news is you don't have to mingle with the tourists to enjoy it all at its best. Rent a holiday apartment in Ibiza through the 9flats website and you get to live like a local in a private home, decorated and equipped for the owners' own comfort.
Holiday apartments in Ibiza with a local touch
The 9steps approach takes the concept of couchsurfing in Ibiza to a whole new level. You get the same feeling of being part of the community yet can enjoy the privacy and independence of living in your own self-catering Ibiza vacation home. From there the island is yours to explore, whether you're just stepping outside to sip coffee at a local café or heading off to explore the many hidden corners of the island. There is a lot to see. Ibiza Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and boasts one of the oldest and best preserved medieval settlements in Europe, and there are remnants of earlier civilisations all over the island which are worth exploring. For natural wonders try the Cova de Can Marçá, a spectacular series of underground caverns, or the Las Salinas salt flats, a perfect spot for sunset photography.
Holiday accommodation in Ibiza puts the party at your doorstep
Like Barcelona on the mainland and Magaluf on neighbouring Majorca, Ibiza is where the world comes to party. Your Ibiza holiday apartment will be a great base from which to explore the best of the island's nightlife. It starts very late and goes on until well into the following day, with famous clubs such as Pacha, Space and Amnesia setting the pace for jet setters and regular party goers alike. These superclubs hold up to 12,000 people each and are an essential part of the Ibiza experience.
h2.Getting active from your Balearic Islands holiday home
A holiday apartment in the Balearic Islands also gives you access to the islands' many sports and adventure activities. From hiking the trails to biking down them at breathtaking speed, from snorkelling in the clear blue ocean to speeding across it on a jetski, there are activities here for all tastes. And after your fantastic Ibiza holiday why not look at some of the other destinations on offer. 9flats offers holiday accommodation in destinations all around the world, from city centre holiday flats in Madrid to stylish holiday apartments in bustling Hong Kong. Browse the web site now and feel what it is like to live like a local.
Choose from thousands of apartments around the world, in the best locations.
It's cheaper to stay in an apartment than a hotel.
No hidden fees or charges.
Latest reviews for places in Ibiza
4.0 08/17/2015
Internet Access doesn't work in the appartment. Just in near from reception.Alessandro reviewed Apartamentos de lujo en Ibiza in Es Vive
Payment methods


text:
Speaking in a public setting, whether to a large group or simply to another person, can be a difficult and even embarrassing task when anxiety is involved. Many people with anxiety disorders experience speech problems based on having difficulty concentrating and feeling the need to swallow while they are speaking. These types of speaking problems can cause you to avoid speaking entirely, or to panic whenever you do speak to the extent that you have to stop.
If you are suffering from this symptom of anxiety, it can help to know exactly what is happening in your body when you experience these speech problems, how anxiety negatively affects this, and what you can do to prevent the attacks that seem to make it difficult or impossible to speak normally.
Speech Problems = Anxiety?
If you're someone that wishes that anxiety didn't hold them back while they were speaking, make sure that you take my free 7 minute anxiety test to better learn what it means to be free of anxiety.
How Anxiety Can Make It Hard To Concentrate
Anxiety is a mentally and physically overwhelming condition. Your mind (and your brain) can only focus on X amount of things at any given time. When you have anxiety, it takes up much of that space, making it considerably harder for you to concentrate on the tasks at hand. Indeed, not only does it take over your thoughts, but there is a great deal of evidence that anxiety can actually shut some parts of your brain down temporarily because it can't handle all the work.
It's important that you first take my anxiety test before moving onward, as this test is an important tool for showing you the severity of your anxiety and what you can start doing to treat it.
When you really need to concentrate, anxiety is right there to get in the way. Whether it is preventing you from applying your mind to a problem, crowing your mind with other problems, or refusing to let you rationalize your way past the anxiety, anxiety can cause real difficulties when you are trying to do speak well and make a good impression on others (for example, at a job interview, meeting someone you are attracted to, or making a clear informational presentation in front of a group).
Here are some of the effects that anxiety has that can stop you from concentrating when you most need to:
- Deer in the Headlights Effect Anxiety, like fear (its more rational cousin), can cause your brain to freeze up (like a deer in the headlights). The thing that disturbs you becomes so overwhelming that your mind and body don't know what to do, tensing up to the extent that you are unable to operate. Speaking can involve unrealistic anxieties about the negative ways people will perceive you if you do, and also irrational worries about your body malfunctioning while you speak. Particularly if you are anxious about not being able to speak due to a speech impediment such as the need to swallow, you may have a conscious reason not to want to talk as well as an unconscious reaction to the pressures of talking, making it even harder to work your way past it.
- Conflicting Concerns Sometimes your anxiety-based trouble concentrating when trying to speak has nothing to do with speaking at all, but instead is related to other anxieties you are having: anxiety attacks, for example, can lead you to believe that you are going to die. Generalized anxiety, on the other hand, may cause other things in the environment to catch your attention, or cause other concerns in your life to loom up and distract you from the task at hand.
- Negative Thought Spirals When you want to concentrate on what you want to say, your mind may be too busy formulating reasons why you shouldn't speak, and listing the possible consequences that will occur if you do speak, and the consequences of those consequences. (For example: I can't speak because I'll sound like an idiot, if I sound like an idiot everyone will laugh at me, if everyone laughs at me people will lose respect for me, if they lose respect for me I'll be ostracized, and so on). This does not give you the headspace necessary for formulating ideas, much less trying to figure out how to articulate them clearly, and can be very distracting when you want to be able to speak.
- Distracted by Others' Faces A sign of social anxiety is often that you are too distracted by the faces of others because you're trying to see how they're interpreting you. That distraction means you're not putting all of your thoughts on what you're about to say.
- Overthinking Another problem is actually overthinking. Many people with anxiety find that they try much too hard to figure out what they should say next in order for it to be "perfect" only to find that they've lost their place and are unable formulate thoughts.
These effects can effectively drive you crazy, making you doubt yourself and lose self esteem when you think about being unable to do a simple thing like speaking which everyone else seems to be able to do so effortlessly. Additionally, it can make people feel uncomfortable around you and worried about your mental capabilities. This may add to your anxiety and make it harder for you to control your anxiety in the future.
Get Anxiety Relief
Learn how to control your anxiety and get relief from your anxiety symptoms. Start my free anxiety test now to find out more.
Swallowing While Speaking
Swallowing, like many bodily functions we never or rarely think about, becomes strange and challenging the moment we do. When your mind is prone to obsession, as anxious minds tend to be, and when these obsessions lead to morbid thinking and fear-responses in the body, it can be difficult to cope with the results.
Overthinking simple physical acts such as swallowing that are meant to happen unconsciously may lead to hysterical reactions and socially inappropriate physical responses in attempting to compensate for the imagined problem.
Symptoms of this problem can include:
- Choking Swallowing while trying to speak can be too much for your body to process at once, which can lead to a feeling of choking. Choking is a frightening experience that can make you feel like you can't breathe properly and lead to further anxieties about suffocation and death.
- Gagging If your throat is triggered by saliva or by enough swallowing, it can result in gagging. Gagging is unpleasant to hear and to experience, as it is the result of signals in your brain suggesting that you may need to throw up, and may even result in feelings of nausea.
- Spitting Thinking too much about swallowing can actually prevent you from swallowing enough, which leads to excess spittle in the mouth and the unfortunate consequence of spitting unintentionally while speaking.
- Frequent Pauses During Speech If you are thinking about swallowing you may find yourself having to stop mid-speech to consciously do so, as you are interrupting your body's unconscious swallowing mechanisms (which control how much saliva you produce and thereby regulate when you need to swallow so it doesn't interfere with speech).
- Blushing The embarrassment caused by this problem can result in blushing uncontrollably, which can have the cyclical effect of causing further embarrassment which further stimulates blushing, and so forth. This can be very frustrating when you know your problem is a result of anxiety rather than any real physical disability and shouldn't be causing you these problems.
Anxiety also can sometimes create more saliva, though it's unclear why. It's believe that either your body is creating more saliva to combat some of the acids in your stomach, or that you are unconsciously creating it because you're more aware of it.
Regardless, being unable to concentrate can be mentally and socially uncomfortable, but difficulty swallowing can lead to physical consequences that can be even more unpleasant. Overcoming these barriers is crucial for people suffering from them to be able to live a normal and productive life. The list below will give you an idea of the types of mental exercises you can try in order to overcome them.
How to Defeat Your Public Speaking Anxiety Symptoms
The problem with anxiety is that it blows your fear of speaking and being judged out of proportion and makes you worry about things that just aren't realistic. You won't be ostracized for life if you stutter a little. You won't die from swallowing strangely. You won't lose friends simply because you lost your place in the conversation, and your life won't be over if you ever did lose a friend.
The fact is, most people get nervous when they have to speak publicly, and will usually be understanding of other people who feel the same way (and if you clearly feel worse than they usually do, they'll be even more sympathetic with you).
Furthermore, a bit of extra saliva blocking your airway due to obsessive thinking cannot cause you to die from choking. A piece of food lodged in your throat, yes, or drowning in an ocean of saliva, sure, but not from the little bit your mouth can produce when it is nervous.
Here are some ways to calm you public speaking anxiety so that it stops getting in your way when you need to make yourself heard:
- Practice Speaking If you are preparing an advance for an event, read or review in your mind what you are going to say until saying it is practically second nature (to help you, you can come up with mnemonic cues to help you remember what you need to say if your mind suddenly goes blank). In situations that aren't important (i.e., outside of a job interview), you can conscientiously practice your speech with others, trying to sound as natural and relaxed as possible.
- Pretend Your Audience Is Someone You Know Imagining your audience is a person you are comfortable talking to (a close friend, a grandmother, or maybe even yourself) can help get you in a more relaxed frame of mind. You won't worry so much about what they will think of you, and may even find yourself enjoying talking to them (when you are relaxed, you audience will react to you in a more comfortable and natural way).
- Think of Something Important to You Before speaking, you can relax yourself by calling to mind something you have a firm devotion to of belief in, like your family, your religion, or your ethical standpoint on an important issue. This will make you feel grounded and sure of yourself, which can help your mind from wandering in a state of uncertainty to unimportant things like monitoring your swallowing or obsessing about how you sound rather than focusing on what to say.
- Picture Yourself Succeeding When you vividly imagine everything going as well as you want it to (by imagining how comfortable your body will feel, how confidently you will speak, and how positively the audience will respond to you), your body will be prepared for that to happen rather than crippling you with the certainty that the opposite will happen.
Getting stuck on anxious beliefs and physical paranoia does not have to keep you from doing the important things in life that require you to speak with confidence and ease. Now that you are more informed about your body and have some strategies to cope with your speech anxieties, it is time to try them out and start making some positive impressions.
In the future, the best way to avoid anxiety while speaking is by simply ensuring that you are no longer suffering from anxiety. Reducing your overall anxiety is certainly not an overnight task, but it is something you can do effectively if you're ready to make smart treatment decisions.
I've helped thousands of people control their anxiety and reduce the way it overwhelms their mind. Start with my free 7 minute anxiety test now. This test is a great way to learn more about your anxiety and start taking steps to control it.
Take the test here, now.
Author: Micah Abraham, BSc Psychology, last updated Sep 28, 2017.


text: RADIO CITY TAPS TWO AGENCIES FOR ASSIGNMENTS Published on June 14, 2001. (June 13, 2001) -- Radio City Entertainment, a division of Cablevision's Madison Square Garden, awarded an estimated $10 million project to Frierson Mee & Partners, New York, sources familiar with the decision said. Additionally, DiMassimo Brand Advertising, New York, won a separate assignment for Radio City. The marketer has not had an agency of record recently, awarding projects to various agencies instead. -- Laura Q. HughesCopyright June 2001, Crain Communications Inc. Most Popular In this article: News


text:
Advisory Panel Declines Lowering Salmon Bycatch Limits After Hearing Public Testimony
Last Thursday an advisory panel on salmon bycatch heard more than an hour of public testimony—part of the ongoing debate on how to limit the number of king salmon accidentally caught by pollock fishermen at a time of unprecedented restrictions on subsistence fishing and historically low king salmon runs.
The panel makes recommendations to the governing board of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, which is meeting this week in Nome.
The council was told earlier in the week that, at this point in the pollock fishing season, the number of bycatch Chinooks is up from 8,237 this time last year to 11,536 so far this season.
The theme at yesterday's testimony before the panel was one of overwhelming dissatisfaction with how managers are handling the crash in Chinook.
"We are subsistence people," said Mary Katchiak of Holy Cross, standing as she addressed the panel. "Is that a nice story I have to tell my grandchildren? So they can tell their children how the state of Alaska stepped in and just depleted every little hope I had for my family? What are you going to give me for that? You think you're going to compensate me? It'd take your lifetime to do that."
Austin Ahmasuk is the Sitnasuak Native Corporation's land manager and told the advisory panel the jargon-heavy discussions on fish management keeps the public from meaningfully participating.
"The disparity in the council's actions and the testimony that we give, or we provide—it seems as though there is not a holistic or cumulative effect, or impact analysis, or even just environmental justice," Ahmasuk said.
And Tim Smith of Nome framed the administrative policies as favoring the interests of industry at a time when subsistence users on the Yukon are limited to six-foot dip nets.
"This is unbelievable to me. But if you're fishing with a three-hundred foot trawler there's no restrictions. You can do anything you want. Take 60,000 kings out. And let's face it, you're fishing for king salmon. It's called 'bycatch,' but that's what you're fishing for, king salmon and Pollock, it's a mixed-stock fishery," Smith said.
The last member of the public to speak was George Hutchins, a commercial pollock trawler, who says the industry is being scapegoated over Chinook bycatch, even though the science isn't there to prove it's at fault for depleting the runs.
"I don't believe that there's one single answer. You could outlaw pollock fishing tomorrow, and it's not going to bring back your salmon. You could outlaw it for 20 years and it's not going to help."
Many members of the advisory panel agreed. During discussion of action items the board was split. One amendment aimed to lower bycatch numbers, and tie the upper limits with reports on the number of Chinooks. The competing measure took a more moderate approach, increasing incentives to avoid chum bycatch, but it didn't touch policy on Chinooks.
John Gruver introduced the chum avoidance measure. He and other members speaking on it's behalf say bycatch reductions are a premature strategy to address declines in Western Alaska salmon stocks. And he says the pollock industry has already been compliant respecting current bycatch limits.
Panel Chair Becca Gisclair voted for the lower bycatch targets, saying it's inexcusable for thousands of incidental fish to be removed from the water when take limits across western Alaska are effectively zero.
"We're at a point where every Chinook literally counts," Gisclair told the panel ahead of voting.
Ultimately members voted 11-8 in favor of the more moderate chum measure, which will go before the full council for a vote this morning.


text:
December 05, 2017
DALLAS — Ecommerce solutions provider Fastlane will enter the independent and pre-owned car dealer market in January 2018, the company announced. Having focused on dealer groups since the company's initial launch earlier this year, the company views the independent and pre-owned car dealership segment as equally important and will enter that market aggressively, according to Vice President of Sales David Luce.
"We get numerous inquiries from independent and used-car dealers online and at trade shows, and now we have a product tailored and reasonably priced for these types of dealerships," Luce said. "There are nearly 30,000 independent dealerships in the U.S. market, representing 35-40% of the vehicles sold online. With online sales now being a key dynamic in the auto market, we believe our platform is uniquely positioned to help independent and used-car dealers stay competitive."
Fastlane's platform was designed to enable car buyers to purchase a vehicle directly from the dealer's website and gives them an easy and complete checkout experience. The platform is said to handle nearly all the tasks associated with the purchase process: year, make, model, specifications and price information on each vehicle, warranty and service contract options, aftermarket product options, trade-in evaluations and accurate retail and lease payment information. Dealers have been very pleased that Fastlane is much more than a cookie-cutter solution, said Brandon Hall, the company's CEO.
"We built Fastlane knowing that the online car-buying process typically differs from dealer to dealer and from region to region," Hall said. "Our technical teams work closely with each dealer to determine how their online car buying experience should work. Then we configure it to their satisfaction. It's a win-win that makes online purchasing easy for car dealers and their customers."
[ Request more info about this product/service/company ]
Fill out the form below to request more info regarding the company/product/service featured in the story.
RouteOne Adds Exeter to Econtracting Platform
RouteOne officials said the availability of finance sources like Exeter has led to notable growth in the tech firm's noncaptive econtracting share, which has more than doubled every year since 2014.
© 2018 F&I and Showroom. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Woestmann back for Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
(Cape Town, 19 March 2016) The dream year started at the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon for mother of two, Caroline Woestmann who stunned the world when she came from out of nowhere to win the 2015 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. The fairy tale continued when a short while later she also won the Comrades Marathon.
The phenomenal KPMG athlete is back again in 2016 to run in the world's beautiful marathon, and judging by how her training is going she will once again be a factor. "We (Lindsey Parry, her coach, and Caroline) have learned from 2015 where I was probably peaking when I hit the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. So this year we are doing things a little different and I have held back a bit in my training. As with 2015 I will be running well within myself and looking for a good race."
Woestmann is cagey about what she expects on race day, but looking at her build up to this year's Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, she is in ominous form. Her latest impressive outing being her win at the Old Mutual Om die Dam 50km Ultra. Running well within herself, she still won in a time of 3:38.36 – averaging 4min23/km. This was on Saturday 12 March. A day later she runs just over 82 minutes in the Sarens Half Marathon. "Lindsey had me do a tempo run," Woestmann said smiling afterwards.
Woestmann's best time for the half marathon is a shade over 80 minutes (80:33 to be exact) and to clock just under 84 minutes (83:54) and a tempo run the day after "jogging" 3:38 for 50km shows just what shape she is in.
"I will just go out and do my best on the day. I am running on heavy legs right now as we have done some mileage and some tempo sessions," says Woestmann. However, such is the calibre of this remarkable athlete that even an "easy" run on race day will be a challenge to most.
Woestmann has very quickly learned how to be the consummate professional. Upon learning that she would be facing the SA Marathon Record Holder in the Marathon, Colleen de Reuck, Woestmann was excited but not intimidated. "I think it is fantastic that Colleen is running with us. She has achieved so much in her career and to have her in the race will be incredible." Asked if the presence of de Reuck and in form training partner, Nedbank's Charne Bosman, will effect her race strategy, Woestmann smiled. "At this level, whilst you are aware of your competitors, you have learned to run your own race and that is what I plan to do on 26 March."
So whilst Woestmann is looking for a solid run, the rest of South Africa is hoping for a repeat of 2015, or at the very least a race for the ages.
For more information, visit http://www.twooceansmarathon.org.za, and join the online conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/@TwoOceansMarathon, Twitter at www.twitter.com/2oceansmarathon or Instagram at www.instagram.com/2oceansmarathon, and follow the #RunAsOne hashtag.
Issued by: Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Media Office
On behalf of: Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
For media info and/or images:
Manfred Seidler
Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Media Office
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Mobile: 083 412 8872
For race related info:
Tel: 0861 2OCEAN / +27 21 799 3040
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Zenyatta is a robot that belongs to the omnic monks, the same omnics D.Va is trying to fight off in order to save her homeland. Overwatch Zenyatta is a support character that uses Harmony Orbs to provide its allies HP regeneration.
What's interesting about his healing ability is targeted healing. Zenyatta can use a single Harmony Orb to heal a specific teammate.
He also uses a different orb to amplify the damage done to an opponent by your allies.
For more help on Overwatch, read out our Hero Counters and Match-Ups Guide, Lucio In-Depth Hero Guide, Widowmaker In-Depth Hero Guide, and Mercy In-Depth Hero Guide.
Overwatch Zenyatta Guide
Zenyatta disagreed with omnic Monks and parted ways. His base of operations is Shambali Monastery, Nepal. However, now Zenyatta is known as a Wandering Guru.
Following the Omnic Crisis, a group of outcast omnic robots experienced what they described as a spiritual awakening. They said goodbye to their pre-programmed lives to establish a communal monastery in the Himalayas.
After many years of meditation they realized that, like humans, they possessed the essence of a soul. In Overwatch, Zenyatta uses Energy Orbs as the primary weapon of attack. The energy orbs travel in a straight line and have no fall off damage, giving them decent range.
With a handful of Orb abilities, Zenyatta is an affective support character for Overwatch. Zenyatta's Orb of Discord marks the enemy and amplifies the damage done to that character by your allies.
Zenyatta Strengths and Weaknesses
Orb of Discord is an extremely powerful debuff that increases damage taken. Zenyatta is probably the best healer in Overwatch thanks to its Ultimate that can heal an entire team from massive damage.
Zenyatta is a character you can use for attack and defense strategies as a team.
However, lack of survival and escape mechanisms leaves Zenyatta vulnerable to attacks and being pinned down. He is no Tracer or Soldier 76 for sure.
His large character model makes it an easy to spot and hit target which is a major issue for players as Zenyatta already has a low HP count.
Zenyatta Abilities and Ability Tips
This section of the guide provides an overview of all the abilities and ultimate ability at Zenyatta disposal and how to effectively use these abilities in order to have more successful games.
Orb of Destruction
Zenyatta projects his destructive energy orbs either individually, or in a rapid-fire volley after a few seconds spent gathering power.
Orb of Harmony
Zenyatta casts an orb over the shoulder of a targeted ally. So long as Zenyatta remains alive, the orb slowly restores health to his ally. Only one ally can receive the orb's benefit at a time.
Orb of Discord
Attaching the orb of discord to an opponent amplifies the amount of damage they receive for as long as Zenyatta lives. Only one opponent can suffer the orb's effects at a time.
Zenyatta enters a state of heightened existence for a short period of time. While transcendent, Zenyatta cannot use abilities or weapons, but is immune to damage and automatically restores his health and that of nearby allies.
Orb of Destruction is the primary attack on Zenyatta. They travel in a straight line and have good range but their travel time a little slow. The orbs to a decent amount of damage and 20 orbs can be fired before going into cooldown/reload.
It is best to use them in bursts and focus on aiming instead firing the entire clip all at once. Combine Orb of Discord with energy orbs and you can do some serious damage. Your Orb of Harmony can heal anyone ally no matter where he/she is on the make as long as you have a clear line of sight.
This comes in very handy in protected the ones who are dominating the other team. Orb of Vollay can do up to 175 damage if you manage to nail all five. Use them as soon as your energy orbs are on cooldown.
Zenyatta Counters and Match-Ups
There is a very strong character and her Orb of Discord can do some serious damage, possibly cripple the opposing team. Zenyatta is strong against almost every character in the game so if someone is playing well of Zenyatta, you will require teamwork to take Zenyatta down.
The good news is that Tracer can take on Zenyatta relatively easy. That is because she has exceptional mobility and is able get close to Zenyatta before he can react with an Orb of Discord. Countering Orb of Discord is best done by Mei's Cyro Freeze ability.
Apart from Tracer, Widowmaker can do well against Zenyatta as she can take advantage of his low mobility.
How to Play Zenyatta: Tips and Strategies
Zenyatta specialises in targeted healing but can also provide massive AoE heals to teammates with his Ultimate ability.
For targeted healing, you need to make a decision about which character can best benefit from Orb of Harmony. Choose character that usually go out on their on and flank enemies. For example, we have Tracer, Genji, Solider 76, Reaper, Pharah, Winston, Zarya, McCree.
These character benefit the most from Orb of Harmony. Keep in mind that both Orb of Discord and Orb of Harmony don't need pro level aims. Through them with your best shot at an ally or an enemy and they will seek the target.
The Orb of Discord work best against front line enemies, players and characters who rush and always in the middle of a battle. Lucio is an example.
Countering Widowmaker should always be on your mind is she's on the map. Do not expose yourself in the open if Windowmaker is nearby. Use walls, corner to move around and avoid a direct one of one encounter with Widowmaker.
Use your Transcendence ability to block Widowmaker's line of sight and protect your teammates.
This is all we have on Overwatch Zenyatta character guide. If there is something else you would like to know, do make sure to let us know in the comments section below!