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Swine Flu's Deadly Return A Global Warning

2009-08-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu's Deadly Return A Global Warning

The World Health Organization has now raised the swine flu epidemic warning level to Phase 6 - the highest level. Media attention to this serious worldwide pandemic faded after the immediate fears of widespread infection and deaths subsided - unfortunately the swine flu has not subsided at all and is more dangerous and spreading more quickly than earlier anticipated.

Widespread human infection is underway. The death toll is also increasing. Statistics as of July 2009 indicate, in the USA alone, there has been over 40,600 confirmed or probable cases of swine flu and at least 263 deaths. States leading the pack with infected populations are California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Mass., New Jersey, New York, Penn., Texas and Wisconsin. Wisconsin and Texas lead with 6,031 and 4,975 cases respectively.

The situation is becoming so serious and developing so rapidly that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has already deployed over 25% of its stockpile of supplies of antiviral drugs, personal protection equipment and respiratory protection devices and is trying to quickly train personnel at newly designated dispensaries (PODs) throughout the U.S. The big question is will scientists be able to develop a vaccine that works and will it be available soon enough and in large enough supply to vaccinate everyone.

Much of the World's supply of flu vaccine is produced outside of the U.S. and the demand will be very high globally. No one is sure at this point when a vaccine will be available and how much will be available on such short notice. A monumental effort is underway Worldwide to develop an effective vaccine in large enough quantities to vaccinate the World population. Will this effort be successful?

Who is most at risk? Any person who is high risk for the seasonal flu is also in the high-risk category for the swine flu (H1N1). This risk list may be revised as more epidemiologic data becomes available but for now the high risk group includes: pregnant women, young children (under 5, but higher risk if under 2 years old), people with chronic health problems, including pulmonary conditions (includes asthma), cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, neurologic, neuromuscular, hematological and metabolic disorders, anyone 19 or younger on aspirin therapy and nursing home and chronic care facility patients.

People in the high risk categories plus anyone already diagnosed with H1N1 would be first in line for available therapies, including vaccines.

Guidance for Employers:

1) Require employees to immediately report to you any flu-like symptoms. Employees with flu symptoms should be required to stay away from work for 7 days after the flu symptoms appear or until they are symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer.

2) Ask employees to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and dispose of that tissue.

3) Ask employees to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

4) Advise employees to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth with their hands.

5) Ask employees who have been exposed to a person with flu symptoms to monitor their health every day, to notify you if they develop flu symptoms and if they do have symptoms stay at home.

6) If an employee comes to work with flu-like symptoms, send the employee home as soon as possible (see # 1 above). Ask the employee's co-workers to closely monitor themselves for symptoms.

7) The swine flu virus can survive for up to 12 hours on paper - this makes it easily spreadable within an office environment. Go as paperless as possible!

What can I do to totally avoid exposure to this potentially deadly worldwide swine flu epidemic? Short of moving to the Moon- nothing for now but please stay informed of developments by Googling "swine flu" for the latest updates.

By: Steve Thevenot

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Michael Jackson Biography

2009-06-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)[2] was an American recording artist and entertainer. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, four of his solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), while his 1982 Thriller is the world's best-selling record of all time.

In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and Thriller—credited for transforming the music video into an art form and a promotional tool—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.

One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era. Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades. Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009, aged 50.

1958–1975: Early life and The Jackson 5

Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana (an industrial suburb of Chicago, Illinois) to a working-class family on August 29, 1958.[3] The son of Joseph Walter "Joe" and Katherine Esther (née Scruse),[3] he was the seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.[3] Joseph Jackson was a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called The Falcons with his brother Luther.[3] Jackson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his devout mother.[3]

From a young age Jackson was physically and mentally abused by his father, enduring incessant rehearsals, whippings and name-calling. Jackson's abuse as a child affected him throughout his grown life.[4] In one altercation—later recalled by Marlon Jackson—Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks".[5] Joseph would often trip up, or push the male children into walls.[5] One night while Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window. Wearing a fright mask, he entered the room screaming and shouting. Joseph said he wanted to teach his children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For years afterwards, Jackson suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.[5]

Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. He said that during his childhood he often cried from loneliness and would sometimes get sick or start to regurgitate upon seeing his father.[6][7][8][9] In Jackson's other high profile interview, Living with Michael Jackson (2003), the singer covered his face with his hand and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse.[5] Jackson recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you."[10]

Jackson showed musical talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates and others during a Christmas recital at the age of five.[3] In 1964, Jackson and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine, respectively. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.[3] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968. The band frequently performed at a string of black clubs and venues collectively known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened for stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.[11]

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967 and signed with Motown Records in 1968.[3] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts", noting that Michael "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer" after he began to dance and sing with his brothers.[12] Though Michael sang with a "child's piping voice, he danced like a grown-up hoofer and sang with the R&B/gospel inflections of Sam Cooke, James Brown, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder".[12] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] During The Jackson 5's early years, Motown's public relations team claimed that Jackson was nine years old—two years younger than he actually was—to make him appear cuter and more accessible to the mainstream audience.[13] Starting in 1972, Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben. These were released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and produced successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben" and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input.[14] Although the group scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.[14]

1975–1981: Move to Epic and Off the Wall

The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, joining the Philadelphia International Records division, later Epic Records.[14] As a result of legal proceedings, the group was renamed The Jacksons.[15] After the name change, the band continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984. From 1976 to 1984, Michael Jackson was the lead songwriter of the group, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel" and "Can You Feel It".[11]

In 1978, Jackson starred as Scarecrow in the film musical The Wiz.[16] The musical scores were arranged by Quincy Jones, who formed a partnership with Jackson during the film's production and agreed to produce the singer's next solo album Off the Wall.[17] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty surgery was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and other subsequent operations.[18]

Jones and Jackson jointly produced Off the Wall. Songwriters included Jackson, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four US top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[19] Off the Wall reached number three on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified for 7 million shipments in the US and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[20][21] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[19] That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough").[19] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[22] In 1980, Jackson secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37% of wholesale album profit.[23]

1982–1985: Thriller, Motown 25, We Are the World and business career

In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children.[24] That year Jackson issued his second Epic album, Thriller. The album remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for 80 consecutive weeks and 37 of those weeks at the peak position. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" being on the charts at the same time.[25] The apex of Jackson's career, Thriller sold upwards of 109 million copies, making it the best-selling album of all time.[26][27][28] [29]

Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point; approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record breaking profit from compact discs or the sale of The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller; a documentary produced by Jackson and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the documentary sold over 350,000 copies in a few months of sale. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, that appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.[30] Thriller retains a position in American culture. Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli explains, "At some point, Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple."[31]

Gil Friesen, president of A&M Records, said "the whole industry has a stake in this success".[30] Thriller raised the importance of albums, but multiple hits also changed notions about the number of singles to release.[32] Time magazine explained that "the fallout from Thriller has given the [music] business its best years since the heady days of 1978, when it had an estimated total domestic revenue of $4.1 billion".[30] Time summed up Thriller's impact as a "restoration of confidence" for an industry bordering on "the ruins of punk and the chic regions of synthesizer pop". The publication described Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too".[30] The New York Times called him a "musical phenomenon", saying that "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else".[33] According to the The Washington Post, Thriller paved the way for other acts such as Prince.[34]

On March 25, 1983, Jackson performed live on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special, both with The Jackson 5 and on his own singing "Billie Jean". Debuting his signature dance move—the moonwalk—his performances during the event were seen by 47 million viewers during its initial airing, and drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the The Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.[35] The New York Times said, "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing".[36]

Jackson suffered a setback on January 27, 1984. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Jackson suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. Happening in front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, the incident was the subject of heavy media scrutiny and elicited an outpouring of sympathy.[37] PepsiCo settled a lawsuit out of court, and Jackson gave his $1.5 million settlement to the "Michael Jackson Burn Center" which was a piece of new technology to help people with severe burns.[37] Jackson had his third rhinoplasty shortly afterwards and grew self conscious about his appearance.[18]

On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to the White House to receive an award presented by American President Ronald Reagan. The award was given for Jackson's support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.[38] Jackson won eight awards during the 1984 Grammys. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans.[39] He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity.[40]

Jackson co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in Africa and the US. He was one of 39 music celebrities who performed on the record. The single became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief.[41]

While working with Paul McCartney on the two hit singles "The Girl Is Mine" and "Say Say Say", the pair became friendly, occasionally visiting one another. In one discussion, McCartney told Jackson about the millions of dollars he had made from music catalogs; he was earning approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. Jackson then began a business career buying, selling and distributing publishing rights to music from numerous artists. Shortly afterwards, Northern Songs—a music catalog holding thousands of songs, including The Beatles' back catalog—was put up for sale.[42][43]

Jackson took immediate interest in the catalog but was warned that he would face strong competition. Excited, he skipped around saying, "I don't care. I want those songs. Get me those songs Branca [his attorney]". Branca then contacted the attorney of McCartney, who clarified that his client was not interested in bidding; "It's too pricey". After Jackson had started negotiations, McCartney changed his mind and tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million. When McCartney found out he said, "I think it's dodgy to do things like that. To be someone's friend and then buy the rug they're standing on". Reacting to that statement, biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli observed that McCartney made millions of dollars from the music of other people. He had more money than Jackson at that point so could have made a substantial bid for his own music and would not have suffered financial difficulties from Jackson owning the catalog.[42][44]

1986–1990: Tabloids, appearance, Bad, autobiography and films

In 1986, the tabloid press ran a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process; he was pictured lying down in a glass box. Although the claim was untrue, Jackson disseminated the fabricated story himself. The singer was promoting his upcoming movie Captain EO and wanted to promote a science fiction image of himself.[45][46] Jackson had a fourth rhinoplasty and, wanting masculine features, had a cleft put in his chin.[18] Then he starred in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed 3-D film Captain EO. It was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis at the time, and was later hosted in Disney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, while Walt Disney World screened the film in its Epcot theme park from 1986 to 1994.[47]

Jackson bought and befriended a pet chimpanzee called Bubbles, an act which extended his eccentric persona. In 2003, the singer claimed that Bubbles shared his toilet and cleaned his bedroom.[46] Later it was reported that Jackson bought the bones of The Elephant Man. Although untrue, it was a story that Jackson again disseminated to the tabloid press.[45][46] These stories inspired the pejorative nickname "Wacko Jacko", which Jackson acquired the following year. He would eventually come to despise the nickname. Realizing his mistake, he stopped leaking untruths to the press. However due to the profit being made, the media began making up their own stories.[46][48]

Jackson's skin was a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the early 1980s, his skin gradually grew paler. This change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that Jackson was bleaching his skin.[6] In the mid-1980s, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the latter was in remission in Jackson's case, and both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale.[49] The structure of his face changed as well; several surgeons have speculated that Jackson had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips and a cheekbone surgery.[50] Changes to his face were, in part, due to periods of significant weight loss.[15] Jackson lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body".[51] Witnesses reported that Jackson was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem for the singer later in life.[52] Some medical professionals have publicly stated their belief that the singer had body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer has no concept of how they are perceived by others.[49]

"Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, 'I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight,' people would say, 'Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth.'"[53]

—Michael Jackson

With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated.[54] Bad had lower sales than Thriller, but was still a substantial commercial success. In the US, it spawned seven hit singles, five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, more than any other album.[55] As of 2008, the album sold 30 million copies worldwide, including eight million shipments in the US.[21][56]

The Bad World Tour began on September 12, 1987, and finished on January 14, 1989.[57] In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour.[58] Jackson broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to a total audience of 4.4 million people, and gained a further Guinness World Record when the tour grossed him $125 million. During the trip he invited underprivileged children to watch for free and gave donations to hospitals, orphanages and other charities.[57]

In 1988, Jackson released his first autobiography, Moon Walk, which took four years to complete. Jackson told of his childhood, his experience in The Jackson 5 and the abuse he suffered as a child.[59] He also spoke of his plastic surgery, saying he had two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin.[51] In the book, he attributed the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style and stage lighting.[51] Moonwalk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list.[60] The musician then released a film called Moonwalker, which featured live footage, music videos, and a feature film that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. Moonwalker debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues.[61]

In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. The 2,700-acre (11 km2) property had Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, the property was valued at approximately $100 million.[12][62] In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone.[63] Shortly afterwards, Jackson became the first Westerner to appear in a television advert for Russia.[61]

Jackson's success resulted in his being dubbed the "King of Pop", a nickname conceived by actress and friend Elizabeth Taylor when she presented Jackson with an "Artist of the Decade" award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul".[64][65] President George H. W. Bush presented the singer with The White House's special "Artist of the Decade" award in recognition of Jackson's musical influence in the 1980s; Bush commended Jackson for acquiring a "tremendous following" among other achievements.[66] From 1985 to 1990, Jackson donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity.[67][68]

Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr. 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination.[61]

1991–1993: Dangerous and Super Bowl XXVII

In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million; a record breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records.[62] Jackson released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous has shipped 7 million copies in the US and has sold 32 million copies worldwide; it is the most successful New Jack Swing album of all time.[21][69][70] In the US, the album's first single "Black or White" was the album's biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide.[71] The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the US, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[72] In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a wheelchair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals.[73] In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at two in 1992.[72]

Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch, to go on theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property after he purchased it. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war and disease. The Dangerous World Tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts. All profits from the concerts went to the "Heal the World Foundation", raising millions of dollars in relief.[72][74] He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands.[75] Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.[76][77]

In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt.[78] His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable reception of more than 100,000 people in "spiritual bedlam", some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael".[78] In his trip to the Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief.[78] He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.[78]

One of Jackson's most acclaimed performances came during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. As the performances began, Jackson was catapulted onto the stage as fireworks went off behind him. As he landed on the canvass, he maintained a motionless "clenched fist, standing statue stance", dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained completely motionless for several minutes while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and began to sing and dance. His routine included four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart.[6]

Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.[72]

1993–1994: Sexual abuse accusations and marriage

Jackson gave a 90-minute interview with Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his first television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied previous tabloid rumors that he bought the bones of the Elephant Man or slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The entertainer went on to dispel suggestions that he bleached his skin, admitting for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by 90 million Americans, becoming the fourth most-viewed non-sport program in US history. It also started a public debate on the topic of vitiligo, a relatively unknown condition before then. Dangerous re-entered the album chart top 10, more than a year after its original release.[6][7][72]

Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old child named Jordan Chandler and his father Evan Chandler.[79] The friendship between Jackson and Evan Chandler broke down. Sometime afterwards, Evan Chandler was tape-recorded saying amongst other things, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever...Michael's career will be over".[80] A year after they had met, under the influence of a controversial sedative, Jordan Chandler told his father that Jackson had touched his penis.[81] Evan Chandler and Jackson, represented by their legal teams, then engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to resolve the issue in a financial settlement; the negotiations were initiated by Chandler but Jackson did make several counter offers. Jordan Chandler then told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer's genitals.[82]

An official investigation began, with Jordan Chandler's mother adamant that there was no wrongdoing on Jackson's part. Neverland Ranch was searched; multiple children and family members denied that he was a pedophile.[82] Jackson's image took a further turn for the worse when his older sister La Toya Jackson accused him of being a pedophile, a statement she later retracted.[83] Jackson agreed to a 25-minute strip search, conducted at his ranch. The search was required to see if a description provided by Jordan Chandler was accurate. Doctors concluded that there were some strong similarities, but it was not a definitive match.[83] Jackson made an emotional public statement on the events; he proclaimed his innocence, criticized what he perceived as biased media coverage and told of his strip search.[79]

Jackson began taking painkillers, Valium, Xanax and Ativan to deal with the stress of the allegations made against him. By the fall of 1993, Jackson was addicted to the drugs.[84] His health deteriorated to the extent that he canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour and went into drug rehabilitation for a few months.[85] The stress of the allegations also caused Jackson to stop eating, losing a significant amount of weight.[86] With his health in decline, Jackson's friends and legal advisers took over his defense and finances; they called on him to settle the allegations out of court, believing that he could not endure a lengthy trial.[85][86]

Tabloid reaction to the allegations put Jackson in an unfavorable light.[87] Complaints about the coverage and media included everything from bias against Jackson, accepting stories of alleged criminal activity for money to accepting confidential leaked material from the police investigation in return for money paid.[88] On January 1, 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandler family and their legal team out of court, in a civil lawsuit for $22 million. After the settlement Jordan Chandler refused to continue with Police criminal proceedings. Jackson was never charged, and the state closed its criminal investigation, citing lack of evidence.[89]

Later that year, Jackson married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. They had first met in 1975 during one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand, and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993.[87] They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Lisa Marie for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs.[84] Lisa Marie explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it."[90] In a phone call he made to her, she described him as high, incoherent and delusional.[84] Shortly afterwards, she tried to persuade Jackson to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover—he subsequently did both.[84] Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?".[84] Presley and Jackson married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy; the parties denied they had been married for nearly two months.[91] The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active".[92] At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image in light of prior sexual abuse allegations.[91] Jackson and Presley divorced less than two years later, remaining friendly.[93]

1995–1999: HIStory, second marriage and fatherhood

In 1995, Jackson merged his Northern Songs catalog with Sony's publishing division creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Jackson retained half-ownership of the company, earned $95 million upfront as well as the rights to even more songs.[43][94] He then released the double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The first disc, HIStory Begins, was a 15-track greatest hits album, and was later reissued as Greatest Hits — HIStory Vol. I in 2001, the second disc, HIStory Continues, contained 15 new songs. The album debuted at number one on the charts and has been certified for seven million shipments in the US.[95] It is the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time, with 20 million copies (40 million units) sold worldwide.[71][96] HIStory received a Grammy nomination for best album.[97]

The first single released from the album was the double A-side "Scream/Childhood". "Scream" was a duet, sung and performed with Jackson's youngest sister Janet. The single had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at number five, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".[97] "You Are Not Alone" was the second single released from HIStory; it holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[63] It was seen as a major artistic and commercial success, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Performance".[97] In late 1995, Jackson was rushed to a hospital after collapsing during rehearsals for a televised performance; the incident was caused by a stress related panic attack.[98] "Earth Song" was the third single released from HIStory, and topped the UK singles chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995; it sold a million copies, making it Jackson's most successful single in the UK.[97]

In early 1996, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a press release charging Jackson with antisemitism regarding lyrics in the song "They Don't Care About Us", the fourth single from HIStory.[99] The song had originally been recorded with lyrics that included the phrase "Jew me, sue me", and "Kick me, kike me". The ADL complained and Jackson responded by saying he would re-record the lyrics before the album went into production. However the ADL's press release charged that Jackson had performed the song live and included the lyrics in question during the live performance.[99] The dispute over the lyrics upset long-time Jackson friend Steven Spielberg, who considered the song anti-semitic [100]

The HIStory World Tour began on September 7, 1996, and finished on October 15, 1997. Jackson performed 82 concerts in 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans. The show, which visited 5 continents and 35 countries, became Jackson's most successful in terms of audience figures; he has not toured the world since.[57] During the Australian leg of the HIStory World Tour, Jackson married dermatologist nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe, with whom he fathered a son, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (also known as "Prince"), and a daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson.[93][101] The pair first met in the mid-1980s, when Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo. She spent many years treating his illness as well as providing emotional support. They built a strong friendship, then became romantically involved.[102] Originally there were no plans to marry, but following Rowe's first pregnancy, Jackson's mother intervened and persuaded them to do so.[103] After the couple divorced in 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children to Jackson, they remained friends.[104]

In 1997, Jackson released Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix, which contained remixes of hit singles from HIStory and five new songs. Worldwide sales stand at 6 million copies as of 2007, making it one of the best selling remix albums ever released. It reached number one in the UK, as did the title track.[105][106] In the US, the album was certified platinum, but only reached number 24.[21][97] Forbes placed his annual income at $35 million in 1996 and $20 million in 1997.[62]

Throughout June 1999, Jackson was involved in a number of charitable events. He joined Luciano Pavarotti for a benefit concert in Modena, Italy. The show was in support of the non-profit organization Warchild, and raised a million dollars for the refugees of Kosovo, as well as additional funds for the children of Guatemala.[107] Later that month, Jackson organized a set of "Michael Jackson & Friends" benefit concerts in Germany and Korea. Other artists involved included Slash, The Scorpions, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram, Shobana Chandrakumar, Andrea Bocelli and Luciano Pavarotti. The proceeds went to the "Nelson Mandela Children's Fund", the Red Cross and UNESCO.[108]

2000–2002: Label dispute, Invincible and third child

In 2000, Jackson was listed in the book of Guinness World Records for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer or personality.[109] At the time, Jackson was waiting for the licenses to the masters of his albums to revert back to him; this allowed him to promote his old material how he liked and prevented Sony from getting a cut of the profit. Jackson expected this to occur early in the new millennium, however, due to the fine print and various clauses in the contract, this revert date is still many years away. Jackson began an investigation, and it emerged that the attorney who represented the singer in the deal was also representing Sony, creating a conflict of interest.[106] Jackson was also concerned about another conflict of interest. For a number of years, Sony had been pushing to buy all of Jackson's share in their music catalog venture. If Jackson's career or financial situation were to deteriorate, he would have to sell his catalog. Thus, Sony had something to gain from Jackson's career failing.[110] Jackson was able to use these conflicts as leverage to exit his contract early.[106] Just before the release of Invincible, Jackson informed the head of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola, that he was leaving Sony.[106] As a result, all singles releases, video shootings and promotions concerning the Invincible album were canceled. Jackson made allegations in July 2002 that Mottola was a "devil" and a "racist" who did not support his African-American artists, using them merely for his own personal gain.[106] He charged that Mottola had called his colleague Irv Gotti a "fat nigger".[111] Sony disputed claims that they had failed to promote Invincible with sufficient energy, maintaining that Jackson refused to tour in the US.[112]

Six years after his last studio album and after spending much of the late 1990s to early millennium out of the public eye, Jackson released Invincible in October 2001 to much anticipation. To help promote the album, a special 30th Anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden occurred in September 2001 to mark the singer's 30th year as a solo artist. Jackson appeared onstage alongside his brothers for the first time since 1984.[113] The show also featured performances by Mýa, Usher, Whitney Houston, 'N Sync, and Slash, among other artists.[26] In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Jackson helped organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The concert was aired on October 21, 2001, and included performances from dozens of major artists, including Jackson, who performed his song "What More Can I Give" as the finale.[110] Invincible was a commercial success, debuting atop the charts in 13 countries and going on to sell approximately 10 million copies worldwide. It received double-platinum certification in the US.[21][71][110] However, the sales for Invincible were notably low compared to his previous releases, due in part to a diminishing pop music industry, the lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute.[110] The album spawned three singles, "You Rock My World", "Cry" and "Butterflies", the latter did not have a music video.

Jackson's third child, Prince Michael Jackson II (also known as Blanket) was born in 2002.[114] The mother's identity was never released by Jackson, but he has said the child was the result of artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm cells.[104] In November of that year, Jackson brought his new born son onto the balcony of his hotel room in Berlin, as fans stood below. Holding him in his right arm, with a cloth loosely draped over the baby's face, Jackson briefly extended the baby over the railing of the balcony, four stories above ground level, causing widespread criticism in the media. Jackson later apologized for the incident, calling it "a terrible mistake".[115]

2003–2007: Documentary, trial and business ventures

In 2003, Sony put out a compilation of Jackson's hits on CD and DVD. In the US, the album peaked at number 13 and was certified platinum by the RIAA, in the UK it was certified for shipments of at least 1.2 million units.[21][116] In a Granada Television documentary titled Living with Michael Jackson, the singer was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Gavin Arvizo, who would later accuse him of child sexual abuse.[117] In the same documentary Jackson was observed spending large amounts of money in an apparently frivolous manner, when he spent $6 million in a single store.[62] Shortly after the documentary aired, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child sexual abuse and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in order to commit that felony; all charges regarded the same boy, Gavin Arvizo, who was under 14 at the time of the alleged crime.[117]

Jackson denied the sexual abuse allegations, saying that the sleepovers were in no way sexual in nature. Jackson's friend Elizabeth Taylor defended him on Larry King Live, saying that she had been there when they "were in the bed, watching television. There was nothing abnormal about it. There was no touchy-feely going on. We laughed like children and we watched a lot of Walt Disney. There was nothing odd about it."[118] During the investigation, Jackson's profile was examined by mental health professional Dr. Stan Katz; the doctor spent several hours with the accuser too. The assessment made by Katz, was that Jackson had become a regressed 10-year-old and did not fit the profile of a pedophile.[119]

The People v. Jackson trial began in Santa Maria, California, two years after Jackson was originally charged. During this period the singer became dependent on morphine and Demerol, a dependency which he subsequently overcame. He also suffered from stress-related illnesses and severe weight loss, that would alter his appearance. The trial lasted five months, until the end of May 2005, he was acquitted on all counts.[120][121][122] Jackson then relocated to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah.[123]

Sony BMG released Visionary: The Video Singles to the European market: a series of 20 of his biggest hit singles of the 1980s and 1990s. Each single was issued weekly over a five-month period in DualDisc format (DVD video on one side, CD audio on the other), and the whole group of discs was made available as a boxed set afterwards.[124] The box set was released in the US on November 14, 2006.[125]

Reports of financial problems for Jackson became frequent in 2006 after the closure of the main house on the Neverland Ranch as a cost-cutting measure.[126] One prominent financial issue for him concerned a $270 million loan secured against his music publishing holdings. After delayed repayments on the loan, a refinancing package shifted the loans from Bank of America to debt specialists Fortress Investments. A new package proposed by Sony would have had Jackson borrow an additional $300 million and reduce the interest rate payable on the loan, while giving Sony the future option to buy half of Jackson's stake in their jointly owned publishing company (leaving Jackson with a 25% stake).[94] Jackson agreed to a Sony-backed refinancing deal, although details were not made public.[127] Despite these loans, according to Forbes, Jackson was still making as much as $75 million a year from his publishing partnership with Sony alone.[128]

One of Jackson's first documented public appearances since his trial was in November 2006, when he visited the London office of the Guinness World Records. He received eight records, among them "First Entertainer to Earn More Than 100 Million Dollars in a Year" and "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time".[63] Jackson was awarded the Diamond Award on November 15, 2006, for selling over 100 million albums, at the World Music Awards.[71] Following the death of James Brown, Jackson returned to the US to pay his respects. He, along with more than 8,000 people, paid tribute during Brown's public funeral on December 30, 2006.[129] In late 2006, Jackson agreed to share joint custody of his first two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe.[130] Jackson and Sony bought Famous Music LLC from Viacom in 2007. This deal gave him the rights to songs by Eminem, Shakira and Beck, among others.[131]

I've been in the entertainment industry since I was six-years-old... As Charles Dickens says, "It's been the best of times, the worst of times." But I would not change my career... While some have made deliberate attempts to hurt me, I take it in stride because I have a loving family, a strong faith and wonderful friends and fans who have, and continue, to support me.[132]

—Michael Jackson

2008–2009: Milestones, real estate, planned return to live performance

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Thriller, Jackson issued Thriller 25, comprised of original material from the album, re-mixes, the previously unreleased song "For All Time" and a DVD. Two singles were released to moderate success: "The Girl Is Mine 2008" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008". Thriller 25 was a commercial success, having done particularly well as a re-issue, peaking at number one in eight countries and Europe. It reached number two in the US, number three in the UK and top 10 on over 30 national charts.[133][134][135] It was ineligible for the Billboard 200 chart as a re-release, but entered atop the Pop Catalog chart, where it stayed for 11 non-consecutive weeks and had the best sales on that chart since December 1996.[136][137][138] In 12 weeks Thriller 25 sold over three million copies worldwide.[139] As of November 2008, US sales of Thriller 25 stood at 688,000 copies, making it the best-selling catalog album of 2008.[138]

To celebrate Jackson's 50th birthday, Sony BMG released a compilation album called King of Pop in various countries. These albums included tracks from Jackson's group and solo career, all voted for by fans. The albums had different tracklists, according to how the fans of each nation voted.[140][141] Although it was not released in the US, King of Pop did reach the top 10 in the vast majority of countries it was issued in. It also charted in other countries, albeit lower, from imported sales.[142][143]

Fortress considered a foreclosure sale of Neverland Ranch to service a loan Jackson owed on the property, but ultimately sold the loan to Colony Capital LLC. In November, Jackson transferred the title of Neverland Ranch to Sycamore Valley Ranch Company LLC. At the time of his death, Jackson still owned an unknown stake in the property—Sycamore Valley Ranch was a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC—the loan Jackson owed was cleared, he acquired $35 million in the venture.[144][145][146]

Death

On the morning of June 25, 2009, Jackson reportedly collapsed at a rented home in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles. After he collapsed, Jackson's personal physician, who was with him at the time, attempted to resuscitate him.[147] Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a 911 call at 12:21 pm (PST)[148] and arrived nine minutes later. Jackson was reportedly not breathing and CPR was quickly performed.[149] Resuscitation efforts continued both en route to the UCLA Medical Center, and after arrival at approximately 1:14 pm (20:14 UTC), for a further hour.[147] He fell into a coma and died shortly after arrival.[150] The cause of death is reported to be cardiac arrest.[149] Jackson was pronounced dead at about 2:26 pm local time (21:26 UTC).[151]

Los Angeles Police Department homicide and robbery division detectives attended the scene as a matter of routine in high profile death cases.[152] The case was transferred to the Los Angeles coroner for investigation as there was no doctor in attendance to sign the death certificate.[147] Jackson's body was transported by helicopter from UCLA to the LA Coroners offices.[153][154] The autopsy is said to be scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2009.[151]

Prior to his death, Jackson had been scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts to over one million people, at London's O2 arena, from July 13, 2009 to March 6, 2010. During a publicity press conference, Jackson made suggestions of possible retirement.[155] Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, had stated that the first 10 dates alone would have earned the singer approximately £50 million.[156]

Musical style and performance

Themes and genres

Steve Huey of Allmusic asserts that throughout his solo career, Jackson's versatility allowed him to experiment with various themes and genres.[157] As a musician, he ranged from Motown's dance fare and ballads to techno-edged new jack swing to work that incorporates both funk rhythms and hard rock guitar.[12] Unlike many artists, Jackson did not write his songs on paper. Instead he would dictate into a sound recorder; when recording he would sing from memory.[18][158] Several critics observed Off the Wall was crafted from funk, disco-pop, soul, soft rock, jazz and pop ballads.[157][159][160] Prominent examples include the ballad "She's out of My Life", and the two disco tunes "Workin' Day and Night" and "Get on the Floor".[159]

According to Huey, Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more aggressive, while the pop tunes and ballads were softer and more soulful.[157] Notable tracks included the ballads "The Lady in My Life", "Human Nature" and "The Girl Is Mine"; the funk pieces "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"; and the disco set "Baby Be Mine" and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".[157][161][162][163] With Thriller, Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery.[163] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".[162] In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers.[157] In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media.[163] The anti-gang violence rock song "Beat It" became a homage to West Side Story, and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey.[12][157] He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years.[157] In 1985, Jackson wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a central component of his life and music.[157]

In Bad, Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana".[165] The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" was a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror", an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution, improved on his earlier "We Are the World".[54] "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder.[54] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that Dangerous presents Jackson as a stark paradoxical individual.[166] He comments the album is more diverse than his previous Bad, as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World".[166] The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time".[167] The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs.[167] Dangerous contains sexually charged efforts like "In the Closet", a love song about desire and denial, risk and repression, solitude and connection, privacy and revelation.[167] The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire.[167] The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson finally opening up about various personal struggles and worries.[167] In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.[168]

HIStory creates an atmosphere of paranoia.[169] Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media.[170] In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces.[169][170] In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I’ve been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot".[171] Invincible found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins.[157] It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes hip hop, pop and rap in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".[172][173]

Vocal style

Jackson sang since he was a child, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably, either through puberty or a personal preference to align his vocal interpretation to the themes and genres he chose to express. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice "descended ever so slightly from boy soprano to his current androgynous high tenor".[12] In the mid-1970s, the singer adopted a "vocal hiccup" as seen in "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)". The purpose of the hiccup—somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping—was to help promote a certain emotion, be it excitement, sadness or fear.[14] With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded; Allmusic described him as a "blindingly gifted vocalist".[159] At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbered tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly".[160] 1982 saw the release of Thriller, and Rolling Stone were of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".[163]

The release of "Bad" in 1987 displayed gritty lead vocals on the verse and lighter tones employed on the chorus.[17] A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelt "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him.[175] The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album Dangerous; here Jackson used his vocals to intensify the split themes and genres described earlier. The New York Times noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone".[167] When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals.[167] "In the Closet" contained heavy breathing and a loop of five scat-sung syllables, whereas in the album's title track, Jackson performs a spoken rap.[164][167] When commenting on Invincible, Rolling Stone were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed, "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies".[176] Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".[164]

Music videos and choreography

Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers.[157] According to director Vincent Paterson, who collaborated with the singer on several music videos, Jackson conceptualized many of the darker, bleak themes in his filmography.[177]

Before Thriller, Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV because he was African American.[178] Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition.[179] The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B.[179][180] Short films like Thriller largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated.[181] The choreography in Thriller has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Bollywood to prisons in the Philippines.[182] The Thriller short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the Guinness World Records.[63]

In the 18-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. While he has described this as "choreography," it garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; Time magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameos roles in the future.[48][183] For "Smooth Criminal", Jackson experimented with an innovative "anti-gravity lean" in his performances, for which he was granted US Patent No. 5,255,452.[184] Although the music video for "Leave Me Alone" was not officially released in the US, in 1989, it was nominated for four Billboard Music Video Awards, winning three; the same year it won a Golden Lion Award for the quality of the special effects used in its production. In 1990, "Leave Me Alone" won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form.[61]

The MTV Video Vanguard Artist of the Decade Award was given to Jackson to celebrate his accomplishments in the art form in the 1980s; the following year the award was renamed in his honor.[72] "Black or White" was accompanied by a controversial music video, which, on November 14, 1991, simultaneously premiered in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million people, the largest viewing ever for a music video.[71] It featured scenes construed as having a sexual nature as well as depictions of violence. The offending scenes in the final half of the 14-minute version were edited out to prevent the video from being banned, and Jackson apologized.[185] Along with Jackson, it featured Macaulay Culkin, Peggy Lipton and George Wendt. It helped usher in morphing as an important technology in music videos.[186]

"Remember the Time" was an elaborate production, and became one of his longest videos at over nine minutes. Set in ancient Egypt, it featured groundbreaking visual effects and appearances by Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson, along with a distinct complex dance routine.[187] The video for "In the Closet" was Jackson's most sexually provocative piece to date. It featured supermodel Naomi Campbell in a courtship dance with Jackson. The video was banned in South Africa because of its imagery.[72]

The music video for "Scream", directed by Mark Romanek and production designer Tom Foden, is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed. In 1995, it gained 11 MTV Video Music Award Nominations—more than any other music video—and won "Best Dance Video", "Best Choreography", and "Best Art Direction".[188] The song and its accompanying video are a response to the backlash Jackson received from the media after being accused of child molestation in 1993.[189] A year later, it won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form; shortly afterwards Guinness World Records listed it as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million.[97][190]

"Earth Song" was accompanied by an expensive and well-received music video that gained a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1997. The video had an environmental theme, showing images of animal cruelty, deforestation, pollution and war. Using special effects, time is reversed so that life returns, war ends and the forests re-grow.[97][191] Released in 1997 and premiering at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, Ghosts was a short film written by Jackson and Stephen King and directed by Stan Winston. The video for Ghosts is over 38 minutes long and holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest music video.[97][106][192][193]

Legacy and influence

Inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984, Jackson had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world. He broke down racial barriers, transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music in his own country. Jackson's work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced hip hop, pop and R&B artists, including Mariah Carey,[12] Usher,[194] Britney Spears,[12] Justin Timberlake[110] and R. Kelly.[164] For much of his career, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions.[195]

Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award.[26][196] He was a double-inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001. Jackson was also an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.[26] His awards include multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone), 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sale of over 750 million albums worldwide, making him the world's best selling male pop artist.[24][63][71][197][198][199]

He was characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power".[157] In the mid-1980s, Time described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley".[30] By 1990, Vanity Fair had already cited Jackson as the most popular artist in the history of show business.[61] Daily Telegraph writer Tom Utley called him an "extremely important figure in the history of popular culture" and a "genius".[200] His total lifetime earnings from royalties on his solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements have been estimated at $500 million; some analysts have speculated that his music catalog holdings could be worth billions of dollars.[62][201] Cited as one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.[71][202]

Notes

1. ^ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock-N-Roll Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 0875862071. http://books.google.ca/books?ct=result&id=lJS4EArRBwoC&dq=Rock-N-Roll+Gold+Rush+mariah+carey&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&sig=ACfU3U0fbLW248NcvjE6rRshbjsWieA1hg&q=diana+ross#PPA34,M1.

2. ^ Ryan, Joal (2009-06-25). "Michael Jackson, Pop's Thrilling King, Dead at 50". E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b131173_michael_jackson_pops_thrilling_king.html. Retrieved on 2009-06-25.

3. ^ a b c d e f g h i George, p. 20

4. ^ "Michael Jackson's Secret Childhood". VH1. http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/vh1_news_presents/82010/episode_about.jhtml. Retrieved on June 20, 2008.

5. ^ a b c d Taraborrelli, pp. 20–22

6. ^ a b c d Campbell (1995), pp. 14–16

7. ^ a b Lewis, pp. 165–168

8. ^ George, pp. 45–46

9. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 620

10. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 602

11. ^ a b "The Jackson Five". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-jackson-five. Retrieved on May 29, 2007.

12. ^ a b c d e f g h "Michael Jackson: Biography". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/michaeljackson/biography. Retrieved on February 14, 2008.

13. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 17

14. ^ a b c d George, p. 22

15. ^ a b Taraborrelli, pp. 138–144

16. ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 163–169

17. ^ a b c George, p. 23

18. ^ a b c d Taraborrelli, pp. 205–210

19. ^ a b c George, pp. 37–38

20. ^ "Michael Jackson: Off the Wall - Classic albums - Music - Virgin media". Virgin Media. http://www.virginmedia.com/music/classicalbums/michaeljackson-offthewall.php. Retrieved on December 12, 2008.

21. ^ a b c d e f "Gold and Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Michael%20Jackson&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=100. Retrieved on April 27, 2008.

22. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 188

23. ^ Taraborrelli, p. 191

24. ^ a b "Grammy Award Winners". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=Michael+Jackson&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1. Retrieved on February 14, 2008.

25. ^ Lewis, p. 47

26. ^ a b c d George, pp. 50–53

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192. ^ Lewis, pp. 125–126

193. ^ Guinness World Records 2004

194. ^ Jean-Louis, Rosemary (November 1, 2004). "Usher, Usher, Usher: The new 'King of Pop'?". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/01/usher/. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.

195. ^ "ADL happy with Michael Jackson decision". Anti-Defamation League. (June 22, 1995). http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASUS_12/2471_12.asp. Retrieved on July 1, 2008.

196. ^ "Michael Jackson and Halle Berry Pick Up Bambi Awards in Berlin". Hello!. (November 22, 2002). http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2002/11/22/michaeljackson/. Retrieved on July 23, 2008.

197. ^ "Most No. 1s By Artist (All-Time)". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/most-no1s-overall.shtml. Retrieved on September 8, 2008.

198. ^ "Pop Icon Looks Back At A "Thriller" Of A Career In New Interview". CBS. (November 6, 2007). http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/06/entertainment/main3461884.shtml. Retrieved on February 14, 2008.

199. ^ Lee, Chris (May 31, 2009). "To this financier, Michael Jackson is an undervalued asset". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-michael-jackson31-2009may31,0,1441957.story. Retrieved on May 31, 2009.

200. ^ Utley, Tom (March 8, 2003). "Of course Jackson's odd — but his genius is what matters". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2003/02/08/do0801.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2003/02/08/ixopinion.html. Retrieved on July 23, 2008.

201. ^ "Witness: Jacko Lived Way Above Means". Fox News Channel. (May 3, 2005). http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155356,00.html. Retrieved on May 30, 2007.

202. ^ "Tom Sneddon: Dogged prosecutor". BBC. (January 31, 2005). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4216779.stm. Retrieved on August 14, 2008.

References

* Campbell, Lisa (1993). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop. Branden. ISBN 082831957X.

* Campbell, Lisa (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 0828320039.

* George, Nelson (2004). Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection booklet. Sony BMG.

* Guinness World Records (2003). Guinness World Records 2004. Guinness. ISBN 1892051206.

* Guinness World Records (2005). Guinness World Records 2006. Guinness. ISBN 1-904994-02-4.

* Jackson, Michael (1988). Moon Walk. Doubleday. ISBN 0385247125.

* Lewis, Jel (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture : the Music! the Man! the Legend! the Interviews!. Amber Books Publishing. ISBN 0-974977-90-X.

* Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2004). The Magic and the Madness. Terra Alta, WV: Headline. ISBN 0-330-42005-4.

Sociology: How Past Experiences Affect Your Life

2009-06-08T04:56:00.001-07:00

Sociology: How Past Experiences Affect Your Life

Sociologist Herbert Mead developed a theory known as social behaviorism, which helped explained why past social experiences help form an individuals’ personality. Mead did not believe that personality was developed by drives or biologically, but more on terms socially. He stated that the self only developed when people interact with one another. Without the interaction of other people an individual can’t develop a personality. An example of this is if a child is left in total isolation for a long period of time then they don’t mature both physically or mentally.

Next, social experience is crucial, and this includes the exchange of symbols. Only people attach meanings to words and symbols. If you tell a dog to sit and it obeys then you may give it a snack. However, this doesn’t mean it knows why to sit down, but it does so to get food. You can tell a dog to sit for numerous of reasons such as wanting to impress your friends, or to calm it down because it is running all over the place. Also, Mead noted that understanding individual intentions is critical. This will help us to analyze how an individual will respond even before we act. For example, when we’re driving we all anticipate what others may do because of experience. If an individual behinds you is speeding up rather quickly, then you can assume that they are about to switch lanes, or you can assume that they are in a rush and need to get somewhere quickly. Mead refers to this as taking another individual’s role.

Another important theory that is related to social behaviorism is the looking-glass self. This is basically like mirroring what we think others think of us. If we think others view you as being “good looking,” then you will see yourself as being good looking, or if you think people think that you are fat then you will have that image of yourself. People take the roles of other people during development. Infants have very little knowledge so they tend to mimic others. Children often have creative minds and take on roles of other significant others or people such as parents that have a special importance in their social development. For example, children will play house in which someone will take the role of a mother while another take that of a father. As they age children will learn to take various roles and adjust to their surroundings. As we continue to age we will continue to see changes in our social life. There are a lot of critics of Mead’s theories and some claim that he focus too much on the society in developing an individual’s behavior. Another sociologist Erik H. Erikson stated that unlike Freud who believed that personality was pretty much set in stone in the first couple of years of an individual’s life, that personality changes in stages and occurs all the way up to death. His theory is not all that accurate as well, because people experience changes in different orders and time.

Through all of the disagreements, sociologists generally agree on this main idea, and that is that the family has the greatest impact on an individual’s socialization abilities. When an individual is an infant they have no control and usually rely on their parents and family members to help nurture them. Through family they learn several of communication techniques such as trust, culture, and beliefs. Don’t get me wrong, not all learning comes solely from family; they can come from the environment as well because in a lot of cultures they use the environment to help raise a child. I guess the saying is true in which it takes a “village to raise a child.” It may not be surprising to you that different social classes tend to raise their children differently. An interesting survey that happened in the United States compared what a lower class family would want in a child compared to that of an upper class family. A lower class family would usually favor obedience and conformity while an upper class family would tend to favor creativity and good judgment (NORS, 2003).

Have you ever wondered why? Well the reason is lower class workers tend to have jobs that they must be very obedient in and are highly supervised. Subconsciously they are gearing their children towards that route and will even use physical punishment to achieve it. In upper class workers they tend to have jobs that inspire individuality and creativity which is very similar to the traits they would like to have in their children. School also has a large effect on an individual’s personalities. If you think about it you spend a huge chunk of time each day at school. It’s also interesting to note that children tend to play with people as the same race and gender, and that boys are more physical and aggressive while girls are more well behaved. Boys also tend to find abstract activities more interesting like video games and girls tend to be more artistic.

The same thing follows when they get to college because boys tend to major in physical sciences, and computing while girls usually major in humanities and arts. In school is where children discover peer groups or individual that has similar interest as themselves. People tend o indemnify more with their peer groups and can have conversations about things they understand like clothes, music, and style. Peer groups are a way for individuals to escape adult supervision, and people are usually more out spoken in peer groups. During the adolescent years people tend to identify more with their peer groups because they identify themselves as an adult and that is also a time in which parents are concerned about who their children hang around because they know that who they hang around influence their behavior deeply. During these years the mass media heavily affects individuals as well. Studies have showed that television have made people more passive and lesson their creativity. In the United States we spend he most time watching television and own the most T.V sets per household.

By: Nicholas Tan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Switch to a Dedicated Server

2009-06-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Switch to a Dedicated Server
By Nick V Webb

A question commonly asked in web hosting forums concerns the switch from a regular shared hosting platform, to a more expensive dedicated server solution.

For the purposes of completeness it should be noted that there is an interim step between the two, a Virtual Private Server (VPS). While this solution is very similar in characteristics (albeit less powerful) to the dedicated server solution this article assumes that a VPS is not an acceptable solution for either security or performance reasons.

What follows is a number of key areas that you should think about when considering the move. Hopefully there'll be at least one of them that makes you think about a topic you hadn't considered before and results in you making a more informed decision if and when you make the proverbial leap to a dedicated server.

Expense

It should be noted that gaining exclusive rights to a physical server normally comes with significant cost. Typically a host can sell a server many times over to hundreds (or thousands) of clients; selling the same spec server to one client therefore will always be less profitable to the provider, and so the cost relative to the client is much higher. The magnitude of this difference depends on the specification of the server, the environment in which it's housed and the additional resources that come included with it, for example bandwidth, I.P. addresses and support.

There has been a relatively recent trend towards cheap dedicated servers lately. Personally I think it's worth bearing in mind the old adage "You get what you pay for". Bargain basement server companies are making cuts SOMEWHERE to cut costs. You need to know where, or if they'll charge you for "extras" that other companies include.

Performance

In certain businesses, it is imperative that a response is generated within a certain timeframe, or that the system operates even during peak periods. If your site responds slowly would your visitors be adversely affected? Performance is the most common reason for considering the move to a dedicated server yet people consistently overlook the all important detail.

Hardware Specification

How high a spec server are you actually getting for your money? As of going to print (Mid 2009) you should be expecting Dual Quad Core (8 Core) 2.5 GHz CPU's or greater, at least 4 Gig of RAM and SAS hard drives. Don't buy legacy stock! Old equipment is a bad place to start, especially if you intend on getting a few years use out of your server.

Hardware Redundancy

If you are moving to dedicated hardware, you want to eliminate as many single points of failure as possible. Look for RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) hard drives; RAID 1 is good for the Operating System (OS) and databases, and RAID 5, 6 or 50 is ideal for files. Dual power inputs, from separate battery backed-up UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supplies) provides continuity in case of a black-out or power spike on one phase.

Network

The most common hardware component to fail is the Network Interface Card (NIC).

Does your server have more than 1?

Are you single or multi-homed to the network, and the Internet?

How over-subscribed is the datacentre's bandwidth?

A word of warning here; a popular tactic, especially amongst the cheaper hosts, is to provision hardware that isn't capable of fully realizing its potential. For example, 100Mbps unmetered bandwidth servers often come with a single SATA hard disk or a weka CPU or small amounts of RAM that can't actually fill the connection!

Flexibility

The power to make your own choices is probably the second most popular reason for choosing to go dedicated; your own server gives you autonomy. If you have specific operating system requirements, kernel tweaks, custom libraries, bespoke software applications or plug-ins it's likely that a shared server environment will slow down or forbid deployment of these. Be sure to check that you have full root access and can run the server how you want to before committing.

Data Security

Data protection concerns are the third most common reason for dedicated server purchases. How valuable is your data? If you have personal or business sensitive data that would damage your brand or reputation if leaked then a dedicated server offers significant benefits. It's very rare but servers can be root compromised through another users account. In these cases the hacker can get all the data off the machine. If it's your server, with only your website on it then you can have all but the essential ports on the machine shut down, restrict access by IP and know that you're the only one on the server. Some providers will be able to provide you with a dedicated hardware firewall, often for additional cost, which gives you further piece of mind.

Support

Don't take out a contract with any company that doesn't offer a full Service Level Agreement (SLA) to cover outages and problem resolution.

An example SLA might include:-

* A technical support response, often guaranteed within a certain timeframe.

* A hardware replacement policy; whose responsibility is it if something breaks and needs replacing? How long will it take?

* Remote reboot, again possibly with a time guarantee.

* Connectivity to both the network and the Internet is often guaranteed in % availability, look for at least "4 nines" (99.99%) uptime, don't buy into 100% uptime, if something's too good to be true...

* Look for a company that's willing to be held accountable for the quality of service they provide, you need to know that they are serious about keeping your server running.

Conclusion

In summary, weigh up carefully whether the need to move to a dedicated server is warranted either on the grounds of performance, flexibility or security (or some or all of these reasons). Naturally it has to make financial sense too, but if it does then it's highly likely you won't look back provided you pay close attention to the hardware and company you are committing to. Treat the process like selecting a partner, and you and your server will have many happy days and long nights together!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_V_Webb

The Story Of Wedding Rings

2009-06-08T04:39:00.001-07:00

The Story Of Wedding Rings

A wedding ring can be the most valuable and precious possession in one’s life. It is the visible element that symbolizes the marriage. It is an icon that indicates one’s commitment and loyalty to his/her spouse. Wedding rings are made out of gold, silver, white gold or platinum and are usually worn on the ring finger of the left hand.

According to the British tradition, the best man bears the duty of guarding the two wedding rings until the ceremony. The married couple declares their commitment to each other by wearing the ring after the official wedding ceremony.

The wedding ring is usually worn on the fourth finger of the left hand since that finger has the ‘vein of love’ which is connected to one’s heart. During the classical period this vein was referred as the vena amoris. The Chinese have given an interesting symbolism for all fingers. According to them the thumb represents one’s parents. The index finger symbolises the siblings. The middle finger represents you. The fourth finger represents your life partner and the fifth represents your children.

In some countries such as Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Germany and Spain the wedding rings are worn on the right hand. In some of the eastern parts of India the wedding rings are worn on toes. Some people who are engaged in industrial work wear the wedding ring in a chain in order to guard it against scrapes and scratches.

Wedding rings are usually made with yellow gold which is mixed with copper, tin or silver in order to give it the hardness. Modern wedding rings are mostly made out of platinum or white gold because of their colour and lustre. Titanium is another popular material which is in vogue presently. This metal comes cheaper than gold but of course durable. However due to the low cost some couples settle for wedding rings made out of stainless steel.

Although there are elaborate designs, the wedding rings are usually plain bands without any design. Ladies rings are usually thinner than men’s rings. Three interwoven rings is a popular wedding band design in France. These three rings represent the Christian virtues of love, hope and faith. Some other countries engrave each other’s names to show their bond together.

A wedding is a once-in-a lifetime joining of two hearts. Therefore choosing the perfect wedding rings is important since the couple will wear them till death after that special day. Selecting the perfect wedding ring for your partner is not that easy. Therefore both the bride and the groom should select the rings together. Wedding rings can be simple bands, adorned with diamonds or other precious stones and the possibilities are endless. The best option will be to go through an online brochure of a recommended jeweller and select the perfect design that suits each other.

By: Anne Sutton

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Seo Spiders, What Do They Hunger For?

2009-06-08T04:32:00.000-07:00

Seo Spiders, What Do They Hunger For?

In the previous article ‘Get Traffic With SEO Thinking’ we discussed how search engines work in general and how you can apply SEO to your site or article. You should understand, or at least be aware, of where to put your keywords and how keyword prominence and keyword density works. If you haven’t read it maybe it is a good idea to go do that quickly before we continue.

If you remember correctly a search engine has workers and thinkers, spiders and indexers. When we discussed keyword densities and the like we were focusing more on the indexing part of the search engine algorithm. Let’s have a look at websites from the spider’s point of view, what do they like?

Spiders like:
• Text more then they like code. For the most part it’s quite easy to have more lines of text then code. Be aware that some programs, like the MS Office Suite, add a lot of extra code to a file. This is to enable you to open any MS file in almost any application.

• Keyword densities in the range of 3-7%. Anything less is off subject and something ridicules like say 20% is frowned upon and possible flagged.

• Backlinks from other sites, it’s said that authority sites have an average of 300 backlinks pointing to them.

• Original content. If you didn’t write it, it’s probably not original. Although you might pay someone to do it, but then you own the only copy.

• Sites that download quickly. One of the biggest culprits in slowing download down is dynamic URLs, like pictures, from other sites.

• Site maps. They take seconds to build, so do it and update it at least once a month.

• ALT Tabs for images, because spiders cannot see pictures.

• Links to websites that are contextually relevant. If your site is about making online millions you should link to something like investing millions, contextually relevant but not competitive.

• Fresh content every time the spider crawls your site. Spiders are like girls, they love new stuff.

Spiders do not like:

• More lines of code than text.

• Nested tables. It adds code and the spiders take longer to digest the tables, making you less likely to be crawled.

• Mega-high keyword densities, also called keyword stuffing. It’s unnatural, and the search engines have caught on. You should remember that using a keyword stuffed portal as a doorway page is doing exactly the same thing. Bad programmer!

• Too many backlinks to your own home or landing page from within your own domain.

• Duplicate content, it doesn’t matter from where or how. Even if someone copies from YOUR site you have duplicate content.

• A slow loading site. Watch those dynamic URLs.

• Automated link swapping that could be because of repeating exactly the same words in your linking text, spiders are allowed to do this, we, ironically are not.

• Stale content, it smells like old people to spiders. So, go ahead, update your site, its fun.

By: Gill Taylor

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Common Sense Marketing: Get A Check-up

2009-06-08T04:28:00.001-07:00

Common Sense Marketing: Get A Check-up

Mark Twain had said, "There are lies, damn lies and statistics." Marketing is no different. In this Internet age, information is at your fingertips for everything from A to Z to Google. It's easy to feel overwhelmed with the information overload and yearn for simpler times or just want the plain, simple truth.

Where do you go to get the appropriate advice to help promote your products or services? Sometimes the "marketing truth" is in front of you. For those building a business online or wanting to take it to the next level, the good news is you can use common sense marketing in your assessment of what has worked and what needs work. No, you can't do everything and sometimes it is hard to be objective. But if you have a product or service that is under-performing or has potential, then have a marketing check-up. There is help out there and, better yet, a solution to every problem.

So how can you deliver effective marketing material that will significantly improve sales and see if you are on target? Here are a few simple tips:

1. Solving a Problem: Is the Solution Quick to Understand?
Keep it SIMPLE. Credibility is a key factor in offering a product or service. Online your potential customer needs to see exactly how these benefits can solve their problem. Give them problems/questions they can relate to and answer their concerns plainly.

2. Does It Make Sense?
Keep it REAL. You only have a few ticks of time to catch viewer interest. So you need to have your marketing make sense. No contradictions and no over complicated offers.

Do your family, friends, colleagues, and strangers - old and young - understand what you are offering and how valuable it is? Can you explain it to them in 30 seconds or less and have them repeat it back to you? Remember, they are a cross section of a larger market with more or less attention.

Distill your message to basic features and benefits without complex concepts or terminology. You will be more impressive if you keep it real!

3. Spring Cleaning - Visual Clarity
Keep it CLEAR. When developing a new website or reworking an existing site, keep in mind your target audience: young, old, male, female, occupation, education and buying habits. Once you have determined the demographics, use appropriate visual stimulation - colors, images, graphics and offers - to enhance your content.

Chunk or subdivide your home page so people can go through the portal of choice to the appropriate interior page. If you are grocery shopping and don't know the store, you need visual stimulus or signage to help you find that can of beans. Same holds true for a website. Visual clarity translates into longer page views and deeper interest.

4. Do You Have a Roadmap to Your Destination?
Keep it SEARCHABLE. I know you already know this, but it needs to be hammered home. Even the best-developed site can under-perform if the traffic is not there. Your site must be constructed with content rich keywords and then optimized for search. This is where you need to allocate resources in your budget.

A properly optimized site will rank higher on Google and drive qualified traffic, generating more leads and sales. Your ROI will go up. Hire an SEO expert to review your site so you can quantify the effectiveness of your optimized site. It will be well worth it; and, incidentally, that's where the statistics don't lie.

5. What More Can I Do to Increase Sales?
Keep it MARKETABLE. Take advantage of all your marketing resources. The more noise you make, the more attention you will generate. Social media marketing has finally come into its own. You need to be active on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as article marketing, blogging and developing email campaigns. In short, be in front of your potential customers.

Connect with your list and become a familiar fixture on the net. People are more apt to buy from someone or something they know. Off-page marketing helps give you that street credibility.

People often react to straightforward answers to solve their problems even though they can be wooed by all the marketing extras, the value added incentives, and ironclad guarantees.

By: Bob Speyer

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Swine Flu Prevention

2009-05-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu Prevention

There is a lot of anxiety among our society concerning the Swine Flu. It wouldn't be my personal preference to catch the illness because it seems to give a hard swift punishment to the victim. This strain can carry morph into any one of the three strains of influenza. Pigs do carry influenza viruses and can adapt or morph in humans. The swine flu can also change to infect birds, causing the strain to switch genes and create a pandemic.

Like any type of new illness there are precautions people can take to prevent infection and the spread of the Swine Flu. It natural for people to cough directly into their hands. All the germs coming from the reparatory system are transported from the internal body and passed along to places, like car keys, door knobs, drinking fountains, and door handles. This can devastate the main population if one is carrying the actual Swine Flu. Create a habit of coughing into your shoulder or into your arm to minimize the spread of all germs and not just the Swine Flu

At night it would be favorable to spray Lysol spray on light switches, toilet seats, toilet handles, freezer and fridge handles to kill the Swine flu and other bacteria. Lysol is a powerful deterrent to assist in the spread of germs, and illness. Pump bottles of hand sanitizer will help kill the germs on the surface of the skin and can assist in preventing the spread of the Swine flu. But there is a more advanced and preferred method to preventing the spread of Swine Flu.

We have been taught from an early age to wash our hands. Many take for granted the hand washing philosophy. The truth is that Lysol, hand sanitizer, coughing into the arm are all good ways but a good solid deep hand wash is the number one method for preventing the spread of germs. Hand sanitizer, and Lysol only kill the surface of where these items are applied. A deep hand wash bypasses the surface of the skin and really digs down to the grooves and pits of the hand. Ridges within the hand can be microscopic and hard to get reach for the Lysol, and hand sanitizer. A good hefty dose of liquid soap will grind down to the microscopic ridges and pours in the hand and do real damage to destroy the Swine Flu.

By: Nathan Peterson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Build Traffic Using Only Free Methods

2009-05-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

Build Traffic Using Only Free Methods

How sweet it is to have more traffic for your site without spending a single cent. Now it’s a sure thing that many sites have articles that offer tips and guidelines in how to generate traffic using only free methods. Because it is possible, you don’t need to speed a single cent, it may take time, to say honestly, I’m not going to beat around the bush with you. You get better chances by paying for your advertisements, but at least you get a fighting chance with some of these free methods I’m about to tell you.

Take advantage of online forums and online communities. The great thing about forums and online communities is that you can target a certain group that fits the certain demographic that you are looking for. You can discuss about lots of things about the niche that you represent or offer. Another great advantage is that you know what you are getting into and you will be prepared.

With online communities and forums you can build a reputation for your company. Show them what you are made of and wow them with your range of expertise about the subject, with that you can build a reputation and build trust with the people in your expertise and knowledge.

You can also make use of newsletters. Provide people with a catalog of your products and interesting and entertaining articles. If you make it really interesting and entertaining, more people will sign up for your newsletter and recommend it to other people. The more people who signs up for your newsletter, the more people there will be that will go to your site increasing your traffic.

Another great idea is trading links with other sites. You don’t have to spend a cent. All you have to do is reach an agreement with another webmaster. With exchanging links, the efforts both sites do will benefit both sites. Every traffic that goes to the site could potentially click on the link of your site and visit your site as well. This works well especially when both sites feature the same niche.

Write articles that could pique the attention of people that have interest in your product. Try writing articles that will provide tips and guides to other aficionados. Writing articles that provide good service and knowledge to other people would provide the necessary mileage your traffic flow needs.

Many sites offer free submission and posting of your articles. When people find interest in your articles they have a good chance of following the track by finding out where the article originated. Include a link or a brief description of your company with the article and there’s a great probability that they will go to your site.

Write good content for your site. Many search engines track down the keywords and keyword phrases your site uses and how they are used. It is not a requirement that a content should be done by a professional content writer. You could do your on but you have to make content for your site that is entertaining as well as informational. It should provide certain requirements as well as great quality.
Generally, internet users use search engines to find what they are looking for. Search engines in return use keyword searching in aiding their search results. With the right keywords, you could get high rankings in search engine results without the costs.

All of these methods and more will drive more traffic to your site for free. All it takes is a bit of effort and extended man hours. Learn all you can about the methods depicted here and you will soon have a site with a great traffic flow without the usual costs that come with it.
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By: Jack Mountsburgh

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Website Analytics – A Necessity For Growing Your Business

2009-05-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Website Analytics – A Necessity For Growing Your Business

These days, installing a good website analytics program on your website is simple and costs nothing. Still, there are many small business websites that have not taken advantage of the amazing information they can retrieve through an integrated analytics package.

Here are my top five reasons for installing an analytics package on your business website.

Reason #1: Navigation Path Analysis
While your homepage is probably your most viewed page, realize that people will also land on other pages deeper within your site.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see the navigation path visitors take when they first hit your site? You might assume they are taking one path when, in reality, they are taking a very different one that lowers the chance of conversion.

If you don’t know how people move through your website, it will be very difficult to tune your site to improve visitor experience.

Reason #2: Traffic Referral Monitoring
How do people actually find your business website? How much traffic is Google or Yahoo sending your way? Is your online advertising actually driving traffic back to your site?

An analytics package will tell you which sites people were at before coming to yours. In addition, you'll learn what people typed into the various search engines to find your web pages. This information is critical to help you discover what is driving traffic so that you can do more of the things that work and less of things that don't!

Reason #3: Page Content
Did you just write a great new content article for your site? A good analytics package will show you how often pages get viewed relative to others on your site. You'll also know exactly how long people stayed at a particular page.

This information can help you decide how popular your pages are. If you know which pages your visitors tend to linger on, you can adjust any advertising or monetization strategies for higher profits.

Reason #4: Key Performance Indicators
A good analytics package will allow you to set up and monitor user-defined goals. By defining and monitoring your key performance indicators, you’ll always know how effective your page elements are in enticing and converting your visitors.

The real power comes from combining an analytics package with A/B Split and multivariate testing. By using these two tools together, you will be able to not only monitor your conversions rates, but test the various page elements that lead to higher conversions.

Reason #5: Trend Monitoring
Trend monitoring lets you look at any single performance indicator over time. Seeing how your conversion rates and other indicators change over time will give you a quick indication of the overall health of your business.

Trends that are useful to monitor over time include:

- Average time on site (i.e., visitor engagement)
- Depth of visit (How many total pages are viewed?)
- Unique visitors
- Repeat visitors
- Bounce rate (# people that leave after viewing only 1 page)

While there are many types of analytics packages available, for ease of installation and use, I recommend Google Analytics. The program is free and has several years of real-world testing. In addition, there are a lot of good books available that show how to setup the package on your website.

Installing Google Analytics on your website is simply a matter of pasting a little tracking code on each of your pages and then having Google verify the installation. Once Google picks up on your tracking code, you’ll be presented with an analytics Dashboard upon signing into your account.

There are also many paid-for analytics packages that have their own advantages and drawbacks. Take the time to research the best package for your needs.

You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken. A good analytics package can help identify what needs to be improved. Start monitoring your web visitors today and you’ll be well on your way to improving both your site and your profits.

By: Corte Swearingen

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Ten Ways For Small Businesses To Cut Costs

2009-05-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ten Ways For Small Businesses To Cut Costs

As the economy shrinks businesses must think in terms of cost cutting. Business owners must start by looking at all costs. Finding ways to save money may be challenging but it will be important for surviving and thriving in a down economy. Here are 10 ideas that the "Kiplinger Letter" lists as ways other businesses have reduced costs.

1. Renegotiate contracts – Look at everything for which you have a contract. This might include advertising, phone bills, leases etc. With all the layoffs and business closings vendors may be ready to make a deal. I recently had my cell phone contract expire. I went into AT&T and told them what I had been paying and that I wanted a discount. They reduced my payments without my having to sign a new contract. It is worth asking even without a contract.

2. Pare benefits – Health Insurance is a big cost. Raising the co-pay and deductible is one way to reduce the cost. If you have valuable employees, you will want to tell them why you are doing this. Look at the other benefits you offer too. Where can you reduce the benefit even temporarily?

3. Curb travel – Use videoconferencing, webinars and teleconferencing to help eliminate the need for most travel. When travel is necessary use discount hotels, economy rental cars and mass transit.

4. Watch energy use – Install and use programmable thermostats that turn down the heat at night or when you are away. Use energy efficient light bulbs and turn off lights and computers at night.

5. Bartering – Partner with other businesses to provide them services or product in exchange for their service or product. Online marketplaces allow swapping for credits to buy what you need.

6. Get by with less – As business contracts you may need less. Look for places where use of product may have been excessive in the past and cut down.

7. Repair don’t replace – Don’t throw something out just because it doesn’t work properly. Instead of buying something new see if it can be repaired. (Shoes are a good example here. When the soles or heels are worn, take them to a shoe maker.)

8. Do it yourself – Farming out the work may be less necessary now when business is slow. Look at the responsibilities of your staff and be sure that each has enough to do. One caution – leave time in your day for marketing. One reason for having someone else do the work for you, is to leave time in your day so that you do the work that only you can do.

9. Use electronic methods – Pay your bills online to save postage. Use electronic files and save paper and printer ink.

10. Shop for discounts – Buy in bulk, take advantage of association discounts, look for volume discounts on services (courier, Fedex, telephone)
The Kiplinger Letter also warns that care must be taken to make the right cuts without jeopardizing safety or customer service. Care must be taken to insure that it will be easy to gear up when the economy turns around. I’d also recommend you focus on business development at the same time as you do cost cutting. Businesses can not survive on cost cutting alone.

By: Alvah Parker

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Online Food Cater With An Amazing Vision

2009-05-19T08:11:00.001-07:00

Online Food Cater With An Amazing Vision

What should be characteristic of an ideal online catering food services provider?
The question was asked to the leading name in this segment i.e. cbdcatering.co.nz. The answer was quite simple check out our services or our clients’ feedback. Actually, the point was caterers’ immaculate control upon all aspects of food catering. The name of the company is known as the synonym of the Catering Supplies New Zealand and it is quite obvious.

Let’s understand the riddle for being so much special name in online catering food services. Normally, we have seen that caters use to focus upon varieties and quality in food menu. But, cbdcatering.co.nz is working in more exclusive way. It seems as if it has a research team that always deals with the assignment. Yes, the assignment might be concerning with loop holes in catering services or may be topic ‘clients expectation’.

Cbdcatering.co.nz understands that on every normal or auspicious occasion, varieties of persons are invited. All may not be healthy and hence, all delicious food items may be worthless for them. So, is there any alternate for them? Cbdcatering.co.nz has identified this loop hole and included raw food in its menu. Actually, it applies with all leading catering services providers. Such understanding will enhance their credibility and popularity.

Anyways, we are here to explore diabetes and its connection with raw food. There is estimation that alone in US millions of people are suffering from diabetes and the most crucial aspect of the disease is the fact that still lot more people are left to be diagnosed. So, whether all of the causes pertaining to diabetes are understood or not, in both circumstances, eating raw food is a wise approach towards the issue.

As a prudent caterer, one should understand that diabetes victims also need same level of nutrition as anyone else. The most important thing is, ‘it is an important element for controlling its dangerous consequences’. Hence, raw food perfectly fits with the entire requirement associated with diabetics. We have often said that Cbdcatering.co.nz is very special name in catering food services. It proves again with this sort of great vision in business. Its vision certainly gives it a special recognition and enhances its credibility as well.

By: seocbd

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Great Methods Used To Treat Depression Naturally

2009-05-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Great Methods Used To Treat Depression Naturally

Depression is a mental problem that affects tons of people every day. Most people may experience only rounds of depression a couple of times throughout their life. While others may feel it for a much longer period of time. Commonly depression is stimulated when an individual has seen something painful in their life. This could be an car accident, a death in the family, divorce, or an attack.

There are a few distinct forms of depression that have the power to touch somebody - but numerous of them have the same symptoms. These symptoms include; loss of energy and hope, feelings of sadness, loss of appetite, and the inability to savor food or physical activities they at one time loved. There are several methods that will assist people to contend with the depression and hopefully to get rid of it altogether. Numerous individuals will go to drugs that their doctor has given to them - but every so often a person will use a natural treatment.

Eat

Consuming foods that are safe for you are able to heal your body and your mind. The best types of foods that you can pick out are the kinds that are not refined and raw. This includes; proteins, whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruits. In many events people will not have the desire to eat when they are disagreeable. To deal with this try to consume little snacks that are safe.

Vitamins

Everyone has to make sure that they are consuming the required vitamins and supplements that their bodies require in order to stay healthy and operating right. Also there are certain types of natural forms of anti-depressants that are able to assist you to unwind and feel good during the day. Ask your doctor what the best natural kind of depression treatment is in this form.

Exercise

Doing physical exercises that are thought to be cardiovascular is an essential way to increase your heart rate and release endorphins. These chemicals are what help to grant you energy and put you in a good mood. Plus exercising on a daily basis is able to better the health of your body.

Counseling

Perhaps one of the greatest types of treating depression is through assistance and guidance. Try to meet with a counsellor once a week and endeavor to determine the root of the problem. If it is a specific situation in your past then discuss what happened and learn how to work through it. Sometimes everyday things can hold us down and stimulate depression because we are not able to let things go. Vent your problems to your counselor and discover ways of letting them go when at home.

By: Naomi West

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Natural Skin Care- A Common Interest Among The Crowd

2009-05-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Natural Skin Care- A Common Interest Among The Crowd

Are you aware of Natural skin care? Do you want to know more about skin lightening and effective treatment to shrink pores? If yes, you have opened the right piece of article, because I am here to shed light on subjects related to acne skin care and various treatments for dehydrated skin. All these methods have produced effective results in people all around the world and proved to be natural and risk free.

Acne is produced whenever there is an inflammation to the sebaceous glands and the hair follicles. There are normally seen in the form of comedones and small pustular eruption, which often leave back scars if not handled carefully. It is easier to get rid of pimples but acne scars treatment is very much difficult. There are many home remedies, which helps to reduce your zits and shrink pores naturally.

Before starting with any natural skin care, you should be able to detect the cause of your illness. Wrong eating habits, excessive consumption of starch and sugars, chronic constipation, unhygienic living conditions all attribute to acne formation. To determine the exact cause of your disease always take the opinion of a dermatologist. Here are a few remedies, which are easily available in your kitchen useful for acne scars treatment.

Orange peel is the best remedy for treating acne. Pound it well with water on a piece of stone and apply it to the affected area. They help in skin lightening as well as to shrink pores therefore expelling the dirt accumulated in the skin. Garlic is another effective method suggested in the manual of dermatologist skin care. It is very much useful for Acne Scars Treatment as garlic tends to posses antiseptic and antibacterial properties. The ideal way is to rub the affected areas with a pod of garlic twice daily until the pimples decreases in size and vanish completely. It also purifies the blood stream and expels the toxic substances from the body.

Coriander and mint leaves are helpful in skin lightening which doctors also prescribe. A teaspoon of coriander leaves along with a pinch of turmeric and apply it overnight for the best outcome. Wash them off with cold water in the morning and feel the difference in the texture of the skin. Mint juice is also used in the same manner as coriander leaves. Applying grated cucumber on face, eyes and neck will hydrate the skin and make it healthy. It helps to trap the moisture content in the skin and produces a glow to the face.

Nowadays skin care online services are also present. There are many sites, which helps you in treating your acne and other skin diseases through internet. You can also talk to the doctor through chat screens and web cams, which helps in effective management of your illness. Skin is the vital as well as the largest organ in the body and any infliction on it will affect the overall personality of the person. Treat your skin naturally and protect it from all chemicals and harmful substances.

By: Dayna Heden

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Acne Medicine-top New Developments

2009-05-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Acne Medicine-top New Developments

Acne medicine is developing as fast as the understanding of what causes acne and how best to treat the causes. The unfortunate truth about acne is that the treatment in the past has usually not been as effective as it could have been because it was not treating the underlying true cause of the condition. For example, eliminating chocolate and cheese from the diet doesn't stop the outbreaks of acne. However, smart nutritional habits are good for your skin health and the overall health of those with acne and those who are acne free as well.

Hormonal Therapy

Fluctuating hormone levels have been found to be a significant factor in the severity of acne formation on the skin, particularly when it is adult acne. This is found quite commonly as a cause of acne in adult females from ages 25 to 35. Acne medicine prescribed with the purpose of inhibiting the stimulation of androgens on the sebaceous glands. Unfortunately, not all acne specialists are familiar with this type of remedy. It requires oral medication and monitoring by blood tests. However, if other treatment isn't working well, you may want to consider pursuing this treatment modality. Even some severe cases have shown surprising results after hormone treatment.

Light Treatment

Light treatment is a nontraditional acne medicine that has become popular in recent years. It is also known as blue light. This is a treatment using high intensity lights that acts in a similar manner to ultraviolet light when it is used in a water purification system. The bacteria population on the skin is bathed in blue light in a series of treatment sessions. This results in a reduction of the number of bacteria. The practice of using UV lights has been discontinued because of its tendency to damage the skin.

Topical Remedies

Dapsone is a typical prescription that is commonly accepted as an effective treatment for severe or inflammatory acne. In addition, the sulfone derivative is effective in treating acne and other skin disorders. The topical form of the antibacterial agent is now used in the treatment of acne blemishes that fall in the range of moderate to mild lesions from acne. The purpose of acne medicine in the topical form is to reduce the number of bacteria found on the skin. Other antibiotics and topical remedies have the purpose of soothing and healing the skin.

Treating Cystic Acne

Acne medicine focused on the treatment for cystic acne is caused by clogged oil ducts. The clogged ducts typically become infected. Common medications are focused on eliminating or at least reducing the bacteria that is common to the skin. Any treatment must be based on reduction of bacteria, slowing or stopping the production of oil through destruction of the glands or controlling the hormone production. The third major component of treating cystic acne is to provide for cleansing of the skin so that new outbreaks are reduced or eliminated. This threefold approach eliminates most of the causative factors for the condition.

By: Ingrid

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Thank You Card Etiquette After The Holidays

2009-04-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

Thank You Card Etiquette After The Holidays

Once the holidays are over and all of the sparkling decorations are put away, there may still be one task left to do. Sending out thank you cards to those you were thoughtful enough to give you and your family gift’s is surely something that should be done. It is a major part of the holidays that should not be neglected.

When is the last time you sent a thank you card for a gift you received? Do you even know under what conditions you should send a thank you card? Should you send a thank-you card if you received the gift in person and thanked the gift-giver on the spot? What about sending thank you cards via e-cards? Is that ever appropriate?

There are many questions when it comes to thank you card etiquette after the holidays. Fortunately, the answers are not too complicated. Here are some of the answers to those questions and a few others.

What should a thank you card be written on?

A simple note card that reflects your personality is fine for your holiday thank you cards. They do not particularly need to have a holiday theme. Chances are by the time you send this card the holidays will be over. The cards can be personalized with your name or maybe an initial; or they can be general cards bought from any stationery store. Do not simply tear a page out of a notebook to write the thank you. A note card, either casual or formal, is completely appropriate.

When should holiday thank you cards by sent by?

Thank you cards should be sent out no later than two weeks after the first of the year. Most people consider New Year’s the end of the holiday season, and with the end of the season comes the beginning of the thank you card writing.

Do I need to send a thank you card when I’ve already thanked the giver in person?

It is not necessary to send a thank you card if you received the gift in person and gave your thanks at that time. However, it is certainly not in poor taste to send a thank you card.

What should I say in the thank you card?

Always start with a simple “Thank you for the (gift name).” It is always important to mention the gift specifically. You can add how much you like the gift, when you think you will use it, or mention that you already have used it. If you didn’t like the gift, do not say so. This is very poor etiquette. A simple, “Thank you for the (gift name), It was very thoughtful of you to remember me (us) during the holidays” will suffice.

Should children write their own thank you cards?

Yes, children should write their own thank you cards. If all a child can do is write his or her own name, then the parent should write the card and let the child sign it. It does not matter how poor the handwriting is, children’s handwriting is cute. The gift giver will be delighted that the child signed it, even if it’s illegible. Children who are capable of writing their own, however, should write simple thank you cards for the gifts they receive.

How should I say thank you for a monetary gift?

There are special etiquette rules for monetary gifts, but they are not too complicated. It is customary to thank the giver for his “generous gift” but to not mention the amount specifically. It is also appropriate to mention what you are planning on putting the gift towards. For example, if a relative gave a monetary gift to the whole family, you could say, “Thank you for your generous Christmas gift. We will be using it to purchase a family membership to the local zoo this year. We’ll think of you every time we head to the zoo.”

Are sending thank you e-cards appropriate?

E-cards are still not considered proper etiquette when sending thank you notes. When someone has taken the time to select, wrap, and give you a personal gift, it is appropriate to thank them with a personal note. Many people send e-cards instead of paper cards for environmental reasons. That is understandable, but when it comes to thank you cards, it may be better to buy stationery on recycled paper. That way, the environment is still taken into consideration, but your thank you is personal.

To whom should I address the thank you card?

The card should be written to whoever signed the card that accompanied your gift. If the card said the “Smith family” the envelope should be addressed to “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and the inside card can name each member of the family by name. Be sure to include any children’s names if the gift came from the children, too.

There is one last personal touch to include, use a stamp that you placed on the envelope. A post office stamp is very impersonal.

By: Suzanne_Bradley

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Earth Day

2009-04-21T20:53:00.001-07:00

Earth Day

Earth Day is a name used for two different observances, both held annually during spring in the northern hemisphere, and autumn in the southern hemisphere. These are intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment. The United Nations celebrates Earth Day, which was founded by John McConnell in 1969, each year on the March equinox, while a global observance originated by Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, and since January 1970 also called Earth Day, is celebrated in many countries each year on April 22, including the U.S.

History of the April 22 Earth Day

In September 1969, at a conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment. Senator Nelson first proposed the nationwide environmental protest to thrust the environment onto the national agenda.” "It was a gamble," he recalls, "but it worked." Five months before the first April 22 Earth Day, on Sunday, November 30, 1969, The New York Times carried a lengthy article by Gladwin Hill reporting on the rising tide of environmental events::

"Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam...a national day of observance of environmental problems...is being planned for next spring...when a nationwide environmental 'teach-in'...coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned...." Senator Nelson also hired Denis Hayes as the coordinator.

Each year, the April 22 Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Among other things, 1970 in the United States brought with it the Kent State shootings, the advent of fiber optics, "Bridge over Troubled Water," Apollo 13, the Beatles' last album, the death of Jimi Hendrix, and the meltdown of fuel rods in the Savannah River nuclear plant near Aiken, South Carolina -- an incident not acknowledged for 18 years. At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Environment was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news. But Earth Day 1970 turned that all around.

On April 22, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

Mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting the status of environmental issues onto the world stage. Earth Day on April 22 in 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

As the millennium approached, Hayes agreed to spearhead another campaign, this time focused on global warming and a push for clean energy. The April 22 Earth Day in 2000 combined the big-picture feistiness of the first Earth Day with the international grassroots activism of Earth Day 1990. For 2000, Earth Day had the Internet to help link activists around the world. By the time April 22 rolled around, 5,000 environmental groups around the world were on board, reaching out to hundreds of millions of people in a record 184 countries. Events varied: A talking drum chain traveled from village to village in Gabon, Africa, for example, while hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., USA.

Earth Day 2000 sent the message loud and clear that citizens the world 'round wanted quick and decisive action on clean energy. Earth Day 2007 was one of the largest Earth Days to date, with an estimated billion people participating in the activities in thousands of places like Kiev, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; Tuvalu; Manila, Philippines; Togo; Madrid, Spain; London; and New York.

Founded by the organizers of the first April 22 Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide. Earth Day Network is a driving force steering environmental awareness around the world. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect change in local, national, and global policies.

Earth Day Network’s international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in Earth Day Network campaigns every year.

History of the Equinox Earth Day

The equinoctial Earth Day is celebrated on the March equinox (around 20 March) to mark the precise moment of astronomical mid-spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and of astronomical mid-autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. An equinox in astronomy is that moment in time (not a whole day) when the center of the Sun can be observed to be directly above the Earth's equator, occurring around March 20 and September 23 each year. Although astronomically they occur at the mid-point of the seasons, in most cultures the equinoxes and solstices are considered to start or separate the seasons.

John McConnell first introduced the idea of a global holiday called "Earth Day" at a UNESCO Conference on the Environment in 1969. The first Earth Day proclamation was issued by San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto on March 21, 1970. Celebrations were held in various cities including San Francisco, in Davis, California with a multi-day street party, and elsewhere. UN Secretary-General U Thant supported McConnell's global initiative to celebrate this annual event, and on February 26, 1971, he signed a proclamation to that effect, saying:

May there only be peaceful and cheerful Earth Days to come for our beautiful Spaceship Earth as it continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and fragile cargo of animate life. Secretary General Waldheim observed Earth Day with similar ceremonies on the March equinox in 1972, and the United Nations Earth Day ceremony has continued each year since on the day of the March equinox (the United Nations also works with organizers of the April 22nd global event). Margaret Mead added her support for the equinox Earth Day, and in 1978 declared:

"EARTH DAY is the first holy day which transcends all national borders, yet preserves all geographical integrities, spans mountains and oceans and time belts, and yet brings people all over the world into one resonating accord, is devoted to the preservation of the harmony in nature and yet draws upon the triumphs of technology, the measurement of time, and instantaneous communication through space.

EARTH DAY draws on astronomical phenomena in a new way – which is also the most ancient way – using the vernal Equinox, the time when the Sun crosses the equator making night and day of equal length in all parts of the Earth. To this point in the annual calendar, EARTH DAY attaches no local or divisive set of symbols, no statement of the truth or superiority of one way of life over another. But the selection of the March Equinox makes planetary observance of a shared event possible, and a flag which shows the Earth as seen from space appropriate

At the moment of the equinox, it is traditional to observe Earth Day by ringing the Japanese Peace Bell, a bell donated by Japan to the United Nations. Over the years celebrations have occurred in various cities worldwide at the same time as the celebration at the UN. On March 20, 2008, in addition to the ceremony at the United Nations, ceremonies were held in New Zealand, and bells were sounded in California, Vienna, Paris, Lithuania, Tokyo and many other locations. The equinox Earth Day at the UN is organized by the Earth Society Foundation

source:

http://allaboutreviews.blogspot.com/2008/04/earth-day.html

Atkins Grapefruit Diet

2009-04-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

Atkins Grapefruit Diet

There is a diet that really has nothing to do with the Atkins Diet, called the Atkins Grapefruit diet, that combines elements of it's famous namesake and an all grapefruit diet. A closer look into this diet shows that it may not be all it claims to be.

You'll be hard pressed to find information about the Atkins Grapefruit diet, such as any details of the company that produces it. One common element of cons is that clear information is generally hard to find. This is what the Atkins grapefruit diet seems to do in an attempt to get people to associate it with two supposedly effective diets.

Does the Atkins grapefruit diet have anything to do with the actual Atkins diet? No, in fact the Induction phase of the Atkins diet is bereft of fruit, and there's no mention of the grapefruit version on the Atkins web site.

These are the foods allowed in the Atkins diet Induction phase – sorry Atkins grapefruit diet, no fruit here:

Fish of all kinds
All fowl such as turkey and chicken
Any shellfish
Meat, such as beef and pork
Any style egg
Any variety of cheeses
All sorts of vegetables
Any herbs and spices to make food more exciting
Butter, lard, any oils
Water and other low carb drinks including diet soda

Notice one thing – fruit is not on that list. Grapefruit and other fruits such as fruit juices are specified in other phases of the Atkins diet. But there is far more grapefruit in the Atkins Grapefruit diet than Dr. Atkins would ever dream of allowing.

The Atkins Grapefruit diet is a diet plan, not endorsed by the estate of Dr. Atkins, that plays on the popularity of the grapefruit diet and the Atkins diet name. Don't look now, but it may not be what people hope. First of all it's pretty difficult to find information on the Atkins grapefruit diet plan. Smart people know that when someone is perpetrating a deception, or a con, they will often gloss over facts.

The Atkins Grapefruit Diet recommends a cup of grapefruit juice or a cup of grapefruit sections, with 8 and 18 carbs respectively. Even the phases of Atkins that allow grapefruit limit intake to below 8 grams of carbs of grapefruit per day. That's a severe disagreement.

Most reasonable people would look directly at the Atkins site the moment they heard of the Atkins Grapefruit Diet. It starts to sound fishy when there's no mention there.

By: AnuRadha

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Online Debt Consolidation Service

2009-03-16T20:00:00.001-07:00

Online Debt Consolidation Service

An online debt consolidation service has several advantages over a traditional service, especially speed and convenience. On the other hand, it’s easier to get scammed online, so be careful when reviewing online debt consolidation services. Once you know the warning signs, you can find a reliable service that can get you on the road to being debt-free today.

The Convenience of an Online Debt Consolidation Service
Most debt consolidation services operate during business hours. If you work during business hours, then you’ll have to take sick time, vacation time, or lose a day’s pay in order to meet with a credit counselor. When you opt for an online service, you can complete the forms on your own time and have a response when you get home from work.

Using an online service also makes it easier to research various services to compare their reputations and recommendations. Use other online resources like the Better Business Bureau to find out if the service is reliable and trustworthy.

When you opt for an online debt consolidation service, you may also find that you get faster service. You won’t need to wait for an appointment and return for follow-up appointments. You can complete all the paperwork online as soon as you receive it so your counselor can act on it immediately.

Online Debt Consolidation Scams: Warning Signs
Unfortunately, when you search online for a debt consolidation service, you’re also more likely to find one that isn’t trustworthy. That’s why it’s important to carefully investigate service before revealing your personal information and account numbers. You may be dealing with online debt consolidation scammers if they:

Request your social security number and account numbers before you’ve agreed to the service

Require a large up-front fee

Charge a high monthly fee

Recommend a solution before reviewing your accounts

Push you to sign up now, without time to think

Claim that the offer is only good today

Although a credit counselor won’t be able to accurately assess your situation without knowing some of your financial information, they don’t need sensitive information right away. In order to advise you, they’ll need to know your account balances, interest rates, and types of debt.

For example, $3000 at 18% on one credit card, $2000at 16% on another, and a $4000 auto loan at 8%. Once you’ve agreed to service and signed the contract, you’ll need to provide your personal information so they can contact your creditors.

Some services charge a small up-front fee and a monthly fee, or just a monthly maintenance fee. If you find a service that quotes a rate much higher than you’ve found with other services, they’re probably not reputable. You may find that they cash the check for your large fee, but then don’t do anything with your debt.

Take your time to carefully review the recommendations and terms before agreeing to any offer for online debt consolidation. A good offer today will still be available tomorrow. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t have your best interest in mind.

An online debt consolidation service can help you get out of debt, just shop carefully to ensure that you find one that is qualified.

By: Justin narin

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Easy Tips On Choosing Great Web Hosting

2009-02-26T00:50:00.000-08:00

Easy Tips On Choosing Great Web Hosting

For your personal website, you want now more than ever to ensure you've got stable, fast hosting that is loaded with features. If your hosting server goes down every day, as far as your visitors and search engines go, there's no point in your site even existing.

The problem is that picking a good host to someone who doesn't have experience can be quite tricky. To make sure everything goes as cleanly as possible, here are a list of simple suggestions, tips and tricks to make sure your get the most value for your dollar.

There is a common stereotype that setting up and running a website is a pricey or expensive process. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Web hosting needn't be expensive.

There's a ton of trusty web hosting services will host your entire website for less than 5 dollars every month! As long as you don't have a gigantic website that takes on hundreds of thousands of visitors every month, one of these hosting services will be all you need to get started.

In the past years, you used to have to buy a domain name (often for around $100 each), and then go out and pick your hosting plan. Well, not anymore. Any decent web host will provide you with a domain name free of charge. And these aren't just .info or .us or some random type. They are .com, .net and the like.

Remember that you can't really trust most reviews out there. Many of the main review sites on the internet are simply owned by the hosting companies in some way. They're just trying to steer you towards their own company! It's best to ask someone who's been there if you require an honest review of the hosting service.

Always read up on the fine print of your hosting plan. Often times, the rate may be low, but if they charge $150 just to activate the account, it's not so cheap! A quality host won't have an activation fee (or if they do, it will be relatively cheap).

Make sure the company offers proper support. Anymore live chat options in addition to 1-800 numbers are the industry standard.

Also consider what features you need. Is your site going to have PHP code? What about ASP? CGI scripts? Make sure the server will support the types of coding you need. If you don't know what these are, then don't worry about it, since you obviously won't be needing this type of support.

Now all that's left to do is start looking at some hosting sites!

By: RS3RS

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

How To Get Children To Eat Vegetable Recipes

2009-02-19T16:47:00.000-08:00

How To Get Children To Eat Vegetable Recipes

Vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals. The problem is that you often have to tell your kids hundreds of times to eat their vegetables and they still aren't happy about it.

For some reason, children have an aversion to vegetables. They will cry and sit for hours before you finally give in and send them from the table.

Vegetables do not always have to be the enemy. The key is to find a creative way to prepare them and your family will become vegetable lovers rather than vegetable haters!

Do you remember when you were a child and your mother dropped a soggy green lump of cabbage on your plate. Did you want to eat it? Almost certainly not.

There are various ways to encourage your children to eat their vegetables. You might even need to trick them! Broccoli is an example of a vegetable, which is high in vitamin and mineral content, and there are plenty of ways to prepare it. Here are some tips:

Raw - you can put a plateful of raw broccoli in bite size pieces in the refrigerator, arranged around a little dish of salad dressing. Children love to dip their food and serving it in this way is something new for them. Leave the tips of the broccoli on the plate and either encourage your child to eat some or make a game of it. Grilled vegetable recipes are not the only way to prepare veggies.

Bribery - Do not laugh, it works! Tell your child that if he or she eats their veggies, you will give them a special treat when they are done. It is important that you follow through and give him or her the treat.

Use cheese. Cheese and broccoli go very well together. If you pour a cheese sauce over the broccoli, you are adding texture and changing the flavor. You might find your children eat the broccoli in cheese before whatever else you have served with it.

Lasagna - add broccoli to lasagna and smother it with sauce and cheese. Your children may not notice that it is there, and if they do, they will find it to be delicious.

Chopped or Minced - precook the broccoli and cool it for a while before blending it in a food processor. You can then add it to any dish you are making and your kids will not see or taste it.

Shakes - make a milkshake using ice cream milk and a lot of chocolate syrup. Add the broccoli to the shake as you are blending it. The taste of the chocolate will hide the taste of the broccoli. Just make sure that the ice cream that you use has chunks of something in it, that is not hard to find in grocery stores.

There are so many ways that you can get your children to eat their vegetables. It is a very important part of their nutrition.

By: KC Kudra..

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A Boat Racing

2009-01-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

A Boat Racing

I was first exposed to boat racing as a kid. My dad was a big America's Cup fan, and we would often watch sailboat racing on TV. I say often, but it was every four years in fact. Nevertheless, it was such a great event that I would remember every race in perfect detail until the next event. Each race would take hours, and there were dozens of race. It gave us plenty of time to bond, and he explained all the strategy to me.

We actually got involved in sail boat racing ourselves a few times. My dad had a boat on a nearby lake, and we would go out there on most Sundays. We would crank down the rusty old boat lift, walk it out to a nearby buoy, raise the sails, and be off. For a long time, my dad didn't have anything to do with boat racing. He was not very competitive by nature, and the people involved in the boating club out there raced every weekend.

Finally, however, I convinced him to try boat racing with me one time. Although he wouldn't admit it at the time, he definitely seemed to love it. We didn't win, but we did finish respectably in the middle of the pack. For our first boat race, it was actually a pretty good showing.

I didn't get into motor boat racing until I was in college. You see, my dad was a sail boating fan. As such, motor boats were anathema. They made a lot of noise, polluted the water, and most importantly churned up the lake. That would create a lot of wake which would spill the wind out of the sail boats sails. They would also zoom around too close to us, sometimes threatening to hit us.

Needless to say, I didn't tell him when I bought some boat plans, made a motorboat of my own, and set out to race. I wasn't in a serious racing league or anything – it was strictly an informal thing between me and a few friends. Nonetheless, we had a lot of fun racing boats up and down the lake until we were caught by the sheriff one time. That put an end to that fun! Still, it didn't put an end to racing for me. I decided to race sailboats again, and dived into the sport with enthusiasm. I have been doing it ever since.

How To Make An Electric Car Cheaply

2009-01-13T08:23:00.000-08:00

How To Make An Electric Car Cheaply

Are you interested in finding out how to make an electric car cheaply? It used to cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. But not anymore.

New electric car technology has made it much cheaper. The conversion is also easier to do than it used to be. You no longer need to be a super-mechanic.

This is a great time to convert your gas-guzzler into an electric powered vehicle. The New York Times just reported that an electric car infrastructure covering the whole country is in the works right now. Not only that, but you'll be able to specify which source of energy you want.

"Will you have wind, sun, or coal energy power your car battery, sir...?" It might sound crazy, but Forbes magazine says this scenario could become a reality in as little as two years!

But you can find out how to make an electric car right now. There are many electric car conversion kits available online. They cost anywhere from $35 to $50.

These sets of instructions are easy to download, so once you purchase one you're ready to start work immediately.

Next you'll need to find the right tools and parts. You can actually get a lot of the necessary equipment for free, or at very low cost. The manuals show you how.

If you follow the directions closely, you'll be able to do the whole electric car conversion for as little as $300 (excluding the price of the manual).

When you're finished, your car will look the same. It will be able to go at speeds of 50 mph. You can travel 100 miles on just one charge.

When your battery runs low you simply plug it in. Imagine never stopping at a gas station again! In addition, your car doesn't give off any pollution or make unpleasant noises. Electric cars are wonderfully quiet.

One of the best parts about driving an electric car is the huge rebates. That's right. State and federal governments will pay you to drive a renewable energy vehicle.

When you add the rebates to all the money saved on gas, you begin to realize that electric car conversion isn't expensive at all. In fact, you'll come out ahead!

It can also be a lot of fun. And you'll learn about batteries. Big batteries that can hold lots of electricity are the next big industry. They're the cornerstone of clean-technology.

It seems pretty clear that gas-powered cars belong to the past. Electric powered cars are the next big thing. It's an amazing future, and by finding out how to make an electric car you can become part of it right now!

By: Jim Henderson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Wedding Tradition

2009-01-07T19:40:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tradition

To hear certain religious conservatives talk about wedding traditions, you would think that they had existed since the beginning of time and never change. They go on about traditional wedding vows, the role of man and woman in marriage, wedding ceremonies, and the like, pretending that it is an unbreakable tradition that reaches back to the dawn of time. In reality, the idea of a wedding tradition is almost completely foreign to our culture. Traditional weddings meant something much different than even the most conservative weddings nowadays.

Back in the day, a wedding was basically little more than an arrangement for the transfer of property. The bride would be given away by the father to be the husband's property from then on. Although you can see echoes of this wedding tradition in modern weddings, few people in our society would agree that we have a better, more egalitarian way of viewing marriage.

That isn't to say that there aren't wedding traditions in our society. It is just that weddings vary greatly from family to family and culture to culture. In some families, it is almost an obligation to get drunk at the wedding. If you aren't seen to be really enjoying yourself, consuming copious amounts of booze and food, you are insulting your hosts and their family wedding traditions. In other families, a traditional wedding means a fairly sober, somber event. People have fun, but the primary purpose of the wedding is to mark a lifelong commitment.

That is why so many people today decide to make up their own wedding traditions. They write their own wedding vows, arrange their own wedding ceremonies, and come up with novel, unconventional ideas for the party. As a matter of fact, for such a universal custom, it is amazing how many variations you can get away with in weddings!

My very favorite wedding tradition is something that started with my grandmother. Although every one in our family has chosen different styles of wedding decorations, given slightly different wedding vows, and served different food at the wedding reception, one thing has always remained the same. At every wedding, we release butterflies when the bride and groom kiss. It sounds kind of silly, I know, but if you saw it, you would understand. You really have to be there to witness how beautiful an effect it is! It really marks the day as special, an event meant to be remembered forever.

Extreme Sport And What You Should Know About It

2009-01-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

Extreme Sport And What You Should Know About It

Extreme sport pushes the limits and ability of the human mind and body to cope with conditions that are out of the ordinary. Conditions that require a high degree of physical exertion, with the adrenalin-pumping danger of the possibility of death. At times, extreme sport would appear to defy the laws of science. Extreme sports are only as varied as the imagination of clever advertising marketers and designers.

There is a cult-type following, that forms into a sub-culture, which has evolved around the mystique of extreme sport. It is the wealthy, disillusioned and experience-seeking younger generation that has been the focus of the advertising marketers. The gurus have quickly cottoned on to this as being Blue Moon Opportunity (once in a lifetime opportunity) and happy to satisfy the wants of the thrill seekers.

Extreme sports demand the discipline and fitness of the body, as well as the mind, for it frequently involves performing a death defying stunt. This can be clearly seen in operation in those who participate in the sport of diving without oxygen. This is based on a technique first witnessed in dolphins and whales, called the 'Mammalian Diving reflex'. While at the extreme depths of free diving, the 'baracardia shift', the heart beat of a world champion oxygen free diver was recorded to beat as slowly as 9 beats per minute. The deepest free dive ever recorded, was performed by the German Herbet Nitsche, diving with the aid of a weighted sled, to 214 metres (702 feet), in 2007.

Of course there are the expensive 'toys' that have to go with freediving, such as freedive fins, low profile masks, skin tight hydrophobic freedive suits etc. Free diving has developed into the team sports of underwater hockey and rugby.

There is an annual event of extreme sport which has become a collection of summer and winter games, called the X Games. These were created solely for those who prefer their sport vial the TV.

Hang gliding, wind surfing, rock climbing, skiing were once all classed as extreme sports, though now widely accepted. New sports continue to evolve such as snocross, ice climbing, airwavesboarding and wingsuit flying. Once a body has been sipped inside a wingsuit it becomes shaped like an airfoil, through the clever use of a specially designed jumpsuit. Once the participant has free glided through several thousand feet, a normal parachute is used for landing.

Extreme sport continues to evolve with three major factors: breaking the norm, costly equipment and specialized clothing. For the marketers of extreme sport it is limited only by the imagination of the designers, the producers of video-music and the ability of advertising giants to push new frontiers to an experience-hungry thrill-seeking generation. Perhaps we will see a day when there will be a low-gravity, oxygen free giant step extreme sport held on the moon.

By: Lynette Thomas

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