As you can assume, your mind is a powerful tool and it helps you through each step of your day. It controls the way that you perform each action, the way that you see life and it controls all of those little things like breathing and your heart pumping that you don't think about.
Yet, there are many ways that your mind's fitness may not be the right level that it should be. In fact, for many people living in today's hectic lifestyle, it's anything but easy to make it through the day without dealing with some type of stress or pressure.
The mind's health is quite an important aspect and, believe it or not, plays a significant role in the quality of life and the longevity that you have in your life. When you are emotionally or mentally unfit, your body's health is directly related.
There are many different ways that this can happen, including the simple fact that you may have to battle illnesses more often and with greater intensity.
Although you may be wondering just how you can control your minds fitness, the good news is that this can be one of the easier steps to take in total health and wellness if you allow it to be.
Let's get started by learning what exactly is healthy and what may not be the best choice for your overall health and well being.
What's Healthy for Mind Fitness?
For your mind to be in a healthy state, several key things must play a role. First, you need to be fully capable of thinking clearly; performing mental tasks and you need to be able to conquer problems effectively. In addition, you need to tame those other things that happen throughout your life that limit you or otherwise affect the quality of your mind and lifestyle.
A Healthy Brain
With the onset of Alzheimer happening to more and more people, the importance of having a healthy brain is very evident. Whether or not you can stop this disease or other debilitating diseases from happening to you is yet to be seen, there is evidence that says that you can actually push off the onset by some time if you do the right things.
For this particular battle, you need to exercise your mind. Keeping your mind active, challenged and attentive is essential to your well being and this fight.
Emotional Health
Another aspect that you probably don't want to talk about is that of emotional well being. While life affects each one of us, the way that you handle the problems that happen to fall into your lap are critical in maintaining a healthy life. For example, should something emotionally troubling happen to you, such as a death or deception, you need to be able to effectively deal with it and then to move on.
Emotional health is an important battle that everyone must strive to improve. There are many various ways that you can improve your emotional state by learning how to react to critical situations. Indeed, the right social activity is one way to improve your emotional health.
Stress Management
Yet another factor that plays a significant role in the well being of your mind is that of stress. Not only does it pull you down through causing large amounts of emotional trauma, but it also causes all types of physical problems for those struggling with it. It can lead to various health issues physically, too.
While you can't take away everything in your life that causes stress, learning to effectively manage stress is important. It can help you to tackle even challenging tasks with more ease and with success. Sometimes it may be important to remove the stress from your life, but that's not a common occurrence.
Spiritual Well Being
Spiritual well being is yet another consideration that you need to take. While there isn't always a need to be religious or spiritual, it can often play a role in the way that you see your life as well as in your emotional state of mind. For those that do believe in a Higher Power, the need for spiritual well being is even more evident because it places a significant role in your self esteem and your outlook on your own life.
Spiritual well being is a critical factor in maintaining your health, too. Those that are spiritually fit, feel good about themselves which allows them to be more likely to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
This is a personal decision, of course, but aren't all of these aspects of fitness personal decisions that you need to commit to? Spiritual health is something to think about.
Codant Wright is an author writing on Fitness and Exercise Visit my website and get my Free Brand New 5 Part Fitness Ecourse at http://www.best-fitness.info
Codant Wright
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Mind Power - How To Increase Your Mind Power
How can I increase mind power? Well, the answer is simple. In the previous articles, I've talked about this, but let me summarize this now in to make it easy for you. So, now you have it! You know what to do to make your lifestyle improved through these changes. Here's a quick look at the changes that you can make today that will increase your mind's power later and throughout your life.
Improve your stress levels and see physical, mental and emotional benefits right away. Relieve your stress by doing something that you love. For example, I love writing, thus when I get stressed I will write some articles to release stress.
Improve your social network to reduce stress and to improve your quality of life. It also helps to make it through difficult times when you have someone by your side. Don't keep your problem kept within yourself. Find friends to talk to about your problem.
Improve your brain's fitness by challenging it through new adventures, continuous learning and through challenges of all types.
Do things that are enjoyable to you. If you can't think of anything, learn something new. New adventures coupled with doing them with those that you love make life better and help to improve your mental fitness.
Keep your self esteem positive. Working on this is hard, but feeling good about yourself is a must for overall health. Think positively! Get positive affirmation, such as "I am competent", "I can succeed", and "I will be able to do well today".
By doing these things it will significantly improve the fitness that your mind has physically and emotionally. The good news is that you can change the outcome of your day by just making the right decisions on the way to look at challenges during the day. Procrastination is a bad thing you should avoid. Make changes like these today and see results today.
Codant Wright is an author writing on Fitness and Exercise. Visit my website and get my Free Brand New 5 Part Fitness Ecourse at http://www.best-fitness.info
Improve your stress levels and see physical, mental and emotional benefits right away. Relieve your stress by doing something that you love. For example, I love writing, thus when I get stressed I will write some articles to release stress.
Improve your social network to reduce stress and to improve your quality of life. It also helps to make it through difficult times when you have someone by your side. Don't keep your problem kept within yourself. Find friends to talk to about your problem.
Improve your brain's fitness by challenging it through new adventures, continuous learning and through challenges of all types.
Do things that are enjoyable to you. If you can't think of anything, learn something new. New adventures coupled with doing them with those that you love make life better and help to improve your mental fitness.
Keep your self esteem positive. Working on this is hard, but feeling good about yourself is a must for overall health. Think positively! Get positive affirmation, such as "I am competent", "I can succeed", and "I will be able to do well today".
By doing these things it will significantly improve the fitness that your mind has physically and emotionally. The good news is that you can change the outcome of your day by just making the right decisions on the way to look at challenges during the day. Procrastination is a bad thing you should avoid. Make changes like these today and see results today.
Codant Wright is an author writing on Fitness and Exercise. Visit my website and get my Free Brand New 5 Part Fitness Ecourse at http://www.best-fitness.info
Tips for Winsor Pilates at Home
Busy lives and hectic work schedules can often conflict with our personal fitness goals. This is common regardless of the type of exercise you are trying to do on a continuous basis. One of the best options you have is to seek out a way you can do your exercises at home without having to set aside a specific time for your exercise constantly. While regular exercise is important some schedules do not allow this exercise to always fit into the same time slot conveniently.
This need for flexibility has created an entire industry that is designed to help people bring Winsor Pilates to their home or place of work or where ever they are able to exercise to help ensure they stay in the best shape possible without losing ground that they have accomplished through hard work. With mats as well as Reformers available that can be used in the home there is virtually no excuse for not doing your Winsor Pilates at home now.
If you are interested in doing Winsor Pilates at home then it is highly advisable that you take at least 2 Pilates classes at a local gym or club to help you really grasp the ideas of the exercises as well as get a good feel for the breathing techniques. If you do not try have the ability to take continuous classes at a studio then you are one of many, but having at least a couple of classes under you will make it easier to build your skills and really help you accomplish your fitness goals.
You should also ensure you are working with the best equipment possible in your home. If you are most interested in the mat techniques of Winsor Pilates then you should ensure you have a good mat available to use, this also applies to the Reformer methods. With many models available in affordable options for personal use it is possible to never be far away from your exercise.
As you can imagine Winsor Pilates at home is going to be a much cheaper option than taking classes continuously at a studio, club or a gym. Just ensure if you become stuck you seek out a class to help increase your motivation again so you can continue making progress towards your fitness goals without becoming stuck for very long. Seek out a friend you can team up with to help encourage each other so you do not start to slack. With work and effort most people are very happy with the results of Winsor Pilates regardless of where they practice at.
Chris Wight is a health and fitness enthusiast who has done everything from weight lifting to kung fu. You can learn more about Winsor Pilates at his site http://www.winsorpilatessource.com
Chris Wight
This need for flexibility has created an entire industry that is designed to help people bring Winsor Pilates to their home or place of work or where ever they are able to exercise to help ensure they stay in the best shape possible without losing ground that they have accomplished through hard work. With mats as well as Reformers available that can be used in the home there is virtually no excuse for not doing your Winsor Pilates at home now.
If you are interested in doing Winsor Pilates at home then it is highly advisable that you take at least 2 Pilates classes at a local gym or club to help you really grasp the ideas of the exercises as well as get a good feel for the breathing techniques. If you do not try have the ability to take continuous classes at a studio then you are one of many, but having at least a couple of classes under you will make it easier to build your skills and really help you accomplish your fitness goals.
You should also ensure you are working with the best equipment possible in your home. If you are most interested in the mat techniques of Winsor Pilates then you should ensure you have a good mat available to use, this also applies to the Reformer methods. With many models available in affordable options for personal use it is possible to never be far away from your exercise.
As you can imagine Winsor Pilates at home is going to be a much cheaper option than taking classes continuously at a studio, club or a gym. Just ensure if you become stuck you seek out a class to help increase your motivation again so you can continue making progress towards your fitness goals without becoming stuck for very long. Seek out a friend you can team up with to help encourage each other so you do not start to slack. With work and effort most people are very happy with the results of Winsor Pilates regardless of where they practice at.
Chris Wight is a health and fitness enthusiast who has done everything from weight lifting to kung fu. You can learn more about Winsor Pilates at his site http://www.winsorpilatessource.com
Chris Wight
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Merle Norman Cosmetics - I Finally Found Gold!
I'm nearly 50 years old and for 30 some odd years I've looked, or should I say, 'hunted' foundation that would at the very least, calm my oily skin. Well... just about a month ago I went into Merle Norman and for the first time, somewhat opened up to the consultant on duty... Ok, I poured my heart out, begging her to help me! She was so sweet and calmly took me to the Luxiva Lasting (liquid) Foundation. We picked out a shade and even though I just couldn't see it being any different than the thousands of other brands I've tried, I thought... ok... I can do this. I can take this girl's word, take it home and since they have a money back guarantee, hey, what did I have to loose? She also talked me into their new Pure Mineral Make-up, which I liked since it was in a powder form and could sop up any oil that the liquid foundation she talked me into would create.
Well, I'm delighted, elated, over the roof excited to report that it works! For the first time in my life I have not been running to the powder room every hour to take toilet paper or the nearest tissue to remove the oil coming from my gigantic pores that I inherited! Now I live in Florida, where the humidity alone could make you think I'd been swimming in the middle of the day by the wet clothes, hair and body... But this line has saved my face! (Everything else needs a good drying down, but that's another story)!
And oh, did I tell you, she gave me some of their clay mask and I've got to tell you, my blackheads are nearly gone! Yes, my skin was a mess! Anyway, I'll be going back for that mask and I'll be a faithful follower of Merle Norman from now on. At least until some 'man' comes in and changes the formula. (Don't you just hate it when companies do that? I figure it's just GOT to be men who don't use the product that make all those stupid changes to your favorites!)
A great big "kudos" to Merle Norman! Thank you!
Deborah Sheehy
Well, I'm delighted, elated, over the roof excited to report that it works! For the first time in my life I have not been running to the powder room every hour to take toilet paper or the nearest tissue to remove the oil coming from my gigantic pores that I inherited! Now I live in Florida, where the humidity alone could make you think I'd been swimming in the middle of the day by the wet clothes, hair and body... But this line has saved my face! (Everything else needs a good drying down, but that's another story)!
And oh, did I tell you, she gave me some of their clay mask and I've got to tell you, my blackheads are nearly gone! Yes, my skin was a mess! Anyway, I'll be going back for that mask and I'll be a faithful follower of Merle Norman from now on. At least until some 'man' comes in and changes the formula. (Don't you just hate it when companies do that? I figure it's just GOT to be men who don't use the product that make all those stupid changes to your favorites!)
A great big "kudos" to Merle Norman! Thank you!
Deborah Sheehy
A Home Remedy for a Sinus Infection
The sinuses are actually a wonderful thing. Not only do they stand between the bacteria and germ filled air outside and out lungs, but they also help to shape the way our faces look, as well as the way our voice sounds. They are a wonderful creating that we should be thankful for. I have to admit, though, that it is hard to be thankful when you are suffering from a sinus infection. I have had problems with my sinuses for most of my life that was caused by allergies and weather patterns, but from time to time I would get a sinus infection so I started to look for a home remedy for a sinus infection and I found something that helped me with all of my sinus trouble.
The thing that helped me the most was the use of nasal irrigation. I bought a Neti pot and used it on a regular basis. Although I wasn't too fond of the idea right away, after I got the hang of it there were some great benefits. I felt less cloudy in the mornings, seemed to breath better and my sinus problems were much easier to deal with. The key, for me, was to get the right mixture of salt and water so that it did not burn at all. Another thing that many people have used, and this seems to help with so many different things, is to take a couple of spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar every day. Some people would put it in a cup of water and sip it throughout the day, and others would just go ahead and get it over with all at one time, but a few people that I have heard of said that they saw some good results from using this method.
Stop your sinus infections quickly and naturally without the use of steroids or drug store potions that just leave you feeling drained. Download our special report at http://www.stop-sinus-infection.info/
The thing that helped me the most was the use of nasal irrigation. I bought a Neti pot and used it on a regular basis. Although I wasn't too fond of the idea right away, after I got the hang of it there were some great benefits. I felt less cloudy in the mornings, seemed to breath better and my sinus problems were much easier to deal with. The key, for me, was to get the right mixture of salt and water so that it did not burn at all. Another thing that many people have used, and this seems to help with so many different things, is to take a couple of spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar every day. Some people would put it in a cup of water and sip it throughout the day, and others would just go ahead and get it over with all at one time, but a few people that I have heard of said that they saw some good results from using this method.
Stop your sinus infections quickly and naturally without the use of steroids or drug store potions that just leave you feeling drained. Download our special report at http://www.stop-sinus-infection.info/
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Ad growth for AOL called vital to a remake
Just over a year ago, AOL unveiled a radical plan to remake itself into a business built on advertising from one driven by Internet access subscriptions.
To a great extent, AOL had little choice in the matter. Customers were rapidly deserting its once-lucrative dial-up access service, and retaining them was costly.
The new plan certainly seemed to make sense. With the advertising business growing rapidly across the Web, AOL appeared to be in an ideal place to capitalize on that trend. It remains, after all, one of the most popular online destinations, with more than 90 million people visiting its sites in a month.
But a precipitous slowdown in advertising growth has raised new questions about AOL's transformation plans. AOL executives say the slowdown is probably temporary, but Richard D. Parsons, chief executive of Time Warner, which owns 95 percent of AOL, said this month that he no longer expected AOL's ad growth to match or exceed the overall growth rate of online advertising. The company's challenges highlight one of the quirks of today's Internet market. As advertising is moving from offline media to the Internet at a rapid clip, portals, which command some of the biggest audiences online, should be among the top beneficiaries. Instead, the travails of the mass market portals like AOL, as well as Yahoo and Microsoft, indicate a decline in power.
Online advertising in the United States is expected to increase 28.5 percent this year, according to eMarketer, a research firm. AOL's ad revenue increased 16 percent in the last quarter after gaining 40 percent in the previous quarter. Revenue at Yahoo, the No. 1 Internet portal, rose 8 percent in the latest quarter.
Part of the challenge for portals is that people are starting to approach the Internet in a different way. A new generation of Web users has grown increasingly adept at finding what it wants online and is less reliant on portals for guidance. What is more, younger audiences are spending more time on social networking sites and less time on traditional Internet portals. "Just like Yahoo, AOL is fighting MySpace, Facebook and others for audience and ad dollars, and those are tough competitors," said Jordan Rohan, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets.
Social-networking sites are not the only culprits. Thousands of smaller Web sites, like blogs, news collectors and niche content sites, are also attracting growing numbers of Internet users and advertisers.
AOL knows all this. It may even have been the first among the major portals to recognize this trend. In 2004, it bought Advertising.com, a network that collects ad space from across the Web and sells it to marketers, giving them a way to reach the Web's increasingly fragmented audience.
Since then, Yahoo, Microsoft and Google have all invested significantly to remake themselves into companies that not only sell advertising on their own sites, but also help sell or broker ads across the Web. And AOL has sought to further the success of Advertising.com by buying a string of online advertising companies.
Advertising.com is now AOL's fastest growing unit. "The brand that we build around Advertising.com might become more important than the AOL brand itself," said Randy Falco, AOL's chief executive.
Falco and other AOL executives reject any notion that their turnaround plan is in trouble. They say the slowdown in advertising growth in the most recent quarter was tied to specific events, including redesigns of several of the portal's channels and a change in the way it displays search results.
"In the first six months of the year, we have accomplished more in terms of a turnaround, in terms of fixing products and the platform, than in the past three years," Falco said.
Falco, a longtime NBC Universal executive who took the top job at AOL in December, said the company was systematically revamping its channels and services. It has redesigned many of its pages and embarked on an expansion into 14 countries.
AOL plans to re-engineer its site so users can choose various channels and services they like and include them in their blogs, personalized home pages or favorite social networking sites.
"We are not trying to build yesterday's portal," said Ron Grant, AOL's president. "We are trying to build a network of sites that users can combine or do whatever they are most comfortable with."
The efforts are beginning to pay off, AOL executives said, noting that page views have increased 4 percent in the second quarter from the first.
Now on News.com
Goals lead to Dell cooking the books
Lyrics sites out of tune with copyrights
The Internet's new Dr. Spock?
Extra: How to hack Starbucks Not all changes have been well received. After an earlier executive team devised an innovative way to display AOL search results, which are powered by Google, Grant and Falco decided to roll back the changes and mimic Google's presentation of 10 links on a page. The decision led to defections.
John McKinley, the former president of AOL Digital Services, thought the imitation would serve to dilute the AOL brand. "Over time, the average consumer is going to develop more of a tendency to just go to Google.com directly," he wrote in his blog. Grant defended the decision, saying the change to the Google-like results stopped a decline in the use of AOL's search service.
AOL's revamping has focused not only on consumers but also on its advertisers. Advertising executives say that for the first time in years, AOL's customized ad packages are competitive with those of Google, Microsoft and Yahoo.
None of the improvements has been able to prevent the recent slowdown in growth at AOL. Gordon Hodge, an analyst with Thomas Weisel Partners, said that if the slowdown continues, it could spell trouble for AOL's turnaround plan. "I think the dial-up subscriber losses and profit losses could overwhelm the gains they could make from advertising," he said.
Louise Story contributed reporting from New York.
Entire contents, Copyright © 2007 The New York Times. All rights reserved.
To a great extent, AOL had little choice in the matter. Customers were rapidly deserting its once-lucrative dial-up access service, and retaining them was costly.
The new plan certainly seemed to make sense. With the advertising business growing rapidly across the Web, AOL appeared to be in an ideal place to capitalize on that trend. It remains, after all, one of the most popular online destinations, with more than 90 million people visiting its sites in a month.
But a precipitous slowdown in advertising growth has raised new questions about AOL's transformation plans. AOL executives say the slowdown is probably temporary, but Richard D. Parsons, chief executive of Time Warner, which owns 95 percent of AOL, said this month that he no longer expected AOL's ad growth to match or exceed the overall growth rate of online advertising. The company's challenges highlight one of the quirks of today's Internet market. As advertising is moving from offline media to the Internet at a rapid clip, portals, which command some of the biggest audiences online, should be among the top beneficiaries. Instead, the travails of the mass market portals like AOL, as well as Yahoo and Microsoft, indicate a decline in power.
Online advertising in the United States is expected to increase 28.5 percent this year, according to eMarketer, a research firm. AOL's ad revenue increased 16 percent in the last quarter after gaining 40 percent in the previous quarter. Revenue at Yahoo, the No. 1 Internet portal, rose 8 percent in the latest quarter.
Part of the challenge for portals is that people are starting to approach the Internet in a different way. A new generation of Web users has grown increasingly adept at finding what it wants online and is less reliant on portals for guidance. What is more, younger audiences are spending more time on social networking sites and less time on traditional Internet portals. "Just like Yahoo, AOL is fighting MySpace, Facebook and others for audience and ad dollars, and those are tough competitors," said Jordan Rohan, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets.
Social-networking sites are not the only culprits. Thousands of smaller Web sites, like blogs, news collectors and niche content sites, are also attracting growing numbers of Internet users and advertisers.
AOL knows all this. It may even have been the first among the major portals to recognize this trend. In 2004, it bought Advertising.com, a network that collects ad space from across the Web and sells it to marketers, giving them a way to reach the Web's increasingly fragmented audience.
Since then, Yahoo, Microsoft and Google have all invested significantly to remake themselves into companies that not only sell advertising on their own sites, but also help sell or broker ads across the Web. And AOL has sought to further the success of Advertising.com by buying a string of online advertising companies.
Advertising.com is now AOL's fastest growing unit. "The brand that we build around Advertising.com might become more important than the AOL brand itself," said Randy Falco, AOL's chief executive.
Falco and other AOL executives reject any notion that their turnaround plan is in trouble. They say the slowdown in advertising growth in the most recent quarter was tied to specific events, including redesigns of several of the portal's channels and a change in the way it displays search results.
"In the first six months of the year, we have accomplished more in terms of a turnaround, in terms of fixing products and the platform, than in the past three years," Falco said.
Falco, a longtime NBC Universal executive who took the top job at AOL in December, said the company was systematically revamping its channels and services. It has redesigned many of its pages and embarked on an expansion into 14 countries.
AOL plans to re-engineer its site so users can choose various channels and services they like and include them in their blogs, personalized home pages or favorite social networking sites.
"We are not trying to build yesterday's portal," said Ron Grant, AOL's president. "We are trying to build a network of sites that users can combine or do whatever they are most comfortable with."
The efforts are beginning to pay off, AOL executives said, noting that page views have increased 4 percent in the second quarter from the first.
Now on News.com
Goals lead to Dell cooking the books
Lyrics sites out of tune with copyrights
The Internet's new Dr. Spock?
Extra: How to hack Starbucks Not all changes have been well received. After an earlier executive team devised an innovative way to display AOL search results, which are powered by Google, Grant and Falco decided to roll back the changes and mimic Google's presentation of 10 links on a page. The decision led to defections.
John McKinley, the former president of AOL Digital Services, thought the imitation would serve to dilute the AOL brand. "Over time, the average consumer is going to develop more of a tendency to just go to Google.com directly," he wrote in his blog. Grant defended the decision, saying the change to the Google-like results stopped a decline in the use of AOL's search service.
AOL's revamping has focused not only on consumers but also on its advertisers. Advertising executives say that for the first time in years, AOL's customized ad packages are competitive with those of Google, Microsoft and Yahoo.
None of the improvements has been able to prevent the recent slowdown in growth at AOL. Gordon Hodge, an analyst with Thomas Weisel Partners, said that if the slowdown continues, it could spell trouble for AOL's turnaround plan. "I think the dial-up subscriber losses and profit losses could overwhelm the gains they could make from advertising," he said.
Louise Story contributed reporting from New York.
Entire contents, Copyright © 2007 The New York Times. All rights reserved.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Gastric Bypass Methods Of Today
With the popularity today’s media has placed on physical fitness and the beauty of those who are physically fit, gastric bypass surgery has gained popularity as a solution for obesity, especially morbid obesity.
While there are two primary methodologies within the world of gastric bypass surgery, the original method, called the “loop” method. Having been practiced in the 1960s, this method is now commonly avoided because of better advances in research and medicine. Right now, the most common gastric bypass method is known as the Proximal, or Roux en-Y system.
As with any gastric bypass method, with Proximal, or Roux en-Y gastric bypass surgery, food intake is significantly restricted due to the mechanical limitations of the stomach.
With this surgery, a small pouch of a stomach is created and essentially closed off from the rest of the stomach. As you take in food, it moves into this tiny pouch and then on to the ‘Roux limb’ of the small bowel which is created during surgery. This allows the food to bypass the rest of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. With this re-routing of the intestinal tract, the body is unable to absorb as many calories as previously done. This allows the body to lose weight at a rapid pace.
Finally, the remaining gastric bypass method is known as the biliopancreatic diversion. This method is used less frequently and is rather complicated. With the biliopancreatic diversion , portions of the stomach are literally removed from the GI tract. A tiny pouch of remaining stomach is then directly connected to the end section of the small bowel. Since this method bypasses the remaining intestine there are less calories absorbed and weight loss occurs.
The gastric bypass methods used today are important advances in the field of surgical medicine and have helped thousands of people who previously suffered with obesity to lose the weight with which they struggled for years. No, it is not a quick fix, but in some cases, the gastric bypass methods are life-saving alternatives to continuing to haul around the excess pounds.
Jeff Foster
While there are two primary methodologies within the world of gastric bypass surgery, the original method, called the “loop” method. Having been practiced in the 1960s, this method is now commonly avoided because of better advances in research and medicine. Right now, the most common gastric bypass method is known as the Proximal, or Roux en-Y system.
As with any gastric bypass method, with Proximal, or Roux en-Y gastric bypass surgery, food intake is significantly restricted due to the mechanical limitations of the stomach.
With this surgery, a small pouch of a stomach is created and essentially closed off from the rest of the stomach. As you take in food, it moves into this tiny pouch and then on to the ‘Roux limb’ of the small bowel which is created during surgery. This allows the food to bypass the rest of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. With this re-routing of the intestinal tract, the body is unable to absorb as many calories as previously done. This allows the body to lose weight at a rapid pace.
Finally, the remaining gastric bypass method is known as the biliopancreatic diversion. This method is used less frequently and is rather complicated. With the biliopancreatic diversion , portions of the stomach are literally removed from the GI tract. A tiny pouch of remaining stomach is then directly connected to the end section of the small bowel. Since this method bypasses the remaining intestine there are less calories absorbed and weight loss occurs.
The gastric bypass methods used today are important advances in the field of surgical medicine and have helped thousands of people who previously suffered with obesity to lose the weight with which they struggled for years. No, it is not a quick fix, but in some cases, the gastric bypass methods are life-saving alternatives to continuing to haul around the excess pounds.
Jeff Foster
Craziest Fad Diets Ever
There are a lot of people out there who are overweight, whether they are obese or just a few pounds over the norm. If you're like me, you have tried out at least one diet for every year of your age. There are countless fad diets out there, waiting to lure you in and get you to spend your money. Most offer quick weight loss, and claim that you will keep it off. However, if you think you've seen every kind of diet there is, check out this list of the craziest fad diets ever. If you're like me, by the time you've finished reading, you'll have burned up several good calories just from laughing.
The Cabbage Soup Diet - This diet suggests that you eat cabbage soup every day for a week, and nothing else except fruit and vegetables. You're supposed to lose a substantial amount of weight on this diet, and be ready for that new party dress by the weekend. Here's the thing with this diet. You're essentially fasting when you go on this diet, and you will end up losing muscle mass instead of fat. While cabbage is a healthy food, eating cabbage soup for seven days straight and nothing else will likely make you curse cabbage for the rest of your life. What's more, as soon as you start eating normally again, you will gain the weight right back. The only sensible thing about this diet is the fruit and vegetables that are supposed to be snacks.
The Negative Calorie Diet - Here's a good one for you! This diet actually claims that certain foods you eat will leave you with less calories after eating them than you had before. Hmmm...Does this one scream crazy? The foods they promote are healthy foods, such as oranges, however, your body needs nutrition from many different food sources. Scientists argue with people who promote this diet, because they say there is no food that contains 'negative calories.'
The Cookie Diet - Man oh man, does this one sound good. Unfortunately, with this diet, you're not actually eating cookies in the chocolate chip sense. These are more like fiber and amino acid...things. You eat six of these 'cookie things' everyday, and the only real meal you eat is dinner. They are supposed to make you feel fuller, and only consume 800 calories a day. The problem is, calories provide us with necessary energy to live. They also suggest that you take certain supplements to make up for the fact that you are consuming so much fiber. Does this just sound unsafe to me, or are you a little freaked as well?
The Grapefruit Diet - This diet is based on the idea that grapefruit is a big calorie burner, and they suggest you eat it with every meal. Now, while grapefruit is a healthy food, the low amount of calories you are allowed to consume in this diet is not healthy. In fact, some people who have been on this diet reported dizziness, faintness, and upset stomach. Some of these problems may be due to the fact that this diet suggests you drink unlimited amounts of black coffee every day. This much coffee in your stomach and so little food...how do these people sleep at night?
The Vinegar Diet - Here's a goofy one for you. When you're on this diet, you must take three tablespoons of vinegar before every meal. Supposedly, vinegar has amazing 'fat burning qualities,' and you will lose weight quickly. If you can manage to choke it down. If you lose weight on this diet, it is likely because the promoters of this diet suggest you watch what you eat and monitor your caloric intake. Not because you gulped down 9 tablespoons of vinegar a day without vomiting.
The truth is, no matter what diet you are on, there's no miracle diet. Unfortunately, we must go back to that boring old idea that we must eat healthy, watch what we eat and exercise, because that is what truly does work. So if you hear about an amazing new pickled okra and banana diet, be suspicious!
Kristi Patrice Carter
The Cabbage Soup Diet - This diet suggests that you eat cabbage soup every day for a week, and nothing else except fruit and vegetables. You're supposed to lose a substantial amount of weight on this diet, and be ready for that new party dress by the weekend. Here's the thing with this diet. You're essentially fasting when you go on this diet, and you will end up losing muscle mass instead of fat. While cabbage is a healthy food, eating cabbage soup for seven days straight and nothing else will likely make you curse cabbage for the rest of your life. What's more, as soon as you start eating normally again, you will gain the weight right back. The only sensible thing about this diet is the fruit and vegetables that are supposed to be snacks.
The Negative Calorie Diet - Here's a good one for you! This diet actually claims that certain foods you eat will leave you with less calories after eating them than you had before. Hmmm...Does this one scream crazy? The foods they promote are healthy foods, such as oranges, however, your body needs nutrition from many different food sources. Scientists argue with people who promote this diet, because they say there is no food that contains 'negative calories.'
The Cookie Diet - Man oh man, does this one sound good. Unfortunately, with this diet, you're not actually eating cookies in the chocolate chip sense. These are more like fiber and amino acid...things. You eat six of these 'cookie things' everyday, and the only real meal you eat is dinner. They are supposed to make you feel fuller, and only consume 800 calories a day. The problem is, calories provide us with necessary energy to live. They also suggest that you take certain supplements to make up for the fact that you are consuming so much fiber. Does this just sound unsafe to me, or are you a little freaked as well?
The Grapefruit Diet - This diet is based on the idea that grapefruit is a big calorie burner, and they suggest you eat it with every meal. Now, while grapefruit is a healthy food, the low amount of calories you are allowed to consume in this diet is not healthy. In fact, some people who have been on this diet reported dizziness, faintness, and upset stomach. Some of these problems may be due to the fact that this diet suggests you drink unlimited amounts of black coffee every day. This much coffee in your stomach and so little food...how do these people sleep at night?
The Vinegar Diet - Here's a goofy one for you. When you're on this diet, you must take three tablespoons of vinegar before every meal. Supposedly, vinegar has amazing 'fat burning qualities,' and you will lose weight quickly. If you can manage to choke it down. If you lose weight on this diet, it is likely because the promoters of this diet suggest you watch what you eat and monitor your caloric intake. Not because you gulped down 9 tablespoons of vinegar a day without vomiting.
The truth is, no matter what diet you are on, there's no miracle diet. Unfortunately, we must go back to that boring old idea that we must eat healthy, watch what we eat and exercise, because that is what truly does work. So if you hear about an amazing new pickled okra and banana diet, be suspicious!
Kristi Patrice Carter
Elvis - The Once and Current King of Rock and Roll
Elvis Presley, along with Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, turned music upside down and brought a new sound to the world. With his roots in Tupelo, Mississippi and his childhood in Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis was constantly exposed to Gospel and black rhythm and blues. His first appearances and recordings merged these musical genres with country music. As he further developed his style, Elvis revolutionized Rock ‘n' Roll into an accepted musical form.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s Elvis was the King. His chart-busting songs continuously played on the air, transistor radios close to the ear or jukeboxes blaring out his deep, resonant voice. Featured in over 31 movies, Elvis acted, sang and danced with his characteristic pelvic swerve.
Scandalous at first, Elvis' pelvic gyrations sent mothers rushing to shield their daughters' eyes from his bold movements. It was his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1959 that tipped the general public's opinion of this upstart musician. When Elvis finished his set, TV Host Sullivan walked onto the stage, put his hand on Elvis's shoulder and proclaimed, "This is a fine young man, a fine musician."
Nationally, over fifty of Elvis's songs reached the Billboard Top 20. His stellar climb to international fame is short of remarkable. With only three television stations nationwide, no internet or cable, nor any overseas concerts, the world recognized Elvis as their King of music.
In 1964 Ed Sullivan introduced the Beatles on his show. The British "Fab 4" swept the nation and contributed to a gradual decline in the popularity of Elvis among the younger generation. The King who had brought his unique blend of rock, southern blues, Gospel, and country music took a back seat to a wave of long-haired English gents who moved music into yet another direction.
Within less than five years, generational boundaries evolved as music again radically changed. Elvis's music seemed irrelevant to the youth who staged Woodstock, expanded the hippie movement and organized anti-Vietnam war demonstrations on college campuses. While retirees flocked to Las Vegas to see Elvis in sold-out concerts, Rock ‘n' Roll slipped off the airwaves as the younger generation thrived on folk music and acid rock.
As the 30th anniversary of his death passes, Elvis remains the King of Rock ‘n' Roll with thousands making a pilgrimage to his Graceland Mansion. Elvis's international records sales are over one billion; 150 of his record albums have earned gold, platinum, and multi-platinum status.
Yvonne Perry
In the late 1950s and early 1960s Elvis was the King. His chart-busting songs continuously played on the air, transistor radios close to the ear or jukeboxes blaring out his deep, resonant voice. Featured in over 31 movies, Elvis acted, sang and danced with his characteristic pelvic swerve.
Scandalous at first, Elvis' pelvic gyrations sent mothers rushing to shield their daughters' eyes from his bold movements. It was his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1959 that tipped the general public's opinion of this upstart musician. When Elvis finished his set, TV Host Sullivan walked onto the stage, put his hand on Elvis's shoulder and proclaimed, "This is a fine young man, a fine musician."
Nationally, over fifty of Elvis's songs reached the Billboard Top 20. His stellar climb to international fame is short of remarkable. With only three television stations nationwide, no internet or cable, nor any overseas concerts, the world recognized Elvis as their King of music.
In 1964 Ed Sullivan introduced the Beatles on his show. The British "Fab 4" swept the nation and contributed to a gradual decline in the popularity of Elvis among the younger generation. The King who had brought his unique blend of rock, southern blues, Gospel, and country music took a back seat to a wave of long-haired English gents who moved music into yet another direction.
Within less than five years, generational boundaries evolved as music again radically changed. Elvis's music seemed irrelevant to the youth who staged Woodstock, expanded the hippie movement and organized anti-Vietnam war demonstrations on college campuses. While retirees flocked to Las Vegas to see Elvis in sold-out concerts, Rock ‘n' Roll slipped off the airwaves as the younger generation thrived on folk music and acid rock.
As the 30th anniversary of his death passes, Elvis remains the King of Rock ‘n' Roll with thousands making a pilgrimage to his Graceland Mansion. Elvis's international records sales are over one billion; 150 of his record albums have earned gold, platinum, and multi-platinum status.
Yvonne Perry
Little League World Series - It's Not the Real World Series - Calm Down!
When I was a little kid, I loved playing baseball. The smell of the freshly cut grass, sunflower seeds, and a day at the ball park were enough to excite me beyond anything else. And while the early morning hours weren’t exactly at my peak activity hours, you could count on me getting up early every Saturday morning to get ready for the weekly game. Simply put, there was something magical about little league games for me.
Nowadays, though, it seems as if some of the magic has been taken out of the game. A prime example of what I am talking about happened last night during a Little League World Series game. In the Northwest Regional Championship game, Lake Oswego, Oregon took on Kent, Washington. These two teams had met previously in a game thouroughly dominated by Kent. The game started as most do in these tournaments - both pitchers were throwing heat and dominating the opposing hitters. Then, in the 2nd inning, the Kent pitcher gave up a solo home run. Up until that point, he had recorded somewhere in the ball park of 4-5 stikeouts. He ended the game with upwards of 10 strikeouts, giving up a meager 3 runs. Yet, despite his stellar performance, he began tearing up with every hit or run Lake Oswego produced.
Another example happened in the same game. After having had two solid at-bats, a Lake Oswego player struck out on his third attempt. He, too, began to cry, even though his team was winning. One would think that having a .667 batting average in a victory would be cause for praise. However, as evident from the aforementioned examples, that is not the case. In both cases, each player was so broken up by minimal mistakes that he began to cry. But why? Why should a player get so upset over such a little thing as making one minor mistake? The answer - Pressure. These young boys are put under a tremendous amount of pressure. Because they are gifted athletically for their age, these players simply destroy the competition during their little league careers. They begin to develop a history of winning. When that happens, anything else is unacceptable. Winning, not the game, becomes the main objective, the driving force. However, for the most part, the kids are not the ones who yearn for victory. They simply want to play ball. The parents and the coaches, on the other hand, who seem to relive their glory days vicariously through their children, need the “W” and are wholeheartedly disappointed when they don’t get it. Believe me, I’ve been there. Overly-critical coaches are the main reason I stopped playing baseball, even though I too played on the all-star team.
We need to remember that baseball is just a game for kids. Whereas the lucky few who find their way to the professional baseball ranks should expect criticism, little leaguers should not. They don’t get paid for playing baseball. The American mentality of winning is a must and second place is the first loser has created a situation in which young boys are subjected to pressure for which they have not been prepared. The result - cry babies crop up every game, terrified of what their coaches or parents might think if they make a mistake. Seriously, baseball is just a game. We need to calm down a little bit and realize that the Little League World Series is not the real World Series. After all, Little League baseball is for kids, not parents.
Nishan Wilde
Nowadays, though, it seems as if some of the magic has been taken out of the game. A prime example of what I am talking about happened last night during a Little League World Series game. In the Northwest Regional Championship game, Lake Oswego, Oregon took on Kent, Washington. These two teams had met previously in a game thouroughly dominated by Kent. The game started as most do in these tournaments - both pitchers were throwing heat and dominating the opposing hitters. Then, in the 2nd inning, the Kent pitcher gave up a solo home run. Up until that point, he had recorded somewhere in the ball park of 4-5 stikeouts. He ended the game with upwards of 10 strikeouts, giving up a meager 3 runs. Yet, despite his stellar performance, he began tearing up with every hit or run Lake Oswego produced.
Another example happened in the same game. After having had two solid at-bats, a Lake Oswego player struck out on his third attempt. He, too, began to cry, even though his team was winning. One would think that having a .667 batting average in a victory would be cause for praise. However, as evident from the aforementioned examples, that is not the case. In both cases, each player was so broken up by minimal mistakes that he began to cry. But why? Why should a player get so upset over such a little thing as making one minor mistake? The answer - Pressure. These young boys are put under a tremendous amount of pressure. Because they are gifted athletically for their age, these players simply destroy the competition during their little league careers. They begin to develop a history of winning. When that happens, anything else is unacceptable. Winning, not the game, becomes the main objective, the driving force. However, for the most part, the kids are not the ones who yearn for victory. They simply want to play ball. The parents and the coaches, on the other hand, who seem to relive their glory days vicariously through their children, need the “W” and are wholeheartedly disappointed when they don’t get it. Believe me, I’ve been there. Overly-critical coaches are the main reason I stopped playing baseball, even though I too played on the all-star team.
We need to remember that baseball is just a game for kids. Whereas the lucky few who find their way to the professional baseball ranks should expect criticism, little leaguers should not. They don’t get paid for playing baseball. The American mentality of winning is a must and second place is the first loser has created a situation in which young boys are subjected to pressure for which they have not been prepared. The result - cry babies crop up every game, terrified of what their coaches or parents might think if they make a mistake. Seriously, baseball is just a game. We need to calm down a little bit and realize that the Little League World Series is not the real World Series. After all, Little League baseball is for kids, not parents.
Nishan Wilde
Friday, August 17, 2007
6 Recommended Living Room Decorations
If your problem is with regards to how you would address the need of your living room to get pumped up from the usual boring way, then you need not be problematic anymore since there are plenty of living room decorations. Below are some of the most recommended living room decorations and accessories to purchase and use.
1. The living room carpet. The living room carpet is an important thing to use. It could be of any color of your own choice whether you prefer to match or contrast it with the wall colors of your living room. Most homeowners go for the neutral color of the carpet as it is easy to blend along with the rest of the living room decorations.
2. The curtains for the windows. The use of window curtains always determines the character of the living room. They are the ones which designate a luxurious, elegant, or simple appeal to the living room. The window curtains should of course be relevant with that of the size of the window. You could turn to professionals for the tips in purchasing and designing the right curtains for your windows.
3. The mantels. Mantels are best to use especially if you've got a fireplace in the living room area. Naturally, there has to be something on top of the mantel. It could be a vase, candle set, or other ornaments.
4. The plants or greeneries. Plants basically provide more oxygen in the living and it could bring you closer to nature. There is a certain ambience created by the use of plants as living room decorations. You may choose from herbal, potted, and hanging plants.
5. The chairs and sofas. These living room decorations must very well blend with the rest of the designs employed in the area. They are important furniture in the living room since the primary use of the area is simply for entertaining visitors and your family members as well.
6. Candles. Whether they are scented or unscented, they never fail to bring about romance and ambience in the air. They are best if your living room does not have a fireplace.
As you go and shop around for the living room decorations, do not be surprised at all if you spot several of them. Do not end up confused since they could always be harmonized with one another. These living room decorations, when handled well, could definitely add up a beautiful personal touch to your living room space.
Albert Lee
1. The living room carpet. The living room carpet is an important thing to use. It could be of any color of your own choice whether you prefer to match or contrast it with the wall colors of your living room. Most homeowners go for the neutral color of the carpet as it is easy to blend along with the rest of the living room decorations.
2. The curtains for the windows. The use of window curtains always determines the character of the living room. They are the ones which designate a luxurious, elegant, or simple appeal to the living room. The window curtains should of course be relevant with that of the size of the window. You could turn to professionals for the tips in purchasing and designing the right curtains for your windows.
3. The mantels. Mantels are best to use especially if you've got a fireplace in the living room area. Naturally, there has to be something on top of the mantel. It could be a vase, candle set, or other ornaments.
4. The plants or greeneries. Plants basically provide more oxygen in the living and it could bring you closer to nature. There is a certain ambience created by the use of plants as living room decorations. You may choose from herbal, potted, and hanging plants.
5. The chairs and sofas. These living room decorations must very well blend with the rest of the designs employed in the area. They are important furniture in the living room since the primary use of the area is simply for entertaining visitors and your family members as well.
6. Candles. Whether they are scented or unscented, they never fail to bring about romance and ambience in the air. They are best if your living room does not have a fireplace.
As you go and shop around for the living room decorations, do not be surprised at all if you spot several of them. Do not end up confused since they could always be harmonized with one another. These living room decorations, when handled well, could definitely add up a beautiful personal touch to your living room space.
Albert Lee
Thursday, August 16, 2007
NASA's Explorer Schools
Usually when we think of NASA, we think of spacecrafts exploring new frontiers. And so they do, of course, but the nation's space agency has its hand in more earthly pursuits, as well—pursuits that may well have a direct influence on the children in your life.
In the NASA Explorer School (NAS) undertaking, created in 2003, the agency partners with under-serviced schools across the nation to bring mathematics, science and technology curriculum to students ranging from K-12. When a partnership agreement is reached, teachers and a school administrator team up to develop and implement a three-year action plan that addresses local challenges in the subjects mentioned earlier. Based on information generated through needs assessments, this customized plan is delivered through a combination of on-site school services and distance-learning networks.
Program elements include professional development workshops during the summer months in which teams of educators meet at the nine NASA Field Centers and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The intensive, one-week training provides opportunities for the teachers to begin to integrate NASA content into the existing school curricula, and extends to creating and implementing action plans to address local challenges.
Throughout the school year, ongoing research-based professional development includes NASA aerospace education specialists, Space Grant consortia, educator resource centers, and NASA Education networks.
That's the somewhat boring explanation of what it's all about. The real-life examples are much more exciting.
Botball, Anyone?
Chances are you've never played botball—given that it's a game played only by robots. But, hey, robots have to have some fun too, right? For the past three years, students at Explorer Schools have been accepting the challenge to build and program robots to compete with opponents on a field the size of a ping-pong table. The challenge for 2006 was "Search and Rescue." Robotics teams worked autonomously to locate a plush robot and his "tribble" friends. ( Star Trek fans understand tribbles. They're the round, furry animals that reproduce faster than spam in your Inbox.) The challenge was to complete various tasks and score points ahead of the opposing robots. (It's a bit like Survivor, without the bikinis.)
Search and Rescue (and the other botball challenges) gives middle and high school students a hands-on learning application in science, technology, engineering and math. The competing teams built their robots from an official kit containing such goodies as 1,800 LEGO building blocks, two Xport Botball Controllers (XBCs, attached to Nintendo® Game Boy Advance devices), and 20 censors, including color-recognition cameras. After using the pieces to build their robots, students programmed them using a version of the C computer language.
The annual botball challenges have generated so much enthusiasm that at least 13 regional tournaments are held across the United States. Hawaii is actively involved, with more than 20 participating schools. The 2007 national tournament will be held in Honolulu in July, and will be one of the events at the National Conference on Educational Robotics.
NASA's Web site quoted Jade Bowman, the NES team lead at Hawaii's Waimea Middle School, as saying, "The Botball program has been an avenue for our students to broaden their horizons in many areas." Bowman added that the botball program exposed the students to new careers, taught them to use a variety of technology, increased self confidence, developed complex thinking, and showed the importance of team playing.
Cassini Scientists for a Day
On January 23, 2006, a group of California third, fourth and fifth graders became "scientists for a day," and selected where to point the cameras on the Cassini spacecraft as it continued its tour of the space around Saturn. These students of Shirley Avenue Elementary School in Reseda, California (part of the Explorer network), had 10 days to study three target options and decide which opportunity would make the most scientific sense. After much debate, they decided to take an image of the planet's rings.
Mission planners calculated the needed maneuvers and sent the commands to the spacecraft. The students had been studying Saturn prior to the project, so they had some idea of what the mission entailed.
The "Cassini Scientist for a Day" activity helped them understand how much time it takes to gather scientific information, and how complicated it is to make decisions. The NASA Web site quotes the kids' teacher, Kathy Cooper, as saying, "I was stunned to hear a fourth grader saying, 'You need a good eye and have to be patient, because science isn't quick—we didn't learn about the universe overnight; it takes time,'" Cooper says. "The activity brought a higher level of thinking; they kept coming up with good questions."
Build Your Own Rocket Ship
Michigan's Southfield School was the nation's first to be designated a NASA Explorer School. In early 2006, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, announced a $2,500 grant to students in Southfield, Michigan, to help them design, build and launch their own rocket. Part of NASA's Student Launch Initiative, the project helps students learn more about engineering and teamwork through a hands-on approach to create and launch rockets with payloads.
The Student Launch Initiative is jointly managed by the Marshall Center in partnership with the Huntsville Area Rocketry Association, a group of rocket enthusiasts and engineers who launch their own rockets. Each participating student team designs, builds and tests its own rockets, while documenting their progress on a Web site. Students can request guidance from professional engineers during the design and testing phases. The teams also learn problem-solving skills, how to prepare and present proposals, and how to budget.
The teams display and launch their rockets in a competition. Competing rockets carry a tracking device and a recoverable science payload weighing between one quarter and one half-pound. The rocket must reach an altitude of one mile during flight and be reusable. After flight, the team collects data from the payload, analyzes it, and reports the results to Marshall Center engineers, the project's mentors, who evaluate each rocket and determine the winners. The winning teams receive a school trophy.
How to Become an Explorer School
According to the Web site, competitive applications are accepted and selection of the NASA Explorer School teams occurs each spring. Up to 50 teams will be added each year, for a maximum total of 150 teams.
June Campbell
In the NASA Explorer School (NAS) undertaking, created in 2003, the agency partners with under-serviced schools across the nation to bring mathematics, science and technology curriculum to students ranging from K-12. When a partnership agreement is reached, teachers and a school administrator team up to develop and implement a three-year action plan that addresses local challenges in the subjects mentioned earlier. Based on information generated through needs assessments, this customized plan is delivered through a combination of on-site school services and distance-learning networks.
Program elements include professional development workshops during the summer months in which teams of educators meet at the nine NASA Field Centers and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The intensive, one-week training provides opportunities for the teachers to begin to integrate NASA content into the existing school curricula, and extends to creating and implementing action plans to address local challenges.
Throughout the school year, ongoing research-based professional development includes NASA aerospace education specialists, Space Grant consortia, educator resource centers, and NASA Education networks.
That's the somewhat boring explanation of what it's all about. The real-life examples are much more exciting.
Botball, Anyone?
Chances are you've never played botball—given that it's a game played only by robots. But, hey, robots have to have some fun too, right? For the past three years, students at Explorer Schools have been accepting the challenge to build and program robots to compete with opponents on a field the size of a ping-pong table. The challenge for 2006 was "Search and Rescue." Robotics teams worked autonomously to locate a plush robot and his "tribble" friends. ( Star Trek fans understand tribbles. They're the round, furry animals that reproduce faster than spam in your Inbox.) The challenge was to complete various tasks and score points ahead of the opposing robots. (It's a bit like Survivor, without the bikinis.)
Search and Rescue (and the other botball challenges) gives middle and high school students a hands-on learning application in science, technology, engineering and math. The competing teams built their robots from an official kit containing such goodies as 1,800 LEGO building blocks, two Xport Botball Controllers (XBCs, attached to Nintendo® Game Boy Advance devices), and 20 censors, including color-recognition cameras. After using the pieces to build their robots, students programmed them using a version of the C computer language.
The annual botball challenges have generated so much enthusiasm that at least 13 regional tournaments are held across the United States. Hawaii is actively involved, with more than 20 participating schools. The 2007 national tournament will be held in Honolulu in July, and will be one of the events at the National Conference on Educational Robotics.
NASA's Web site quoted Jade Bowman, the NES team lead at Hawaii's Waimea Middle School, as saying, "The Botball program has been an avenue for our students to broaden their horizons in many areas." Bowman added that the botball program exposed the students to new careers, taught them to use a variety of technology, increased self confidence, developed complex thinking, and showed the importance of team playing.
Cassini Scientists for a Day
On January 23, 2006, a group of California third, fourth and fifth graders became "scientists for a day," and selected where to point the cameras on the Cassini spacecraft as it continued its tour of the space around Saturn. These students of Shirley Avenue Elementary School in Reseda, California (part of the Explorer network), had 10 days to study three target options and decide which opportunity would make the most scientific sense. After much debate, they decided to take an image of the planet's rings.
Mission planners calculated the needed maneuvers and sent the commands to the spacecraft. The students had been studying Saturn prior to the project, so they had some idea of what the mission entailed.
The "Cassini Scientist for a Day" activity helped them understand how much time it takes to gather scientific information, and how complicated it is to make decisions. The NASA Web site quotes the kids' teacher, Kathy Cooper, as saying, "I was stunned to hear a fourth grader saying, 'You need a good eye and have to be patient, because science isn't quick—we didn't learn about the universe overnight; it takes time,'" Cooper says. "The activity brought a higher level of thinking; they kept coming up with good questions."
Build Your Own Rocket Ship
Michigan's Southfield School was the nation's first to be designated a NASA Explorer School. In early 2006, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, announced a $2,500 grant to students in Southfield, Michigan, to help them design, build and launch their own rocket. Part of NASA's Student Launch Initiative, the project helps students learn more about engineering and teamwork through a hands-on approach to create and launch rockets with payloads.
The Student Launch Initiative is jointly managed by the Marshall Center in partnership with the Huntsville Area Rocketry Association, a group of rocket enthusiasts and engineers who launch their own rockets. Each participating student team designs, builds and tests its own rockets, while documenting their progress on a Web site. Students can request guidance from professional engineers during the design and testing phases. The teams also learn problem-solving skills, how to prepare and present proposals, and how to budget.
The teams display and launch their rockets in a competition. Competing rockets carry a tracking device and a recoverable science payload weighing between one quarter and one half-pound. The rocket must reach an altitude of one mile during flight and be reusable. After flight, the team collects data from the payload, analyzes it, and reports the results to Marshall Center engineers, the project's mentors, who evaluate each rocket and determine the winners. The winning teams receive a school trophy.
How to Become an Explorer School
According to the Web site, competitive applications are accepted and selection of the NASA Explorer School teams occurs each spring. Up to 50 teams will be added each year, for a maximum total of 150 teams.
June Campbell
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Apple iPod Shuffle - Music, In a More Refined Way
For the last five years, Apple has unequivocally dominated the world of hard disk based audio gadgets. Although, the competition has become more stiff these days, but Apple continues to enjoy a dedicated following. And, at the same time, the sudden surge of music phones have also pushed the limit for such manufacturers, as now they are adding some additional music features to retain their dedicated customers. Consequently, their prices have also gone down. So, now you can afford to buy an Apple ipod with a reasonable price. The newest kid on the block is the Apple iPod Shuffle, which comes equipped with an improved hard disk and now, you can store a far greater amount of music, as compared to earlier Apple iPods.
The Apple iPod shuffle comes with two capacities with 1GB and 512MB options. Since Apple has already released some of the most magnificent iPods, we can expect something special from this newest edition. First of all, the Apple ipod shuffle is the second generation iPod and on the other hand, it is also acclaimed as the smallest iPod ever designed. Hence, it is quite obvious that this iPod has really lost a lot of fat to get that sleek look and there is a certain ommission of any real display. There is only a small tri-colour led, which indicates the basic functionalities to an user. Currently, this iPod is available in five enticing colours –choose your favourite one to enter the ecstatic world of music.
As such lot has been said about this iPod, but does it really serve the basic purpose, as being the cheapest, simplest and smallest iPod to date. So, there are some interesting aspects, which should be considered to review the appropriate usefulness of this music device
Compatible size:
When you take a first look at the new Apple iPod shuffle, you would find it like another small media player. Although, its overall dimensions are slightly larger than the original nano's screen. On the other hand, its control scheme does look like other iPods, as it comes with similar features like a ''scroll wheel'', which does not offer any scrolling functionality. Thus, you can easily press down on the top and bottom of its wheel to increase or decrease the volume –whenever you want. There are two toggle switches on the bottom of this iPod. One is used as a simple on/off switch, while the another one is a ''shuffle switch'', which randomly adjusts the song order to make things further easier for you. Well, this shuffle iPod is endowed with the latest version of Apple's highly popular earpbuds, which offer brilliant sound quality.
Improved features:
It is because of its extremely small size, the Apple ipod shuffle does not work with same docking mechanism like other iPods. Instead of that, it utilises a specifically designed USB dock, which can be easily plugged into the headphone jack.
So far, nothing significant has been done in the Apple ipod shuffle, but it does have it all to play all your music – the way you like.
Raina Kelsey
The Apple iPod shuffle comes with two capacities with 1GB and 512MB options. Since Apple has already released some of the most magnificent iPods, we can expect something special from this newest edition. First of all, the Apple ipod shuffle is the second generation iPod and on the other hand, it is also acclaimed as the smallest iPod ever designed. Hence, it is quite obvious that this iPod has really lost a lot of fat to get that sleek look and there is a certain ommission of any real display. There is only a small tri-colour led, which indicates the basic functionalities to an user. Currently, this iPod is available in five enticing colours –choose your favourite one to enter the ecstatic world of music.
As such lot has been said about this iPod, but does it really serve the basic purpose, as being the cheapest, simplest and smallest iPod to date. So, there are some interesting aspects, which should be considered to review the appropriate usefulness of this music device
Compatible size:
When you take a first look at the new Apple iPod shuffle, you would find it like another small media player. Although, its overall dimensions are slightly larger than the original nano's screen. On the other hand, its control scheme does look like other iPods, as it comes with similar features like a ''scroll wheel'', which does not offer any scrolling functionality. Thus, you can easily press down on the top and bottom of its wheel to increase or decrease the volume –whenever you want. There are two toggle switches on the bottom of this iPod. One is used as a simple on/off switch, while the another one is a ''shuffle switch'', which randomly adjusts the song order to make things further easier for you. Well, this shuffle iPod is endowed with the latest version of Apple's highly popular earpbuds, which offer brilliant sound quality.
Improved features:
It is because of its extremely small size, the Apple ipod shuffle does not work with same docking mechanism like other iPods. Instead of that, it utilises a specifically designed USB dock, which can be easily plugged into the headphone jack.
So far, nothing significant has been done in the Apple ipod shuffle, but it does have it all to play all your music – the way you like.
Raina Kelsey
South Africa's Public Health Sidelined Over Political Power Play
During the Nationalist Party, or white government, days in South Africa, the only time the country made it into the international newspapers was when apartheid based atrocities and anti-apartheid campaigns were reported. It used to annoy the government immensely as they felt that the good stuff was being overlooked.
President Mbeki, and his apostles, must be feeling the same at this moment. The front page of the Independent in the UK says it all. ‘A President in denial, a nation denied hope’ is the headline. The article is in response to the firing of deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge.
Ms Madlala-Routledge had worked hard to obtain some form of credibility for the government. She had been outspoken about new treatment campaigns to ensure medication was available to infected people and co-authored a five year treatment action plan. She had visited hospitals and pointed out how bad the health services were in some areas such as the Eastern Cape.
Mbeki and his Minister of Health Tshabalala-Msimang have been ridiculed by the world for their denial of the epidemic. Mbeki ascribed to the theory that HIV and AIDS were not linked and Tshabalala-Msimang maintained that eating beetroot and garlic were more useful than anti-retrovirals which she said were harmful to people. This is the country where coffins are made from cardboard because the wooden ones can’t be made quickly enough to fill demand.
The Deputy was fired, according to the South African press, for having attended an AIDS conference in Spain. It was felt that this was wasting tax payers’ money. Besides which this trip had apparently not been authorised. One might remember a Christmas a season ago when the Deputy President used tax payers’ money to use the government jet to take herself and a couple of buddies off to a shopping holiday in Dubai. She certainly didn’t get fired for that unauthorised trip.
Which all points to the fact that the Deputy Minister’s firing had really very little to do with health issues. It has to do with political power. Mbeki has, during his years as president, surrounded himself with people whom he feels comfortable with and who have shown him total loyalty. These select few will remain within his orbit whether they do the job or not. The Deputy Health Minister, by undermining the power base of the Health Minister had to go.
Health Minister Tshabalala-Msimang is one of these apostles. She could decide to hand out arsenic pills at hospitals and she would not be fired. I suppose giving people beetroot and garlic to cure HIV/AIDS is about the same.
Political power is particularly relevant as the succession debate to Mbeki’s rule hots up. The issue centers around the new leadership of the ANC which will be determined shortly. At the same time, the head of the ANC is automatically appointed as president of the country. According to the constitution, President Mbeki may only serve two terms and he is completing his second term now.
This is not really a serious issue. One needs to remember that the ANC acquired over two thirds of the vote during the last general elections. This means the ANC is able to change the constitution. It could very well mean that Mbeki is padding his supporter base in preparation for re-election. He has indicated that he wishes to stand for the ANC leadership.
The consequences of the political maneuvers being played out are dire though. The public health system is falling apart at a rapid rate, and not only with respect to HIV/AIDS treatment. Reports on the state of public hospitals are dire. According to one Doctor quoted in the Independent, people are dying in the queues.
The absolute tragedy is that South Africa has money in the bank to improve the health system. Not only did Finance Minister Trevor Manuel submit a surplus budget in February this year, but today’s South African version of the Independent states that the taxman is heading for another big tax bonanza.
Never a more appropriate saying than the one that states that Rome burns while the politicians fiddle.
Anja Merret lives in Brighton, UK, having moved across from South Africa just over a year ago.
She now looks after the business interests of her daughter who is a Flash Developer and Accessibility expert. She started a blog at the beginning of the year under the heading of chatting to my generation. Although she is chatting to the baby boomer generation, she sometimes feels that all generations have the same issues to face, they just don't have hearing aids or walking sticks!
One of her pet peeves is the war in Iraq and in fact anything that causes innocent people to get hurt. But she also loves tech stuff, although only as an amateur. She considers herself a Silver Surfer Gadget Geek. She is even considering queuing for an iPhone in the UK later on in the year. But her daughter has offered, so she will only be taking hot food to the Brighton Geeks waiting in line.
Her musings may be found on http://www.anjamerret.com Her observations on personal power and self-development may be found on http://www.pinkblocks.com
Anja Merret
President Mbeki, and his apostles, must be feeling the same at this moment. The front page of the Independent in the UK says it all. ‘A President in denial, a nation denied hope’ is the headline. The article is in response to the firing of deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge.
Ms Madlala-Routledge had worked hard to obtain some form of credibility for the government. She had been outspoken about new treatment campaigns to ensure medication was available to infected people and co-authored a five year treatment action plan. She had visited hospitals and pointed out how bad the health services were in some areas such as the Eastern Cape.
Mbeki and his Minister of Health Tshabalala-Msimang have been ridiculed by the world for their denial of the epidemic. Mbeki ascribed to the theory that HIV and AIDS were not linked and Tshabalala-Msimang maintained that eating beetroot and garlic were more useful than anti-retrovirals which she said were harmful to people. This is the country where coffins are made from cardboard because the wooden ones can’t be made quickly enough to fill demand.
The Deputy was fired, according to the South African press, for having attended an AIDS conference in Spain. It was felt that this was wasting tax payers’ money. Besides which this trip had apparently not been authorised. One might remember a Christmas a season ago when the Deputy President used tax payers’ money to use the government jet to take herself and a couple of buddies off to a shopping holiday in Dubai. She certainly didn’t get fired for that unauthorised trip.
Which all points to the fact that the Deputy Minister’s firing had really very little to do with health issues. It has to do with political power. Mbeki has, during his years as president, surrounded himself with people whom he feels comfortable with and who have shown him total loyalty. These select few will remain within his orbit whether they do the job or not. The Deputy Health Minister, by undermining the power base of the Health Minister had to go.
Health Minister Tshabalala-Msimang is one of these apostles. She could decide to hand out arsenic pills at hospitals and she would not be fired. I suppose giving people beetroot and garlic to cure HIV/AIDS is about the same.
Political power is particularly relevant as the succession debate to Mbeki’s rule hots up. The issue centers around the new leadership of the ANC which will be determined shortly. At the same time, the head of the ANC is automatically appointed as president of the country. According to the constitution, President Mbeki may only serve two terms and he is completing his second term now.
This is not really a serious issue. One needs to remember that the ANC acquired over two thirds of the vote during the last general elections. This means the ANC is able to change the constitution. It could very well mean that Mbeki is padding his supporter base in preparation for re-election. He has indicated that he wishes to stand for the ANC leadership.
The consequences of the political maneuvers being played out are dire though. The public health system is falling apart at a rapid rate, and not only with respect to HIV/AIDS treatment. Reports on the state of public hospitals are dire. According to one Doctor quoted in the Independent, people are dying in the queues.
The absolute tragedy is that South Africa has money in the bank to improve the health system. Not only did Finance Minister Trevor Manuel submit a surplus budget in February this year, but today’s South African version of the Independent states that the taxman is heading for another big tax bonanza.
Never a more appropriate saying than the one that states that Rome burns while the politicians fiddle.
Anja Merret lives in Brighton, UK, having moved across from South Africa just over a year ago.
She now looks after the business interests of her daughter who is a Flash Developer and Accessibility expert. She started a blog at the beginning of the year under the heading of chatting to my generation. Although she is chatting to the baby boomer generation, she sometimes feels that all generations have the same issues to face, they just don't have hearing aids or walking sticks!
One of her pet peeves is the war in Iraq and in fact anything that causes innocent people to get hurt. But she also loves tech stuff, although only as an amateur. She considers herself a Silver Surfer Gadget Geek. She is even considering queuing for an iPhone in the UK later on in the year. But her daughter has offered, so she will only be taking hot food to the Brighton Geeks waiting in line.
Her musings may be found on http://www.anjamerret.com Her observations on personal power and self-development may be found on http://www.pinkblocks.com
Anja Merret
Monday, August 13, 2007
New Contraceptive Patch Leads to Concerns About Health
The Ortho Evra Patch released by Ortho McNeil has recently come under fire for the patch’s contribution to serious thrombotic problems such as heart attack and stroke.
After its approval in November 2001, the Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch revolutionized birth control by allowing women to wear a patch directly on their body giving it the nickname the “Birth Control Band-Aid.” Following its release to the public in 2002 over 5 million women have tried the Ortho Evra contraceptive.
Recently, however, the Ortho Evra Patch has been linked to an increased risk of a number of serious thrombotic problems. These problems might include heart attack, stroke, blood clots, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.
Those problems have been shown to be caused by the constant level of estrogen and progestin absorbed by the body while the patch is in use. Oral contraceptives, as compared with the Ortho Evra Patch, give users 35 micrograms (mcg) of estrogen in a daily dose as opposed to the patch that provides 20 mcg continuously for a week.
A British study completed in 1969 found that the body could not receive estrogen in excess of 50 mcg without the risk of inflicting the user with serious blood clots. All companies selling estrogen with more than 50 mcg had taken their products off the market by 1988.
The problem with the Ortho Evra Patch is that, although it only is a 20 mcg dosage of estrogen, it provides it for a prolonged period of time. The FDA issued a new warning in November of last year, asserting that the Ortho Evra Patch exposes users to 60% more estrogen than those on the oral contraceptive.
Essentially, the patch actually floods the users system with a 56 mcg dosage of estrogen over a longer period of time
There have also been new studies that have been released indicating that progestin, another active ingredient in the Ortho Evra Patch, also poses dangers to health. An anti-throbotic, prostegin inhibits the user’s blood from forming clots. This is the opposite of estrogen, a pro-thrombotic, which causes blood to clot. It was thought that each would cancel the other out. What everyone failed to see was that the prostegin, which was a 3rd generation version of the drug, indicating that the drug actually allows for the creation of more blood clots. This combined with the increased dosage of estrogen puts women at serious risk for many clotting-related issues such as heart attacks and strokes.
It was discovered that the Ortho Evra Patch fails to warn women adequately of the risks imposed on them by the levels estrogen and progestin exposure.
Currently, there are many attorneys that are working on a class action lawsuit against Ortho McNeil, maker of Ortho Evra. You may qualify to join this lawsuit if you:
Have been prescribed the Ortho Evra Patch
Have taken oral contraceptives for an extended period of time prior to using the Ortho Evra Patch without incident.
Suffered from a serious thrombotic event like heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, blood clot, etc.
Were forced to stay in a hospital for an extended period of time as a result of the thrombotic incident
Were forced to undergo surgery as a result of the thrombotic incident Have to undergo coagulant therapy for at least 6 months.
Also, if you are a smoker and have had a thrombotic event after using the Ortho Evra Patch, you may still qualify to file a lawsuit. Although there is a warning against smoking while using the Ortho Evra Patch, it does not specify the severity of the consequences, or mention the risks associated with smoking while using the Ortho Evra Patch.
Sara Goldstein
After its approval in November 2001, the Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch revolutionized birth control by allowing women to wear a patch directly on their body giving it the nickname the “Birth Control Band-Aid.” Following its release to the public in 2002 over 5 million women have tried the Ortho Evra contraceptive.
Recently, however, the Ortho Evra Patch has been linked to an increased risk of a number of serious thrombotic problems. These problems might include heart attack, stroke, blood clots, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.
Those problems have been shown to be caused by the constant level of estrogen and progestin absorbed by the body while the patch is in use. Oral contraceptives, as compared with the Ortho Evra Patch, give users 35 micrograms (mcg) of estrogen in a daily dose as opposed to the patch that provides 20 mcg continuously for a week.
A British study completed in 1969 found that the body could not receive estrogen in excess of 50 mcg without the risk of inflicting the user with serious blood clots. All companies selling estrogen with more than 50 mcg had taken their products off the market by 1988.
The problem with the Ortho Evra Patch is that, although it only is a 20 mcg dosage of estrogen, it provides it for a prolonged period of time. The FDA issued a new warning in November of last year, asserting that the Ortho Evra Patch exposes users to 60% more estrogen than those on the oral contraceptive.
Essentially, the patch actually floods the users system with a 56 mcg dosage of estrogen over a longer period of time
There have also been new studies that have been released indicating that progestin, another active ingredient in the Ortho Evra Patch, also poses dangers to health. An anti-throbotic, prostegin inhibits the user’s blood from forming clots. This is the opposite of estrogen, a pro-thrombotic, which causes blood to clot. It was thought that each would cancel the other out. What everyone failed to see was that the prostegin, which was a 3rd generation version of the drug, indicating that the drug actually allows for the creation of more blood clots. This combined with the increased dosage of estrogen puts women at serious risk for many clotting-related issues such as heart attacks and strokes.
It was discovered that the Ortho Evra Patch fails to warn women adequately of the risks imposed on them by the levels estrogen and progestin exposure.
Currently, there are many attorneys that are working on a class action lawsuit against Ortho McNeil, maker of Ortho Evra. You may qualify to join this lawsuit if you:
Have been prescribed the Ortho Evra Patch
Have taken oral contraceptives for an extended period of time prior to using the Ortho Evra Patch without incident.
Suffered from a serious thrombotic event like heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, blood clot, etc.
Were forced to stay in a hospital for an extended period of time as a result of the thrombotic incident
Were forced to undergo surgery as a result of the thrombotic incident Have to undergo coagulant therapy for at least 6 months.
Also, if you are a smoker and have had a thrombotic event after using the Ortho Evra Patch, you may still qualify to file a lawsuit. Although there is a warning against smoking while using the Ortho Evra Patch, it does not specify the severity of the consequences, or mention the risks associated with smoking while using the Ortho Evra Patch.
Sara Goldstein
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Ideas For Painting The Living Room
In most instances, the living room is one of the public areas of your home. This is the place wherein the visitors are received. This is the space provided for gatherings. Then, it is mostly the one that is very much open to criticism. Therefore, the painting of your living room matters a lot.
Here are some ideas that you could keep in mind and know by heart when it comes to the attempt of painting the living room. Making over your living room is such a venture that you need to be careful when attending to it.
Firstly and basically, you must select the hue scheme that needs to be employed in painting the living room. It means that there is the need for you to select the paint color that you would like to have for your walls, doors, trims, accents, and other accessories.
Mix and match your color paint choice with the biggest furniture in the living room. That is your focal point, so to speak. You also need to take note of the lighting factor, the function of the living room, its size, and the mood that you definitely want to create within the living room.
Then, you must have the time to spend to focus yourself on the selection of the paint finish since it could alter the mood that you want to sweep into the room. When the walls contain some imperfections, truly, you could always get a paint finish which could hide them. Usually the paint finish which are not glossy and those that give off a matte finish are the best to use. These paint finishes also provide an equally effective resistant to the possible wall stains.
The architectural details, trims, and doors may always be highlighted with the gloss finish such as the satin or the semi-gloss. These areas are thus easier to clean since they are sheen and smooth in texture.
Painting the living room could be better off with the latex or water-based paints. However, the doors and windows must be employed with the acrylic paints.
There are paint colors that would ask you to put on more than one application of the paint coat so you need to also keep it in mind. The usual one gallon of any paint color could only cover a capacity of 400 square feet.
Painting the living room would be best done with hard work as coupled with your creativity. There are techniques and concepts that you must bear in mind to come up with a successful venture.
To learn more living room decorating ideas, visit http://www.livingroomdesign101.com
Here are some ideas that you could keep in mind and know by heart when it comes to the attempt of painting the living room. Making over your living room is such a venture that you need to be careful when attending to it.
Firstly and basically, you must select the hue scheme that needs to be employed in painting the living room. It means that there is the need for you to select the paint color that you would like to have for your walls, doors, trims, accents, and other accessories.
Mix and match your color paint choice with the biggest furniture in the living room. That is your focal point, so to speak. You also need to take note of the lighting factor, the function of the living room, its size, and the mood that you definitely want to create within the living room.
Then, you must have the time to spend to focus yourself on the selection of the paint finish since it could alter the mood that you want to sweep into the room. When the walls contain some imperfections, truly, you could always get a paint finish which could hide them. Usually the paint finish which are not glossy and those that give off a matte finish are the best to use. These paint finishes also provide an equally effective resistant to the possible wall stains.
The architectural details, trims, and doors may always be highlighted with the gloss finish such as the satin or the semi-gloss. These areas are thus easier to clean since they are sheen and smooth in texture.
Painting the living room could be better off with the latex or water-based paints. However, the doors and windows must be employed with the acrylic paints.
There are paint colors that would ask you to put on more than one application of the paint coat so you need to also keep it in mind. The usual one gallon of any paint color could only cover a capacity of 400 square feet.
Painting the living room would be best done with hard work as coupled with your creativity. There are techniques and concepts that you must bear in mind to come up with a successful venture.
To learn more living room decorating ideas, visit http://www.livingroomdesign101.com
Reach a New High with Samsung U Series Phones
What is it that you have always wanted from your mobile phone? Is a decently operational communication platform the only thing in your mind when you think about mobile phones? For all you know, your mobile phone can also back up as one little treasure of a host of fun filled activities and features to light up your face. We have witnessed a steady growth in the mobile phone industry since that day these wireless communication devices hit the stands across the world. The primary reason behind this almost seemingly well-coordinated progress is the gradual modification of mobile phones through newer and better technologies with each developmental phase. The constant evolution of technological standards have incessantly paved the path for mobile phone manufacturers to ship-shape their intelligence and offer something more enriching with every subsequent release of their products. Such gregariousness has evidently been a customary endeavour for South Korean giant Samsung, which has made its expertise widely known through its U series phones for one.
The Samsung U series is a highly stylised range of mobile phones under the Ultra Edition banner that promises to make some impressive strides in the history of the mobile phone industry. These phones have been introduced by the manufacturer as a new breed of communication devices in ultra slim frames with highly attractive designs and the best of what modern mobile technology has to offer. All you have to do is purchase one of these U series phones and behold what the future has to offer. The Samsung U100, Samsung U300, Samsung U600 and Samsung U700 are the U series phones by the manufacturer, which are apparently creating quite a big storm in the phone market.
Samsung has been living up to its reputation as an unfaltering innovator of mobile phones for quite some time now, and the introduction of the U series is a testimony to the fact.
Andrena Markley is the webmaster of 3contractmobilephones.co.uk and deals in all kind of mobile phones. Get latest updates on Samsung U100, Samsung U300, Samsung U600 and Samsung U700 from the site.
The Samsung U series is a highly stylised range of mobile phones under the Ultra Edition banner that promises to make some impressive strides in the history of the mobile phone industry. These phones have been introduced by the manufacturer as a new breed of communication devices in ultra slim frames with highly attractive designs and the best of what modern mobile technology has to offer. All you have to do is purchase one of these U series phones and behold what the future has to offer. The Samsung U100, Samsung U300, Samsung U600 and Samsung U700 are the U series phones by the manufacturer, which are apparently creating quite a big storm in the phone market.
Samsung has been living up to its reputation as an unfaltering innovator of mobile phones for quite some time now, and the introduction of the U series is a testimony to the fact.
Andrena Markley is the webmaster of 3contractmobilephones.co.uk and deals in all kind of mobile phones. Get latest updates on Samsung U100, Samsung U300, Samsung U600 and Samsung U700 from the site.
New York Style Cheesecake Recipe
New York style cheesecake recipes are made with a combination of cream cheese and Italian cheese cakes made with ricotta cheese. In the early 1920's, this particular silky style of cream cheese was developed in the New York area.
New York style cheesecake recipes were introduced by Jewish delicatessens in New York City. Arnold Reuben Jr., owner of the legendary Turf Restaurant at 49th and Broadway in New York City and a descendant of immigrants from Germany, claimed his family developed the first cream cheese cake recipe. Reuben’s cheesecake was so good, it won a Gold Metal at the 1929 World’s Fair.
The superior qualities that make Reuben’s classic New York style cheesecake are a graham cracker crust, a creamy texture, and distinct lemon flavor that is firm but light in density. Below you will find his Classic New York Style Cheesecake recipe.
Classic New York Cheesecake
Crust:
Heavily coat 10-inch spring form pan with cooking spray
1 1/2 cups commercial graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. honey
1/4 cup sugar
Mix ingredients together with hands until well blended and crumbs appear moist. Pour into pan. With hands, spread evenly across the bottom and pat down firmly.
Filling:
5 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
11/2 cups sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. orange liqueur
3/4 tsp. vanilla
2 egg yolks at room temperature
5 eggs at room temperature
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place first five ingredients in large mixing bowl and beat on high until they are completely blended. Add vanilla and 2 yolks, and beat again. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Pour into prepared pan. Batter will fill pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Top will be golden. Lower oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until top browns, cake feels bouncy to the touch, and a toothpick tests clean. Cool to room temperature. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Yield: 16-20 slices
The history of cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. The first recorded mention of cheesecake was when it was served to the athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 BC. Centuries later, cheesecake appeared in America. The recipes were brought over by the immigrants.
If you ask a New Yorker, the only true cheesecake makers and connoisseurs are in New York. Every New York restaurant has their own version and thus the cheesecake from New York has been re-named New York cheesecake.
I hope you enjoy this New York style cheesecake recipe.
Copyright © 2005 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com. All Rights Reserved.
This article is supplied by Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers so you can purchase exactly what you’re looking for at great values.
New York style cheesecake recipes were introduced by Jewish delicatessens in New York City. Arnold Reuben Jr., owner of the legendary Turf Restaurant at 49th and Broadway in New York City and a descendant of immigrants from Germany, claimed his family developed the first cream cheese cake recipe. Reuben’s cheesecake was so good, it won a Gold Metal at the 1929 World’s Fair.
The superior qualities that make Reuben’s classic New York style cheesecake are a graham cracker crust, a creamy texture, and distinct lemon flavor that is firm but light in density. Below you will find his Classic New York Style Cheesecake recipe.
Classic New York Cheesecake
Crust:
Heavily coat 10-inch spring form pan with cooking spray
1 1/2 cups commercial graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. honey
1/4 cup sugar
Mix ingredients together with hands until well blended and crumbs appear moist. Pour into pan. With hands, spread evenly across the bottom and pat down firmly.
Filling:
5 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
11/2 cups sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. orange liqueur
3/4 tsp. vanilla
2 egg yolks at room temperature
5 eggs at room temperature
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place first five ingredients in large mixing bowl and beat on high until they are completely blended. Add vanilla and 2 yolks, and beat again. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Pour into prepared pan. Batter will fill pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Top will be golden. Lower oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until top browns, cake feels bouncy to the touch, and a toothpick tests clean. Cool to room temperature. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Yield: 16-20 slices
The history of cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. The first recorded mention of cheesecake was when it was served to the athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 BC. Centuries later, cheesecake appeared in America. The recipes were brought over by the immigrants.
If you ask a New Yorker, the only true cheesecake makers and connoisseurs are in New York. Every New York restaurant has their own version and thus the cheesecake from New York has been re-named New York cheesecake.
I hope you enjoy this New York style cheesecake recipe.
Copyright © 2005 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com. All Rights Reserved.
This article is supplied by Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com where you can easily shop and compare coffee makers so you can purchase exactly what you’re looking for at great values.
Download Free Ipod Nano Song- Two Easy Methods
There are two simple methods for downloading free Ipod Nano song, or songs for any other Ipod for that matter. Many people find the whole situation a little confusing, so hopefully this quick guide will come in useful.
The first and most common method is to download the songs from your existing CD collection onto your Ipod. This will give you some songs to listen to instantly, and it won’t cost you a penny! Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1-
Fire up your computer and connect to the internet. You’ll need Itunes, so if you haven’t got it, download it, and make sure it’s the most up to date version. Both the download and the updated won’t take too much time at all.
Step 2-
The next step is to get the songs from your CD collection actually onto your computer. It’s a pretty simple process, Itunes will do all the work for you, but it can be time consuming so set aside an hour or two to do this if you have a lot of cds.
Step 3-
Connect your Ipod to the computer using the USB lead. Once the two recognise each other you can simply use the mouse to drag whichever songs you want onto the Ipod. Ipods aren’t the fastest things in the world, especially the Nanos, so be patient while you wait for the process to finish.
Step 4-
The last step is to listen to the songs. That’s all you need to know about the first way to download free Ipod Nano song.
The second method of downloading the free music is to find a decent free download site and get the songs from there. The trouble is that the majority of sites offering “free” downloads will actually ask you for a per download fee, or even worse try to infect your computer and Ipod with nasty software.
It’s well worth taking the time to find a few trustworthy download sites. The best ones are ones that charge a small one off admin fee for membership-they put the fee toward upkeep of servers and software etc, so you know all the downloads will be high speed and good quality. I’ve selected a few of the best sites like this for you to check out, and you’ll find them in the links at the bottom of this article.
Hopefully you’ve got a better understanding of how to download free Ipod Nano songs now. It can be pretty tricky at first but once you know what you’re doing the sky’s the limit. If you did find this useful, why not pass it on to a friend using the link at the top right?
Sean Hamilton is the webmaster at http://www.ipodlowdown.com
The first and most common method is to download the songs from your existing CD collection onto your Ipod. This will give you some songs to listen to instantly, and it won’t cost you a penny! Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1-
Fire up your computer and connect to the internet. You’ll need Itunes, so if you haven’t got it, download it, and make sure it’s the most up to date version. Both the download and the updated won’t take too much time at all.
Step 2-
The next step is to get the songs from your CD collection actually onto your computer. It’s a pretty simple process, Itunes will do all the work for you, but it can be time consuming so set aside an hour or two to do this if you have a lot of cds.
Step 3-
Connect your Ipod to the computer using the USB lead. Once the two recognise each other you can simply use the mouse to drag whichever songs you want onto the Ipod. Ipods aren’t the fastest things in the world, especially the Nanos, so be patient while you wait for the process to finish.
Step 4-
The last step is to listen to the songs. That’s all you need to know about the first way to download free Ipod Nano song.
The second method of downloading the free music is to find a decent free download site and get the songs from there. The trouble is that the majority of sites offering “free” downloads will actually ask you for a per download fee, or even worse try to infect your computer and Ipod with nasty software.
It’s well worth taking the time to find a few trustworthy download sites. The best ones are ones that charge a small one off admin fee for membership-they put the fee toward upkeep of servers and software etc, so you know all the downloads will be high speed and good quality. I’ve selected a few of the best sites like this for you to check out, and you’ll find them in the links at the bottom of this article.
Hopefully you’ve got a better understanding of how to download free Ipod Nano songs now. It can be pretty tricky at first but once you know what you’re doing the sky’s the limit. If you did find this useful, why not pass it on to a friend using the link at the top right?
Sean Hamilton is the webmaster at http://www.ipodlowdown.com
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Public Speaking AMD Presentations - Top 10 Tips
1 – Start strong, finish strong! Your conclusion and wrap-up are just as important as your intro. Many people memorize the first paragraph or so to ensure a great beginning, but then end off with a wobbly “so...uhm…I guess that’s it…uhm…any questions? Ok thanks.” No good. Your ending should leave a strong impression and give them a “call to action” or otherwise motivate them to do something immediately. Plan both ends.
2 – Know your audience. Adapt your language and materials to them specifically. That may mean doing some advance research on who will be there, and what they are coming for. It’s no good making a great speech to people who are not following you, or are not interested in what you’re saying. Modify it.
3 – Be prepared but stay flexible. Can this be delivered without any visual aids (e.g. if they are left at home) or audio/visuals or computer support (in the event of loss of power)? Remember Murphy’s Law – anything that can happen, will!
4 – Have back-up. CD, flash memory stick, email attachment. Have back-up equipment too, like extension cords, computer cables, batteries, pointers, cue cards and notes, etc.
5 – Manage time efficiently. No tangents or digressions. Learn how to control audience questions so that they do not lead you off track and out of time before your great pitch!
6 – Perform a head-to-toe pre-check. Go to the restroom and check to see that the wind has not blown your hair funny. Is there any food stuck in your teeth? Is your tie straight and clean? (Carry a back-up tie). Is your belt straight? Any lint hanging off your clothes or suit? Are your shoes shiny and clean? Do you have your water for your dry mouth? Mints? (No gum, of course!)
7 – Act it and have fun! Show passion and enthusiasm. This is a moment on stage after all, so you’ve got to know how to own it. Don’t be so serious that you’re boring. Don’t read notes. The audience must “feel” your passion and believe in your presentation or pitch, so you must as well. Smile!
8 – Rehearse it. Try it on someone at home or a colleague that will give you honest feedback. The more you do it, the smoother it will get, and you will gain confidence from competency. Perfect practice makes perfect.
9 – Don’t overuse visuals and slides. Your voice and presence are the main tools. A great PowerPoint or Keynote display can never replace a great speaker. If you are a great speaker, you will always have confidence, no matter what happens to your audio/visuals. Don’t depend on “things.” YOU are the presentation. YOU are the information. YOU are the pitch.
10 – Control handouts. Don’t give out at the beginning of the presentation, unless it is a brief “skeleton” agenda. You want to keep them focused and listening to you, and watching you, not reading their handout. At the end of the presentation, always give them a “takeaway” that adds value to the experience. This could be special offers, brochures, relevant articles from press releases, a survey or questionnaire, etc. They should leave with some literature, and know how to get a hold of you afterwards.
Ric Phillips
2 – Know your audience. Adapt your language and materials to them specifically. That may mean doing some advance research on who will be there, and what they are coming for. It’s no good making a great speech to people who are not following you, or are not interested in what you’re saying. Modify it.
3 – Be prepared but stay flexible. Can this be delivered without any visual aids (e.g. if they are left at home) or audio/visuals or computer support (in the event of loss of power)? Remember Murphy’s Law – anything that can happen, will!
4 – Have back-up. CD, flash memory stick, email attachment. Have back-up equipment too, like extension cords, computer cables, batteries, pointers, cue cards and notes, etc.
5 – Manage time efficiently. No tangents or digressions. Learn how to control audience questions so that they do not lead you off track and out of time before your great pitch!
6 – Perform a head-to-toe pre-check. Go to the restroom and check to see that the wind has not blown your hair funny. Is there any food stuck in your teeth? Is your tie straight and clean? (Carry a back-up tie). Is your belt straight? Any lint hanging off your clothes or suit? Are your shoes shiny and clean? Do you have your water for your dry mouth? Mints? (No gum, of course!)
7 – Act it and have fun! Show passion and enthusiasm. This is a moment on stage after all, so you’ve got to know how to own it. Don’t be so serious that you’re boring. Don’t read notes. The audience must “feel” your passion and believe in your presentation or pitch, so you must as well. Smile!
8 – Rehearse it. Try it on someone at home or a colleague that will give you honest feedback. The more you do it, the smoother it will get, and you will gain confidence from competency. Perfect practice makes perfect.
9 – Don’t overuse visuals and slides. Your voice and presence are the main tools. A great PowerPoint or Keynote display can never replace a great speaker. If you are a great speaker, you will always have confidence, no matter what happens to your audio/visuals. Don’t depend on “things.” YOU are the presentation. YOU are the information. YOU are the pitch.
10 – Control handouts. Don’t give out at the beginning of the presentation, unless it is a brief “skeleton” agenda. You want to keep them focused and listening to you, and watching you, not reading their handout. At the end of the presentation, always give them a “takeaway” that adds value to the experience. This could be special offers, brochures, relevant articles from press releases, a survey or questionnaire, etc. They should leave with some literature, and know how to get a hold of you afterwards.
Ric Phillips
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Spyware - Now a Problem for Mac Users as Well
Fortunately for the Mac users, the Adware and Spyware industry is still, as of 2005, heavily focused on the PC users. Adware and Spyware developers are particularly found of targeting PC users through DILLs and ActiveX controls, and can therefore only attack computers running Windows. This does not mean that Mac users are completely blessed from Spyware and Adware. There are several Spyware and Adware software capable of infesting Mac, and every Mac user should take a look at the Adware and Spyware removal programs available for mac. In 2005, Symantec caused a lot of hullabaloo in the Macintosh community when they warned the mac users about how the OS X operating system was rapidly becoming a target for virus developers and hackers. Symantec cautioned computer users not to relay on their mac alone to safe guard them from spyware infestations. You can no longer assume that you mac is immune from viruses and spyware. The need for free mac spyware removal programs available online is growing rapidly and we will hopefully see a lot of new free mac spyware removal programs on the Internet soon. Since Spyware is still a smaller problem for mac users, the number of available free mac spyware removal programs is currently much smaller than the number of free Spyware removal programs for PC.
When you choose among the available free mac spyware removal programs you should preferably pick one that is capable of scanning and removing both spyware and adware from your mac. A high-quality free mac spyware removal program will also be able to alert you every time an attempt to install spyware or adware on your mac is made. You should also ideally have the option to set the free mac spyware removal program to automatically block all such attempts without bothering you. Some of the free mac spyware removal programs will also protect your mac from several types of remote administration type applications. For maximal protection, you should combine your free mac spyware removal program with a good personal Firewall.
A new Spyware program designed to attack mac computers would probably spread rather slowly, since only around three per cent of systems in use today are using Mac OS. If a mac infected with spyware, or any other type of Malware, tries to spread the malicious software to a new computer, it will find a non-mac computer in 97 percent of the time. What everyone fears is therefore a hybrid Spyware capable of infecting Mac OS as well as Microsoft Windows. If, or rather when, such a hybrid is created it can spread very rapidly. Since many mac users still believe that their mac is immune to virus and spyware attacks, a lot of mac computers will become infected. All mac users are therefore recommended to take advantage of the available free mac spyware removal programs as soon as possible. One such program is available at http://macscan.securemac.com/
When you have installed your free mac spyware removal program, it is also important that you perform regular updates to make sure that you are protected from new types of spyware. Preferably choose a free mac spyware removal program that you can set to automatically search for updates and download them as soon as they are available. Check the fine print when you choose your free mac spyware removal program. A free mac spyware removal program where the regular updates cost a lot of money will soon turn out to be a very expensive “free” program. Some free mac spyware removal programs do not allow you to get updates, or will limit the number of updates, until you have bought a non-free version of the free mac spyware removal program.
When you choose among the available free mac spyware removal programs you should preferably pick one that is capable of scanning and removing both spyware and adware from your mac. A high-quality free mac spyware removal program will also be able to alert you every time an attempt to install spyware or adware on your mac is made. You should also ideally have the option to set the free mac spyware removal program to automatically block all such attempts without bothering you. Some of the free mac spyware removal programs will also protect your mac from several types of remote administration type applications. For maximal protection, you should combine your free mac spyware removal program with a good personal Firewall.
A new Spyware program designed to attack mac computers would probably spread rather slowly, since only around three per cent of systems in use today are using Mac OS. If a mac infected with spyware, or any other type of Malware, tries to spread the malicious software to a new computer, it will find a non-mac computer in 97 percent of the time. What everyone fears is therefore a hybrid Spyware capable of infecting Mac OS as well as Microsoft Windows. If, or rather when, such a hybrid is created it can spread very rapidly. Since many mac users still believe that their mac is immune to virus and spyware attacks, a lot of mac computers will become infected. All mac users are therefore recommended to take advantage of the available free mac spyware removal programs as soon as possible. One such program is available at http://macscan.securemac.com/
When you have installed your free mac spyware removal program, it is also important that you perform regular updates to make sure that you are protected from new types of spyware. Preferably choose a free mac spyware removal program that you can set to automatically search for updates and download them as soon as they are available. Check the fine print when you choose your free mac spyware removal program. A free mac spyware removal program where the regular updates cost a lot of money will soon turn out to be a very expensive “free” program. Some free mac spyware removal programs do not allow you to get updates, or will limit the number of updates, until you have bought a non-free version of the free mac spyware removal program.
Speech Writing Secrets Of President Bill Clinton
Speaking in public can be a powerful way to build a business. It can help raise the profile of your business, generate new leads and create greater profits. But speaking in public can be nervewracking and seriously stressful for first timers. Writing a speech can be a major challenge, especially for technical writers.
We can all learn from watching professional speakers.
I have achieved a long held ambition to hear Bill Clinton - in Perth on Saturday February 23, 2002. It was a fantastic event! My motivation? Anyone who earns $300,000 for a 50 minute keynote presentation must be good. As a professional speaker, I wanted to see Clinton in action. I didn't want to only hear what he said, but how he said it.
Here's my analysis of what I learnt from hearing Bill Clinton in person and noting how he was presented. You should be able to adapt at least some of these points to fit your own circumstances.
1. The marketing strategy
In previous years a big advertising blitz brought audiences to see speakers such as former Soviet leader Gorbachov and others. Their marketing approach was very commercially focused with a massive advertising budget. The Clinton event had a more humanitarian angle with funds being raised for a good cause, namely sick kids through The Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation. This was a better match with Clinton's core values of building community and having an empathy with the concerns of ordinary people. The marketing campaign relied heavily on positive media coverage to create awareness of the event.
2. A memorable entry
Clinton's entry to the ballroom was brilliantly stage-managed. Everyone was asked to stand and then he walked into the room to his US Presidential election theme song 'Happy Days are here again'. The emotion in the room was electric and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
3. Personal presentation
His dress and presentation was absolutely immaculate. (Maybe the $500 haircuts help.) Many women at my table commented that Clinton was far better looking in the flesh than on TV.
4. The Power of Presence
There was a buzz about being in the same room as President Clinton. His body language, smile and confident hand shake exuded charisma. His considerable charm reminded me of that high school science experiment when you tip iron filings onto a white sheet of paper covering a strong magnet. People were attracted to Clinton like metal filings to a powerful magnetic field.
5. Warm-up
Alan Jones was MC and the warm-up included a short film taking a light hearted look at Clinton's last days in office. Scenes included Clinton washing the Presidential car, clipping the hedges and playing switchboard operator in the Oval Room. A great scene from a press conference showed Clinton waking a single sleeping journalist.
6. Introduction
A well constructed introduction helped build empathy and highlighted that Clinton's life had not all been plain sailing. The fact that his father died when he was young, his mother was a nursing assistant and he was born in Hope, a town of 10,000 people, helped put his success and achievements in context.
7. Building on the sense of destiny
A strong personal brand is built on stories. The story of Clinton meeting President Kennedy when on a youth leadership camp was used to great effect. Not only was it mentioned in the introduction but that famous photo of Clinton shaking JFK's hand was also used in the marketing materials. Other brand building shots included an intimate moment with Hilary, a shot of him playing the saxophone, a jogging photo, one with Chelsea and one featuring Clinton lined up with 3 past Presidents. They all helped to define Clinton the man.
8. Customising the message
Clinton's speech in Perth was customised to include stories relevant to a Perth market, including his memories of Perth switching on its lights at night for a US space mission re-entry and comments on a former US President's career as a mining engineer in Kalgoorlie.
9. Using humour
Clinton had some great lines about how he could have helped previous Presidents in dealing with the media in tricky situations.
10. Memorable one liners using opposites
This can be very effective. When talking about possible solutions to the war against terrorism, Clinton said "most of the big things in life are simple".
11. Repetition
Clinton used this proven speechwriting technique to great effect.
12. Using metaphors
Clinton used the metaphor of the gap between the invention of the club and the shield to describe the present situation in the war against terrorism. He said "this gap needs to closed". Metaphors can give intangible concepts more impact with an audience.
13. Develop empathy with the audience
Clinton told the story of how he was in Australia at Port Douglas on September 11th and how his daughter Chelsea was in downtown New York. He connected with every parent in the room when he talked about his feelings when he couldn't contact his daughter for three hours on that day.
14. A call to action
The aim of the event was to raise money for a Children's hospital. Clinton's final words were "I want you to help". Simple, direct and powerful.
I hope you have enjoyed this analysis. I certainly learnt a lot by seeing one of the world's great communicators in action. Whatever your personal views on Clinton are ... his personal warmth, ability to connect with an audience and presentation skills are outstanding.
Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.
We can all learn from watching professional speakers.
I have achieved a long held ambition to hear Bill Clinton - in Perth on Saturday February 23, 2002. It was a fantastic event! My motivation? Anyone who earns $300,000 for a 50 minute keynote presentation must be good. As a professional speaker, I wanted to see Clinton in action. I didn't want to only hear what he said, but how he said it.
Here's my analysis of what I learnt from hearing Bill Clinton in person and noting how he was presented. You should be able to adapt at least some of these points to fit your own circumstances.
1. The marketing strategy
In previous years a big advertising blitz brought audiences to see speakers such as former Soviet leader Gorbachov and others. Their marketing approach was very commercially focused with a massive advertising budget. The Clinton event had a more humanitarian angle with funds being raised for a good cause, namely sick kids through The Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation. This was a better match with Clinton's core values of building community and having an empathy with the concerns of ordinary people. The marketing campaign relied heavily on positive media coverage to create awareness of the event.
2. A memorable entry
Clinton's entry to the ballroom was brilliantly stage-managed. Everyone was asked to stand and then he walked into the room to his US Presidential election theme song 'Happy Days are here again'. The emotion in the room was electric and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
3. Personal presentation
His dress and presentation was absolutely immaculate. (Maybe the $500 haircuts help.) Many women at my table commented that Clinton was far better looking in the flesh than on TV.
4. The Power of Presence
There was a buzz about being in the same room as President Clinton. His body language, smile and confident hand shake exuded charisma. His considerable charm reminded me of that high school science experiment when you tip iron filings onto a white sheet of paper covering a strong magnet. People were attracted to Clinton like metal filings to a powerful magnetic field.
5. Warm-up
Alan Jones was MC and the warm-up included a short film taking a light hearted look at Clinton's last days in office. Scenes included Clinton washing the Presidential car, clipping the hedges and playing switchboard operator in the Oval Room. A great scene from a press conference showed Clinton waking a single sleeping journalist.
6. Introduction
A well constructed introduction helped build empathy and highlighted that Clinton's life had not all been plain sailing. The fact that his father died when he was young, his mother was a nursing assistant and he was born in Hope, a town of 10,000 people, helped put his success and achievements in context.
7. Building on the sense of destiny
A strong personal brand is built on stories. The story of Clinton meeting President Kennedy when on a youth leadership camp was used to great effect. Not only was it mentioned in the introduction but that famous photo of Clinton shaking JFK's hand was also used in the marketing materials. Other brand building shots included an intimate moment with Hilary, a shot of him playing the saxophone, a jogging photo, one with Chelsea and one featuring Clinton lined up with 3 past Presidents. They all helped to define Clinton the man.
8. Customising the message
Clinton's speech in Perth was customised to include stories relevant to a Perth market, including his memories of Perth switching on its lights at night for a US space mission re-entry and comments on a former US President's career as a mining engineer in Kalgoorlie.
9. Using humour
Clinton had some great lines about how he could have helped previous Presidents in dealing with the media in tricky situations.
10. Memorable one liners using opposites
This can be very effective. When talking about possible solutions to the war against terrorism, Clinton said "most of the big things in life are simple".
11. Repetition
Clinton used this proven speechwriting technique to great effect.
12. Using metaphors
Clinton used the metaphor of the gap between the invention of the club and the shield to describe the present situation in the war against terrorism. He said "this gap needs to closed". Metaphors can give intangible concepts more impact with an audience.
13. Develop empathy with the audience
Clinton told the story of how he was in Australia at Port Douglas on September 11th and how his daughter Chelsea was in downtown New York. He connected with every parent in the room when he talked about his feelings when he couldn't contact his daughter for three hours on that day.
14. A call to action
The aim of the event was to raise money for a Children's hospital. Clinton's final words were "I want you to help". Simple, direct and powerful.
I hope you have enjoyed this analysis. I certainly learnt a lot by seeing one of the world's great communicators in action. Whatever your personal views on Clinton are ... his personal warmth, ability to connect with an audience and presentation skills are outstanding.
Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
The Final Presidential Executive Order
Presidential Executive Orders are controversial because as previously mentioned, they allow the President to make major decisions without the consent of Congress. For example, Executive Order # 6102 prohibited the hoarding of gold coins, gold bullion, and gold certificates & was used by Roosevelt to confiscate gold in 1933. I believe another terrorist attack could generate such a climate of fear, panic and public emergency. This would result in a political over-reaction that could destroy many of our remaining personal, financial, religious & educational freedoms we value so highly in America today. Read the following case study and decide if this is possible, then protect yourself and forward this report to your friends to make them aware of the threat – while there is still time. Note, this "what if" study is a worst case scenario, and although the timing of the study is during the Bush presidency, our goal is only to highlight the risk of the following controls in a public panic situation. We feel that the politicians of both major parties could incorporate at least some of these measures following the next Islamic terrorist attack.
This case study outlines a chilling terrorist attack scenario in the future, when on 9/11/2007, a presumed domestic Moslem radical group carries out a series of successful attacks inside the US similar in scope to the July 7, 2005 London subway bombings. Learn why since the Feds refuse to ethnic profile those who threaten us. Explore how an excessive political reaction inside the US could create a harsh regulatory environment that could destroy what is left of our civil liberties, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. You will discover how this could be used as a real or fabricated pretext to destroy your financial security, uproot your religious and educational freedoms, confiscate your gold, freeze your domestic bank savings (including mutual funds and investment portfolios), and raid your remaining cash holdings. The setting for this example is the day following the attack when the Final Presidential Executive Order, "protecting the public", allows the government to take total control of your wealth and liberties using the terrorism emergency as the excuse.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759)
Setting the Stage
Since 9/11/2001, the American public has been forced to suffer through 5 years of broad-based and usually misdirected border and airport security measures, instead of targeting the individuals and groups that might actually be terrorists. The government is unable to target certain factions and individuals due prohibitions against ethnic and racial profiling.
Now they are touting the benefits of Felony Frowning, read Lew Rockwell's "Your Evil Intent" http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/evil-intent.html
about the new emphasis on frowning when entering and leaving the United States.Americans have sacrificed our last constraints protecting financial and communications privacy, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution, which have all been lost in the so-called “War on Terror”. Given the government’s broad actions to date, here we take the next logical step by projecting what could happen, given their past response, if there was another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. While we do not believe the risk to be imminent nor the response possibly as extreme as played out in the following example, it Is best to be prepared for the worst.
We all know how Homeland Security and the TSA have been harassing American grandmothers, mothers with babies, my wife (A true story – Read "Meet My Wife Tami - A Domestic Terrorist” at http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/holland5.html, and other innocent Americans as part of their effort to defend our nation from Islamic terrorists and al Qaeda operatives. While I will not begin to question what groups were ultimately behind the horrendous 9/11 attack, suffice it to say that Moslems around the world are angry and antagonized by the foreign policy actions of the US. Even if Osama and Islamic terrorists were not behind 9/11, they jumped at the chance to take the credit for the attack. Today almost five years later, millions of additional Moslems have been radicalized and now see America as their ultimate enemy. The Scenario
On Tuesday at noon during a normal lunch hour, 10 conventional explosive blasts hit 7 major metropolitan areas in the United States. In New York City, a large truck bomb went off in front of the New York Stock Exchange, doing extensive damage to the building, the floor of the NYSE, and computer and communications equipment. The Wall Street subway station was also bombed by a suicide bomber, resulting in heavy causalities. A briefcase filled with explosives was left in a skyscraper elevator and detonated when the building was full of office workers preparing to go out for lunch.
A few minutes away, a transfer truck filled with explosives was blown up in the Holland Tunnel, and the resulting blast killed hundreds trapped in the resulting traffic jam. At the same time a jet leaving Orlando bound for Dallas exploded right after takeoff when it reached an altitude of 666 feet, apparently from a luggage bomb with an altitude trigger. Suburban malls in Minneapolis and San Francisco, a casino in Las Vegas, and a five star hotel in Miami were also ripped apart by bombs, leaving many hundreds dead and wounded. Finally, a small explosion from within a safe deposit box in the vault of the Bank of America headquarters building in Charlotte went off. Although no one was injured in this instance, other deposit boxes and their private contents were consumed in the small explosion. Moreover, additional bombs went off in two other Bank of America buildings in Atlanta and Seattle, creating a sense of panic and disarray for the United States leading bank.
A broad sense of public terror was increasing by the minute, making the situation and financial costs much worse. The American stock and bond markets were closed as investors remembered what happened after the 9/11 terrorist attack. Subways, planes, and high rise building elevators were almost empty as the public feared additional attacks. Malls and shopping centers, casinos, banks, and major hotels were strangely quiet as people stayed away in droves. The American economy was shutting down.
By 6:00 PM, just in time for the 6:30 nightly new programs, the Bush Administration and the Homeland Security Department held a joint news conference announcing 20 suspects were already in custody. Most of the suspects were young radical Islamists who had recently graduated from Madrasah style Islamic schools in the targeted cities and several were home schooled. There also appears to be direct financial and religious links between the terrorists and Hezbollah and of course Iran and Syria.
The President reported that a tip from Israeli intelligence had allowed the government to react quickly and forestall a planned second wave of attacks. He thanked them for their efforts. More news emerges as files found on the personal computers of the deceased and detained alleged terrorists clearly show that the suspects had financed their operation with funds wired from outside the country and through large amounts of cash currency secretly kept in bank safe deposit boxes.
The President then appealed to the public for their support and highlighted the need for them to stay calm during the emergency. He announced that effective noon tomorrow EST, September 12, 2007, a Presidential Executive Order would be released in response to the attack that would safeguard the American public and protect our nation from another attack such as this. He affirmed that this kind of unwarranted attack against innocent civilians and our financial interests would never happen again. He insisted that all the perpetrators, both domestic and foreign, as well as any conspiring organizations or governments, would be brought to justice.
Finally, he placed the US armed forces on high alert and ordered a carrier task force, which happened to be standing by off the coast of Iran near the Straits of Hormuz, to prepare for action. In addition, he called for unity among the American people, and warned politicians and all facets of the media of the need to understand that America is now in a state of war with the terrorists. Any and all anti-American activities and other actions that might divide the American people, deny the seriousness of, or question the coming emergency actions, especially tomorrow’s Presidential Executive Order, will be prohibited for the duration of the terrorism emergency. Helen Thomas, a reporter sitting in the audience loudly questions whether the President would ask Congress to issue a Declaration of War. She was immediately escorted from the press conference by the Secret Service.
The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first."-- Thomas Jefferson
The Executive Order
Office of the Press Secretary
September 12, 2007
Executive Order 13666 on Domestic Terrorism And Response to the 9/11/2007 Attack Safeguarding the American public by blocking property and prohibiting money, cash, and gold transfers; public and educational propaganda with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism.
By the authority vested in me as President in the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to strengthen the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as all Federal, State, and local agencies, executive order 13666 is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Establishment. The Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) shall immediately establish within the Department of Homeland Security (Department) a Domestic Terrorism Response Team (Task Force) to be named the Bush Executive Action Stopping Terrorism.
Section 2. Membership and Operation. (a) The Task Force shall be limited to the following members or employees, all of whom will be no lower than the Assistant Secretary level or its equivalent:
(i) the Secretary of Homeland Security, who shall serve as Chair; the Secretary of State; the Secretary of the Treasury; the Secretary of Defense; the Attorney General; the Secretary of Agriculture; the Secretary of Commerce; the Secretary of Labor; the Secretary of Health and Human Services; the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; the Secretary of Education; and) such other officers or employees of the Department of Homeland Security as the Secretary may from time to time designate; and such other officers of the United States as the Secretary may designate from time to time, with the concurrence of the respective heads of departments and agencies concerned.
Section 3. Functions. Consistent with applicable law, the Task Force shall:
(a) Provide direction to executive departments and agencies concerning the immediate emergency response required to protect and safeguard the nation and our financial infrastructure from internal and external terrorist attack. Due to prohibitions against ethnic and racial profiling, this emergency Presidential Executive Order will cover all Americans equally without regard to religious, ethnic, racial or political views and beliefs. To this end, we immediately implement the following temporary emergency actions, federal legislation, regulations, and requirements to become effective at 12:00 Noon, tomorrow on September 13, 2007.
(b) The Safe Banking Act - every bank, including their personnel and customers, are threatened by the risk of future safe deposit box bombs. Therefore, all bank and private safe deposit boxes are hereby sealed and closed for 60 days or longer until a complete inventory of every box in the nation is completed by approved bank personnel and the appropriate government agencies, to include but not limited to the Internal Revenue Service, the FBI and Homeland Security. All the contents are to be reviewed and an inventory prepared by the box owner of record and such approved bank and government personnel as the Department of Homeland Security deems as appropriate.
After the inventory is completed, all private records and legal documents may be retained and stored in the box, but the box holder may only utilize the same box in the future in conjunction with monitoring of contents by approved bank personnel. At the time of inventory, all currency, gold, precious metals, or collectibles exceeding $1,000 in fair market value will become the temporary property of the US Treasury until such time as the box holder shall provide records and cost basis of the purchase. The difference between cost and fair-market value will be immediately declared as income and taxed accordingly. Failure to show adequate records will also result in the immediate taxation and requirement of payment of income taxes on the deemed fair market value with a cost basis of zero.
(c) The Gold and Currency Protection Act - in order to protect the American public from future terrorism incidents by limiting their ability to fund unlawful activities, the Gold and Currency Protection Act will prohibit the future ownership of gold, silver, and currency in amounts exceeding $1,000 without the filing and completion of new Treasury Disclosure Forms. Effective immediately, all cash transactions in the United States exceeding $500 are prohibited and punishable by fines and jail time not to exceed $5,000 and 3 years.
(d) The Terrorism Emergency Safe Currency and Debit Card Initiative - all existing United States currency now circulating in the United States and around the world will be withdrawn from circulation as legal tender within 5 business days and replaced with a new currency with superior counterfeiting safeguards. All private holdings of cash are to be surrendered and exchanged at your local bank for a "Terrorism Emergency Debit Card" within the next 5 business days. Every transaction exceeding $1,000 must be accompanied by appropriate records, receipts and a paper trail. Any old currency held after the 5 day period will not be redeemed and will not be considered legal tender by the United States. No currency deposits or withdrawals will be allowed in existing bank accounts exceeding $1,000 for the duration of the terrorism emergency.
(e) The Financial Services Defense Act - all American investment markets, mutual funds, annuities etc. are frozen for the duration of the stock market closure due to the damage experienced by the terrorist attack on the New York Stock Exchange. This is a temporary closure but all commercial banks will remain open during the emergency in order to fulfill the safe deposit box and exchange of currency requirement mandated by this Presidential Executive Order. All future bank withdrawals, deposits, and debit and credit card purchases will be monitored and evaluated by the US Treasury for the protection of the citizens of the United States.
(f) The Funds Transfer Protection Act - all bank transfers exceeding $1,000 including bank wires, checks etc. going to or from outside the United States by private individuals are hereby prohibited without the completion of the new Treasury Disclosure Forms and approval by your local financial institution.
(g) The Terrorism Emergency Denial Act – The terrorism emergency denial regulations prohibit any and all anti-American activities and other actions that might divide the American people or deny the seriousness of the present situation. Moreover, the government prohibits any protests over coming emergency actions like the Presidential Executive Order. We also forbid the encouragement of our enemies during this terrorism emergency. Effective immediately, all press publishing, reporting, and editorials-- including print, electronic, television, radio, all internet news and blog sites, and personal and private websites are hereby prohibited from denying or questioning the emergency or the government response until this terrorist emergency is declared over by the Department of Homeland Defense. The failure to follow these voluntary requirements and regulations may result in fines and or imprisonment.
(h) The Private School Protection Act - all private schools (including Christian schools) are hereby required to register their curriculum and materials with the Department of Homeland Security. Furthermore, all classes and schools are subject to monitoring and review by the Department and subject to visits at any time in order to stop the spread of Islamic propaganda and the radicalizing of the American Moslem population. The registration and review will be equally applied on all public and private school at the high school and college level.
(i) The Homeschool Reorganization Act - all homeschooling is hereby prohibited effective Septemeber 12, 2007, for the duration of this emergency. All children from the 1st to the 12th grade are required to immediately register and attend the public or private school of their choice.
(j) The Citizens Homeland Protection, Illegal Immigration and Transaction Defense Act - effective immediately all citizens of the United States, 18 years old or older, are required to register to vote in their local precinct and requested to also register for the new voluntary "Lawful Citizen Transaction Card" which will be scanned at the entrance to every place of business, meeting event, and at such shopping areas and other citizen protection spot checks as the Department of Homeland Defense deems appropriate for the protection of the citizens of the United States. No financial transactions, purchases or sales will be allowed without a valid "Lawful Citizen Transaction Card" in order to end illegal immigration and the terrorist threat to the United States.
To further protect our nation, starting in 60 days, the public will be allowed to voluntarily request a safe and secure micro chip placement in the right forehand in lieu of the card which can then be monitored at each required location by new equipment that will scan the right hand of each citizen. These chips will include important blood type, vital statistics and will allow law enforcement to track the location at will of every lawful citizen in the United States in order to protect this nation. This action will curtail illegal immigration and discourage illegals and potential terrorists from being able to transact business in the United States.
(k) The Religious Tolerance & Defense Act - all religious symbols, clothing, jewelry, etc. as well as the dissemination of religious tracts and public missionary activity are hereby prohibited outside of church and religious institutions. All services, ordinances, and private ceremonies at religious institutions are subject to review and monitoring by appropriate Homeland Defense Department personnel.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to strengthen the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security and all Federal, State, and local agencies to help legal immigrants embrace the common core of American civic culture, learn our common language, and fully become Americans, it is hereby ordered as follows:
(l) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
September 12, 2007
Prologue
And so on the following day, 9/13/2007, in a burst of patriotism and outrage at the death and carnage from the attack, the Senate voted 100 to 0 and Congress voted 434 to 1 in favor in a non-binding endorsement of the Presidential Executive Order. The people cheered and waved American flags, the opposition fell silent and our young men and women waited for the day when their Registration Acknowledgments were replaced with the draft cards and notices for the ongoing war in the Middle East.
GOP Congressman Ron Paul from Texas, the lone dissenting 1 vote in opposition, packed up his desk, resigned from the Congress and went home to Texas where he was barred from writing and commenting publicly by the Bush Executive Action Stopping Terrorism and the Terrorism Emergency Denial Act.
Accordingly, a long night of darkness fell over this former Republic and our remaining liberties. The Bush Executive Action Stopping Terrorism which became known by the initials, BEAST was enforced for the duration of the terrorist emergency which covered the rest of the Bush term and the one term presidency of Hillary Clinton. Five years later, in the November 2012 Presidential Election, an elderly Ron Paul was elected President of the United States and the terrorism emergency and the BEAST were declared unconstitutional and The Final Presidential Executive Order # Executive Order 13666 was cancelled.
Of course this is just a story and we are obviously having a little fun with the "BEAST" acronym showing a worst case situation. This scenario is meant to illustrate what could happen here in the United States. Still the PC prohibitions on ethnic profiling could result in these extreme kinds of government actions in the event of a real or contrived Islamic extremist terrorist attack on the United States. Unlike 9/11, there is nothing high tech about any of this. Although we use President Bush in the example simply because he will be President at the time of this story, I foresee few real differences in the foreign or domestic policy of either party, although this would more likely happen under a Democrat Party administration.
Quoting George Washington, "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action."
Ron Holland is the author this article and it is from the online book, The Swiss Preserve Solution at http://www.swissconfederationinstitute.org/swisspreserve1.htm This is a politically incorrect guide to defending your wealth & liberty from internal and external 21st Century threats.
This case study outlines a chilling terrorist attack scenario in the future, when on 9/11/2007, a presumed domestic Moslem radical group carries out a series of successful attacks inside the US similar in scope to the July 7, 2005 London subway bombings. Learn why since the Feds refuse to ethnic profile those who threaten us. Explore how an excessive political reaction inside the US could create a harsh regulatory environment that could destroy what is left of our civil liberties, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. You will discover how this could be used as a real or fabricated pretext to destroy your financial security, uproot your religious and educational freedoms, confiscate your gold, freeze your domestic bank savings (including mutual funds and investment portfolios), and raid your remaining cash holdings. The setting for this example is the day following the attack when the Final Presidential Executive Order, "protecting the public", allows the government to take total control of your wealth and liberties using the terrorism emergency as the excuse.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759)
Setting the Stage
Since 9/11/2001, the American public has been forced to suffer through 5 years of broad-based and usually misdirected border and airport security measures, instead of targeting the individuals and groups that might actually be terrorists. The government is unable to target certain factions and individuals due prohibitions against ethnic and racial profiling.
Now they are touting the benefits of Felony Frowning, read Lew Rockwell's "Your Evil Intent" http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/evil-intent.html
about the new emphasis on frowning when entering and leaving the United States.Americans have sacrificed our last constraints protecting financial and communications privacy, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution, which have all been lost in the so-called “War on Terror”. Given the government’s broad actions to date, here we take the next logical step by projecting what could happen, given their past response, if there was another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. While we do not believe the risk to be imminent nor the response possibly as extreme as played out in the following example, it Is best to be prepared for the worst.
We all know how Homeland Security and the TSA have been harassing American grandmothers, mothers with babies, my wife (A true story – Read "Meet My Wife Tami - A Domestic Terrorist” at http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/holland5.html, and other innocent Americans as part of their effort to defend our nation from Islamic terrorists and al Qaeda operatives. While I will not begin to question what groups were ultimately behind the horrendous 9/11 attack, suffice it to say that Moslems around the world are angry and antagonized by the foreign policy actions of the US. Even if Osama and Islamic terrorists were not behind 9/11, they jumped at the chance to take the credit for the attack. Today almost five years later, millions of additional Moslems have been radicalized and now see America as their ultimate enemy. The Scenario
On Tuesday at noon during a normal lunch hour, 10 conventional explosive blasts hit 7 major metropolitan areas in the United States. In New York City, a large truck bomb went off in front of the New York Stock Exchange, doing extensive damage to the building, the floor of the NYSE, and computer and communications equipment. The Wall Street subway station was also bombed by a suicide bomber, resulting in heavy causalities. A briefcase filled with explosives was left in a skyscraper elevator and detonated when the building was full of office workers preparing to go out for lunch.
A few minutes away, a transfer truck filled with explosives was blown up in the Holland Tunnel, and the resulting blast killed hundreds trapped in the resulting traffic jam. At the same time a jet leaving Orlando bound for Dallas exploded right after takeoff when it reached an altitude of 666 feet, apparently from a luggage bomb with an altitude trigger. Suburban malls in Minneapolis and San Francisco, a casino in Las Vegas, and a five star hotel in Miami were also ripped apart by bombs, leaving many hundreds dead and wounded. Finally, a small explosion from within a safe deposit box in the vault of the Bank of America headquarters building in Charlotte went off. Although no one was injured in this instance, other deposit boxes and their private contents were consumed in the small explosion. Moreover, additional bombs went off in two other Bank of America buildings in Atlanta and Seattle, creating a sense of panic and disarray for the United States leading bank.
A broad sense of public terror was increasing by the minute, making the situation and financial costs much worse. The American stock and bond markets were closed as investors remembered what happened after the 9/11 terrorist attack. Subways, planes, and high rise building elevators were almost empty as the public feared additional attacks. Malls and shopping centers, casinos, banks, and major hotels were strangely quiet as people stayed away in droves. The American economy was shutting down.
By 6:00 PM, just in time for the 6:30 nightly new programs, the Bush Administration and the Homeland Security Department held a joint news conference announcing 20 suspects were already in custody. Most of the suspects were young radical Islamists who had recently graduated from Madrasah style Islamic schools in the targeted cities and several were home schooled. There also appears to be direct financial and religious links between the terrorists and Hezbollah and of course Iran and Syria.
The President reported that a tip from Israeli intelligence had allowed the government to react quickly and forestall a planned second wave of attacks. He thanked them for their efforts. More news emerges as files found on the personal computers of the deceased and detained alleged terrorists clearly show that the suspects had financed their operation with funds wired from outside the country and through large amounts of cash currency secretly kept in bank safe deposit boxes.
The President then appealed to the public for their support and highlighted the need for them to stay calm during the emergency. He announced that effective noon tomorrow EST, September 12, 2007, a Presidential Executive Order would be released in response to the attack that would safeguard the American public and protect our nation from another attack such as this. He affirmed that this kind of unwarranted attack against innocent civilians and our financial interests would never happen again. He insisted that all the perpetrators, both domestic and foreign, as well as any conspiring organizations or governments, would be brought to justice.
Finally, he placed the US armed forces on high alert and ordered a carrier task force, which happened to be standing by off the coast of Iran near the Straits of Hormuz, to prepare for action. In addition, he called for unity among the American people, and warned politicians and all facets of the media of the need to understand that America is now in a state of war with the terrorists. Any and all anti-American activities and other actions that might divide the American people, deny the seriousness of, or question the coming emergency actions, especially tomorrow’s Presidential Executive Order, will be prohibited for the duration of the terrorism emergency. Helen Thomas, a reporter sitting in the audience loudly questions whether the President would ask Congress to issue a Declaration of War. She was immediately escorted from the press conference by the Secret Service.
The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first."-- Thomas Jefferson
The Executive Order
Office of the Press Secretary
September 12, 2007
Executive Order 13666 on Domestic Terrorism And Response to the 9/11/2007 Attack Safeguarding the American public by blocking property and prohibiting money, cash, and gold transfers; public and educational propaganda with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism.
By the authority vested in me as President in the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to strengthen the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as all Federal, State, and local agencies, executive order 13666 is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Establishment. The Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) shall immediately establish within the Department of Homeland Security (Department) a Domestic Terrorism Response Team (Task Force) to be named the Bush Executive Action Stopping Terrorism.
Section 2. Membership and Operation. (a) The Task Force shall be limited to the following members or employees, all of whom will be no lower than the Assistant Secretary level or its equivalent:
(i) the Secretary of Homeland Security, who shall serve as Chair; the Secretary of State; the Secretary of the Treasury; the Secretary of Defense; the Attorney General; the Secretary of Agriculture; the Secretary of Commerce; the Secretary of Labor; the Secretary of Health and Human Services; the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; the Secretary of Education; and) such other officers or employees of the Department of Homeland Security as the Secretary may from time to time designate; and such other officers of the United States as the Secretary may designate from time to time, with the concurrence of the respective heads of departments and agencies concerned.
Section 3. Functions. Consistent with applicable law, the Task Force shall:
(a) Provide direction to executive departments and agencies concerning the immediate emergency response required to protect and safeguard the nation and our financial infrastructure from internal and external terrorist attack. Due to prohibitions against ethnic and racial profiling, this emergency Presidential Executive Order will cover all Americans equally without regard to religious, ethnic, racial or political views and beliefs. To this end, we immediately implement the following temporary emergency actions, federal legislation, regulations, and requirements to become effective at 12:00 Noon, tomorrow on September 13, 2007.
(b) The Safe Banking Act - every bank, including their personnel and customers, are threatened by the risk of future safe deposit box bombs. Therefore, all bank and private safe deposit boxes are hereby sealed and closed for 60 days or longer until a complete inventory of every box in the nation is completed by approved bank personnel and the appropriate government agencies, to include but not limited to the Internal Revenue Service, the FBI and Homeland Security. All the contents are to be reviewed and an inventory prepared by the box owner of record and such approved bank and government personnel as the Department of Homeland Security deems as appropriate.
After the inventory is completed, all private records and legal documents may be retained and stored in the box, but the box holder may only utilize the same box in the future in conjunction with monitoring of contents by approved bank personnel. At the time of inventory, all currency, gold, precious metals, or collectibles exceeding $1,000 in fair market value will become the temporary property of the US Treasury until such time as the box holder shall provide records and cost basis of the purchase. The difference between cost and fair-market value will be immediately declared as income and taxed accordingly. Failure to show adequate records will also result in the immediate taxation and requirement of payment of income taxes on the deemed fair market value with a cost basis of zero.
(c) The Gold and Currency Protection Act - in order to protect the American public from future terrorism incidents by limiting their ability to fund unlawful activities, the Gold and Currency Protection Act will prohibit the future ownership of gold, silver, and currency in amounts exceeding $1,000 without the filing and completion of new Treasury Disclosure Forms. Effective immediately, all cash transactions in the United States exceeding $500 are prohibited and punishable by fines and jail time not to exceed $5,000 and 3 years.
(d) The Terrorism Emergency Safe Currency and Debit Card Initiative - all existing United States currency now circulating in the United States and around the world will be withdrawn from circulation as legal tender within 5 business days and replaced with a new currency with superior counterfeiting safeguards. All private holdings of cash are to be surrendered and exchanged at your local bank for a "Terrorism Emergency Debit Card" within the next 5 business days. Every transaction exceeding $1,000 must be accompanied by appropriate records, receipts and a paper trail. Any old currency held after the 5 day period will not be redeemed and will not be considered legal tender by the United States. No currency deposits or withdrawals will be allowed in existing bank accounts exceeding $1,000 for the duration of the terrorism emergency.
(e) The Financial Services Defense Act - all American investment markets, mutual funds, annuities etc. are frozen for the duration of the stock market closure due to the damage experienced by the terrorist attack on the New York Stock Exchange. This is a temporary closure but all commercial banks will remain open during the emergency in order to fulfill the safe deposit box and exchange of currency requirement mandated by this Presidential Executive Order. All future bank withdrawals, deposits, and debit and credit card purchases will be monitored and evaluated by the US Treasury for the protection of the citizens of the United States.
(f) The Funds Transfer Protection Act - all bank transfers exceeding $1,000 including bank wires, checks etc. going to or from outside the United States by private individuals are hereby prohibited without the completion of the new Treasury Disclosure Forms and approval by your local financial institution.
(g) The Terrorism Emergency Denial Act – The terrorism emergency denial regulations prohibit any and all anti-American activities and other actions that might divide the American people or deny the seriousness of the present situation. Moreover, the government prohibits any protests over coming emergency actions like the Presidential Executive Order. We also forbid the encouragement of our enemies during this terrorism emergency. Effective immediately, all press publishing, reporting, and editorials-- including print, electronic, television, radio, all internet news and blog sites, and personal and private websites are hereby prohibited from denying or questioning the emergency or the government response until this terrorist emergency is declared over by the Department of Homeland Defense. The failure to follow these voluntary requirements and regulations may result in fines and or imprisonment.
(h) The Private School Protection Act - all private schools (including Christian schools) are hereby required to register their curriculum and materials with the Department of Homeland Security. Furthermore, all classes and schools are subject to monitoring and review by the Department and subject to visits at any time in order to stop the spread of Islamic propaganda and the radicalizing of the American Moslem population. The registration and review will be equally applied on all public and private school at the high school and college level.
(i) The Homeschool Reorganization Act - all homeschooling is hereby prohibited effective Septemeber 12, 2007, for the duration of this emergency. All children from the 1st to the 12th grade are required to immediately register and attend the public or private school of their choice.
(j) The Citizens Homeland Protection, Illegal Immigration and Transaction Defense Act - effective immediately all citizens of the United States, 18 years old or older, are required to register to vote in their local precinct and requested to also register for the new voluntary "Lawful Citizen Transaction Card" which will be scanned at the entrance to every place of business, meeting event, and at such shopping areas and other citizen protection spot checks as the Department of Homeland Defense deems appropriate for the protection of the citizens of the United States. No financial transactions, purchases or sales will be allowed without a valid "Lawful Citizen Transaction Card" in order to end illegal immigration and the terrorist threat to the United States.
To further protect our nation, starting in 60 days, the public will be allowed to voluntarily request a safe and secure micro chip placement in the right forehand in lieu of the card which can then be monitored at each required location by new equipment that will scan the right hand of each citizen. These chips will include important blood type, vital statistics and will allow law enforcement to track the location at will of every lawful citizen in the United States in order to protect this nation. This action will curtail illegal immigration and discourage illegals and potential terrorists from being able to transact business in the United States.
(k) The Religious Tolerance & Defense Act - all religious symbols, clothing, jewelry, etc. as well as the dissemination of religious tracts and public missionary activity are hereby prohibited outside of church and religious institutions. All services, ordinances, and private ceremonies at religious institutions are subject to review and monitoring by appropriate Homeland Defense Department personnel.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to strengthen the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security and all Federal, State, and local agencies to help legal immigrants embrace the common core of American civic culture, learn our common language, and fully become Americans, it is hereby ordered as follows:
(l) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
September 12, 2007
Prologue
And so on the following day, 9/13/2007, in a burst of patriotism and outrage at the death and carnage from the attack, the Senate voted 100 to 0 and Congress voted 434 to 1 in favor in a non-binding endorsement of the Presidential Executive Order. The people cheered and waved American flags, the opposition fell silent and our young men and women waited for the day when their Registration Acknowledgments were replaced with the draft cards and notices for the ongoing war in the Middle East.
GOP Congressman Ron Paul from Texas, the lone dissenting 1 vote in opposition, packed up his desk, resigned from the Congress and went home to Texas where he was barred from writing and commenting publicly by the Bush Executive Action Stopping Terrorism and the Terrorism Emergency Denial Act.
Accordingly, a long night of darkness fell over this former Republic and our remaining liberties. The Bush Executive Action Stopping Terrorism which became known by the initials, BEAST was enforced for the duration of the terrorist emergency which covered the rest of the Bush term and the one term presidency of Hillary Clinton. Five years later, in the November 2012 Presidential Election, an elderly Ron Paul was elected President of the United States and the terrorism emergency and the BEAST were declared unconstitutional and The Final Presidential Executive Order # Executive Order 13666 was cancelled.
Of course this is just a story and we are obviously having a little fun with the "BEAST" acronym showing a worst case situation. This scenario is meant to illustrate what could happen here in the United States. Still the PC prohibitions on ethnic profiling could result in these extreme kinds of government actions in the event of a real or contrived Islamic extremist terrorist attack on the United States. Unlike 9/11, there is nothing high tech about any of this. Although we use President Bush in the example simply because he will be President at the time of this story, I foresee few real differences in the foreign or domestic policy of either party, although this would more likely happen under a Democrat Party administration.
Quoting George Washington, "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action."
Ron Holland is the author this article and it is from the online book, The Swiss Preserve Solution at http://www.swissconfederationinstitute.org/swisspreserve1.htm This is a politically incorrect guide to defending your wealth & liberty from internal and external 21st Century threats.
iPod Movie Downloads – Scam Or Real? Find Out For Yourself
Try searching for iPod movie downloads and chances are you will find several advertisements for paid membership sites that offer a huge library of iPod movies and other media files such as music, TV shows, etc. These sites offer you more than 90 million media files, including software bundles to download the songs, movies, music etc to your iPod, and other softwares like registry cleaner, adware/spyware removal applications. All these benefits for a lifetime fee of lesser than $50.
Compare this against the backdrop of downloading a video at $1.99 at iTune, many people would be tempted to download at these iPod movie download sites. So one burning question is: Do these sites really exist? Or Are they really able to deliver you what they promised?
Apparently, several of these sites are the real deal. Of course there are some which are downright Kazaa, LimeWire style websites. These websites basically share files, and in most cases illegal or copyrighted media files. So be really careful before you start downloading movies from some of these iPod download sites.
I am going to share with you some tips to help you to sieve out the real deals from the scam. This hangs a lot on what people specifically customers are saying about their services. So what are the things you should be looking out for when shopping for a quality paid membership site, as you scour the iPod or music forums?
1. Interface of the iPod Movies Download Site
Is the interface easy to navigate around? It must be simple enough to operate even if you are a newbie. This often speaks volumes about the professionalism of the site.
2. Software Provided
What kind of software do they provide? Do they charge you for the usage? Expect to get downloading software for free from some of the better sites. They should not be charging you at all. Please also find out if the software is compatible with your computer and your iPod.
3. Security in downloading the iPod Movies
How secured is it to download the iPod movies to your PC or Mac? Would it expose our computers to viruses, spyware, adware, etc?
4. Customers’ Comments and Feedback
Customers will not lie about their experiences. Hear some of the honest comments given by the customers at iPod forums.
5. Excellent Customer Service Support
Imagine facing difficulties while downloading your favourite movie that you intend to watch during the weekend and cannot get the technical support you need? What you need is solid technical support that is there when you need it.
These are important tips to distinguish the real deals from the imitations. In my next article, I will be sharing about the inside scoop about top iPod movie download sites that iPod users have been talking about.
The content of this article is provided for the purpose of education and illustration only and is in no way associated with Apple, iTune, or any company or subsidiary of Apple. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.
Compare this against the backdrop of downloading a video at $1.99 at iTune, many people would be tempted to download at these iPod movie download sites. So one burning question is: Do these sites really exist? Or Are they really able to deliver you what they promised?
Apparently, several of these sites are the real deal. Of course there are some which are downright Kazaa, LimeWire style websites. These websites basically share files, and in most cases illegal or copyrighted media files. So be really careful before you start downloading movies from some of these iPod download sites.
I am going to share with you some tips to help you to sieve out the real deals from the scam. This hangs a lot on what people specifically customers are saying about their services. So what are the things you should be looking out for when shopping for a quality paid membership site, as you scour the iPod or music forums?
1. Interface of the iPod Movies Download Site
Is the interface easy to navigate around? It must be simple enough to operate even if you are a newbie. This often speaks volumes about the professionalism of the site.
2. Software Provided
What kind of software do they provide? Do they charge you for the usage? Expect to get downloading software for free from some of the better sites. They should not be charging you at all. Please also find out if the software is compatible with your computer and your iPod.
3. Security in downloading the iPod Movies
How secured is it to download the iPod movies to your PC or Mac? Would it expose our computers to viruses, spyware, adware, etc?
4. Customers’ Comments and Feedback
Customers will not lie about their experiences. Hear some of the honest comments given by the customers at iPod forums.
5. Excellent Customer Service Support
Imagine facing difficulties while downloading your favourite movie that you intend to watch during the weekend and cannot get the technical support you need? What you need is solid technical support that is there when you need it.
These are important tips to distinguish the real deals from the imitations. In my next article, I will be sharing about the inside scoop about top iPod movie download sites that iPod users have been talking about.
The content of this article is provided for the purpose of education and illustration only and is in no way associated with Apple, iTune, or any company or subsidiary of Apple. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.
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