Here at the Glen I'm listening and talking all the time. In and out of class, particularly out of class. They're the conversations one had at 3 a.m. in college, that shift from mysteries-of-the-universe profound, to profoundly silly, then over into practical problem-solving, and back around again. Except we have them all day… and into the night. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Bookstore, hallway, stairwell, koi pond. I turn to whomever is next to me and we're off.
For me it's one of the Glen's great treasures—I love love love this kind of talking. I would do it all the time if I could, even if my brain melted every day the way it did after dinner yesterday.
Today's been more quiet for me: I missed the boat (well, car caravan of buddies) heading to town after lunch, so instead I climbed back in my room and opened a copy of Elle. Yes, the fashion magazine… I figured a mental break might be wise.
The situation for the article is different than mine: in the article a professional writer and a professional image-maker come into conjunction to create something together—that is, the magazine article. They're skilled at their ways of making, so they set briskly to work. It just so happens that both their creative-forms operate better under trust and intimacy… so they've briskly built both. But when the work is over, they both know the implicit rules are that the intimacy is dropped. That continuing the connection is the thing that must be negotiated.
I first went to sleep-away camp, Girl Scout camp, in the summer I moved to Louisville. The summer I turned eight. I'd barely met anyone in my new neighborhood; we'd moved in June, and school was out. My mother decided that camp—and Girl Scout community—would build a good bridge from our move to the start of the school year. And I slipped under the age cutoff.
the last-day exchange of the addresses.
This may be a girl-thing, but at the end of two weeks of being in the same cluster of tents (a.k.a. "unit"), doing the same activities, and trailing behind the same teen mentor-catherders, the girls in each unit hug each other, often weepily, and swear they will keep in touch. We will write every day! We will be friends forever!
But even at age eight I never thought I would write. Not even once.
And I was correct, and not only on my end.
Building these deep friendships, then walking away, never bothered me. I delighted in the intensity and the intimacy such that I felt blessed no matter how ephemeral the connection. However, I quickly figured out that I shouldn't mention my ease. Other girls weren't okay with that—temporary was not allowed. It all had to be permanent, every day, forever, or it couldn't (didn't?) happen. Or at least we all had to pretend that, until we got home.
#Glenlife is, in part, #camplife. A collection of extremely like-minded folk (or why would one show up?) mingle on a small college campus for a week. We bring an assortment of preferred art-forms, but we're all of us people deeply interested in artmaking and (Christian) faith. Few of us have access to much more than one or two colleagues like this at home; that's a large part of what draws us here. So I, for one, am busily jamming fifty-one weeks of topical exploration into seven days: Sunday supper 'til Sunday lunch.
Intensity and brisk intimacy abound. But no one is making promises of undying correspondence.
Perhaps because we're adults, we're less caught by the childhood shibboleths. Perhaps because we're artists, like the journalist and the cinematographer we understand how to fling ourselves into this intimacy with relatively little damage.
Who knows? Perhaps we would all exchange addresses, but social media buffers the edges of loss enough that we get by.
Whatever it is, I'm happy. Whether one-night stands or forever friends.


The Miami Marlins have already added free agents Jose Reyes and Heath Bell, and now they are pushing hard for baseball's biggest free agent, Albert Pujols.
According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Marlins latest offer to Pujols is for ten years, the same length as Alex Rodriguez' record-breaking $275 million contract. That is a lot of years for a team that thinks Pujols is lying about his age (31).
The Marlins previous offer was worth close to $200 million over nine years. Last winter, Pujols rejected a nine-year, $195 million offer from the Cardinals. The three-time MVP reportedly was looking for a ten-year deal worth $230 million. However, the length of the deal was not as important to Pujols as the average annual value of the deal.
If the Marlins do land Pujols, their payroll will break $100 million in 2012. That is a lot of art deco for a team that has never had a payroll north of $60 million.


The apple is a wonderful fruit. However, apple-shaped women don't always feel as wonderful.
You see, an apple shaped body tends to have a softer fuller middle with slim thighs and upper shapely legs.
She often has fuller breasts, thinner hips and thighs and a flatter rear end than most. A protruding tummy is also common among the Apples and is a source of much frustration and low self esteem for many of them.
When Apples gain weight, they have a tendency to gain in the midsection, they usually grow thick around the middle down to the thighs. So not all apples are curvy and overweight but generally, all have larger upper body and wider shoulder. This is down to the fact that Apple shaped women have higher androgen levels compared to women with other body types. The high androgen level leads to the skeleton developing in a more masculine pattern and fat is mainly distributed in the chest, face and abdomen.
The goal here is balance, that is, to make your torso look longer and make your shoulders and waist appear slimmer. We want to draw attention away from your tummy up to that beautiful face and all those other assets. You don't have to cover those curves up Apples. So stop wearing those frumpy sweat shirts and tent dresses that are just blah and do nothing to bring out that fabulous person inside.
Choose clothes that skim and not cling. Flowing silks and soft cottons tailored in simple designs gives you soft silhouettes rather than emphasize those extra curves. And best of all, these fabrics are comfortable.
Dress in monochromatic or just a single colour with different shades rather than many colours. Different coloured top and bottom cuts your body in half but monochromes will make you look longer. Darker solid colours tops with small designs make your top half look slimmer. If you really want a top with some pattern, choose ones that have darker colours around the midsection with the pattern along the top to bring the eyes towards your chest and face and away from your tummy. Avoid bold patterns, large checks and light colours above your waist unless you want to look bigger.
Wear tops with a long shirttails and rounded hems to camouflage the tummy. Wrap around tops, fitted but not tight, create folds over the stomach area. Tops with V-necks are a good choice because they pull the eye away from your shoulders while accentuating your best features. Avoid showing too much cleavage, though or else you'd end up with a look that's less than flattering. Avoid low cut tops, too, basically for the same reason. Instead wear shirts with high necklines or thick straps.
A cami or tank top with a matching jacket is always good during short walks or trips to the grocery. Baggy tops that that have puffy or full sleeves make your shoulders and arms look bigger so avoid them.
Belted jackets give the illusion of a smaller waist and trim your tummy.
Jackets should fall right below the waist to mid-thigh and never at the widest part of your hips because it will make your hips look wider.
Wear jackets and blazers open for the best vertical lines and to lengthen your body. Stay away from shoulder pads and shoulder gathers and pleats because your shoulders are already perfect as they are.
Avoid excess fabric over bust, around tummy and hips, to do this choose simple tailored jackets that nip in at your waist or belted jackets to give the illusion of a smaller waist and this will trim in your tummy area.
Wear shorter dresses and skirts to draw the eye towards your wonderful hips and thighs. Shorter could mean about 1 to 5 inches above the knee. An A-line skirt could give you an hourglass shape.
Find skirts and pants with flat fronts or better yet those that clasp on the side or with zippers at the side or back. Avoid pockets, pleats and gathers near the waist because this will add inches to your tummy. Chiffons and silks make great skirts for Apples and you could even try bold patterns and colours with this fabric in mind.
Stay away from bottoms that are too tight or pants and skirts that are perfectly straight because these will also make you look bigger on top. Try boot-cut and flared legs for pants and A-lines for skirts to make you look leaner.
Apply some basic guidelines when shopping for jeans to flatter your Apple shape.
Buy jeans that have a flat front and with a rise that is lower than your natural waist, avoid tucks and button up jeans as they will add bulk onto your tummy area.
As you have a smaller bottom you can choose Jeans with back pockets that have flaps and this will make you look like you have a bigger, curvier rear.
Boot cut jeans can be an excellent choice as the wider leg can draw the eye down from the waist and create a balanced look.
Apples can have the pick when it comes to denim jean colours! Choosing jeans that are of lighter shades are great as they will add shape to your thighs.
The darker denims can still be great for you, however be aware that darker colours can make your hips appear smaller still and can draw attention to the larger abdomen and chest.
The apple body type is one of the more challenging ones to dress.
When choosing the right dress for you drop-waist dresses, which hit somewhere around the hipbones, or empire waist dresses which have a raised waist are good choices.
Try and find dresses that fit the body but just skim the waist line which will help with not drawing attention to your middle section.
Halter neck and puffy sleeved dresses should be avoided as they will only accentuate your upper body and make it appear wider. Instead a more flattering neckline for a full bust is the V-neck or a plunging neckline as they make the body appear less rounded.
A fuller skirt will balance out your top heavy figure. A line skirts and empire waists can work well by drawing attention to your midsection and away from your heavier top.
What ever you do stay away from skin tight dresses and clingy fabrics, use the shape of dresses to create curves in the right places and disguise your fuller tummy!
To create that body balance the apple needs to take emphasis away from the bust, shoulders and stomach and draw the eye to the bottom half of your body. As bikinis can be bought as separates they can be easily mixed and matched, allowing you to using design, pattern and colour to create that perfect bikini for an apple shaped woman. The one piece bathing suit should be chosen carefully for your figure shape.
When looking for swimsuits the same guidelines will apply, whether you are looking for a costume for swimming, sunbathing or just beach wear the ideal one piece will have wider straps and possibly also have an un-padded inner bust and stomach support too.
The ideal swimsuit will have a plain top half design that will visually reduce the bust area and a patterned bottom are that will put emphasis on the lower half and balance out the figure.
Don't forget that what you wear underneath your well chosen clothes also makes a difference too! Because our Apples tend to have larger breasts, it is essential to choose a well-fitted bra that provides the correct lift and support you need. The right bra completes the enhancement and should also be comfortable to wear. With larger breasts it's also a good idea to go for a professional measurement from time to time, an estimated 80% of women are actually wearing the wrong bra size. Incorrectly fitting bras can result in puckering, rubbing and even back pain, not to mention the obvious spilling out of bigger bosoms!
Wonder knickers and control pants can be classed as tools of the trade when it comes to Apple shaped ladies! Perfect for hugging in those tummies, the new second generation of slimming pants are becoming common place sales lines in most clothing departments and for young and old alike. Control pants and briefs are becoming highly recommended for keeping a flatter tummy and control of any wobbly bits.
Celebrities like Jennifer Hudson, Elizabeth Hurley and Rosie O'Donnell are just some of the apple shaped women we know.
Slim Apple shaped celebrities include Angelina Jolie, Tyra Banks and even Catherin Zeta-Jones.
Once you have mastered how to shop for your beautiful apple shape there will be a new lease of life to your wardrobe collection and better fun putting outfits together so, celebrate your apple shaped body and don't forget to top your fabulous outfits with a smile!
The picture at the top is not an apple shaped person. Nor are any of the models in the tiny pictures. It would have been much better to show photo examples of real apple shaped women rather than just describe it with words.
Thankful for all the information but could you please show pictures for each article of clothing you mentioned so that we know what we are shopping for please!


Saturday. Rain is dumping from the heavens. I have a good book, an empty house, no obligations. Sabbath. I make a breakfast bagel, peel a tangerine, settle in a chair.
Occasionally I arise to make more food, shuffle laundry, noodle on the piano, walk the dog. I do this not only to keep from cramping, to give my eyes a break, but also to extend the pleasure. It's tempting to read this book in one greedy gulp, but then it would be over.
The set up of Some Kind of Fairy Tale is that a young teen, Tara, disappears in the woods. The things you'd expect to happen do: searches, police, boyfriend suspect. Then she returns, 20 years later. Only she's still a teen. She says that she was taken by fairies. Not that she calls them fairies. They wouldn't like that. The things you'd expect to happen do: parents and sibling responses, psychiatrists, doctors, boyfriend. . .
It is a compelling, mult-ilayered book. A stealth book. Not squeaky clean. Some language and sexuality as the movie biz says. Still, a well written look at how people believe. Or don't. Terrific.
Now it's over. Sigh. For a bit in there I was afraid it would end badly, but it didn't. Graham Joyce brought it home. What a gift. I would write him a lovely letter, but he up and died two years ago. I'll have to wait til the great crossing to give my appreciation. What else has he written?
One of the loveliest things about The Word Shop is the way books pass from hand to hand. "I think you'd like this," Carol had said, giving me the book. I did. She's in our First Tuesday Writers Group. You could be too.
Meanwhile, the Literary Party theme this month is Trashy Books. As in," one man's trash is another man's treasure." Some Kind of Fairy Tale doesn't qualify.


text:
Fluffy robotic seals are helping to ease the pain of tsunami survivors in Japan
by Harrison Weber — in Asia
It's hard not to wonder about the role technology plays in our society, especially now as gadgets continue to take over functions that were once held by many simpler objects.
But aside from ushering in a new age of convenience and connectivity — eradicating many stand-alone devices and objects along the way — emerging technology has the potential to serve more sensitive, emotional purposes in our lives. This concept has been emerging out of Japan more than anywhere else as of late, and I can't help but be fascinated by it.
Last month the cuddly Babyloid made waves, designed to be an interactive robot that helps relieve depression in lonely senior citizens. And before that, there was the robotic guide dog and a kiss transmission device that simulates a steamy make-out via the Internet. Now, we have Paro, a fluffy robotic seal created to help ease the pain of Japan tsunami survivors.
Paro is being given to children and adults living in temporary houses erected inside a baseball stadium in the town of Kesennuma (which was hit by a tsunami last March, killing 19,000 people). The device "is offering a much-needed bit of affection with his burbling noises and the appreciative flapping of fins when he comes into contact with people (Bangkok Post)."
More from the Bangkok Post:
"It's so cute. It coos when I rub it," said 10-year-old Kosei Oyama, "Because of the tsunami, we have fewer things to play with than before."
Tsuyako Kumagai, a 47-year-old housewife, said her friends in temporary houses are happy with Paro as a substitute for the pets that were swept away by the gigantic waves.
"Many of my neighbours don't want to have new pets because they don't want to remember," Kumagai said. "For them, pets used to be their family."
The seal works with tactile and audio sensors, and it appears to be making a real impact on victims. It's hard to believe that developing and manufacturing a robot can serve a greater role in mental health than simply spending time listening and talking to each other, but in times of stress, I can see how this sort of device plays a role in the healing process.
As far as I can tell, the seal has been in development in various incarnations for a number of years (even as far back as 2007), but this is the first time they seem to be in widespread use. Are robots like Paro helping to connect humanity, or are the results too artificial to pose a real solution? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
Thanks to @serkantoto for the tip!
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A distinguishing feature of Irish studies has long been the high proportion of postgraduate students among paper givers at conferences devoted to the subject. This tendency began when the International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures (originally IASAIL) was founded in 1972 and was soon taken up by such guilds as the ACIS and the CAIS (the American and Canadian counterparts), while the SOFEIR and the EFACIS have been similarly well disposed towards younger scholars on the European continent. Yet not until the first New Voices conference, held at the Irish Film Centre in February 1999, has an occasion of this kind been devoted exclus-ively to the work of pre and postdoctoral students.
The 31 papers here embrace topics as various as the politics of the Irish literary revival, women and fiction, poetry/nation/language, literary journalism, children's literature and the challenges for Irish studies. According to the editor's preface, these were chosen from a wider field of 80 proposals as representing research areas "now enjoying the sustained attention of emerging critics". The proposals came in roughly equal amounts from Ireland or Great Britain, America and continental Europe. Authors treated in the resultant proceedings include Wilde and Shaw, Yeats, George (A. E.) Russell, Austin Clarke, Hubert Butler, Edna O'Brien, John Banville and Jennifer Johnston, while the memory of 1798 and the great Irish famine hold a balance with postcolonial reflections on racial stereotyping, disquisitions on the politics of literature in the North and sympathetic consideration of minorities in Ireland.
In a paper that fully shares the deepening awareness of Yeats's sometimes Janus-like relationship with Fenianism now emerging from the Collected Letters , Selina Guinness gives a scintillating account of the montage effects involved in the centenary revisitation of the 1798 rebellion. Ge roid O'Flaherty neatly dissects the points of contact and divergence between Shaw and the contemporary nationalists who so often disparaged him in their newspapers. Des O'Rawe supplies a tour de force analysis of the ambiguous version of social dissidence supplied in Frank McGuinness's Ulster plays, while Aaron Kelly deploys Michel Foucault and Edward Said to reveal the "power-knowledge cartography through which the international thriller market represents Northern Ireland". Jacqueline Belanger sheds light on the "actual dynamics involved in the dialogue between novelist Lady Morgan and her British readers" and Kathy Kremin explains the popularity of Patricia Scanlan's pulp fiction. Maurya O'Sullivan challenges feminists to hitch their ontology to deconstructionist readings of the subject, so much at odds with the conventional solaces of Irish nationalism. Eugene McNulty significantly enlarges our sense of the cultural politics of 19th-century antiquarianism in his examination of the mythic method in James Clarence Mangan and Sir Samuel Ferguson.
All of these, and several other essays in the collection, bear witness to an un-indulgent approach to proposals on the part of organisers. At the same time, a few of these papers are injured by over-laboured sentences and over-dependence on contemporary critical fashion (things still get "inscribed" on the usual intimate spaces). There is a marked propensity to quote primary texts from intermediate sources - most often from the Field Day Anthology of Irish Literature or elsewhere among the writings of Seamus Deane, Declan Kiberd and Luke Gibbons. In particular, allusions to Kiberd's retailored brand of Irish nationalism proliferate. This is hardly surprising since the book is dedicated to him. Such references exceed in number those made to Joyce in the collection and are only outrun by those made to Yeats. Hence it might be said that the "new voices" have all emerged from under Kiberd's overcoat - as Frank O'Connor said of the influence of Gogol on Irish short-story writers.
This is not entirely fortunate. Aside from too-frequent repetitions of certain obiter dicta , it is uncertain that extrapolation from familiar Kiberdian themes is always good critical practice. However Kiberdian in sentiment, it seems unwise, for instance, to call Flann O'Brien's The Third Policemen (1967), as one writer does in an unduly dogged sentence, "a very early response to Yeats, an attempt not to liberate a nation through nationalism, but to refuse altogether to enter a conversation defined by nationalism and colonialism". Nor is the thesis that Banville's "notion of history as fiction highlights the absurdity of the revisionists' claims to objectivity" of any real value without some definite link between Birchwood (1973) and a specific work by one of Ireland's revisionist historians. There is something wobbly about this critic's attempt at even-handedness, as between nationalist and revisionist narratologies. That aside, it is hard to see how he hopes to row back from the deconstructive view of history that he espouses in one place, to the "social/actual reality", that he takes for epistemological terra firma in another.
A certain informality of language characterises several of these essays. John Kenny's stimulating appraisal of the Irish novel tradition and its critics includes the following sentence: "We have gone from a view of the Irish novel at the turn of the century, which argued that it wasn't real enough, to the view put forward by many now that the Irish novel has been too complacently realist." Surely such a well-taken point deserves more exact expression? Repeated resort to "the likes of" - hardly "good blunt English" in Stephen Dedalus's sense - suggests that this critic considered a button-holing rhetoric the right note to strike at the first New Voices conference. The editor might have intervened. Editorial skimping is also apparent in the frequency of uncorrected typing errors, for example, "partying sally" for "parting sally". Such lapses aside, this volume is an indispensable guide to "active" research in Irish literary studies and as good in places as the best conference collections.
Bruce Stewart is lecturer in Irish literary history and bibliography, University of Ulster.


text:
Spontaneous or induced herniation of the spinal cord as a cause of Brown-Sequard syndrome
Thread: Spontaneous or induced herniation of the spinal cord as a cause of Brown-Sequard syndrome
Wise Young
New Brunswick, NJ, USA
• Adams RF and Anslow P (2001). The natural history of transdural herniation of the spinal cord: case report. Neuroradiology. 43 (5): 383-7. Summary: We report a patient with a Brown-Sequard syndrome who developed ventral transdural spinal cord herniation, showing the imaging findings changing over time from two thoracic disc protrusions with a normal spinal cord to a cord trapped within a bony defect in a thoracic vertebra. Neuroradiology Department, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, UK.
• Aizawa T, Sato T, Tanaka Y, Kotajima S, Sekiya M and Kokubun S (2001). Idiopathic herniation of the thoracic spinal cord: report of three cases. Spine. 26 (20): E488-91. Summary: STUDY DESIGN: Cases are reported and the literature is reviewed. OBJECTIVE: To present three cases involving idiopathic herniation of the thoracic cord. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a very rare condition. Only 20 cases have been reported. The radiographic and intraoperative findings concerning this herniation remain insufficient, and its pathophysiology is less understood. METHODS: Idiopathic herniation of the thoracic spine was managed operatively in the three cases. The clinical, radiologic, and intraoperative features in these cases are described, and the pathophysiology of this disorder is discussed from a review of the literature. RESULTS: Two of the three patients had a defect in the inner layer of the duplicated ventral dura mater through which the spinal cord was herniated. The third patient had a ventral epidural cyst into which the spinal cord had protruded. Operative reduction of the spinal cord improved motor power in all three patients, although sensory disturbance remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: There should be several types of idiopathic spinal cord herniation. This is the first report of this herniation that focuses the abnormalities of the ventral dura mater, together with image and intraoperative findings. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Japan. toshi-7@ra2.so-net.ne.jp.
• Antich PA, Sanjuan AC, Girvent FM and Simo JD (1999). High cervical disc herniation and Brown-Sequard syndrome. A case report and review of the literature. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 81 (3): 462-3. Summary: We describe a rare herniation of the disc at the C2/C3 level in a 73-year-old woman. It caused hemicompression of the spinal cord and led to the Brown-Sequard syndrome. The condition was diagnosed clinically and by MRI six months after onset. Discectomy and fusion gave complete neurological resolution. Spine Surgery Department, Hospital de Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain.
• Berbel A, Porta-Etessam J, Martinez-Salio A, Perez-Martinez DA, Saiz-Diaz RA, Rivas JJ and Ruiz J (2001). [Idiopathic spinal cord herniation. Presentation of a new case and review of the literature]. Rev Neurol. 32 (1): 54-7. Summary: INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic herniation of the spinal cord is a rarely diagnosed condition. It is important since this cause of paraparesis is potentially curable if diagnosis is made early. Our aim is to report a new case, review the relevant literature, describe the radiological findings and consider the etiopathogenic findings. CLINICAL CASE: We report the case of a 56 year old man with increasing difficulty in walking attributed to stenosis of the lumbar spinal canal, which did not improve after laminectomy. On examination he had sensory and motor deficits compatible with the Brown-Sequard syndrome. Dorsal MR showed ventral displacement of the thoracic spinal cord with disappearance of the anterior subarachnoid space together with a posterior arachnoid cyst at the same site. A further operation was done at the same place and the cyst removed. However, it was impossible to free the spinal cord since there was severe spinal arachnoiditis. The patient made little improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Herniation of the spinal cord is a rarely diagnosed condition. After careful study of the literature it seems that all patients present in a similar manner. Clinically there is a disorder of gait compatible with the Brown-Sequard syndrome. On MR there is sudden ventral displacement of the thoracic spinal cord, associated in some cases with an arachnoid cyst. When surgery is effective there is great improvement, so this diagnosis should be remembered in all cases of progressive paraparesis. Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Espana. aberbel@yahoo.com.
• Cellerini M, Bayon S, Scazzeri F, Mangiafico S, Amantini A, Guizzardi GC and Giordano GP (2002). Idiopatic spinal cord herniation: a treatable cause of Brown-Sequard syndrome. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 144 (4): 321-5. Summary: We report two cases of thoracic idiopathic spinal cord herniation (ISCH) focusing on the peculiar diagnostic and therapeutic issues posed by this rare disorder. In particular MR evaluation of CSF dynamic with a 2D PC cine-MR technique and demonstration of progressive cord herniation on consecutive MR examinations allowed insight on the differential diagnosis and pathophysiological mechanisms of ISCH. Neuroradiology Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.
• Ewald C and Hassler WE (2001). [Spontaneous herniation of the thoracic spinal cord as the etiology of progressive Brown-Sequard syndrome. A description of 3 cases]. Nervenarzt. 72 (6): 441-4. Summary: Spontaneous herniation of the spinal cord through a ventral dural defect is a rare neurological entity. We report on 3 patients treated in our clinic within 6 months. In 2 cases, the lesions were located at the BWK6 level and, in one case, at BWK2. The clinical presentation of all patients was f progressive Brown-Sequard's Syndrome. Diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. In all cases, operation was performed. The myelon was replaced in the dural sleeve and the defect covered with a patch of lyophilized dura. After 1 year, symptoms were stable in 2 patients. In one case there was a slight deterioration because of an inexplicable swelling of the spinal cord which could not be controlled with a second operation. Pathophysiological, clinical, and radiological aspects are presented and discussed. Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Duisburg, Zu den Rehwiesen 7-9, 47055 Duisburg. Drewald@hotmail.com.
• Ewald C, Kuhne D and Hassler WE (2000). Progressive spontaneous herniation of the thoracic spinal cord: case report. Neurosurgery. 46 (2): 493-5; discussion 495-6. Summary: OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: We report one case of spontaneous thoracic spinal cord herniation. To our knowledge, this is the first case involving radiological documentation of the development of herniation. Clinical features and surgical techniques are also presented. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 51-year-old female patient who experienced progressive Brown-Sequard syndrome for 2 years. Three magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed; they revealed the progressive development of anterolateral spinal cord herniation at the level of T6 during those 2 years. INTERVENTION: After laminectomy at T6, the herniated myelon was microsurgically removed and the neurological symptoms improved. CONCLUSION: We present the possible causes, the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms, and the clinical and radiological development of this rare entity, with a review of the literature published to date. We propose that a preexisting weakness of the ventral dural fibers, combined with abnormal adhesion of the spinal cord to the anterior dural sleeve, leads to progressive herniation throughout life. Microsurgical treatment may halt the exacerbation of the neurological symptoms. Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Duisburg, Germany.
• Kenez J, Barsi P, Varallyay G, Bobest M and Veres R (2002). [In Process Citation]. Ideggyogy Sz. 55 (5-6): 168-72. Summary: Transdural herniation of the spinal cord is thought to be previously extremely rare and very often misdiagnosed. Possible reasons may be iatrogenic and traumatic or in about one third of cases it may be unknown, where the probable origin might be a congenital dural defect. The pathology may show characteristic and misleading MR patterns of the thoracic spine, emphasising the importance of these patterns. This anomaly can lead to progressive Brown-Sequard syndrome. Surgical intervention, consisting the repair of the dural defect may result in improvement or even complete regression of the neurologic deficits. Semmelweis Egyetem, Egeszsegtudomanyi Kar, Neuroradiologiai Tanszek, 1021 Budapest, Huvosvolgyi ut 116. profkenez@opni.hu.
• Massicotte EM, Montanera W, Ross Fleming JF, Tucker WS, Willinsky R, TerBrugge K and Fehlings MG (2002). Idiopathic spinal cord herniation: report of eight cases and review of the literature. Spine. 27 (9): E233-41. Summary: STUDY DESIGN: A case series of eight patients with idiopathic spinal cord herniation and a review of the literature. OBJECTIVE: To report on this rare entity, provide insight on its natural history, and propose an optimal management strategy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a rare disease with 50 cases reported before the current study. METHODS: Eight cases (follow-up 1 month to 8 years) are reported using available information from patient charts, interviews, and assessments. All imaging studies are reviewed. The review of the literature was performed using PUBMED. RESULTS: Four patients, followed without surgical intervention, have not progressed. Of the three patients who underwent surgical repair by one of the authors, two improved and one was unchanged. A fourth patient, who was initially treated by another surgeon who failed to identify the dural defect and herniation, had a poor outcome. CONCLUSION: The pathophysiology of the dural defect is still uncertain. The typical presentation is Brown-Sequard syndrome. Microsurgical repair in cases with progression of neurologic deficits is usually successful in achieving recovery of function or arrest of progression. Division of Neurosurgery and; Neuro-radiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• Miyaguchi M, Nakamura H, Shakudo M, Inoue Y and Yamano Y (2001). Idiopathic spinal cord herniation associated with intervertebral disc extrusion: a case report and review of the literature. Spine. 26 (9): 1090-4. Summary: STUDY DESIGN: A case of idiopathic spinal cord herniation is reported, and the literature is reviewed. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of thoracic spinal cord herniation with a ventral dural defect, probably caused by thoracic disc extrusion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Recently, reports of spinal cord herniation have been increasing. This increase can be attributed to the development of magnetic resonance imaging and increased awareness of this entity. However, the cause of the ventral dural defect remains unknown. METHODS: A 54-year-old woman had experienced Brown-Sequard syndrome for 2 years. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an S-shaped anterior kinking of the spinal cord, with dilation of the dorsal subarachnoid space. RESULTS: After incision of the dural sac and gentle retraction of the spinal cord, a dural defect was recognized into which the spinal cord had herniated. An extruded disc was visualized through the defect at T3-T4. The ventral dural defect and the dorsal incision of the dural sac were repaired with a fascial graft from the thigh. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative findings suggest that the thoracic disc herniation in the current case was the probable cause of the ventral dural defect. Surgical reconstruction using double fascial graft under careful spinal cord monitoring resulted in a satisfactory neurologic recovery. Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan. miyaguchi@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp.
• Morokoff AP, Tress BM and Kaye AH (2001). Idiopathic spinal cord herniation. J Clin Neurosci. 8 (2): 180-3. Summary: Spinal cord herniation is a rare condition that has become increasingly recognised in the last few years. The authors report a case of idiopathic spinal cord herniation in a 33 year old woman who presented with progressive Brown-Sequard syndrome. The diagnosis was made on MR imaging. After repairing the herniation the patient made a gradual improvement. Potential causes are discussed, including the possible role of dural tethering. In conclusion, idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a potentially treat able condition that should be more readily diagnosed with increased awareness and newer imaging techniques such as high resolution MRI. Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia.
• Tekkok IH (2000). Spontaneous spinal cord herniation: case report and review of the literature. Neurosurgery. 46 (2): 485-91; discussion 491-2. Summary: OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Spontaneous herniation of the spinal cord substance through a previously uninjured and/or untouched dura is a very exceptional occurrence. Spontaneous spinal cord herniation, which was first reported 25 years ago, is a cause of myelopathy that is treatable but difficult to diagnose. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 49-year-old female patient who presented with a 3-year history of a burning sensation and hyperesthesia in her right leg and a 3-month history of left leg stiffness was diagnosed as exhibiting signs of Brown-Sequard syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spinal canal demonstrated S-shaped anterior kinking and transdural herniation of the spinal cord at the T3-T4 levels. INTERVENTION: The patient underwent surgery via a three-level laminectomy. The herniated part of the spinal cord was microsurgically reduced, and the dural defect was repaired with Gore-Tex membrane (WL Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ). The outcome of surgery was excellent. CONCLUSION: Review of the world literature revealed 29 reported cases, with 27 of these cases being published since 1990. The clinical features, radiological diagnosis, and treatment options for this unique entity are summarized, with a synopsis of numerous misconceptions that appeared in the literature. With more familiarity with and increased awareness of this entity, more cases will be diagnosed. Department of Neurosurgery, Bayindir Medical Center, Ankara, Turkey.
• Ugarriza LF, Cabezudo JM, Porras LF and Rodriguez-Sanchez JA (2001). Cord compression secondary to cervical disc herniation associated with calcification of the ligamentum flavum: case report. Neurosurgery. 48 (3): 673-6. Summary: OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Calcification of the ligamentum flavum is a rare disease that occurs almost exclusively in elderly Japanese people. We report the case of a young Caucasian woman who presented with a C5-C6 disc herniation associated with a cervical calcified ligamentum flavum. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: The patient presented with a cord compression syndrome of 76 hours' evolution. At exploration, a Brown-Sequard syndrome at the C6 level was found. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography led to a correct diagnosis and planning for decompression. INTERVENTION: We operated on the patient through a combined anterior and posterior approach. After the patient underwent anterior discectomy with intersomatic arthrodesis, we performed posterior decompression. During the operation, we observed that the dura mater could not be separated from the ligamentum, so an en bloc excision of both structures was performed. Microscopic examination indicated that the excised ligamentum had calcification, and total integration of the dura mater into the structure of the ligamentum was demonstrated. To our knowledge, this circumstance has never been described before. A posterior C3-C7 arthrodesis was performed to prevent postoperative kyphosis. Recovery was successful, with total recovery from neurological deficits 4 months later. CONCLUSION: Calcification of the ligamentum flavum is a progressive disease that starts early in life and becomes symptomatic later in life when spinal stenosis occurs. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography provide adequate diagnosis and allow proper surgical planning for decompression. The presence of hyperintense areas within the spinal cord parenchyma, in the absence of a traumatic antecedent, does not preclude a complete recovery. Servicio de Neurocirurgia, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Carretera de Portugal s/n, Badajoz, Spain. med007486@nacom.es.
• Wada E, Yonenobu K and Kang J (2000). Idiopathic spinal cord herniation: report of three cases and review of the literature. Spine. 25 (15): 1984-8. Summary: STUDY DESIGN: Three case reports and a literature review are presented. OBJECTIVE: To describe characteristic clinical and radiographic findings of idiopathic spinal cord herniation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a rare disease, with only 26 cases reported before the current study. METHODS: Three cases of idiopathic spinal cord herniation are reported, and previous reports on this subject are reviewed. RESULTS: The responsible regions were in the thoracic spine from T2 to T7. Symptoms were mainly unilateral muscle atrophy in the lower extremity and sensory disturbance below the thoracic level. These symptoms had been progressing gradually. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a unique feature: The spinal cord shifted anteriorly in a few segments. Computed tomographic myelogram showed another distinctive picture: There was no subarachnoid space anterior to the spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS: Because idiopathic spinal cord herniation is out of the concept of "compression myelopathy," this condition may be a pitfall in the diagnosis. Idiopathic spinal cord herniation should be recognized as one of the treatable causes for thoracic myelopathy. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan. wada@ort.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
DonnaT-PTwithSCI
200+ cases now in literature. I have this diagnosis and underwent repair/reconstruct nine months ago. I am curious about the thoracic vertebrae defect correlation to this problem. I have read in the literature that an vertebral endplate anomaly is commonly seen on the MRI at the level of the dural hole. While, I am told that there is no way to determine the cause of the dural defect, I think it would be valuable to identify if this is a potential congenital problem or from trauma.
I would also really like to connect with other people that have undergone this repair.
amkiez
Hey! I'm 37 years old, male, with SCI T1 since 1998, on Sep 2014 I had a three-level laminectomy to repair T8 - T10 herniated disc.
after a couple of months my back start to crack when sitting on chair or bed when I stretch with my arms, it crack on the way up and on the way down.
is that normal?
Disc herniation is not the same as spinal cord herniation (the topic of this thread).
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Regular dental check-ups are very important for everyone, especially infants and toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child's first visit be at 6 - 12 months of age. This gives your child the advantage of becoming familiar with the dental office and it provides a perfect opportunity for our staff to help educate you on the latest techniques in preventative dental care.
At any time, you are welcome to call our office to ask questions about your child's dental care. Our professional staff is available and happy to provide you the answers.


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*Charge Plus LLC is happy to announce the availability of the patent pending "Cinch Card", a standard credit-card-sized inductive wireless charging receiver which combines both Qi and PMA technology, that can convert your iPhone into a wireless charging phone in seconds.
Cinch Card© will charge in all automobiles that offer wireless charging and on any Qi charging pad.
What is Wireless Charging?
Wireless charging (also known as Inductive charging ) uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy between two objects. This is usually done with a charging station. Energy is sent through an inductive coupling to an electrical device, which can then use that energy to charge batteries or run the device.
Wireless chargers use an induction coil to create an alternating electromagnetic field from within a charging base, and a second induction coil in the portable device takes power from the electromagnetic field and converts it back into electric current to charge the battery. The two induction coils in proximity combine to form an electrical transformer. Greater distances between sender and receiver coils can be achieved when the inductive charging system uses resonant inductive coupling.


Asics Running Shoes using original ideas and applying epoch-making techniques. These Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 have been updated with a variety of fresh and fun colors to add a dash of modern style into your outfit.Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 Trainers White/Navy/Red with a retro technical running shoe with a focus on heel stability. Lightweight and durable.This version combines synthetic suede and nylon material to create a durable and comfortable upper. Improves bounce back characteristics and decreases midsole breakdown.Features supple leather uppers that's comfortable and form-fitting. So the shoes are very comfortable to wear.You can choose Asics Onitsuka Tiger Mini Edition or Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81 and so on.All products are 100% quality guarantee and original package.Free shipping to door.


GPS is a commanding tool to probe ionospheric variability. Regardless of our improved knowledge of the ionosphere dynamics, the day-to-day variability still lies within the framework of statistical estimations and the underlying physical mechanisms are far from being fully understood. Significant deviations from monthly median values are observed from time to time in ionospheric records during completely quiet solar and geophysical conditions and are not fully understood. TEC obtained from GPS signals are used to study ionospheric dynamics over Bhopal during low solar activity period March 2004 –February 2005. The TEC time series for the five quietest and five most disturbed days of each month of the year were selected for the study. The objective of the study is to have better understanding of the causes observed during day-to-day variability of ionospheric parameters so that it can be effectively used for modeling and prediction purpose.


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B.A., University of Akron
Nicholas J. Clair
More from Nicholas J. Clair
nclair@lozanosmith.com
Nicholas J. Clair is an Associate in Lozano Smith's Sacramento Office. Mr. Clair focuses on local government and facilities and business issues for public agencies. Mr. Clair advises clients on a variety of transactional matters affecting special districts and local governments, including the Brown Act, California Public Records Act, Proposition 218, elections law, ethics, governance, financing, CEQA, and human resources.
Prior to joining Lozano Smith, Mr. Clair was a Legislative Analyst for the California Special Districts Association. As a Legislative Analyst, Mr. Clair executed the Amicus Curia Advocacy Program by identifying cases of interest, working with local government stakeholders to coordinate amicus efforts, and participating in the brief writing process. He drafted legal documents including an amicus brief challenging a decision issued by the Commission on State Mandates and a comment letter to the California Attorney General regarding Brown Act meeting notice requirements. He also produced legal opinions, detailed bill analyses, support/opposition letters, and drafted statutory language.
Mr. Clair received his Juris Doctor degree with distinction from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Mr. Clair also received a certificate of concentration in Business Law. Upon graduation from McGeorge, Mr. Clair became a member of the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in International and Comparative Politics from the University of Akron.
Court Restricts Ability to Seek Mandate Reimbursements
By: Nicholas Clair, William Curley III- 10/17/2018
October 2018Number 59A California appellate court has ruled that a public agency is not entitled to seek reimbursement from the state for the cost of implementing mandated programs if the agency has existing statutory authority to impose or raise fees, even if the attempt to impose or raise fees is prevented by a successful Proposition 218 majority protest.In Paradise Irrigation District v. Commission on State Mandates, decided on October 1, the Court of Appeals held that the Proposition 218 ...
Public Records Act Does Not Require Creation of Generalized Electronic Data
By: Harold Freiman, Nicholas Clair- 09/12/2018
September 2018Number 48A California appellate court has ruled that public agencies are not required to provide anonymized data in response to California Public Records Act (CPRA) requests when doing so would require the public agency to create new data.BackgroundThe CPRA requires public entities to disclose public records unless there is a specific legal exemption. The courts have previously affirmed that the CPRA does not require public agencies to create new records to satisfy a CPRA reques...
Legislative Update: Bill Eases Fee Collection for Storm Water Systems
By: David Wolfe, Nicholas Clair- 11/06/2017
November 2017 Number 74 A new law will make it easier for local governments to raise the revenue necessary to maintain and upgrade storm water management systems. Senate Bill (SB) 231 becomes effective on January 1, 2018. Proposition 218 Proposition 218 limits local governments' ability to impose new or increased fees or charges. The California Constitution defines a "fee" or "charge" as "any levy other than an ad valorem tax, a special tax, or an assessment, imposed by an agency up...
Public Agencies No Longer Required to Contract with DIR Registered Contractors for Small Projects
By: Anne Collins, Nicholas Clair- 07/11/2017
July 2017 Number 38 Senate Bill (SB) 96, passed this June as part of the California state budget, contains provisions designed to encourage more contractors to participate on small public works projects. Public works projects under $25,000 and maintenance projects under $15,000 are now exempt from the requirements of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) registration program. The new law also permits contractors to register for up to three years in advance and imposes new penalt...
Attorney Invoices are Subject to Disclosure under the Public Records Act
By: Harold Freiman, Manuel Martinez, Nicholas Clair- 01/12/2017
January 2017 Number 3 The California Supreme Court has ruled that invoices from a public agency's legal counsel are subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), with limited exceptions. Invoices for work in pending and active legal matters may generally be shielded from disclosure under the attorney-client privilege. In Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors v. Superior Court (Dec. 29, 2016, No. S226645) ___ Cal.4th___ < http://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/d...


We've all seen sea of people holding brightly-lit phones in the air. But is this the best way to capture those special moments?
Your phone's bright screen is a DISTRACTION to everyone, and to yourself.
It is wise to record videos of special moments -- to keep with you FOREVER.
Yet, you should LIVE THE MOMENT, and not be distracted by the phone. Or by others.
Concert Camera app helps you, by turning the screen off, while still recording!


-Square footage based on listed square footage. One garage, attached or detached, is included.
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Cash, Check, or major Credit Card Accepted. 3.5% processing fee will be added on credit card payments.
Card payments can be made online or in person. For online payments, an invoice will be emailed to you before the inspection.


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Close Encounter with Bigfoot in Fayette County
Worry More About Blood Moon Werewolf Attacks Than Asteroids – The Blood Moon's Upon Us
The Michigan Dogman: Werewolves and Other Unknown Canines Across the USA
Utah Girl's IPad Records Bigfoot Evidence During Family Road Trip
Dead Mermaid Body Photographed In Great Yarmouth
Bigfoot Caught On Camera Beneath A Bald Eagle Nest
Fayette County, Pennsylvania has a long history of Bigfoot sightings and other occurrences dating back to the 1930s. It also boasts some of the strangest encounters particularly around the Chestnut Ridge area and researcher Jim Brown has documented many of them. The latest one involves a rather close encounter with Bigfoot that took place earlier in May this year.
The witness was traveling with another person late in the evening on a foggy, rainy night. The two were returning from a family visit to Chestnut Ridge, along Mud Pike in Fayette County, near the town of Fairchance. Suddenly, a large, hairy animal walked in front of their car – upright on two feet.
With limited visibility, the driver's initial reaction was to suspect a bear had crossed the road upright, on its hind legs. The driver slowed the car, and the two attempted to locate the creature with flashlights but were unsuccessful.
A second creature appeared on the bank to the left of the car, twenty feet ahead of them. Standing in the headlights, on two legs, the creature was clearly seven feet tall and covered in long, dark fur. Obviously no bear, its arms stretched down below its waist. While no claws were visible, the palms of its hands were hairless.
The creature watched the duo for a few seconds, at which point the driver began to reverse the car. The creature took a few steps after them, and this continued for a short distance. Finally, the driver drove slowly towards the creature. Rather than backing off, it walked to the car and put its hands on the front. It was at this point the witnesses decided to leave, quickly, but the creature simply walked away.
Fayette County, Pennsylvania has a long history of Bigfoot sightings and other occurrences dating back to the 1930s. It also boasts some of the strangest encounters particularly around the Chestnut Ridge area and researcher Jim Brown has documented many of them. The latest one involves a rather close encounter with Bigfoot that took place earlier in May this year. The witness was traveling with another person late in the evening on a foggy, rainy night. The two were returning from a family visit to Chestnut Ridge, along Mud Pike in Fayette County, near the town of Fairchance. Suddenly, a large,…
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What Is Video Marketing And Why Is It So Powerful?
If you've caught up with our previous blogs including some of the key problems with Facebook and the benefits of starting a vlog, you'll already be aware that video content is incredibly important in the marketing world. But you may not be completely clear on exactly what video marketing is, and why it holds so much power.
Video marketing is definitely something you need to get your business on board with now before it's too late and your marketing strategy suffers. You don't want to be dragging behind your competitors, unable to catch up.
Video marketing is something that takes time, but is well worth doing. It is so beneficial for your business, and where content creation is concerned offers the highest ROI of any form on content marketing you can invest in.
As a savvy business owner, I'm sure you feel like you've explored all options to help uplift your business, and really reap the rewards of a successful marketing campaign. But have you really given the full video marketing experience a go? Have you taken time out to push your brand through video, and take advantage of the power of video to rank higher on SERPs?
Get to grips with it now, before you're outshone by your competitors' knowledge, and the simple fact that have created their content in video format, while you haven't.
In short terms, video marketing is the easiest way to offer your audience a more engaging way to absorb your content, look at what you're doing, and get up-to-date news on your brand, products, and services.
Your marketing campaigns will be made infinitely more effective, on multiple levels, simply because you have included video.
Whether you choose to use video in social media posts (currently utterly essential for creating any engagement at all on Facebook), for the SEO on your website, or for advertisements, the options for using video format in existing marketing strategies to boost your ROI are endless.
And it doesn't stop there. You have the option to live-stream, create tutorials, add passive income products to your revenue stream, and deliver highly engaging content that your audience is actually interested in watching, while they wouldn't be interested in reading it in blog form.
Check out these screenshots of our Facebook page. In a comparison of our video posts to our picture posts, we always get more engagements and a wider reach. Look at the 393 people reached vs the 613 people, or even the 20 reactions vs only 8. That's a big difference!
These are purely organic posts, made at the same time of day, visible to the same audience. The only difference is that one uses an image, and one a video. That one change increased our reach by 56% and our engagement by 150%!
Had we run either of these as part of a promotion, rather than relying on organic reach and engagement, we'd have seen even better results, and achieved a far higher ROI had we run an advert using a video as the visual, than exactly the same ad run with a photo.
If that's not enough proof for you, statistics indicate that video generates 1200% more social shares than image and text posts combined.
If you really want to get your business out there, you need to consider what video content you're going to put in place, not only on your social media platforms, but also on your website.
It's just the way that the marketing world works now.
Video content is so powerful, and is only becoming more central to content marketing trends every year. You need to invest a good chunk of your time to really get the results that you need for your business.
Simply adding videos into your business strategy can help transform your business. Use video as a tactic and use it profusely, with high-quality video content, to develop the growth of your business.
A big question that you're dying to hear the answer to is why exactly should you be using video marketing?
Many businesses overlook the benefits of video marketing and often don't see videos as a great marketing tool. This is exactly why you need to join the ever-rising trend this year, before every business in your niche does the same.
One of the massive benefits to video marketing is that videos help put a face to your brand.
Having someone charismatic on camera can develop your brand and create a personality for your business.
Businesses are built on trust and loyalty, if you can show that your team are reliable people, you can guarantee that you will be seen as a more reputable company. Give your audience the opportunity to really get to know you, and gain a real insight into your working life and ethos.
Video content works so well for SEO too. Even if you don't want to vlog on YouTube, haven't created platforms on social media just yet (which you totally should!), you can still use video marketing to push your business forward in a hugely powerful way through SEO alone.
Using video content can create strong backlinks, and drive traffic to your website. Posts including both written and video formats have the ability to rank higher on SERPs and work effectively in powering your SEO on your website.
Now, we know SEO is an extremely hard topic to process, so check out our blog, for a little bit of guidance on how to perfect your website SEO.
Not only will it help your SEO, but video marketing can also help give your conversion rates a quick boost. If you can show that your product or service actually works through tutorials or testimonials, then you have a better chance of converting traffic into business, and retaining that business as long-term clients.
People watch videos a lot longer than they would pay attention if it were a picture or a written post. They can retain small snippets of information because of the visual aspect and it helps them to remember that information again later on. With features like autoplay now on videos, people get sucked in on social platforms and will start and end watching videos on completely different topics.
If you can tell a story and tell it effectively, you can really push your message out to your audience.
Video marketing is simple…but only if you know how to do it effectively.
You should be using video marketing to increase brand awareness and allow your audience to connect with your brand by exploring your business' ethos. Video is also the perfect medium to use to educate your audience on the benefits of your products and services, as information is more readily absorbed and recalled when it's in video format.
If you want to do it well, you're going to have to wise up to the world of video and really delve into the life of video content.
You're probably going to use these videos as a way of developing your business, and that's brilliant. But remember that your core objectives should be showcasing your business and engaging your customers, rather than selling. This is the most important part to understand about video creation.
If you create video content from a place of selling people will switch off. If you create from a place of adding value and sharing your business ethos, sales will naturally follow.
You need to tell a story and use these videos to share your message. If you want to present your business in a certain way, maybe as a company who cares for the environment, show them how you care. Show your audience how you're making a difference and helping save the planet.
The positive impression you create will make people more aware of your business, and more likely to choose you over the competition.
Maybe you want to share a competition with your audience but don't want to bore them with the legalities and T&C's. You can use videos to advertise your offers and key information that they need to know, whilst providing a visual element to that content. It's the easiest way to get the message out there, whilst keeping it short, simple, and engaging (even when you include the occasional sales pitch).
You may need to think about the length of these videos. Are you using them as short videos for Instagram Stories or Highlights? Maybe you want to use them for running an advert, so you need the videos to be a little longer? Or perhaps you're creating vlog content or webinars and need considerably longer videos to maximise the value you're delivering?
The typical rule is the shorter the video, the better they perform.
Obviously, this varies across each platform. On Instagram, we would say to keep them around 30 seconds to 1 minute long on your stories and highlights, and up to 10 minutes on IGTV, around 1 to 3 minutes on Facebook, 45 seconds on Twitter and between 4 to 45 minutes on YouTube.
On YouTube it all depends on what type of content you're uploading. If you've got vlogs going up keep them to at least 4 ot 5 minutes and a maximum of 45 minutes. You want your content to still be engaging whilst ensuring your audience gain something from it.
But if you're using video content to boost your blog SEO, it's best to record the full post in video form. If each blog is around 2500 words, you can get around 15 minutes of video footage. You can chop these videos up to use on social media using our recommended lengths above.
For example, we're chopping our full length vlogs (used here on the blog) into 3 minute video chunks to use on consecutive days on Facebook, and splitting them in half or uploading them in full on IGTV (if you are a larger account and are verified you can have up to 60 minutes). Meanwhile, over on YouTube we upload the full video, and embed that on the relevant blog post here on the website. If you're chopping them up on Facebook, playlists make it easy for people to still watch the full video, while maximising your engagement.
If that all sounds very complicated, don't worry – you're only recording one video, you're simply using it in multiple ways to ensure you get the best benefits on every platform.
A top tip that you really need to remember is that these videos need to be engaging. Create entertaining videos and schedule them in for the most popular times. Monitor your data and make sure that if you're not instantly getting the results you want, you continue to work hard at improving them by testing out different styles of video, and other times to post.
Video content will get you there, but you have to have patience and persevere.
If you need some inspiration, we've just launched our shiny new website with a lot of video content on Facebook, so do check that out. Linking events with videos is a great way to boost your reach, engagement, likes and follows.
There are many ways that you can kickstart your video marketing. If you're looking to start a vlog, we have some top tips to give you from our previous blog that you should go check out to help you really get to grips with how to create videos effectively.
The biggest takeaway is to plan, and this is the first thing you must do.
Depending on what video content you want to film, you may need to mix it up a little. This may involve purchasing some videography equipment like a high-quality camera or a microphone, or if you'd prefer you can hire a professional (like us!) who can film it all for you.
When you've decided what you're filming (such as tutorials or how-to videos), you're going to need to find someone in your team with the confidence to chat charismatically to a virtual audience and to a camera. You're going to need an expert editor too, because high-quality videos don't just get filmed and uploaded straight up to YouTube or Facebook. They take time and a lot of it!
If you know you need to get on board with video marketing, (like everyone else already has!) then it may be best to hire a professional team with the skills to film it, edit it, and schedule it all in for you if you have no time to do it yourself. A creative digital marketing team will be able to write you a script too, so when you record videos you can simply read from an autocue without having to fumble over your words, or worry about what you're saying – sounds blissful, right?
As we mentioned earlier, if you want to create quality videos, you're going to need some decent videography equipment.
Have you got a high-quality camera?
Some lighting to ensure the perfect shots and avoid shadows?
What about a microphone capable of filtering out background noise and interference?
Buy the equipment, and teach yourself how to use it properly.
Hire a great team to help you get the best shots, without having to invest all of your time into figuring out how to turn the camera on and off, or where to place the lights so you don't get an overcrossing shadow.
Think carefully about what will work best for your company and do it to the best of your ability, to really maximise your video marketing potential.
Video content is extremely powerful now, and it will only get more and more potent as time goes on. It's so versatile and allows people to create the content they want on their own sites and platforms.
It's super easy to start up and you can even do it from the comfort of your own office, or even from your own home!
Understanding the true power of video marketing and jumping on the bandwagon early is the best way to push for your success.
If you're mulling over your next marketing strategy, video needs to be a huge part of it.
By 2021, 80% of all content will consist of video.
Audiences are opting for more video content and if your business doesn't have any, how are you going to give them what they want? How are you going to prevent them going to your competitors, who do have content in the video format they crave?
At the end of the day, it all boils down to your ability to keep up-to-date with trends and the marketing industry.
The reality is that video is the future of marketing, at least until the next big thing comes along and gives us an even better way of doing it. The longer it takes you to make the shift to video in your marketing, the more your marketing strategy (and business) will suffer.
Striving for a successful future and a strong relationship with your audience is what 2019 is all about.
We get it, it's all well and good to talk about the value and power of video, but actually creating it isn't so simple. Sometimes it can't be done in-house and you may need to call in the big guns.
Acrylic's very own Social Media Expert, Izzy Ford, is the genius behind every Tweet, Pin, Post, and Live on our clients' social platforms. When she's not penning polls, tracking down awesome images, and creating amazing competitions and events, Izzy writes blog content, and takes every available opportunity to get behind the camera and hone her videography skills.
Video Marketing2019.03.25What Is Video Marketing And Why Is It So Powerful?


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Clayton Swaps Bolton For Blackpool
In: General News |
Bolton Wanderers forward Max Clayton has agreed a two-year deal with Blackpool with the option of a further year, which will become official when his current contract expires on 1 July.
The 22-year-old only managed 30 appearances, mostly from the bench, for Wanderers in an injury-hit three years at the club, with his final outing coming in a 1-0 loss at Oldham in April.
The former Crewe Alexandra apprentice burst onto the scene at the end of the 2010/11 season when he made his senior bow as a 17-year-old and became a key figure in the side that achieved promotion to League One via the play-offs the following year.
He also scored the second goal in a 2-0 win over Southend as Alex claimed the EFL Trophy in April 2013 and appeared 92 times in all until his move to Bolton.
"It's nice to come and get it over the line so quickly," the former England Under-19 international said to the club website. "I knew a few people here and I thought it was important for my development to come and work with people that I know.
"I want to contribute, I want to do well and I want to have an impact this season and hopefully push us up to have a good season."
Clayton will link up with former Crewe teammates Kelvin Mellor and fellow new signing Ollie Turton, who also signed on a free transfer last week.
Connell Makes Switch To Celtic
Crewe Use Education Programme To Collaborate With Community
Blackpool U18s 3 - 2 Preston North End U18s
Goal of the Month - August 2018


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Florida basketball score: KeVaughn Allen saves Gators twice in OT win over Ole Miss
January 30, 2019 | By Adam Silverstein
Picking up its first close-game win of the 2018-19 season, Florida Gators basketball triumphed Wednesday behind two tremendous plays from senior guard KeVaughn Allen, who did not have an otherwise productive night....
Fastbreak: Ole Miss snaps Florida basketball's six-game win streak
Florida Gators basketball (12-5, 4-1 SEC) suffered a tough road loss on Saturday, falling 78-72 to the Ole Miss Rebels (10-7, SEC) in Oxford, Mississippi. The Gators led by as many as...
Florida adds talented Ole Miss transfer Van Jefferson
December 18, 2017 | By Adam Silverstein
The Early Signing Period is just over 24 hours away, but the Florida Gators have already added a major piece they hope will be eligible to play for them in 2018. Redshirt...
Fastbreak: Six things to know as inconsistent Gators edge Rebels in O'Dome
No. 24 Florida Gators basketball (11-3, 2-0 SEC) is now a unanimous top-25 team, and it was expected to blow out the Ole Miss Rebels (9-5, 0-2 SEC) on Tuesday at the...
Florida didn't consider Hugh Freeze? Revisionist history
May 5, 2016 | By Adam Silverstein
. Though the Florida Gators never offered Ole Miss head football coach Hugh Freeze a contract, as was erroneously reported during Florida's coaching search last offseason, Freeze was indeed a candidate to...
Florida's Jim McElwain chimes in on NCAA rules decisions
Recent NCAA rules initiatives – banning satellite camps and deregulating text messaging and social media communication – impact not only the lives of football recruits but the coaches who spend their days...
Fastbreak: Devin Robinson shines as Florida Gators hold on to beat Ole Miss 77-72
February 10, 2016 | By Adam Silverstein
Coming off one of its worst performances of the season, Florida Gators basketball needed to get back to its winning ways and did just that, taking down the Ole Miss Rebels for...
Fastbreak: Florida Gators run through Ole Miss 80-71 in Mike White's homecoming
The two-faced Florida Gators basketball team was at it again Saturday, shooting the lights out on the road in Oxford, Mississippi, on the way to a wire-to-wire 80-71 win over the Ole...
Snell's Slant: Trap game alert for Gators as Florida looks to build on success at Mizzou
By Shannon Snell – OnlyGators.com Featured Columnist Forget that "Big Boss" nickname I've carried for so long. Pardon me, Floyd Mayweather Jr., but you all can just call me "Money" now. Take...
Florida Gators have figured out the action and reaction … now what about 'number three?'
No. 11 Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain met with the media on Monday to go over his team's dominant 38-10 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels as well as Florida's upcoming...


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How to Make a Family Directory
By: Linda Emma
Updated On: March 15, 2018
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Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images
Create and Share a Family Directory In-Person and Online
Sometimes it's difficult to keep families together, whether they're separated by time or distance. One way to make it easier is to create a family directory to which everyone has access. It can be an invaluable tool when you have news to spread—good or bad—and realize that not everyone is on social media. Here's what to do and how to get started.
Start With What You Already Have
Do you have an old address book? Or do you have a well-organized system on your smartphone with everyone's full contact information? Whatever you already use for names, addresses and emails of family, consider that to be your rock-solid foundation. Now build upon it. If you have a family tree, take a close look at the branches you're missing and reach out to people who may be in touch with the relatives you're not.
Facebook is a great tool to get in touch with long-lost relatives. Send a shout-out to everyone in your very extended family. What's best is that even if the person you're trying to locate isn't on the social media channel, someone who knows him may be. LinkedIn can also help. You can search and send in-mails or requests to connect.
Once you have a list of names, it's time to get down to details. Don't just settle for a name and email address. See if you can get everyone to join in to provide information about their lives. Make it fun. A tool like SurveyMonkey allows you to ask a few questions that won't just fill in the blanks. Ask about birthdays, adoption or "gotcha" days, anniversaries and more. Wouldn't you like to know the pet people among you? Or how about the family's mutual favorite pastime or sport?
Compile the Data and Create the Directory
Whether you're scrapbooking all the info you're about to share or typing it all into a Word document, pulling it together is the crux of your assignment. Don't be afraid to get others on board, especially if you're unfamiliar on how to merge Excel sheets and Word documents. Be sure to add a theme and style. And a fun first page might be a calendar where you include everyone's birthday! Make the directory something that displays the personality of the full cast of characters in your family.
Distribute Your Directory
Once it's the work you and your family can be proud of, be sure to build it out and distribute. Create a pdf and send it as an attachment via email (now that you have everyone's email address). But be sure to create actual physical copies. Many of the people you'll most want to keep in touch with—for instance, your elderly relatives—probably aren't online. Don't neglect them.
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To ensure fewer errors, don't rush the distribution of your final copy. Request regular updates of any changes to keep your data current.
Request a digital photograph to be included in the directory.
Don't include any family member's information unless you have first contacted them directly and received their permission.
Linda Emma is a journalist and freelance writer, specializing in family, parenting, and relationship topics. She has been writing for more than 20 years. She currently works at a marketing agency and Endicott College, where she provides tutoring services and sage wisdom to undergraduates.


White short-grained rice are round rices with the bran coat completely removed. Very flavourful, it yields a stickier, softer product. It is especially good when a creamy texture or stickiness is desired. Also called pudding rice. This rice needs to be soaked for 20 minutes to relax the grain. Use one part rice to one and 1/8 part of water. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until done.