Showing posts with label Opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opinion. Show all posts

10 Stories of People with Bizarre Medical Condition

World of weirdness - I’m always fascinated with the world and its nature. Imagine, there are things that occur within our universe that is natural though we think it’s not. You might wonder why I’m talking about this topic.

The following list is the reason why I keep on wondering, “Is everything we know of is natural or it’s just us who named it unnatural?”

From Oddee.com, here are the 10 Stories of People with Bizarre Medical Condition

1 - Sarah Carmen, The Woman Who has 200 Orgasms every day

UK's Sarah Carmen, 24, is a 200-a-day orgasm girl who gets good, good, GOOD vibrations from almost anything. She suffers from Permanent Sexual Arousal Syndrome (PSAS), which increases blood flow to the sex organs. "Sometimes I have so much sex to try to calm myself down I get bored of it. And men I sleep with don't seem to make as much effort because I climax so easily."

She believes her condition was brought on by the pills. "Within a few weeks I just began to get more and more aroused more and more of the time and I just kept having endless orgasms. It started off in bed where sex sessions would last for hours and my boyfriend would be stunned at how many times I would orgasm. Then it would happen after sex. I'd be thinking about what we'd done in bed and I'd start feeling a bit flushed, then I'd become aroused and climax. In six months I was having 150 orgasms a day—and it has been as many as 200."

She and her boyfriend split— and new partners struggle to keep up with her sex demands. "Often, I'll want to wear myself out by having as many orgasms as I can so they stop and I can get some peace," she said.


2 - Mr. Perry, The Man Who Can't Get Fat

Mr. Perry, 59, can eat whatever he likes - including unlimited pies, burgers and desserts - and never get fat. He cannot put on weight because of a condition called lipodystrophy that makes his body rapidly burn fat.

He used to be a chubby child, but at age 12 the fat dropped off "almost over night". He initially tried to eat more to gain weight, but it had no effect. Mr Perry, of Ilford in Essex, endured a decade of tests before the illness was diagnosed. It finally emerged that his body produces six times the normal level of insulin. Doctors have admitted that the condition would be a "slimmer's dream".


3 - Dutchman Wim Ho, The Man Who Doesn't Feel Cold

Dutchman Wim Hof, also known as the Iceman, is the man that swam under ice, and stood in bins filled with ice. He climbed the Mt. Blanc in shorts in the icy cold, harvested world records and always stands for new challenges.

Scientists can't really explain it, but the 48-year-old Dutchman is able to withstand, and even thrive, in temperatures that could be fatal to the average person.


4 - Rhett Lamb, The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep: stayed awake 24 hours a day for years

Rhett Lamb is often cranky like any other 3-year-old toddler, but there’s one thing that makes him completely different: he has a rare medical condition in which he can’t sleep a wink.

Rhett is awake nearly 24 hours a day, and his condition has baffled his parents and doctors for years. They took clock shifts watching his every sleep-deprived mood to determine what ailed the young boy.

After a number of conflicting opinions, Shannon and David Lamb finally learned what was wrong with their child: Doctors diagnosed Rhett with an extremely rare condition called chiari malformation.

"The brain literally is squeezed into the spinal column. What happens is you get compression, squeezing, strangulating of the brain stem, which has all the vital functions that control sleep, speech, our cranial nerves, our circulatory system, even our breathing system," Savard said.


5 - Ashleigh Morris, The Girl Who is Allergic to Water

Teenager Ashleigh Morris can't go swimming, soak in a hot bath or enjoy a shower after a stressful day's work - she's allergic to water. Even sweating brings the 19-year-old out in a painful rash.

Ashleigh, from Melbourne, Australia, is allergic to water of any temperature, a condition she's lived with since she was 14. She suffers from an extremely rare skin disorder called Aquagenic Urticaria - so unusual that only a handful of cases are documented worldwide.


6 - Code Name: AJ, The Woman Who Can’t Forget

That's the story of AJ, an extraordinary 40-year-old married woman who remembers everything.

McGaugh and fellow UCI researchers Larry Cahill and Elizabeth Parker have been studying the extraordinary case of a person who has "nonstop, uncontrollable and automatic" memory of her personal history and countless public events. If you randomly pick a date from the past 25 years and ask her about it, she’ll usually provide elaborate, verifiable details about what happened to her that day and if there were any significant news events on topics that interested her. She usually also recalls what day of the week it was and what the weather was like.

The 40-year-old woman, who was given the code name AJ to protect her privacy, is so unusual that UCI coined a name for her condition in a recent issue of the journal Neurocase: hyperthymestic syndrome.


7 - Natalie Cooper, The Girl Who Eats Only Tic Tacs

Meet Natalie Cooper, a 17-year-old teenager who has a mystery illness that makes her sick every time she eats anything. Well, almost anything. She can eat one thing that doesn’t make her sick: Tic tac mint!

For reasons that doctors are unable to explain, Tic tacs are the only thing she can stomach, meaning she has to get the rest of her sustenance from a specially formulated feed through a tube.


8 - Chris Sands, The Musician Who Can't Stop Hiccupping

Chris Sands, 24, from Lincoln, hiccups as often as every two seconds - and sometimes even when he is asleep. He has tried a variety of cures, including hypnosis and yoga, but nothing has worked. Mr Sands thinks his problem stems from an acid reflux condition caused by a damaged valve in his stomach. "If the acid levels are severe enough they are going to do keyhole surgery and grab part of my stomach and wrap it around the valve to tighten it," he said.

Mr Sands, who is a backing singer in the group Ebullient, said the condition has hampered his career as he has only been able to perform four times. In the next couple of weeks --as of the day of the report--, doctors at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre will put a tube into his stomach to monitor acid levels and decide if keyhole surgery is possible.


9 - Kay Underwood, The Girl That Collapses Every Time She Laughs

Kay Underwood, 20, has cataplexy, which means that almost any sort of strong emotion triggers a dramatic weakening of her muscles. Exhilaration, anger, fear, surprise, awe and even embarrassment can also cause sufferers to suddenly collapse on the spot.

Kay, of Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire (UK), who was diagnosed with the condition five years ago, once collapsed more than 40 times in a single day. She said: "People find it very odd when it happens, and it isn't always easy to cope with strangers' reactions. "

Like most cataplexy sufferers, Ms Underwood is also battling narcolepsy - a condition that makes her drop off to sleep without warning. Narcolepsy affects around 30,000 people in the UK and about 70 per cent of them also have cataplexy.



10 - Debbie Bird, The Woman Who is Allergic to Modern Technology

For most people talking on a mobile phone, cooking dinner in the microwave or driving in a car is simply part of modern living in 21st century Britain. But completing any such tasks is impossible for Debbie Bird - because she is allergic to Cell Phones and Microwaves.

The 39-year-old is so sensitive to the electromagnetic field (emf) or 'smog' created by computers, mobile phones, microwave ovens and even some cars, that she develops a painful skin rash and her eyelids swell to three times their size if she goes near them. As a consequence, Mrs Bird, a health spa manager, has transformed her home into an EMF-free zone to try and stay healthy. 'I can no longer do things that I used to take for granted,' Mrs Bird said. "My day-to-day life has been seriously affected by EMF".


10 Best Ways to Save Bucks when you are travelling

Found this post from Yahoo, and I think this is a great post for all since global economic crisis is at brink.

So you've done the math twenty times but you're still a few hundred dollars short in the budget department. Here's ten ways to save money -- US$1,400 to be exact -- while travelling. Just think how much more you could do, see and experience with that extra $1,400!

1 - Don't spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of hiking boots.


You won't need them. Trekking in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam isn't like trekking in Nepal or Peru. Most get by just fine with a good pair of sturdy sandals. Hiking boots are hot, they'll start to smell really bad, you'll be needing to take them off over and over again to visit temples and enter guesthouses, and they're heavy.



Estimated saving over a month: US$285 (based on an average pair of quality boots going for US$300, with a sturdy set of leather sandles for around $15)
2 - Don't spend hundreds of dollars on malarials.


Unless you're planning on sleeping naked in a swamp in remote areas along the Thai/Burma border, chances are you'll not need to take malarials during your trip. If your family doctor starts writing out a script for months of malarials as soon as you say "Asia", go and see a travel doctor for a second opinion. If the travel doctor says you still need them, then buy generic equivalents upon arrival in Asia -- at a fraction of the cost of what you'll pay at home. But remember, if you are visiting destinations on the main tourist trail in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, and are not planning on spending time in remote rural areas, you do not need to take malarials. Instead use repellent, dress sensibly at mosquito feasting times (light coloured clothing, with long sleeves and pants), and use a mosquito net.

Estimated saving over a month: US$135 (Based of $3 a Doxyxyline pill for fourty five days -- a month and a week before and after.)
3 - Don't spend hundreds of dollars on brand new guidebooks.
As you're reading this on Travelfish, you've already got the right idea. Regarding guidebooks, buy the book for the first country you're heading to and buy/swap as you travel for the others. Not that we support piracy, but ... pirated (photocopied or bound) versions of Lonely Planet guides are available throughout Vietnam and Cambodia -- Yup that's right, that US$20 guidebook to Laos you bought at Borders yesterday can be purchased on the street in Phnom Penh for $2. The regional guides (Southeast Asia on a Shoestring etc) are hardly worth using in our opinion and you'll be FAR better served by the country-specific guidebook for each destination. Buy/Swap/Sell.



Estimated saving over a month: US$80 (based on purchase cost of four guidebooks at a cost of $100 Vs one real guidebook for $20, then swap or buy a fake one)
4 - Invest in a digital camera.


Asia is a beautiful region and you'll take photos -- lots of them. If you're shooting film or slide you'll be looking at hundreds of dollars to process all your happy shots. A mid-range digital camera (say around US$300) will pay for itself in no time at all and if you buy the right one, you'll get a video camera as a part of the package.



Estimated saving over a month: break even, but you've save money on your next trip.
5 - Don't buy a sleeping bag.


You won't need it. If anything, get a sleep sheet or a couple of sarongs, but nearly all lodgings will have sheets and treks will have bedding organised. Plus sleeping bags are hot (you're in the tropics remember) and they take up space that could be filled with trinkets.



Estimated saving over a month: $190 (based on a $200 sleeping bag Vs a $10 sleep sheet)
6 - Travel second class


The train system in Morocco has "C class" -- locals joke the C stands for Corpses, Crates and Cattle. Thankfully 2nd and 3rd class in Asia is nowhere near as bad. In virtually all cases, 2nd class is more than enough -- and it's generally about half the price.



Estimated saving over a month: US$50-100
7 - Drink water not beer


Both beer and water are cheap in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The former makes you fat and drunk, the latter slim and hydrated. While beer is often super cheap -- say US$1 for a big bottle, water is often cheaper. Drink alcohol in moderation and you'll be surprised just how quickly the savings pile up -- and that's without even counting the greasy $5 American Breakfast you'll find yourself craving the morning after the night before. If you don't want to listen to us, listen to your Mum. Drink less booze and you'll save more baht.



Estimated saving over a month: US$90 (Based on four beers a night vs one, at $1 a beer -- doesn't include the greasy breakfast.)
8 - Fan good air-con bad

You're in the tropics so you know it is going to be hot, but the evenings are often surprisingly cool. If you're on the beach, look for rooms with good window space to let in that fine sea breeze. In cities you want a room on a higher floor and preferably with a window. Oddly, often rooms on the upper floors are cheaper.



Estimated saving over a month: US$300 (based on an average for of $10 for a fan room Vs $20 for an air-con one)
9 - Money management
Check with your bank before leaving to find out just what charges they have for overseas withdraws from ATMs and for cash advances. The fees may curl your hair and make travellers cheques look a lot more sensible as bank fees on a month-long trip in Asia can easily mount into the hundreds of dollars. When your bank tells you they have a US$5 charge per foreign bank withdrawal, plus an extra 5% spread on the exchange rate, you know which way to run -- either straight to a bank that doesn't, or to the closest American Express office for some travellers cheques.



Estimated saving over a month: US$100 (based on personal experience of one month in Vietnam foolishly using a Commonwealth Bank of Australia credit card)
10 - Food and Mouth Stuff
Most guesthouses will offer what they call an "American Breakfast". This is normally two greasy eggs, a couple of plastic sausages, manufactured ham and a decorative tomato or cucumber. Don't be surprised when it costs US$5. Skip the overpriced fatfest, walk out the door and plonk yourself down for some fried rice or noodle soup for a dollar.



Estimated saving over a month: US$120 (Based on $5 fatfest Vs $1 noodle soup)

10 of the Things you do when you are disappointed with someone

According to Wiki, Disappointment the feeling of dissatisfaction that follows the failure of expectations to manifest. Similar to regret, it differs in that the individual feeling regret focuses primarily on the personal choices that contributed to a poor outcome, while the individual feeling disappointment focuses on the outcome itself.

As you certainly learned by the age of four or five, people will let you down repeatedly and consistently, through deeds of commission and omission. Am I overstating the case? Don’t think so. They will lie, mock, embarrass, mislead, provoke, double-cross, slander and make thoughtless errors in judgment that hurt you terribly. Hey, what do you expect? They’re human! The worst part, though, is not the casual matter-of-factness with which they do these things. It’s that they do them to you. And the challenge then becomes deciding what to do about it.

Here’s a multiple-choice menu I developed to help you explore options for reacting to this ongoing dilemma. You may want to select more than one category in any given circumstance, as all items are subject to change based on setting, diet and mood. Enjoy!

1 - Throw a tantrum

Sometimes people don’t fathom how serious the situation is, or how badly they’ve failed you…until you scream loudly. Forget abstractions. Show them in real time by acting out your rage and sense of betrayal. They’ll thank you for the clarity! Don’t forget to hurl a few extra-spicy epithets while you’re at it. Preparation and rehearsal are key to successful execution. Practice in front of a mirror or a friend, if you have one.
2 - Pout

Perhaps you were told otherwise as a child, but most folks really love this. It’s adorable…and effective! Just pretend that you’re Mommy’s little prince or Daddy’s little princess and see what happens. You can be angry without having to justify yourself or even admit to any feelings at all. No one gets their wishes met more quickly than the pouter. Stay the course and they’ll eventually come around.
3 - Condescend

Another time-honored strategy that will have your intended recipient dizzy with contrition. Superior is good; haughty is even better. Speak to the person as if they were mentally impaired. Ask for explanations and then respond by saying, “I don’t understand. Can you explain it again?” Interrupt whenever possible. Make ‘em squirm, back ‘em up against the wall and squish ‘em like helpless bugs. Then see how hard they try to win back your respect.
4 - Get even

Warm or cold, revenge is a delicious treat. Cook up a batch and watch the remorse eat away at your tormentor. There are so many different ways to inflict pain and humiliate…tantalizing choices all. You can punish your victim in secret or out in the open for everyone to see. Experiment and have fun with it!
5 - Criticize

Whether it’s directly to someone’s face or behind their back, this classic response will never go out of style. The more ridiculous they look, the more vindication you’ll feel. Brush up on the insults and let them fly.
6 - Get stone

Have a drink, smoke, snort or capsule. Numb those frazzled nerve endings and simply dull the pain. No one appreciates you anyway, right?
7 - Pontificate and intellectualize

It doesn’t matter what you say. What matters is that you can define everything on your own terms. Keep talking until their ears bleed.
8 - Ignore them

A personal favorite of mine, nothing sends a clear message like putting on the big chill. If you don’t acknowledge someone, they cease to exist. Problem solved!
9. Keep your head down and do your job

No commentary required. That’s life.
10 - Get over it


Get REAL! You are human and this do happens a lot. Just take this as a gift that we always human only have – the ability to feel things which can teach us to be better.

  • Reference/Source: bnet.com by Mark Jaffe(The Headhunter's Lament) [October 26, 2010]

10 Mindboggling Ways to Remember Your Deceased Pet

I'm always a big fan of Oddee.com because of their bizarre collection of odd things. It's also one of the website where I pick articles to post when I'm out of something to write to. Today, I choose their animal bizarre category.

It's always sad when a beloved pet dies. However, there are more ways than ever to honor its memory, be it by making a fur coat from its hair, jewelry in the shape of its nose or mixing its ashes into a record or a pillow.

1 - Hug A Pillow Containing Their Ashes

If you've ever wanted to give your long gone furry friends a big fat hug, the soft-hearted pillow will let you cuddle up and take a nap with your deceased pet. The Soft-Hearted pillow contains a small plastic pouch that will seal in their ashes tight so you can cuddle them for eternity. You can even personalize your pillow with embroidery or trimmings to further memorialize your critter.




2 - Rock Out With Their Record

Whether you named your pet after a musician or “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window” makes you think of your beloved critter, sometimes music is one of the best ways to remember your lost loved one. That's why And Vinyl presses ashes into vinyl records for you to listen to forever after. You can either use your favorite song or have the company write a track specifically for you and your pet. The company will even paint a portrait of your pet using its ashes and include that as the album's cover art.




3 - Make A Necklace From Their Hair

If your fluffy kitty or puppy left hair all over the house, or if you had a chance to shave off some of their fur before their cremation or burial, you can always try rolling their fur into balls and then turning those balls into jewelry like designer Kate Benjamin.




4 - Wear A Sweater Made From Their Fur

Alternatively, if you want a bigger tribute made from your critter's fur then you can always have the hair turned into yarn and then knitted into sweaters like these people who are part of Erwan Fichou's Dogwool series. While the models used in Fichou's series are given their own jackets made from their dog's fur courtesy of the photographer, you'll have to find your own knitter to work with the fur because Fichou will only accept volunteers who are willing to pose in the jackets beside the pets who provided the fur.




5 - Load Bullets With Their Ashes

Did little Fido love hunting with you? Then why not take him on one more hunt by loading up your shotgun cartridges with his ashes like Joanna Booth did with her husband's ashes? While you can probably find a weapons dealer locally who could help add the ashes to your bullets, Caledonian Cartridge Company in England will most certainly be willing to take on the challenge, being as how they already helped Mrs. Booth with the process.




6 - Form A Diamond With Their Ashes

Pets only live for a short while, but diamonds are forever, so why not let your past pet live on forever in a stunning piece of jewelry? A Japanese company named Lido can turn your pet's ashes into a yellow diamond up to one carat in size, which can then be set into a jewelry piece for you to wear for the rest of your life.




7 - Create Jewelry From Their Nose

Artist Jackie Kaufman uses a quick-forming silicon mold to take imprints of pet's noses, which she then uses to cast metal pendants. While the process is fast enough that it doesn't bother living cats and dogs, it could just as easily be adapted for those who have recently passed away.




8 - Tattoo Them On Your Arm

Sure you could tattoo a portrait of your pet on your arm, but if you really want to personalize your tribute tattoo, you could always incorporate some of your furry friend's ashes. While there are a lot of tattoo shops willing to mix the ashes in with the ink they use, be sure you ask ahead of time because some shops are unwilling to perform this procedure.




9 - Immortalize Them As Art

If you aren't up to inking a permanent tribute of your pet onto your skin, then you can always have a more traditional portrait of them painted by artist Wayne DeFrances, who will incorporate your pet's ashes into the paint he uses.

Note: The Image is for illustration purposes and is not of Wayne DeFrances or his artwork.




10 - Clone Them

If you just can't give up your beloved pet, you can always try cloning them if you have a DNA sample and $50,000 lying around like Bernann McKinney did when she got five clones of her beloved pit bull created. Of course, the new puppy clone may look just like your old furry friend, but it will not grow up to have the same personality and behavioral traits, so really, aren't you better off adopting a new puppy from your local animal shelter?


I will try number 10 to clone Pam(My deceased dog). I missed her a lot. She died when she accidentally cross the street and run on a huge truck. Feels so sad now, though it's been part of our life's journey and the important part is that, once in my life I know someone named Pamela that cheers when I go home everyday.

10 of the Most Wanted Free Stock Image Resource Websites

What are Stock Photos? Stock photos (stock photography) are professional photographs of common places, landmarks, nature, events or people that are bought and sold on a royalty-free basis and can be used and reused for commercial design purposes.
Stock photography is a cost-effective method for designers to obtain professional photos and images without the costs of hiring a photographer directly.

For graphic designer, there will be a times (In fact, most of time times) that you need to incorporate some stock images on your work. Hope this lists will help graphic designers out there.

So here's Top 10 of the Most Wanted Free Stock Image Resource Websites

1 - Stock.xchng, The leading free stock photography site
2 - Photogen, FREE Stock Photos and Images
3 - Twicepix.net, over 5000 pix for free
4 - Openphoto.net
5 - Morguefile.com, Where photo reference lives
6 - Stockvault.net, Free Stock Photos and Free Images
7 - NationsIllustrated.com, The World in Pictures
8 - Think Stock
9 - Freerangestock.com, Totally Free Stock Photography and Textures!
10 - FreePixels.com

That's all folks. Hope the above listed sites may help you in managing your images online. Thanks to Manuel Garcia for sharing me his top 10 list.

10 of the Best Movie Soundtracks Better than the films they represent

My very good friend, Jay of ComicBookAndMovieReviews.com shared to me this MTV's list(Originally exempt from 15 Movie Soundtracks Better Than The Movies They're For) of movie soundtracks that is better than the movies they represents. This seems a very good list to add on our collection.

MTV's Clutch Staff quoted " Soundtracks are an overlooked yet important factor in the movie-watching experience. Far more interesting, though, is when a solid soundtrack is paired with a steaming pile. When this happens, the music becomes one of two things: a show-stealer, outshining the very movie it's featured in; or a trickster, fooling people into believing the movie is a classic."

So here's 10 of the Best Movie Soundtracks Better than the films they represent.

1 - Garden State, 2004

Category: trickster

The breakthrough indie songs from the likes of The Shins, Frou Frou and Thievery Corporation were good enough to distract viewers from the fact that the film was a gloppy intravenous drip of sad giggles and unabashed Natalie Portman idolatry. Zack Braff: curator of indie, purveyor of twee, voice of toilet paper-using puppy.




2 - The Twilight Saga, 2008-2012

Category: show-stealer

The trilogy's track list boasts a roster of heavyweights--Muse, Thom Yorke and Vampire Weekend--and reads like a fantasy music draft between the editor of Pitchfork and the founder of Emo Weekly. The film itself appeals only to the latter.




3 - Boiler Room, 2000

Category: show-stealer

The film's high-rolling hustlers are set to the sounds of raw hip-hop from some of New York's best MC's: Biggie, Rakim, De La Soul and a still-underground 50 Cent. Clearly an attempt to draw a profound parallel between Wall Street and rap's paper-chasers, the juxtaposition only served to make the Wall Street meatheads playing with Monopoly money seem even more outlandish.




4 - Vanilla Sky, 2001

Category: trickster

This movie is always in the HBO cycle because of Tom Cruise's particularly Tom Cruise-y performance, the Penelope Cruz nip shots, and the incredibly eclectic soundtrack featuring classics from Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel, as well as somber cuts from Radiohead and R.E.M. Fortunately, this all diverts your attention from the nonsensical plot (I mean, really, why would you set your splice point for AFTER the disfiguring car wreck?). Although, maybe that's why it's nonsensical in the first place.




5 - Hot Rod, 2007

Category: show-stealer

When a movie is utterly dumb, it can be painful. But when music is utterly dumb, it can be a blast (see: Ke$ha). This dumb comedy celebrates some of the best dumb, montage-ready songs of the '80s, including forgotten gems like "Two Of Hearts" and "You're The Voice," plus four Europe songs. Is it absurd to include four Europe songs? Of course. Which is exactly why it works.




6 - Above The Rim, 1994

Category: show-stealer

One of a multitude of forgettable sports flicks, except it has arguably the best hip-hop soundtrack of all time: Dr. Dre in the studio, 2Pac's first go-round with Death Row, Snoop Dogg and, oh, maybe you've heard of a little ditty called "Regulate." If aliens wanted to know what West Coast rap sounded like in the early '90s (these aliens are incredibly curious about incredibly specific topics), you'd hand them this album.




7 - Good Will Hunting, 1997

Category: trickster

Now that we're well past the 10-year statute of limitations, can we all finally admit this movie was an overrated fluke? No? Well, let's at least agree that the aching Elliott Smith-centric soundtrack still holds up. The album also contains Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street," which is the melted Velveeta of songs: unnaturally smooth and cheesy, but undeniably appealing.




8 - Idlewild, 2006

Category: show-stealer

You know what they say: A bloated album from Outkast is better than a fine-tuned effort from anyone else. Highlights include "Mighty O," "N2U," "Morris Brown" and "Call The Law" featuring Janelle Monae. Andre 3000 and Big Boi can do no wrong (cinematic endeavors notwithstanding).




9 - 21, 2008

Category: show-stealer

A murderer's row of late-aughts hit-makers: Rihanna, LCD Soundsystem, MGMT, Mark Ronson, Peter Bjorn and John. We'll just pretend that remix of The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" didn't happen (which is also what Kevin Spacey does with this movie).




10 - RocknRolla, 2008

Category: show-stealer

All of Guy Ritchie's crime capers are injected with a rollicking mix of songs. But this is the first collection to surpass the film, thanks to stompers from The Hives, The Clash, Wanda Jackson and a few gritty blues covers.





Suggestion: Regardless of the category, be sure to erase this on your Netflix queue files and go straight to iTunes instead.

  • Reference/Source: MTV.com by Clutch Staff (Movies, Music)

10 of the Most Common Blogging Mistakes In-depth 101


Blogging is a very good alternative in expressing ideas combined with pleasure and freedom. Though, blogging is not as easy as setting up or creating a Blogger or a Wordpress account and pushing freedom content to the limits. We have noticed that many bloggers are unfortunately doing it the wrong way and are therefore wasting their time.

I asked for help to my few blogger friends in my hangout site (Bloggers.com) about their own experience in these "wrong-way" stuff and incorporate it with my own experience. Here are the 10 of the Most Common Blogging Mistake I encountered as well as other fellow bloggers.

1 – Poor Content Quality

"Not so describing title for a article/blog post- title should be easy to read and gives a instant idea what the reader may find out within the article." - Moonomo of moonomo.com

This is the number 1 issue with most blogs. The whole point of blogging is to deliver useful content that your visitors can share and link to. You miss out on the whole SEO/SMM value of the blog if your content is not worth reading or sharing.

Tip: Focus on quality, not quantity! Posting 1 quality blog post per week is much better than 5 average ones.
2 – Duplicate Content

"Echo-blogging - posting blogs about news, latest gossips, etc without even adding his/her personal views, review, etc. Failing to acknowledge sources or even link to relevant information when necessary." - Neilyamit of Kartonista.com

"Not giving proper credit for sources (Image etc) or Hiding credit while it's due." - Moonomo of moonomo.com

A widespread disease! To discourage people from doing this, Google recently launched 2 major updates (Panda Update) that ultimately penalized all websites who plagiarize content. Let’s get one thing straight, if you find interesting content on another website that you believe your readers will benefit from, it is OKAY to copy parts of it, as long as you add a link to the source somewhere in the article.
3 – Lack of SMM Capabilities

You could have the highest quality content out there, people are most likely to “+Plus” or “Like” or ”Tweet” it if you give them an easy way to do it. Look at the Network side of this blog post for instance, we display a dynamic sharing bar (AddThis) that makes it easy for our visitors to share our content in one click. It can’t get any easier! Also, our posts are automatically shared on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn through the use of some highly efficient Blogger.com widgets and apps. By having Social Media Marketing capabilities within your blog, you help your content spread and go hit and viral!
4 – Poor Formatting

"Mixing cAsE/using too much special characters in title/post. Having grammar and spell mistakes. Making words shorthanded and ruin English writings for example: i lyk d hell!" - Moonomo of moonomo.com

"Making it hard for someone to read, i.e. using all centred text, or not breaking into proper paragraphs." - TropicalMum of tropicalmum.blogspot.com

"I think unnecessary fancy font and dark shade will be the one for that list... " - Sunitagiri of IDareDream.blogspot.com

"Not consistent in choice of typeface for headings; sub headings and text. Poor knowledge of graphics/ layout/ structuring etc. " - Thiruselvam k of ladbeaunews.blogspot.com

"I think it depends on the type of blog and the formality. Structure, punctuation, grammar and font are not as important as the context of the blog. When I first started writing I had a friend editing my blog and it took away from the rawness of my writing. " - Gail of gailsforum.blogspot.com

"Poor Design, black backgrounds with red text are not fun to read." - Special McSpecial of crippiescorner.blogspot.com


A lot of blogs out there are tough to read because of poor formatting and CSS styling. Make your blog content light and easy to read by splitting your content into short paragraphs. Add headers or sub-headers within your blog post. Add images or videos or quotes or colors! Make sure your font is clear and large enough to read. All these factors influence the interest of your readers.
5 – Inadequate Blogging or Post Updates declining

"Waiting several weeks in between posts, your readers will forget about you." - Special McSpecial of crippiescorner.blogspot.com

This is quite a popular mistake. Posting once or twice a year simply doesn’t cut it. People get excited when they first launch their blog, but the excitement starts to gradually fade out and the blogging frequency starts to drop.

Note: Remember, it takes a couple months of blogging to start gaining a loyal audience. Don’t give up mid-way!
6 – Blogging too often

This is very similar to number 5 though We might look in depth. The other side of the coin! Blogging too often can make you look like a spammer.

Tip: Don’t flood your visitors/subscribers with content, make them look forward to your next post!

We’ve seen some small blogs update posts in up to 4 to 5 times a day! Now, that kind of blogging frequency is fine if you’re a major authority like Mashable, but when you’re starting out, keep your posting at 2 to 3 times a week at most.

Solution: If you have a lot to say, get on Twitter!
7 – Poor Headlines/Titles

Titles are the most important part of your blog. That is pretty much the only factor that determines whether people will click to read more or ignore your post. Make your titles short and sweet. Also, write them in a way that visitors will feel like the info they’re about to read is unique, up-to-date and cannot be found elsewhere.
8 – Neglecting Blog SEO

Blogging is a tremendous benefit to your overall SEO initiative. To get the full value from it, you should make sure your posts have: a descriptive, keyword-rich title, a permalink (also known as keyword-rich URL), section headers that are descriptive and utilize keywords specific to each section, “anchor” text should contains keywords relevant to what’s being linked to.
9 – Self-Promotional or "Love My Own" Blogging

"I don't write or pretend to be perfect but my posts come from the heart and are intended to help, motivate and inspire others." - Gail of gailsforum.blogspot.com


"Less interest about Socializing with fellow bloggers/readers. Or, Too much interest to get huge traffic/rank within short period of time by doing kind of spamming the internet for example: link dropping anywhere possible." - Moonomo of moonomo.com

When you blog, you should focus on providing useful content to your visitors first, promoting your own services/products should come second. It is okay to add a link to your products and invite people to try out your latest service, but you must do it in a way that feels genuine to the reader. Talking about your products in every blog post is a good way to lose all your audience.
10 – Covering too many topics

If you want to establish yourself as an authority in your genre or industry, make you sure you’re blogging exclusively about that industry. It is okay to occasionally blog about an external news item or major event that is taking place in your city, but keep 90%+ of your posts on-topic and make sure you’re delivering useful info to your readers every time.

That's all folks. Let's make a Better Mistake tomorrow.

10 of David Dimuzio's Filipino Song Covers

We Filipinos have a unique kind of music. We call it “OPM(Original Pinoy Music)” which not only makes some foreign people sing but also encourage them to create their own songs.

Recently, I was surfing videos to watch on Youtube when I stumble to this guy's channel(David Dimuzio) and already got my bid to be his fan. The funny part is that he plays and sing my favourite Filipino songs with pride though he is not a Filipino. He embraced my music and culture - which makes him more amazing.

Here's more about David Dimuzio:

Astrological Sign: Aquarius
Industry: Arts
Occupation: Singer/Songwriter, World Champion Juggler, and Keynote Speaker.



Take a look at top 10 of David Dimuzio's Filipino Song Covers including his first debut song. (all at my choice)
10 - Wag na (Original: Yeng Constantino)

9 - Elesi (Original: Rivermaya)

8 - Ulan (Original: Rivermaya)

7 - Lagi (Original: Kiss Jane)

6 - Liwanag sa Dilim (Original: Rivermaya)

5 - Sabihin mo na (Original: Top Suzara)

4 - Antukin (Original: Rico Blanco)

3 - Himala (Original: Rivermaya)

2 - Overdrive (Original: Eraserheads)

1 - Naiisip Mo Ba (His Original Song Debut)

About

David Dimuzio

"I wrote my first real song when I was 11 years old because I had a huge crush on a girl at camp. My heroes growing up where my favorite musicians, and that seemed to be what they did. I sang her the song after we attended the "summer camp dance" then timidly asked if I could kiss her, she said yes, and then we kissed each other on the cheek, and I realized I was on to something. I play guitar on my own recordings, write all of my own lyrics, and arrange all of my own music. "

Subscribe to David Dimuzio

10 Basic Strategies to be a Star Blogger/Webmaster

I found this post at Aboutus.org which is very helpful for newbie bloggers and I like the idea of adding it to our lists.

If you’re looking to make your content stand out from the bland content so prevalent on other website, you’ll need more than just writing talent. You’ll need to think outside the box – and you can start by trying these 10 ways to get noticed in your industry.

Here's Top 10 Basic Strategies to be Star Blogger/Webmaster

1 - Make friends with people who have already been noticed.

Being friends with someone isn’t just about adding them to your Facebook page, Twitter follows or Delicious networks. It’s about interacting with someone on a semi-regular basis, whether you’re offering them ideas, acknowledging their professional contributions, or just saying hello. If you’re friends with important people in your industry, chances are they’ll pay more attention to what you publish, and will be more likely to share it with their own networks.
2 - Start small.

If you’re nervous about approaching the big names in your industry, don’t be afraid to start smaller. Join the Linkedin group of a company with interesting executives, follow big names on Twitter, and attend events where industry leaders may also be present, so you can introduce yourself by askig questions or sharing in an open forum. You never know what other interesting people you’ll meet during the networking process.
3 - Be authentic.

The Internet is crawling with scammers, and you sure don’t want to be mistaken for one. Make sure that all of your social profiles have (appropriate) photos of you. Add enough personal details – even if you’re a very private person – so that people can get a feel for who you really are. In a digital world filled with people’s most intimate information, the bar has been raised, and you need to share a few genuine bits of yourself to seem authentic and real.
4 - Do something different.

One of the best ways to attract attention is to push the envelope a bit. If you write about cooking, try making a week’s worth of meals with a single ingredient as your staple, and record your recipes and experiences. If you write about home organization, try living with unorganized people to see if you can change not just the look of their home, but their entire way of life. Documenting your unique experiences in words and photos will help you attract attention just because your content will be truly unique – no one else can replicate it.
5 - Write for retention.

There’s no question that you should write with first-time visitors in mind – you want them to be able to orient themselves quickly and understand what you have to offer. But it may be even more important to write for your established readers, so they’ll want to come back again and again. You also want people to feel like you offer ongoing value, so they’ll share your work with their own friends and colleagues. Don’t hesitate to refer and link to your past publications. That helps new visitors get a feel for your world and expertise, while reminding regular readers of what they’ve already read on your site, and helping them catch up on what they’ve missed.
6 - Stand out on the page.

Chances are good that your website has more than just straight text. In addition to the design elements that are necessary for every web page – for example, navigation menus - you may have advertisements, links to partner websites or prominent buttons and links to other pages on your own website. Nevertheless, the page must be designed properly so your message doesn’t get swallowed up by peripheral information. After all, it’s not enough to drive people to your website – you need to make sure they stay there, absorb what you are offering and participate in the conversation.
7 - Optimize your writing for search engines.

It’s not easy to get your website ranking high in search results - but if you can, this is a great way to get noticed. Your best bet is to write without even thinking about search engine optimization, and then to edit carefully for your important keywords. This method lets you get your thoughts in order without worrying too much about word choice or repetition. Make sure you use your important keywords in the title and several times in the first 250 words. That will help your piece rank better in results for searches on those keywords.
8 - Use infographics.

Infographics can be charts, cartoons or Photoshopped images that help tell your story. While you may feel infographics take attention away from your writing, they do help readers who aren’t going to take the time to read your entire piece. As a bonus, infographics look great in the Facebook news feed, and they’ll win you extra attention there.
9 - Spread the love.

If you want to be respected in your industry, you’ll need to show that you recognize other people’s meaningful contributions – and you’re not afraid to share them. In fact, I’d argue that your loyal readers could get bored if you share only your own take on industry issues. Introducing a conflicting opinion – even a controversial one – can spark a lively conversation, while offering a complementary view can support your own viewpoint. Added bonus: When you generously share and link to other people’s work, they’re often kindly disposed towards you, and may link to some of your work later on.
10 - Use your social network.

If just a few friends share your article, and they in turn share the article with a few of their friends, and those friends share with their friends, you’ve got the beginnings of a viral spread. It’s important to note that a piece can go viral like this only if you write about something that’s relevant to a wide audience.

If your core area is pretty specific, see if you can occasionally create a piece that has appeal for a wider audience – even if it’s not something they’d normally read about.

  • Reference/Source: Aboutus.org by Sari Holtz [May 12, 2011]
About

Sari Holtz of DailyForex.com

Sari Holtz is an internet marketing veteran who works as the optimization manager for DailyForex.com, a website that offers Forex reviews, trading resources and financial news.

10 of Boyce Avenue's Best Acoustic Covers

Boyce Avenue is an American acoustic rock band. It was formed in Sarasota, Florida by brothers Alejandro, Daniel and Fabian Manzano. The band is named after a combination of two streets the brothers lived on as children. They are signed to Universal Republic.

Alejandro Manzano (Vocals, Guitar, Piano)
Fabian Manzano (Guitar, Backing Vocals)
Daniel Manzano (Bass, Percussion, Backing Vocals)

The band formed in 2004 when Daniel moved back to Florida after graduating Harvard Law School. Alejandro and Fabian were both attending classes at the University of Florida.
In 2006 Boyce Avenue began posting videos on YouTube, both of original material and cover versions. Some of these covers have reached up to 11,000,000 views. These covers have been released in EPs digitally via their independent record label, 3 Peace Records. While producing the videos for YouTube, Boyce Avenue was continuing to create original material for a debut album, All You're Meant To Be, for release on March 3, 2008. In January 2009 the band performed a stand-alone show in New York City.

With their sights set on connecting with their online fan base, the band turned their attention to touring, playing four headlining shows in the Philippines. Shortly following this, the band returned to the States to begin its first tour of the US.
Following these tours, the band launched a tour of Europe, including dates in Germany, Ireland and the UK. In early 2010, the band returned to the Philippines to play festivals with Kris Allen and the Jabbawockeez. This was followed by a spring revisit tour of Europe in 2010.
They are currently the most searched for band on Youtube with over 300 million views and counting, and are known for their distinct cover songs. The band frequently tours to the Philippines and the U.K.

Most recently the band signed with Universal Republic and has a second album, entitled All We Have Left, released on June 15, 2010. The album was produced and financed entirely by Boyce Avenue prior to being signed to Universal Republic. The album contains reworked songs from “All You're Meant To Be” and brand new songs written for the album. The albums first single “Every Breath” was released digitally on March 16, 2010. The music video for Every Breath was released on March 20, 2010.

They cover new popular songs which their fans have chosen for them, including multiple collaborations with other Youtube artists such as Kina Grannis, Alex Goot, Megan & Liz, David Choi, Savannah Outen, and DeStorm.

Here's Top 10 of Boyce Avenue's Best Acoustic Covers ever. Hope you'll enjoy. I'm a big fan too!
10 - Rolling In The Deep (Original: Adele)

9 - Teenage Dream (Original: Katy Perry)

8 - Water Runs Dry (Original: Boyz II Men)

7 - Firework (Original: Katy Perry)

6 - Perfect (Original: Pink)

5 - Just Can't Get Enough (Original: Black Eyed Peas)

4 - Just The Way You Are (Original: Bruno Mars)

3 - Back For Good (Original: Take That)

2 - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (Original: Coldplay)

1 - Grenade (Original: Bruno Mars)

Message from

Boyce Avenue

"Because of your support we are the 2nd most viewed band on YouTube behind Linkin Park! We do what we love everyday because of you! Thanks so much! ;)"

Subscribe to Boyce Avenue

10 of a "Must Have" things for every guy

This list was submitted by xanthuskidd of Xanthuskidd.wordpress.com. This is a list of things that every boy (no matter what age) should own.

Here's Top 10 of a "Must Have" Things for Every Guy. So sit back, put on your reading glasses, and enjoy!

10 - Various Fasteners

Everything needs to fastened sometime or another. Whether it be tools, forts in the woods, or little brothers. I recommend always having duct tape, rope, and a collection of glue on hand at all times.

Tip: glue a coin to the driveway and watch people’s reactions.
9 - A Collection (of something)

It really doesn’t matter what. I happen to collect old cameras and rocks. and coins and keys… Every boy should have a collection of something to show off to his friends and family. I even recommend having a collection of something fairly boring. When you want someone to leave, just whip out your old sock collection!
8 - Flashlights

You never know when you’ll be trapped somewhere with no natural lighting; that’s why I have a lot of flashlights. I think that you should have at least three different types of flashlights. A small, compact bright flashlight; a headlamp (stupid looking but incredibly handy); and a large, incredibly bright flashlight. I recommend a Maglight.
7 - Batteries

Along the lines of tape, this rather mundane but necessary item is a must have. All of those flashlights have to work somehow! You can also plug two 9-volts together and make little heaters. Just… be careful, sometimes they blow up.
6 - Fire-making Instruments

One of the most important (or at least fun) items on this list contains fire. I have a few different types of lighters, a flint and steel, and a few other means of ignition. I would say that a cigar lighter is my favorite, it burns hot and fast, and uses simple butane fuel. And you can get them cheap at Wal*Mart.
5 - Chopping Devices

You never know when you might need to chop down a tree. I found that my machete (a Gerber Gator with a saw on the other side of the blade) was an invaluable companion with me on my last backpacking trip. And I also own other machetes, a few saws, a hatchet, and various power tools.
4 - Knives

Very similar to chopping devices, this one is a more personal item. I recommend that every boy should have at least 10 knives. A pocket knife for each day of the week, plus a large knife, a multitool, and a swiss army knife. Knives are tools, not weapons, so to any motherly type people out there: don’t get too nervous.

I’ve only cut myself badly enough to go to the hospital once…
3 - Projectiles and the thing with which to fire said projectiles.

This includes air guns, real guns, bows, slingshots, catapults, and swingsets. Air guns and slingshots are absolutely necessary when there is an excess of plastic bottles or other targets too unfortunate to consider moving elsewhere.
2 - Legos

The most important and necessary part of any boy’s life, Legos are a must-have. These wonderful playthings are the stock of any good toy-box and will carry memories for years. If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then Legos are a boy’s. Speaking of which, have you seen the new Pirates sets?
1 - Pop Tarts

You knew I couldn’t make a list without including these. Pop tarts are the most delectable and perfect of the prepackaged pastries currently known. An absolute requirement for any ration box or collection of food, these are perfect for traipsing into the wilderness, playing games, or satisfying midnight snack desires. Don’t leave home without them.

There you have it. My complete listing of the top ten things all boys of any age should own. I have one particular item that is pretty amazing. An old 600 watt super-8 video light. What’s so special about that? You can light anything and burn anything with it. I’ve caught a 2×4 on fire with just this light. I highly recommend it to the nocturnal pyromaniacs out there.

Have a good one! ~ XK
  • Reference/Source: Xanthuskidd.wordpress.com by xanthuskidd [7 July , 2011]
  • About

    Xanthuskidd

    Xanthuskidd is a blog owned by Chris Schultz. He is currently studying Civil Engineering at LeTourneau University. He live in the grand state of North Carolina. He's a follower of Christ, and quoted "If you don’t like Christians… my apologies. If you want to learn more about Christianity then, by all means, ask away!".

    "A recreational Reader"

10 of the Most Coolest Features in Google+ (The Plus Project)


Google quoted "Sharing is a huge part of the web, a part that we think could be a lot simpler. That’s why we’ve been working on adding a few new things to Google: to make connecting with people on the web more like connecting with them in the real world. We hope you like what we’ve cooked up so far. And stay tuned, because there’s more to come."

Get a tour on Google+ Project, or get invites once it's ready to the public.

Here's our Top 10 of the Most Coolest Features in Google+ (Plus) Project to be launch soon. (See more Google Services: 10 of Google's Most Useful Internet Tools) and make most out of Google.(See 10 Google Tricks which Usually Neglected)

1 - Circles. Nested Circles. People Want Inception. A circle within a circle.



You share different things with different people. But sharing the right stuff with the right people shouldn’t be a hassle. Circles makes it easy to put your friends from Saturday night in one circle, your parents in another, and your boss in a circle by himself, just like real life.
2 - Sparks. The ability to change the picture when sharing a link.


Remember when your Grandpa used to cut articles out of the paper and send them to you? That was nice. That’s kind of what Sparks does: looks for videos and articles it thinks you’ll like, so when you’re free, there’s always something to watch, read, and share. Grandpa would approve.
3 - Better Streams control. The ability to hide a circle from the main timeline. Right now 90 % of the posts comes from 10 -20 people.
4 - A video Page. Right now you can see all of your images, but you can not see a history of the videos that you posted
5 - Better notification handling. Right now when you click and see that 3 people commented on a post, you will see only the last comment. It would be useful to see from your last comment.
6 - Merge google accounts. Some people have one google account and others that are using for apps development.
7 - The ability to find people based on location.
8 - Integration with google docs. So people can share a question easy , share a documnet with your family, etc.
9 - Iphone App . I see a lot of talking of people considering to buy Android phones just that they can use Google Plus.
10 - API for External Development.

What do you think of this Top 10 list? Is there something else that needs to be add? Or to remove some features that does not deserve to be there...

Not yet launch? Google hopes to do with Google+, so they’re taking it slow.


“It’s not about one particular project, it’s about Google getting better. We know this is going to take us a considerable amount of time. But we want to make Google better by connecting you with your relationships and interests,” Gundotra reiterates. He declined to state how big the team within Google currently working on the project is, but says that it’s a “decent sized team”.

“Today’s web is about people. To organize the world’s data, you have to understand people,” Gundotra concludes, noting that newly crowned CEO Larry Page has been heavily involved in this project from the get-go.

As it is unveiled to the world, Google+ sounds and looks great. But we’ve seen that before from Google. Now what comes is the hard part.
  • Reference/Source: The-google-plus.blogspot.com [July 2, 2011]
  • About

    Google

    When you visit www.google.com or one of more than 180 other Google domains, you can find information in many different languages, check stock quotes and sports scores, find news headlines and look up the address of your local post office or grocery store. You can also find images, videos, maps, patents and much more. With universal search technology, you may see all of these items combined in one result page for your query, and services such as personalized search help you find even more information tailored to your interests. We’re also working to digitize some of the world’s information that until recently hasn’t been online, like books. Search is how Google began, and it’s still at the heart of what we do today. We devote more engineering time to search than to any other product, because search can always get better and faster at helping you find what you want, when you want it, where you want it.

    "Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful."