The Marketing Vulcano erupts. Move, move move !
A marketing vulcano? You probably ask yourself: "what on earth would that be"? Sounds threatening. On the otherhand, we also know that vulcano's leave fertile lava soil behind. The eruption thus creates a new future.
The growth of vulcano's is something that facinates me. I can't get my head around the earth being filled with magma and big tectonic plates shifting slowly, a couple of centimetres per year. When they move from each other, they leave a hole where the magma slowly erupts. When they move towards each other pressure builds up, leading to an explosion of magma. These are the vulcano's we know and fear.
Let me tell you why I called this blog post the Marketing Vulcano. I use the parallel of a vulcano to express my vision that there are three trends in marketing that are colliding. Everyone is doing the same thing. It's probably also what occupies you daily: "how can I approach the mass of consumers to gain a little bit more awareness". When everyone is doing the same thing, it becomes harder and harder to win.
This one directional pressure will cause an explosive move into a new dimension. The winners will be the companies that move towards the new dimension, being "how can I turn my customers into ambassadors".
We will first discuss the three trends with you. You will have to take a step back. Stop worrying about the operational details. Focus on why you are doing what you do.
We then highlight some elements of the new trend. We conclude with a vision of how ecommerce could look in the near future.
While ecommerce started out with simple products, consumers have started using ecommerce for more and more complex products.
Technical complex products like computers.
Complex services like subscriptions, insurance and mortgage.
Even personal complex products and services, like healthcare.
Retail has lost much territory, but this trend will slow down. There is a reverse trend going on. We see companies that started as 100% ecommerce now open retail stores. There are brand stores like Philips in Amsterdam, focused on getting interactive customer feedback. We see consumers orient on internet and then buy in a retail shop and visa versa. We see stores that are truly multi channel, with a consistent presence in retail and ecommerce. Retail has some characteristics that are favored by customers. Being able to touch the product is very important in this. Personal interaction is a second mayor differentiator. In retail the shop assistant can work from the customer's needs and build up value. That is key, because customers need a product, but they pay for the value they perceive. Reversely, when you fail to build value for your customer, you can only compete on price.
In short, we are moving to a more mixed model of the purchasing process.
In the early days of ecommerce you had good and bad websites. You could stand out by having a site that worked well and was intuitive. Nowadays the CMS standard systems are so good, even a small shop can be at high standards. Plus you can choose from hundreds of website builders. There certainly still are quality differences, but almost all of these website builders will build a decent website for you.
Also in the area of Marketing much knowledge is standardized in plug-ins and services. Tracing customers, building up CMS databases, email marketing, customer service, and feedback. Customer reviews are also automated and available as service from content companies. All is available and it's hard to find an ecommerce site that doesn't have this organized.
When there is little difference between different suppliers, economic law tells us you will end up in fierce price competition, and that is exactly what has happened. The rise of price comparison sites only aggravated this trend. Investments in ecommerce are still big, but the pig trade cycle predicts that at a certain moment in time there will just be too much capacity built up and the shake out will start.
On the cost side, Ecommerce is spending huge amounts of money on Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing and other forms of internet marketing. The lack of differentiation leads to hugh marketing budgets to win the customer. Google, Facebook and other media are exploiting their unique position in digital advertising. Based on the pressumption they can't be omitted, the prices for their services are rising continuously.
Conclusion: strategies based on technique only are bound to loose importance. As technical innovations are slowing down, it is the effective usage that will create a winning strategy. The rising cost of the digital advertisement platforms will cause companies to look for a different approach.
Consumers adopted social media much earlier than companies. Due to the fact that consumers were on social media, companies had to be present as well. First mainly to prevent damage, as customer service. Nowadays most also publish campaign material, more or less like they would do on television. The best companies also ask for feedback.
One customer can break the reputation of a company.
Customers are used to being in contact with large groups of digital relations. The concept of "near relationship" has completely changed. The world has become a village.
People get an overload of information. All sources compete on an equal level for attention. It has become very hard to make a message stand out.
As a reaction to the power of the big companies in the mass media era, the current generation puts more trust in messages by peers on internet. Research shows that word of mouth is currently a hundred times more influential than an expensive marketing campaign. This creates a challenge for marketing.
Conclusion: companies will have to find a way to fulfil the expectations of customers in this social media era.
The three trends have build up pressure in one particular direction: making the large mass of people aware of your company in order to sell to a small percentage of them.
This concept originated in the mass media era. Mass media made it possible for companies to reach large groups of people with their advertisement. Ecommerce increased the focus on the mass of consumers. Websites are cheap to operate compared to retail and allow for presentation to groups much larger than any shop can fit. The commercial strategy of Ecommerce focusses on SEO optimization and Google adwords to maximize page views..
The rise of social media as commercial platform in the last couple of years has aggrevated this concept to hugh dimensions. An advertisement that goes viral can reach millions of potential customers in a day. Much more than search optimization can ever deliver.
It has been proven that in any large group of people 3 percent of the people are ready to buy, regardless the product under investigation. Based on this knowledge, the strategy to be visible to a large community makes sense. But the strategy is too simple, is becoming less effective and more expensive.
Research (see for instance SeeWhy) shows that Social Media Marketing has only limited impact on conversion. In their research social media accounted for 30% of the visitors. Unfortunately this resulted in only 2% of the sales.
What sells is relation, trust and service. The lava of marketing vulcano is focus on the individual customer. We see several movements towards this customer focus.
Email marketingto build a relation with current customers.
Personalization of site contentbased on behavior inside or outside the webshop.
The rise of trusted brandsin Ecommerce, like Amazon. Trusted brands can ask higher prices, regardless their bad listing on comparison sites.
Brand web storesare often times preferred above webshops that sell the same product at a lower price.
The popularity of consultants, like Mark Schaefer, Jay Baer, Nisandeh Neta, who teach companies to build marketing upon a trusted relationship with satisfied existing customers.
Email marketing and personalization sound like a personal approach, but these concepts make only a first step. They give a twist to the "reaching the mass" concept in the right direction. The mailing list is intended to be as big as possible. Customers are classified in a number of groups. Each group gets a specific message. The great thing about them is that they base an offer on previous purchases of this customer. Personalization basically does the same thing, but it does it real-time while the customer is browsing the site.
Why is this just the first step? What's lacking is that the customer does not perceive this as a personal approach. It is a smart automated approach. Today's customer however expects a personal connection with the vendor and transparent direct communication. Please check my blog about this: 5 elements of Customer Expectation . Email marketing and personalization of websites don't fulfill these elements. For the customer to feel connected to your shop or brand, you will need to do more.
Our vision is that the Multi-channel concept will start to mean more than just selling and advertising via multiple channels. The methods of retail and ecommerce will mix into one new approach, picking the best of both worlds. The individual customer approach of retail and the digital information of ecommerce will be blended into a new type of interactive ecommerce. Ecommerce will become as entertaining and personal as retail.
Social media is now used to reach millions of people at an inconvenient moment. The future of social media is to interact digitally with a limited number of people at the moment you are relevant to your customer. We will start interacting with customers as a community in the web shop. Consumers are tired of being overloaded with irrelevant information. Being relevant becomes the most important differentiator. We will move from high reach with low impact to low reach with high impact.
We will have to learn to use social media that way. Topics that companies will have to handle are delegation of control and interactive public feedback. These skills are common in retail, so companies with a strong background in retail will have an advantage.
Additionally social media platforms will develop functionality to improve this interactive shopping. Facebook and Twitter are not fit for interactive shopping. Their strength is reaching the mass public. The new social media will need to be part of the customer's action. That requires that it is really interactive and that relevance to the consumer's current action is guaranteed.
In our previous post we already concluded that the winning companies will be the ones that manage to scale up personal interaction with their customers. Success will be built upon relationship and trust. Technology will only temporarily be a differentiator. Advertisement will not disappear, but it will no longer be sufficient.
What will make the difference is the people behind the brand, their strategy and their capability to listen to customers and turn customer feedback into a relevant offering.
PS: This song Dancing on the Vulcano used to one of my favorite songs.
Next postHow to create engagement with social media? 5 Things you need to know.


Most of us take our heart's continual and steady beating for granted, that is, until our heart skips beats or starts to palpitate, or race. When our heart gets out of sync, either by pulsating in an irregular rhythm or suddenly speeding up, we're said to have an arrhythmia. An irregular heartbeat is one of the most common reasons people see cardiologists and may be benign or life threatening; one-third of all arrhythmias occur in normal hearts, and rarely are cause for concern.
As long as you and your physician know what kind of arrhythmia you're dealing with, abnormal heartbeat changes are very treatable. If your heartbeat is abnormally high, and you're not exercising or emotionally upset, you are said to have tachycardia. If your heart rate slows to less than 50 beats per minute, you have bradycardia. A person who experiences both has brady-tachy syndrome.
Sometimes referred to as "A-fib" or "AF", atrial fibrillation is the most common type of serious arrhythmia. A-fib occurs when the heart's upper two chambers (atria) do not contract in response to the pacemaker's electrical impulses; rather, they start reacting to various other electrical signals scattered throughout them. Think of being on a guided museum tour where you can't follow the tour guide because all the other tourists are shouting out directions and blocking your view. When the pacemaker is drowned out by other electrical signals, the atria do not forcefully contract and send blood into the ventricles to be pumped throughout the body. Instead, the atria "fibrillate," or start rapidly vibrating, which can cause heart rate to increase up to 250 beats per minute.
A person may feel the fibrillation as quivering, or may not feel it at all. Other signs of A-fib include dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, or general flu-like symptoms. Most people can tolerate the high and/or low heartbeats of A-fib for temporary periods; however, when episodes last more than 24 hours or heart rate variance is extreme, the heart can experience considerable strain, which may lead to heart attacks or even congestive heart failure. Regular occurrences of A-fib can also increase a person's risk of stroke. Because blood is not forcibly contracted into the ventricles, but flows into them by virtue of gravity, it pools in the atria and the heart ultimately pumps less blood through the body. Eventually, clots may form on atrial walls, then break off and enter the arteries.
While A-fib does occur in healthy hearts, more often than not it is associated with heart disease. A-fib may be due to long-term high blood pressure, valvular disease, enlarged atria, or atria that do not contract properly. Malfunction of the heart's electrical conduction system due to age or metabolic states like hyperthyroidism can also lead to A-fib. Most people experience recurrent A-fib, meaning that their condition comes and goes. The primary goals in treating recurrent A-fib are to normalize heart rate and rhythm through various therapies and to prevent the formation of blood clots (see "Arrhythmia Treatments" below).
Usually harmless, an ectopic beat is a skipped or extra heartbeat. Ectopic beats may occur for no apparent reason, or may be due to another issue such as an electrolyte imbalance in the blood, ischemia (lack of oxygen) caused by inadequate blood supply to the heart, or heart disease. Testing for ectopic beats is advisable in order to rule out other types of cardiac arrhythmias, though treatment is usually not necessary unless the irregular beats occur very frequently, are severe, or due to an underlying cause.
Premature heartbeats are extremely common, usually harmless, and may not cause any symptoms. If the premature beat occurs in the one of the top chambers of the heart it is a premature atrial contraction, or PAC. When in one of the ventricles, it is a premature ventricular contraction, or PVC. While the PAC or PVC may feel like a "skipped" beat, it is occurring earlier than expected and is followed by a quick pause.
PACs and PVCs usually occur due to stress, use of stimulants (caffeine or other drugs) or alcohol, or low potassium states. They can be caused by heart conditions, though, such as lack of oxygen, mitral valve prolapse, or aging conduction systems. Most cardiologists will not prescribe drugs to treat premature heartbeats unless they are happening frequently and on a regular basis, and are accompanied by heart disease.
The next two types of arrhythmias can be deadly, and require immediate attention, especially in people who have experienced heart failure or whose heart muscles are inflamed, dilated, and don't pump well, or when their left ventricle is dilated.
Ventricular tachycardia, or "V-tach," characterizes an intense and prolonged racing of the heart and is like a runaway PVC. V-tach becomes dangerous if it lasts for more than a few seconds; it can also turn into ventricular fibrillation.
With ventricular fibrillation, or "V-fib," chaotic electrical signals throw the ventricles off rhythm and they begin to quiver or vibrate. This is very dangerous because when the ventricles do not forcibly contract, the heart can't supply itself and the rest of the body with life-sustaining blood. V-fib may occur during a heart attack or in a person whose heart is already weakened due to disease or another condition.
More than just jitters: Caffeine overdose – Depending on a person's sensitivity, drinking too much coffee, tea or caffeinated soda can trigger rapid or skipped heartbeats. A nervous system stimulant, caffeine also acts as a diuretic, and can contribute to magnesium deficiency, which may lead to arrhythmias.
Electrolyte imbalances – Low potassium and other electrolyte imbalances in the blood can also cause arrhythmias. As electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, sodium help conduct electric charge through the body, a balance of them is necessary to ensure proper muscle contraction and nerve impulses. We lose electrolytes when we sweat (or suffer from chronic diarrhea) and have to replenish them through food, drinks or supplements.
Sugar shock – Eating too much sugar in one sitting can cause a person's insulin levels to surge, which can lead to electrolyte imbalance due to potassium deficiency. Too much chronic insulin release can also can cause arterial inflammation, as well as affect overall hormonal balance (including adrenal response). Researchers believe that oxidative stress and inflammation underlie AF because these problems affect localized electrical activity in atrial muscle tissue. Individuals with AF also have significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, in their blood.
More stress than your heart can handle – Like sugar overdose, stress overload can also disrupt hormonal balance, and cause the heart to continually beat faster while the body chronically operates on sympathetic nervous system overdrive. Stress is now considered a risk factor for hypertension and heart disease. Interestingly enough, more sudden deaths due to lethal arrhythmias or heart attacks occur on Mondays, as workers experience an "outpouring" of stress hormones as they gear up for work.
Drugs and medications – It's not just illegal stimulant drugs like cocaine which can cause your heart to beat irregularly, prescription drugs like Ritalin (methyphenidate), which prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, tricyclic antidepressants and even birth control pills can disrupt heartbeat. Sometimes the drugs used to correct the arrhythmia, itself, such as digitalis and calcium channel blockers can worsen it. Over-the-counter cold medications and asthma sprays containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine may also speed up or bring on a more forceful heart rate.
Cigarette smoking – A cardiovascular nightmare for several reasons, cigarettes also contain nicotine, a stimulant drug, which can cause a racing heartbeat. Quit, if you haven't already.
Alcohol – While many health experts agree that a glass of wine a day is a health mainstay, for people with arrhythmias, alcohol can exacerbate the situation. This is especially an issue during the holidays when people tend to mirthfully over-consume alcohol and food.
Overeating and eating disorders – Regular overeating, which can lead to overweight and obesity, can also increase risk of arrhythmias. Interleukin 6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is produced in fat tissue; hence people with excess body fat are more prone to low-grade systemic inflammation. Anorexia and bulimia are also associated with increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias.
Chemical food additives – As a rule of thumb, the more natural and simple ingredients in a food or drink product, the better. Chemical additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG), a form of glutamate added to food to make it tastier, are excitotoxins: they over stimulate brain neurons to the point of cell death. Not only do excitotoxins play a role in the development of depression, obesity and degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's, but they also contribute to strokes, especially in people who are magnesium-deficient.
Environmental toxins – Pesticides, herbicides, cadmium, lead, mercury, and aluminum are also excitotoxins. Exposure to mercury from vaccines, toxic fish or dental fillings and lead from paints, batteries and some drinking water can cause oxidative stress and poison enzyme systems. Toxins also tend to consume magnesium, an electrolyte which support healthy heart function and structural integrity. Air pollution has also been shown to increase stress response, which can increase risk of arrhythmia in people with pre-existing heart disease and abnormal heart rate variability.
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) – Some radio frequency (RF) emissions are now known to directly affect heart rate. A recent study showed that exposure to cordless phone RF (and comparatively, WiFi) directly increased heart rate, even causing tachycardia, and increased sympathetic nervous system activity (adrenal response), as demonstrated by heart rate variability (HRV) measurements. Wireless RF emissions also suppress HRV. Grounding, or attuning to the Earth's natural electromagnetic potential, can counteract negative RF-related cardiac effects by balancing autonomic nervous system activity (as shown through improved HRV).
Sudden strenuous exercise – "Warming up" for at least 10 minutes before exercising heavily allows your heart to gradually adjust to increasing activity. Sudden bursts of activity catch the heart off guard and can lead to palpitations. It's also important to engage in a 10-minute cool down after exercising, especially when exercising your legs. Mixing physical stress with competitiveness is another bad combination, so try to not get too emotionally invested in the outcome of whatever activity you're engaged in.
While some people recognize that something's not right with their heartbeat, others may be asymptomatic. If you notice a heartbeat irregularity or experience other cardiac symptoms like shortness of breath or chest pain, your physician can perform an echocardiogram (ECG or EKG) to test for arrhythmia and determine if it is serious, i.e. if heart muscle or valvular disease is at issue. Since palpitations not may occur during the actual EKG test, you may be instructed to wear a portable Holter monitor, which will record your heart rhythm during normal activities to demonstrate what type of arrhythmia you have and how frequently it is occurring.
Misdiagnosis happens, though, as chronic panic disorder (CPD) is often confused with arrhythmia. The recurrent episodes of fear and/or discomfort that characterize CPD can lead to excessive adrenaline release, and result in chest pain and heart palpitations. On a related note, EMF exposure may be an easily overlooked cause of arrhythmia; doctors need to start asking patients who experience irregular heartbeat about their use of cellular and cordless phones, wireless internet, baby monitors, etc.
The goal with arrhythmia treatments is to bring the heart back into rhythm. For otherwise healthy people with occasional bouts of arrhythmia, this can usually be accomplished through a few lifestyle changes: reducing stress, adding specific foods to the diet, and supplementing with a few key nutrients. People with more serious conditions like recurrent A-fib coupled with heart disease, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, may also require pharmaceutical and even surgical interventions.
Uncontrolled emotional stress not only causes arrhythmias, but is linked to the development of many health problems including hypertension, type II diabetes and obesity. Have you ever heard the saying, "10 percent is circumstances and 90 percent is how you deal with them"? Learn to deal with day-by-day stressors in a healthy way by cultivating lifestyle habits that help you relax.
Mind-body therapies like yoga, meditation and Tai Chi are particularly helpful to train your mind to more calmly process seemingly stressful information. These therapies also encourage deep abdominal breathing, which is especially important for people with arrhythmias. Deep breathing improves HRV, which increases your ability to cope with stress while reducing your likelihood of experiencing a sudden cardiac event. Regular, moderate exercise is great for keeping stress at bay, and activities like playing with your pets or children, getting a massage, gardening, playing games, or engaging in some kind of creative project may also relax you. The trick is to, on a regular basis, generate more activity from the parasympathetic branch of your autonomic nervous system, and decrease sympathetic branch activity.
Cold-water fish like salmon, scrod, mackerel, sea trout and even sardines are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown in studies to protect against sudden cardiac death caused by lethal arrhythmias. Anti-inflammatory omega-3s also relax the smooth muscle in blood vessel walls to keep blood pressure low, and can help keep the blood thin. Make sure to avoid farm raised (look for "wild-caught") fish or fish that have otherwise been exposed to environmental pollutants like methyl mercury.
Consuming an abundance of dark, leafy greens like chlorophyll-rich kale and spinach can help prevent arrhythmias, as these veggies are full of magnesium. Magnesium, a mineral required for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, is also found in foods like avocados, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and whole grains. As low potassium levels can also cause arrhythmias, snacking on bananas, oranges, figs, and raisins, and incorporating more yogurt, whole grains and potatoes into your diet can help you get enough of this mineral important for electrolyte balance. A diet high in potassium is associated with lowered risk of stroke-related death.
In general, sticking to an anti-inflammatory diet most of the time supports cardiovascular health.
Fish oil (2 to 4 grams daily) – Just like fish, capsules of fish oil are full of anti-inflammatory omega-3s.
Coenzyme Q10 (100 to 300 mg daily) – A sound intervention for arrhythmias, CoQ10 stabilizes membranes of the electrical conduction system. An antioxidant which helps protect against oxidative stress, CoQ10 also plays a crucial role in production of energy molecules (adenosine triphosphate, or ATP) that fuel heart function. For this reason alone, CoQ10 is probably the best supplement you can take for your heart. As a preventative and restorative nutrient, CoQ10 fights the heart disease which can mean the difference between a benign and malignant arrhythmia in many cases.
L-carnitine (1 to 3 grams daily) – Like CoQ10, L-carnitine assists in the production of ATP molecules which can prevent the heart from becoming diseased. As an antioxidant and vasodilator, L-carnitine is particularly helpful in the treatment of coronary artery disease: it helps deliver oxygen to blocked arteries and improves blood flow, while protecting against damage to the arterial lining.
D-ribose (5 to 15 grams daily): Supplementing with D-ribose helps the body maintain a steady pool of ATP as reserve energy. This is particularly important when the body's ability to recycle ATP is exceeded by overall ATP expenditure, which is at issue in people with heart disease and more chronic or otherwise serious arrhythmias. While the body makes ribose, extra may be needed if energy reserves are facing depletion.
Magnesium (400 to 800 mg daily) – Essential for healthy heart function, magnesium also helps the body generate ATP. Deficiency (less than 130 mg per day) can result in electrolyte imbalances that may cause ectopic heartbeats.
Potassium (500 to 1,000 mg daily) – Crucial for the overall functioning of nerves and muscles, potassium is particularly important for maintaining proper heart rhythms. A mineral that helps counteract the blood-pressure-raising effects of sodium, potassium helps relax smooth muscle in blood vessel walls. People who take diuretics are especially vulnerable to potassium deficiency, as are people who consume excess caffeine and/or alcohol. Note: people with kidney problems should not supplement with potassium.
Hawthorn berry (500 mg, two to three times daily) – An herb with powerful antioxidant qualities, hawthorn can enhance coronary circulation and increase cardiac energy levels, and is often prescribed as a substitute for digitalis, one of the most commonly ordered medications for improving contractibility in a weakened heart; people taking digitalis or other hypertensive medications should talk to their physicians before supplementing with hawthorn berry.
Vitamin C (1,000 mg in divided doses with food) – As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C helps combat arterial inflammation (people with AF have much higher levels of CRP in their blood streams) and helps keep blood pressure down. People tend to become depleted in vitamin C when under a lot of psycho-emotional stress, which increases their risk of stroke-related death. Essential for tissue growth and repair, vitamin C also plays an important role in the proper utilization and absorption of calcium and iron; as too much vitamin C can bring about iron overload states, people with hemochromatosis or thalassemia major should be especially careful not to ingest more than 200 mg per day.
Fish oil (2 to 3 grams daily).
Garlic (1 to 2 grams daily in capsule form, or ½ to one clove raw garlic per day) – Not only is garlic a powerful antimicrobial agent (it can combat at least 23 different types of bacteria and 61 types of fungi) that helps to enhance the immune system, it is also a powerful anticoagulant; so much so, that it should not be taken in conjunction with oral anticoagulants like aspirin or Coumadin, or injectable agents like heparin. Garlic also has an ACE-inhibiting quality (ACE inhibitors are a class of antihypertensive drugs) and has been shown to help lower blood pressure.
Nattokinase (100 mg daily) – Nattokinase is an enzyme derived from fermented soybeans. It has powerful clot-busting and blood thinning potential. Nattokinase may be found in health food stores in supplement form.
Limbrokinase (20 mg capsules taken on an empty stomach 1 time per day) – Like nattokinase, lumbrokinase is an enzyme which helps prevent blood from forming and even helps dissolve existing clots.
Vitamin E (200 to 300 IU) – This fat-soluble anticoagulant and vasodilator helps reduce risk of heart attacks. As an antioxidant, it prevents damage to arterial lining and helps stabilize plaques. As there are 8 different types of vitamin E, it's best to supplement with a mixed tocopherol product that contains gamma-tocopherol and tocotrienols.
Bromelain (600 mg) – An enzyme derived from pineapple, bromelain helps keep blood viscosity at a healthy levels. Not just for heart health, bromelain also contains chemicals that interfere with the growth of tumor cells, and, as an anti-inflammatory agent, can help prevent or reduce joint pain and swelling.
Note: People taking Coumadin (warfarin) should consult their physicians before supplementing with blood thinning nutrients to avoid thinning the blood too much.
People with troublesome A-fib or ventricular arrhythmias are candidates for anti-arrhythmic medications such as digoxin, which helps control ventricular contractions, calcium channel blockers, which can help regulate heartbeat, and beta blockers (Inderal, Lopressor, Corgard) which are used to control high heart rates. Other medications like Amiodarone, which relax heart muscle, may also be prescribed. Many of these drugs have a high rate of dangerous side effects, though, and can trigger arrhythmias and even sudden death. Natural treatments may be safer bets, unless patients are monitored in the hospital for negative side effects.
People who experience A-fib on occasion, and otherwise have healthy hearts, may benefit more from a hospital intervention known as electrical cardioversion. By sending a jolt of electricity into the atria through defibrillator paddles applied to the chest, this shock therapy helps reset a racing heart without risking side effects associated with antiarrhythmic drugs. Cardioversion is generally useful for people who have not been suffering from A-fib for more than six months.
As people with recurrent AF have to watch out for blood clotting, anticoagulation medications like Coumadin (warfarin) are usually warranted, especially if structural heart disease or other heart disease risk factors like family history, diabetes, leaky heart valves, or high blood pressure are present. While aspirin and natural blood thinning agents like fish oil, garlic, and nattokinase are effective blood thinners, they are not as effective as Coumadin.
In some cases, more invasive procedures may be necessary. Some patients with very slow heart rates may need a mechanical pacemaker implanted, as may patients with very high heart rates or heart rates which fluctuate between both extremes for whom medication has proved ineffective. Catheter ablation, another procedure which involves sending radio frequencies into the heart's electrical "problem areas" to stop abnormal rhythms in their tracks, may also useful, especially when repeated; a recent French study (Weerasooriya R, et al.) demonstrated that arrhythmia-free rates significantly increased in patients with whom the procedure was performed twice.
Patients with life-threatening arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, may benefit from an automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) devices. Surgically implanted into a patient's abdominal wall, the AICD works like a "mini-defibrillator": based on a programmed limit, it senses when the heart is electrically over-stimulated and fires an electrical discharge to break up the offending rhythm.
For more information on natural heart strengtheners, check out Lower Your Blood Pressure in Eight Weeks and The Sinatra Solution: Metabolic Cardiology.
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I had recently purchased a handheld 3-lead ECG heart monitor and placed it on my mother. Much to our dismay, her ECG amplitude was very low. Her QRS mas more like a P wave. I talked her into taking Co-Q10, bought her a treadmill, and a case of bottled water. Three weeks down the road, we are as taken aback by the improvement as much as we were about the issue. Keep in mind that although we both have medical backgrounds, our experiment was not conducted in a lab and we do not have a control group. None the less, the before and after is undeniable and we believe that the combination of offering the heart something to do, good hydration as well as adding the Co-Q10 gave it the ability dramatically improve in both conductivity and efficiency.
•Environmental toxins – Pesticides, herbicides,. Would Agent Orange fall into this category to cause Arrhythmias and possibly later Sick Sinus Syndrome? If so would that be progressive over several years or an immediate affect? Thank you.
In mid September I ended up in the hospitalized and was diagnosed with AFib, I'm 62. Monday my mother, 86 was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with AFib. Last year my sister-in-law who lives in the house next door with my brother, mid 40s has been with heartrate problems and is currently still undiagnosed with no known cause. So 33% of the inhabitants of one house and 100% of those in the other. We have city water but, they've been digging up and replacing many of the old water lines due to holes in the pipes. This area has had a lot of industries, gas stations etc in the past and who knows what may have been dumped or leaked into the ground. What chemicals might cause issues and could be checked for in water samples? Coincidental?
Hi Sam, Do you live near a cell phone tower, or have wireless devices like Wi-Fi, smart meters, or cordless phones sending signals through your house? Cordless phones, which operate at the same frequency as Wi-Fi, have been shown to affect heart rate and/or rhythm – see http://www.heartmdinstitute.com/health-topics/emf-sensitivity/cell-phones-and-health/188-cell-phone-radiation-affects-brain-function – we suggest ditching the cordless phones and Wi-Fi for land lines and wired Internet and severely limiting use of cell phones. Try to avoid living near smart meters too. And yes, chemicals / environmental toxins can also lead to arrhythmias – see article above.
Best of heath and happiness.
Hi, reading your article with great interest. I am currently looking for some advice on a future treatment plan for myself. I was diagnosed at 16 with Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome, treated with catheter ablation 11 years ago for the WPW and they also found another conductive pathway and it too was treated. I had 9 years of occasional symptoms of SVT until last September when I had an episode of persistent atrial flutter, adenosine didn't revert it, I was placed on Sotalol and had another ablation which was deemed successful. Up until 2 weeks ago I was fine, however now I have been in atrial flutter for 14 days. I was again treated with adenosine unsuccessfully and have been put on sotalol, dabigatran and digoixin. Any advice for the future, I'm 28.
My heart was a wreck before taking coq10. This supplement keeps my heart in regular rhythm at all times. Highly recommend it!
I give up. I was doing so good this past summer and didn't have any episodes of A-fib for 2 and a half months. I was doing good this year until I had a colonoscopy Jan 3rd. Drinking all that Miralax and Gatorade did me in. I spiked a temp later in the evening the day of the procedure. My gastroenterologist said it was more than likely viral. I had A-fib the next two days and 6 more episodes that month. I am taking Tambacor that has been controlling the a fib pretty good. I've had 2 episodes this week.
What is the normal heart range in resting time by age?
How come some doctors can pick up a mumur others miss it completely?
How does a heart murmur effect blood pressure readings?
can set me off, need to do meditation, Yoga or something of that nature and regular exercise.
I've had rhythm problems with my heart since I was in my 20s. I was thin and in good physical shape. The motrin I was taking aggravated it quite a bit. No one gave me a diagnosis for 24 years. Seriously. I was blown off more times than I can count. Fast forward to now, I have a good cardiologist, and what's the closest 'fit' is AFib. I have had an inferior myocardial infarction in my mid 30s and didn't receive any treatment. (long story).
I was born this way. I didn't develop this over time. Its because my mom almost miscarried me between 6 and 8 weeks gestation, her doctor managed to stabilize her. I don't see anything in this test that reveals that sometimes the source is a birth defect.
Is Tambacor a beta blocker or a calcium channel blocker?
I know exactly how you feel, I was 27 when I started to have tachacardia, pvc, pac, and other nasty symptoms. Don't give up. You sound like you have a good doctor. Its hard to come to terms with a heart problem when you are only in your 20s. Stay on top of it. Often times doctors don't like to do surgery unless you are in a very serious state. This is because there is a huge risk from surgery. So they try meds first, surgery is a last resort. Like me, you are unfortunately stuck with this problem. Another poster mentioned coq10, which is a coenzyme supplement, and that poster hasn't had problems since. I'll be trying it as soon as I buy it. Maybe it would help you.
My response to Gatorade is positive. This leaves me wondering what I'm leaving out. Maybe electrolytes will help me, and I like gatorade.
I will be trying the coenzyme, I want to take as few meds as possible. I know it worked for a friend for a long time, maybe it would help me.
I find it a realy disgusting how mans 40 million year instinck GREED is behind most of all his decission's,You never tell what arterial plaque really is.To the point of pancreatic cancer, high blood presure ,by pass's kindny ,heart, disease etc ceolation D.R.Beard 1895, .DR. Shelly 1925,the Navy 1947, the A.M.A. 1950,F.D.A.last year,I catch things like P.A.D. hardening of the arteries,pancreatic prevention had it since 2011 dated in seeking alpha, I know pancreatic protical,and adult on set diabete's which is it's second,and the d.r. paid not to use it. Our tecknolidgy as well as our medical prof. is a crme ,the W.H.O. and Europe has told use for year's has turned it's back for monitory gain.Man is not intelagence with instink,rather he is a Instick.
I disagree with your evaluation of my answer: If you have occasional bouts of A fib you do not need medication for A fib but you should be on blood thinners, I am on Pradaxa. I learned the hard way, I got a serious ischemic stroke caused by blood clot created in my heart. Then I went on Pradaxa.
of seeing it for what it was I get an ICD anyway because of that one v-fib episode. Now it's time to change the battery for the first time. I never wanted it in the first place-should I let it go? I do have MVP and I have had runs of pvc's recorded.
I have just had ablation for AFib – am taking most of Dr Sinatra's wonderful supplements as well as Nattokinase. I am super reactive and sensitive to drugs chemicals and many things. I have been put on Zeralto having had bad reactions to Pradaxa. I am getting the same unpleasant weak dizzy disoriented run down reactions. I cannot continue like this and wondered if it would be safe to go back on the Natto and if so how much – I was taking 1 2Xday. I am also on Diltiazem 60 mg SR over 12 hrs – could not handle anything stronger. I have to take both these meds for a few months to see if my AFib has settled down. Please help. I live in the Cayman Islands so am not subject to US law. Used alternative treatments for cancer and still do.
How much Co-Q10 did you use?
I was overrun on a treadmill test (12 minutes). I have had a mitral valve problem most of my life. After doing some research I am surprised that they would run me this long considering I have a mitral valve problem. My cardiologist feels that as a result of the test I have stretched mitral valve cords and that I am going to have to have open heart surgery. Is there any way that I can strengthen my mitral valve cords and possibly avoid open heart surgery?
Is Coenzyne Q10 good for a Prolong QT Wave problem?
I had A-fib for several years off & on until I took magnesium. My hypertension dugs mugged them. Most drugs rob the body of essential minerals. I bought Suzy Cohen's book "Drug Muggers" She was a pharmacist for 25 years.
Dr Michael Kuchera. MD Cardiologist. This is supplemental treatment.
A Non Invasive Treatment in the United Kingdom.
We use hawthorn and supplements and had goog result but now my husabad suffers from alternation of bradicardiya and heart beats around 70-90 and also enormous variations in blood pressure 100-140 or event 90-150 and more.
my doctor has me on Pradaxa.
because my doctor has me on Pradaxa.
Sotolal and finally had to change doctors, The medicines were slowly killing me.
I am now on Diltiazem and Warfarin (am now in the adjusting stage on it) I also am a strong follower of Dr Sinatra and take almost all of his heart recommendations. Was doing fine at 84 yrs until the med drs got in the act. I am almost at my wits end. If we can't get the Warfarin stabilized I don't know where to turn. Sure wish for my previous way of enjoying life so much!! — I was on herbal and good supplements then, NO Prescriptions drugs!
What about atrial flutter? How is it different from a-fib?
by other tests like your fluid and cell and blood work?
which Face Book support are you referring to, would like to Join.
My arrythmias began in ernest when I was given Metoprolol in the hospital. And that was with just 1 mg/day! I have improved since dropping this medication. There are others who have documented the same experience on the support page of FaceBook. I have low blood pressure and this med is contraindicated for me. Don't understand why it was prescribed in the first place.
What I have found through muscle testing is people that have AFib need magnesium and sometimes potassium or both, Magnesium regulates potassium. However, blood test will not always show a deficiency because the majority of magnesium resides inside the cell not outside. It takes a while to build the up the magnesium because the stores are so low. Some people need 1,200 mg spaced out daily. Metals also interfere with the ion channels in the heart, so these need to be detoxed. Too much sugar, stress, digestion issues can also be found to be a cause among other reasons but magnesium is the biggest one.
I find that using CoQ10, L Carnitine and Hawthorn Berries really helps.
thank you for all your information. I will keep in touch with this web site.
I've had skipped beats over the past three years for isolated periods at a time. My cardiology tests (Zio, echocardiogram, etc.) reveal all is normal. Sometimes when I am near an electrical device in recent months, like an air conditioner or something with a strong enough vibrating mechanism, I experience a series of missed beats. Can you tell me what is going on and is this something I can and should treat? Thanks.
Ou por outra, a decoração a fim de que isso tema é tão variada que é praticamente improvável avistar duas festas iguais.
Wearing the earthing wrist band connected – whilst sleeping, once I woke to very low and irregular heart beat and absolute exhaustion for 3 1/2 hrs – 10 days later, I woke with mid chest crushing pain, radiating into the neck and low pulse again, maybe 5 mins and a bit longer for pulse to feel normal again. BP often low 97/64 lowest consistently.
Could the earthing device be affecting my heart function?
Do you have a product that contains all your recommendations?
Unfortunately, there is no one formula that includes ALL of the supplements recommended. You can find most of the items recommended at DrSinatra.com.
Dr. Sinatra, Hi, Am 69 have Brady-tachy and A-fib once a year since 2012 . Have a LOT of allergies have recently been prescribed eliquis, felt very tired no energy hard to walk at times MUST find a blood thinner I can't take plavix makes me wheeze warfarin complete exhaustion etc I tried them all settled on eliquis can only take 2.5 mg. 2xaday, I feel it's imposslble! So will try nattokinase, have searched the web to find you,. Thank you for being out there if you could kindly direct me do I take the complete list of supplements above, or just several? Thank you.


You bet it does! And the best sunscreen to prevent skin cancer is the one you decide to use every day. As a skin cancer fighter, I try to do my part and advocate for sunscreen use as soon as the spring clothes come out.
I have battled giant spots of skin cancer on my left shoulder, and several spots on my face, including one that required extensive plastic surgery after it was removed.
When I was a kid, sunscreen wasn't a "thing." My aunts all used baby oil to grease up and lay out. My brother and I might get a few dabs of that thick, pasty zinc oxide on our noses and tops of shoulders, but that was it.
Now that my skincare is in my hands, I am vigilant about sunscreen application. Even so, my numerous sunburns as a kid caught up with me in the form of squamous and basal cell cancers.
Three of my many bouts of skin cancer required Mohs surgery, which scrapes away layers of skin in the affected areas until no more cancer cells remain. It can go pretty deep, and I needed a skin graft from my forehead to fill the dent it made in my left nostril.
What this means for you and your children: I don't say this stuff to gross you out, I say it to urge you to keep your children (and yourself) protected from the sun now. Don't ever let your children be sunburned. They'll be so grateful when they're older and don't need skin grafts.
Watch your left side. A little-known fact about skin cancer is that it frequently occurs on the left side. Being in your car does not protect you from the sun. Two of my three big skin cancer surgeries were on my left side. Buckle up, and wear your sunscreen!
Most people don't use enough sunscreen. It takes a full shot glass to cover an adult for the most optimal sun protection. For little ones, it will take less — but slather them up good. It shouldn't be a quick process.
Put sunscreen on 30 MINUTES BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE! I cringe when I see parents quickly spraying their kids on the go as they show up at the pool. Not cool.
Use at least SPF 30 sunscreen. There is some debate about whether higher SPFs are necessary, but at least use 30. I personally use this SPF 45 for my whole body and this EltaMD SPF 46 for my face.
Always choose "full spectrum UVA plus UVB protection". Read labels carefully, and make sure it says both UVA and UVB protection.
There are two types of sunscreen. One is a physical sun blocking lotion that's usually mineral-based and free of chemicals. These sunblocks sit on top of the skin and deflect the sun's harmful rays. They are usually thick and don't rub in as well, but can offer great protection.
The second (most used) type of sunscreen absorbs into your skin when you apply it. These are chemical based and absorb the sun's harmful rays to prevent damage to the skin. This type of lotion absorbs better, is lighter, and can be worn under makeup.
Both types can protect from sun damage and sunburn. No matter what your preferences, get what works for you and use it daily — especially when spending time in the car, near windows, or outdoors. Sunscreen can only prevent skin cancer if you use it.
EltaMd UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46 is a winner with dermatologists, and it's my personal favorite. The formula is extremely smooth, rubs in completely, great for sensitive skin, won't cause break-outs, and it wears wonderfully under makeup. It's a bit more pricey, but I only use it for my face.
Sun Bum Original Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion gets rave reviews for its gentle formula and amazing smell. It's vegan, hypoallergenic, good for kids and sensitive skin. It comes in a variety of sizes and SPF formulas depending on your needs.
Supergoop! Skin Soothing Mineral Sunscreen with Olive Polyphenols SPF 40 is a favorite with parents and people with skin conditions such as rosacea. Its light and soothing formula doesn't cause irritation or break-outs, and parents like that it's gentle and doesn't sting the eyes.
Bare Republic Mineral Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 gets high marks from its customers with sensitive skin and conditions such as rosacea. It's light enough to wear under makeup, and gets great reviews for its non-greasy formula.
Click here to check out their special formula for babies.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen, Broad Spectrum SPF 45 is a winner in the non-greasy and non pore-clogging category. This is my personal choice for all over protection because of its dry feel. If you're not a fan of the greasy feel of most sunscreens, you'll love this one!
Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen with Cellular Response Technology SPF 50 provides full-spectrum protection in a lightweight formula that can be worn under makeup and doesn't cause clogged pores or shine. It gets raves for being moisturizing while not aggravating oily skin.
Coola Suncare Mineral Face SPF 30 Sunscreen Matte Tint is excellent for oily and sensitive skin. Be aware that it is lightly tinted but it blends with all tones and is great with any skin type. Reviewers love that it can be worn under makeup (even with oily skin) and provides a polished matte finish for your face.
Supergoop! Skin Soothing Mineral Sunscreen with Olive Polyphenols SPF 40 is non-greasy, doesn't cause break-outs, and it's a favorite with all skin types. Fans love that you can wear it daily under makeup, it's very gentle around the eyes, and it offers great sun protection for fair skin.
EltaMD UV Sport Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen has great staying power. It gets rave reviews from water fans and athletes for full protection during the summer. It's a heavier formula and isn't as sheer as daily-wear lotions, but that's typical for most sport sunscreens.
SPF Rx SPF 50 Sport Lotion provides up to 80 minutes of water resistance. It's a high performance formula with rave reviews from lifeguards and others who spend most of the summer outdoors. The great thing about this sunscreen is the large bottle with the pump. Provides a great price value for large families and those who use lots of sunscreen daily.
Zealios Water Resistant Zinc Oxide Sunscreen SPF 45 gets top marks from athletes and water-sport lovers. It has a water-resistance rating of 80 minutes and fans love that it goes on clear and dry and won't run in your eyes.
TotLogic Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 is rated for 80 minutes of water resistance, is tear-free, natural, and great for the whole family. Its thick formula has lots of staying power and gets of kudos for ultra sun protection when you're outdoors all day.
The best sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, as they say, is the one you'll use every day. Finding a sunscreen that works for you and that you'll use on a regular basis is the key to getting safe sun and warding off the dangers of skin cancer.
If you have concerns about your skin, see your doctor right away. Most skin cancer is curable if caught and taken care of early.
Changes in the color, size, or shape of existing moles.
Any new bumps, sores, or lesions that do not go away.
Always visit your dermatologist once a year, and get a thorough skin check. Pay close attention to the scalp, ears, left side of the body, toes, and places where your clothes cover your skin. No area is off limits to melanoma.
(1.) For more about the dangers of childhood sunburns, click this link for skincancer.org.
Thank you for spreading the word. My sister had skin cancer at 22 and we were shocked. She had the olive skin growing up compared to the freckles the rest of us had and I think maybe my parents were less concerned and she was less concerned about getting burned? Even people who have skin not prone to burning need to pay attention!
Thank you for your perspective, Julie! It is certainly a good reminder not to let your guard down no matter what color your skin is. Skin cancer doesn't discriminate.


Shame on me for underestimating Overwatch. For the longest time, I just assumed it'd be another Blizzard game, this time a shooter. I knew it'd be big, but in the exact same way all Blizzard games are big. You know, those PC games that the many diehards are really into, and the less-invested dabble while playing other things; eventually those latter folks separate entirely.
That's where my estimation was well off the mark. On the average, it seems like that player who's likely to move onto new things never really fully moved onto new things. They became more invested in Overwatch. They more eagerly awaited loot boxes, they more vigilantly stayed on the payload, and they more exasperatedly sighed when three teammates picked Hanzo.
Let me rivet you with a generalized anecdote that I can't quite remember the specifics of: In May, I found myself extolling the virtues of Zenyatta to a coworker while simultaneously hand-waving away whatever dumb character they liked playing as (probably Reaper). The exact context doesn't quite matter because it's just indicative of a broad theme, one that many folks experienced. Blizzard made people care about the characters in a shooter, and it made them care passionately. The roster would spark arguments that felt like sports fans smack-talking each other's teams.
Like, what other first-person shooter, a genre where you hardly even see the dang characters, can boast this?
To its credit, Blizzard has innovated in the seven-or-so months since Overwatch's release. There have been seasonal events and skins, new game modes, and new characters. But, it also feels like that innovation wasn't even completely necessary. The Overwatch community is passionate about all that new stuff, but if that didn't come along, they would've just stayed passionate about the original stuff. There's enough good here to last well beyond seven months.
It's a small sample size, sure, but the Destructoid staff is largely a group that fits this description. Even though there have been a ton of other games between then and now, most of us have stuck with Overwatch and there's no end in sight. That's why it's our PC Game of 2016. Because when we keep passionately arguing about our favorite characters, when we're enthusiastic about a multiplayer shooter months after release, when we legitimately care about upcoming additions, well, it's impossible to deny that Blizzard did something very right and created something very special.


text:
O'Ryan's Observatory
Far, Far Ago, From A Galaxy Long, Long Away
The Norm Breyfogle Interview – Part 2
NB: Robin's costume was such an icon for me that when the issue came up of changing his costume — before it came up, when fans were asking for it, I couldn't agree. I thought Robin's costume was great. Of course, now I look back and recognize it needed a change. But what I was seeing was the colorful contrast with the dark Batman. That's what worked. That's what they retained too. It's still got the yellow inside the cape and the red breast.
The (first) Neal Adams Robin costume, as drawn by Dick Dillin from JLA #92
DC… I don't know what initiated it, had been considering redesigning Robin for a long time. I remember when Mike Freidrich scripted Justice League issues…
MO: The Neal Adams-designed costume…
NB: Right. He had wings, kind of, then too [like in the Batman Family piece]. They were attached [at the wrists] and he could glide. They were considering it for a long time. They even asked the readers: 'Should Robin have this new costume?'; you remember the end of that issue. I always said 'Yeah! He should!' I didn't write in – I didn't even think to write in. It's funny, the stuff I didn't do. I read the story, and looked at the art, and I'd skim the letters column, and I wouldn't even notice some other important things that were in the books. I wasn't that much of a comics reader then. I was more into the art and the basic story. Finally, around the Batman movies, they decided to conscript a number of artists to come up with different designs. Jim Aparo was involved, I was involved, Neal Adams was involved, Graham Nolan… there were a number of other artists that I can't recall offhand.
MO: Many of these were assembled into [the Batman: Knightgallery book].
Some of Breyfogle's Robin designs
NB: Exactly. That included some Batman redesigns too for some special issue of Batman, Brotherhood of the Bat. I did a whole bunch of costume designs for Robin, probably more than anybody else that they asked to do. I don't really know that for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised. Neal Adams probably nailed down his costume pretty quickly because he's got a lot of experience. I was still – compared to Neal – I was definitely wet behind the ears. There were certain things they did retain, even though they chose Neal Adams' costume design. The 'R' symbol Robin's got is almost entirely mine. Everybody else gave him the same 'R' symbol. I was the only one who changed that, gave it a bit more character, and I considered making it a throwing star too. And then the staff that he used [was my idea]. It made sense to me that if we're trying to make Robin more 'realistic', we don't like his stupid costume, and after I'd read [Frank Miller's] The Dark Knight it was becoming more and more apparent that having a child running around with an adult – or a teenager – when he's pretty reckless [is a bad idea]. Instead of giving him a gun, which you can't do because of the mythos, I gave him a staff, which extended his reach so he could compete with adults. So that was mine too. I guess I'll have to keep saying that, otherwise people will forget.
Posted in Interview | Tagged: Alan Grant, Batman, Detective Comics, Norm Breyfogle | Leave a Comment »
Norm Breyfogle broke into the big-time in 1987 drawing Batman in Detective Comics after starting out on some back-up strips and smaller titles for First Comics. While on Batman — in Detective, Batman and Shadow of the Bat — Norm worked primarily with Alan Grant. I've written a column elsewhere on this site about their first several issues together. Partly because of the success of the Batman movie, his work reached a wide audience, and Norm became one of the top Batman artists in many fans' opinions. He left to work on Prime and his creator-owned Metaphysique for Malibu, and returned briefly to DC to work on some limited projects, including a run on a pair of Anarky series (again with Alan Grant) and the Hal Jordan Spectre series. His newest project, Relative Comics' Of Bitter Souls, comes out in August. I spoke with him on May 15th, 2005 in Detroit.
Norm Breyfogle, May 2005
Mike O'Ryan: What did you read when you were a kid?
Norm Breyfogle: A lot of science fiction. I read H.G. Wells. I read the classics: Call of the Wild, Black Beauty – I remember crying at the end of Black Beauty. I was a very emotional kid. Boy, you name it, I probably read it. I don't have a list of 'em right in my head offhand, but it's surprising when I look back. Whenever a new movie is made of some old classic, [I think] 'Oh, I remember reading that.' So, I was a pretty literary kid. I mean, I wasn't extremely so, but I wasn't forced into it either. I enjoyed reading.
MO: What was your first spark of wanting to do art?
NB: First one. Boy, I don't know. That's hard to say. It might come from my dad, because my dad had artistic ability. He still has artistic ability, although I'm not in touch with him. My mom and dad got divorced when I was three. Haven't been in touch with him at all. I remember he would visit us for a year after they got divorced, until my mom got remarried. He did do drawings for me – did a Superman for me. I think it probably influenced me, because I was just a kid, and he was fairly decent at it.
The next thing after that would probably be seeing comic books.
MO: How early on were you exposed?
NB: I don't know. Really early. Before I can really remember. Some of my earliest memories are of my mother reading comic books to me before I could read them. Superman and Batman. The TV shows reinforced the comic books. I watched the Superman TV show and the Batman TV show. I'd go out, and when I did see a spinner rack, that's what I'd pick up. I didn't really become familiar with so many of the other titles, or the Marvel titles, until many years later. I remember drawing Batman when I was in kindergarten. I remember that his cowl was conceptually beyond my ability to render. So I gave him a Robin mask instead! A little domino… [laughs] I wish I had those drawings now, I don't.
DETECTIVE COMICS by Grant/Breyfogle: Part 1
Issues 583-594; 596-597; 601-603
By Alan Grant & John Wagner and Norm Breyfogle
1988 was a strange year for Batman.
The franchise-reinvigorating Frank Miller Dark Knight series, which made Batman much more no-nonsense and grim was two years old (summer of 1986).
The grand commercial explosion of the Michael Keaton Batman movie wouldn't arrive for another year.
By late 1986, everyone's perception of Batman (or at least, the perception of the editors and most of the people that were reading new comics) was that he had taken a dramatic step back into the shadows from his slightly more cheery mid-1980s incarnation. Julie Schwartz, Batman's editor since the mid-'60s, had just stepped down and was replaced by Denny O'Neil, the writer often credited as giving Batman his shadowy mystique back in the late 1960s.
The wide holes left by DC's Crisis series (also 1986) allowed O'Neil a great deal of editorial freedom: his first act as editor of the Batman titles was to allow Miller to write Batman: Year One (serialized in O'Neil's first four issues as editor) which canonized Miller's darker vision of Batman. Perhaps as a way of offsetting this, the companion Batman title Detective Comics approached the affair from a lighter and more classic angle, written by Mike Barr.* History has shown which has won out: Year One was collected into a single book almost twenty years ago, and has stayed in print since. There has been no collection of the fun-loving Barr Batman strip.
*The subject of a future column.
Barr's successors on Detective were British writers Alan Grant and John Wagner, longtime writers of the "Judge Dredd" strip in the English comic 2000 AD. In an interview with the 2000 AD Review website, Alan Grant explained how they got the job: "John and I were working on Dredd one day when the phone went. It was Denny O'Neil to say that sales of their flagship title were the lowest ever, they were thinking of closing down 'Detective Comics', but he'd been reading Dredd and wondered if we could impart any of that weirdness to Batman. We said yes, of course. He gave us a 2-issue contract, extended to a year after he read the [first] story." The artist assigned to work with them (and who, in truth, had drawn some of the last few Barr issues as well) was a relative newcomer, an American named Norm Breyfogle.
Their work on Batman, though well-praised in its moment, has since fallen off the radar – undeservedly, since it remains some of the finest Batman material published to date. Nearly twenty years later, and with the appearance of a new Batman movie, their work on the character deserves a second look.
While I hope to discuss in depth the whole of the Grant/Breyfogle tenure on the character over time (Wagner leaves the strip relatively early on), here I'll only be discussing the first 17 issues (the 75-cent cover-priced issues), to whet your appetite for more.
Posted in Review | Tagged: Alan Grant, Batman, Detective Comics, Norm Breyfogle | 1 Comment »
Reboot (1)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
export default class Wheel {

    constructor(material) {
        this.material = material;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I attended Jackson County Central High School, and went to Mankato State University where I graduated in 2010 with a degree in art education (K-12) with an emphasis on drawing and printmaking. I try to offer my students a variety of courses including, Drawing, Printmaking, Ceramics, Sculpture, Art History, Art Introduction, and Painting. I enjoy sharing my love for art with my students and try to teach responsibility, confidence, and problem solving skills while also teaching artistic skills. In my own artwork I am currently spending a lot of my time with graphite drawing but am working on setting up my own printmaking studio and website where I can print and sell my own artwork. I enjoy incorporating elements of nature and geometry while incorporating inspiration from my surroundings.
What is Artsonia? Artsonia is the largest student art museum in the world. Every child can have an online gallery and preserve their masterpieces for all time. Parents please set up your parent account to stay up to date with what your student is making in the art room.


text:
Upgrade my game
Most Forgiving Putter in 2021
***If you're looking for the most recent reviews for 2021 gear, we will be updating this page in the summer after we've had a chance to review them!
If you're in a hurry and just want to know our top choices, here they are:
Best Overall: EvnRoll ER10
Most Affordable: Wilson The L Infinite Putter
To see our other most forgiving golf clubs in 2020, check out this article: Most Forgiving Golf Clubs in 2020!
A golf swing is both one of the simplest and one of the most complicated things in sports. So much of the swing is mental and there are so many nuances of the swing that it is easy to forget that the golf swing is first and foremost an athletic move.
Even your putting stroke should be a natural movement that takes into account your own stroke, stance, style, height, and feel for the club. This is really where forgiveness comes into play with putting. If you can find a forgiving putter with good alignment aids, it can free you up greatly to focus on one thing: Putting.
With so many things to think about while standing over a putt, sometimes the actual putting stroke is the last thing on your mind. If you can take some variables off of the table, like hitting the ball in the dead center of your club with no twist or lining your putt up correctly, putting automatically becomes much easier.
That is exactly what a forgiving putter can do for your game. The following is a list, description, and review of some of the most forgiving putters on the market.
Most Forgiving Putters in 2020 Reviewed
EvnRoll ER10
If you are looking for pure forgiveness and price is not a deterrent, the EvnRoll ER10 is a great choice. The club head is very oversized and the MOI is one of the highest on this list. The alignment dots are very easy to see and easy to use, and when coupled with the size of the club head make this one of the easiest clubs to align.
The reason this is the first club on our list however, is because even with the forgiveness and alignment aids, the feel of this putter is really top notch. Usually with a very forgiving putter with high MOI, you lose some of the feel. The milled grooves on this putter along with the sweet face technology make the ER10 as soft as most of the high end blade putters. EvnRoll products have continually put out some of the best putters on the market, and the ER10 may be the most forgiving of their line.
The sweet spot is huge.
The MOI is one of the best on this list so that your club never moves or twists through impact.
The deep perimeter weighting adds to the forgiveness and also gives it a more natural feel.
The oversized head and alignment "dots" make alignment very easy.
You almost cannot mishit this putter because the sweet spot covers almost the whole face.
It is a very stable and straightforward club.
It produces a consistent roll.
The speed control, because of the milling and sweet face technology, are top notch and especially for the oversized head.
It is one of the most expensive clubs on the list.
It is not a traditional putter so some golfers may have trouble adjusting.
TaylorMade Spider S
The TaylorMade Spider putter has been on the market for almost a decade now and it is still one of the best and most used putters out there. This is by far TaylorMade's most forgiving and stable putter with a high MOI and a huge sweet spot. The alignment aid, with the spider on the top center, is very easy to follow and use.
The weight of this putter is as far back as possible and pushed to the very outside perimeter of this club. That just means that it does not really matter where on the club face you hit the ball, you are going to get good distance and a true roll. The weight is also adjustable so that you can move it around depending on what your stroke is doing. The best thing about the Spider S is that it takes a lot of human error out of putting and allows you to focus on your own stroke and read of the green.
Easily TaylorMade's most forgiving putter.
Very high MOI based on clubhead size and weighting.
The different color options look great.
The high end version of one of the most popular putters on the market, the TaylorMade Spider.
Adjustable tungsten weights in the back make it easy to fit your putter to your swing.
Very easy to align.
The weight is pushed as far back as possible and distributed along the perimeter of the club so that the sweet spot is huge.
Lightweight shaft with a heavier head gives you control and feel.
One of the most expensive price tags on the list.
It is a really big putter and some players may prefer the look and feel of a blade.
Titleist Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12
This is a big, modern, and visually pleasing putter. The lines, shapes, and angles of the putter all come together to make it very easy for alignment but also very aesthetically pleasing and confidence inspiring. Scotty Cameron designs run the gambit of what a putter should or could look like, and the Phantom X 12 is the biggest in the line. The MOI is very high both because of the size and placement of the weight.
Even the arc in the shaft of the club, rather than the traditional offset or straight line design, sets this putter apart and makes it easier to align and more natural to swing. The airplane grade aluminum in the face is extremely soft and produces a straight and true roll. While the putter is very oversized, it is one of the most technologically designed club from features to looks and it is definitely one of the most forgiving clubs out there.
This putter is extremely forgiving for a variety of reasons.
The airplane grade aluminum in the face is at the same time strong and soft while producing great feel.
Produces a very consistent and straight roll.
A very high MOI.
Next level features and designs.
Just looking at the face of the club you can see how big the sweet spot is. A bigger sweet spot means les mishits.
The combination of high MOI and huge mishit means that all you have to worry about is reading the green and getting the distance right.
Scotty Cameron designs are some of the best out there.
Not the traditional Scotty Cameron design.
Another very expensive putter.
Is rather bulky.
Cleveland Frontline Iso
Cleveland Frontline putters are different. Most putters, while they may look different and have different features, have the same basic weight system. You want the weight in the back and around the perimeter for a larger sweet spot. Not the Cleveland Frontline. Instead, they pack the weight in the "front" of the club which is meant to offer more stability and speed control at impact. The idea being that if all of the weight is in the front, it is going to give you a firmer and straighter ball strike.
The single bend in the shaft looks great at address and slightly offsets the club. You can actually feel the difference in this club. When you swing for the first time, the club feels a little lighter and your stroke feels a little off. This goes away pretty quickly, but it really is a different idea for putters than what we are used. In general, short putts and long putts seem to benefit the most from the Frontline ISO while mid-range putts stay at about the same position.
Very stable at contact.
Very well-balanced and easy to square at impact.
Easy to align.
The grip is a little thicker as well.
Very forgiving at impact.
The forward weighting provides a very firm and straight ball roll.
Great distance control.
Good price for a good putter.
The frontwards placing of the weights takes some getting used to.
May help a little in short putts and long putts, but where most of us live on the greens is in that mid range putt that is so difficult to read. The Cleveland Frontline ISO did not help from that distance.
Not nearly as soft as most of the other clubs on this list.
Odyssey Triple Track Ten
We love the look and feel of this putter. The club is big, but it is not too big. The angles and lines are great for aesthetics and alignment. The white hot insert is as soft or softer than any other insert material out there. The best thing about this club is the alignment aids both on the top and in the heel of the club.
Once you place the club behind the ball, you can be almost certain that you are aligning up the putt exactly where you think it should go. Of course, the problem then becomes getting it there with the right speed and stroke. With the high MOI and forgiving face, getting there will be almost as easy as aligning it correctly.
Starting the ball on the right line is as easy with this club as any other putter you will find.
Very high MOI so that it does not twist at impact.
For a long time, the white hot insert has been synonymous with feel and distance control.
The sweet spot on this club is huge.
A solid and consistent roll with each stroke.
"Stroke Lab Weighting" system adds weights to the tips and takes away weight from the shaft. This makes your stroke more consistent and more controlled.
Some of the alignment aids add time, and a slower round is not usually a better round.
As with many oversized mallets, this club is a little too large than what some golfers like.
The alignment aids work best with the Callaway Triple Track golf balls and some players are loyal to other brands.
Ping Sigma 2 Valor 400 Stealth
The first thing you will notice about Ping Sigma 2 Valor 400 Stealth putter is that it looks like a high quality, well-made club. The colors, angles, lines, insert, and alignment aids look like something out of the future, and those details would definitely appeal to a wide range of golfers. Even better than that, however, is that it performs really well also.
It is the rare combination of incredible feel and top notch forgiveness. The feel comes from the 2-piece dual durometer that matches a soft face insert with a firmer rear-piece so that you get a soft touch with a firm stroke. This is a very nice and soft putter. You can also adjust the length of the putter as you grow or as your swing changes.
Great feel and touch around the green.
A high MOI means no movement at impact.
A great price for this quality product.
Adjustable lengths.
Great alignment tools.
A really soft feel because of the 2-piece dual durometer insert.
Produces a very pure roll.
Alignment instills confidence.
Great touch on the green.
The alignment aids are top notch.
The club head is heavier to produce more stability.
Could be too big for many golfers.
The dual insert can produce a strange sound and little feedback.
Wilson The L Infinite Putter
In terms of golf equipment, Wilson knows who they are and they have carved out quite a niche in their market. They offer high quality golf clubs that have the features that appeal to the majority of golfers without asking them to break their budget. The L Infinite Putter fits that description perfectly. It is big but it does not have the same perimeter weighting or MOI that some of the higher end clubs have.
The sweet spot is huge, but it is not as big as the sweet spots on some of the clubs above here on this list. It has great speed control, it is very consistent, and the face of the putter is very soft and forgiving as well. You will find many of the same features here that you will find in the most expensive putters out there. The difference is that the L Infinite putter is considerably less expensive than many of its counterparts.
Less expensive with many of the same features as some of its competitors.
The double filled face is very soft with great control.
The weighting is at the tips of the club which give it more speed and distance control.
Very easy to align both with the alignment tools and the size of the club.
The black anti-glare finish helps on sunny days.
Great feel for a mallet putter.
Feels and looks slightly less expensive than many of the other clubs on this list.
Not as technologically advanced as many others.
It contains many of the same features as other clubs on this list, but without the same effectiveness that those higher end putters produce.
What Is Forgiveness in a Putter?
Forgiveness in a putter is when even your mishits look good. One of the problems with putting is that a club's sweet spot can be so small that you can do everything else right and miss a putt because you hit it 2 cm to the right. A forgiving putter gives you the peace of mind that the sweet spot of your putter is huge and that a mishit will probably not happen.
Mallet Vs Blade For More Forgiveness?
If you made it all the way here in this article, then you know that mallet putters are more forgiving than blade putters while blade putters are more known for feel and control. The trend in putter technology, however, seems to be that it is easier to add features to increase the feel and control of an already forgiving mallet putter than it is to add forgiveness to a blade. Our prediction is that mallets will continue to rise in popularity while blades will slowly fade to the spot mallets held 10 years ago.
What Features Should You Look For in a Forgiving Putter?
MOI. The Moment of Inertia (MOI) refers to the degree to which a club head twists at impact. Many people do not believe that to be a problem with the putter, but the truth is, club twisting is very common in your putting stroke. A higher MOI will make that a thing of the past and could inspire confidence as well.
Sweet Spot. The highly sought-after "sweet spot" of a golf club is very important in terms of forgiveness. Some putters boast (usually incorrectly) a sweet spot that is the same size as the club face. The sweet spot is where you find optimal distance control and optimal accuracy, so the bigger the sweet spot the more forgiving the club.
Perimeter Weighting. Perimeter weighting is the best way to increase the size of the sweet spot on your club. The sweet spot is important because of the stability and accuracy it provides based on the weight directly behind the sweet spot. If you can spread the weighting across the perimeter of any club, then your sweet spot will grow.
Face Technology. Whether it be grooves, aluminum inserts, or the White-Hot inserts from Callaway, the face technology used in any golf club can aid in forgiveness. Usually more feel and softness equals more forgiveness and the Face Technology of a putter is where you will find that softness and feel.
Do I Really Need a More Forgiving Putter?
Forgiveness is definitely one of the keys to putting effectively. Today's greens are faster than ever and many course designers are trying to take away the advantage of longer drives by creating more difficult greens. What that means is that a mistake on a short putt can leave the ball short or scoot it right by the hole. A mistake on a longer putt could easily mean 3 or 4-putting on a green which will kill your scores quickly.
A forgiving putter will allow you to see success even when you make off-center contact with the ball. Your speed and accuracy will greatly improve on mishits and you will not miss as many of those "almost gimmies" that we miss all of the time. On top of that, a forgiving putter is usually also an easy to align putter. Taking the concern of mishits and poorly aligned shots off of the table will allow you to focus more on what you can control the most…your stroke.
The EvnRoll ER10 is one of the best and forgiving putters on the market today. The size alone shows the MOI it can produce, but there are so many features that make this a really good putter.
It is really easy to align, the face technology is perfect for increased softness and feel, and the alignment aids are easy to use and very accurate. The only downside is price, but many people use their putters for 10 or 20 years before replacing so the price is not as bad as it initially seems.
Wilson has found their niche again, and this putter is really good. It is by far the least expensive option, but it can definitely get the job done.
Matt Bush
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"Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant my desire.
Why won't God give me what I ask? Why won't he answer my prayer?
"Oh that my request would be realized, and that God would grant me what I long for!
Oh that I might have my request, And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
"Oh that my request might come to pass, And that God would grant my longing!
Oh, that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
For oh that he would grant my desire, and my petition might come, and the Lord would grant my hope!
Who will grant that my request may come: and that God may give me what I look for?
Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for.
the thing that I long for.


Short description: This adds the NZDF Anzac Class Frigates to your Arma.
This adds the NZDF Anzac Class Frigates to your Arma.
Type : Size : 9 MB Downloaded : 1899 times Report archive: Troubles downloading from Armaholic?


text:
Q: where is myfile after createNewFile()
Possible Duplicate:
Where will be create a new file in java, when path is not given?

I am trying to create a txt file in the current directory. I ran the code below and there was no error. But I couldn't find the myfile.txt anywhere. I want to create the myfile.txt in the current directory. How can I do that?
The code that I used:
public void createFile(){
        try{
            File f = new File("myfile.txt");
            if (!f.exists()){
                f.createNewFile();
                System.out.println("New file \"myfile.txt\" has been created");
            }
        }catch(Exception e){
            System.out.println("Error while creating file " + e);
        }
    }

A: It's in the user directory, which can be retrieved with:
 System.getProperty("user.dir");

See here for details:
In Java, what is the default location for newly created files?

A: Try printing this on the console:
System.out.println(f.getAbsolutePath());

That will tell you for sure.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Want to add a stunning focal point to your landscape? Or, perhaps, you want to bring a little bit of that tropical vacation feeling to your home. Palm trees are the perfect choice for adding value to your home as well as creating a beautiful view. Palm trees grow well in our warm Las Vegas weather and love the sun. Which is good since we have so much of it! At Moon Valley Nurseries, we custom grow our palms to thrive in our local Nevada area – meaning they are the best you can find. Below are our top five palms that are perfect for any landscapes.
Pygmy Palm: This is the palm to use to fill those tight spaces in your landscape. This versatile dwarf palm has a slow growth rate and can develop into a small sized palm topped with a dense head of fine-textured, curving, bright green pinnate leaves. A fantastic option to add a tropical splash to your yard. The Pygmy Date Palm is our most popular selling dwarf palm due to its versatilely; this fine, feather leaf palm can grow both indoors and outdoors. Pygmy Palms can grow in a variety of different soils, is drought tolerant once mature, and requires low to moderate water use once established.
Now's the time to start planning for the fall planting season. Visit your nearest Moon Valley Nursery location to select the perfect palms to update your landscape and book your fall planting date! While you're there, don't forget to pick up some Super Palm Juice to help your new or existing palms to flourish in the fall season and recover from the summer stressors.


text:
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell Endorses Romney
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell endorsed Mitt Romney for president in an appearance on CNBC this morning, calling Romney "a results-oriented conservative" and saying Romney is "the best leader to get America back on track to create jobs" and "get this national debt under control."
McDonnell went on to say all of the GOP candidates would make better leaders and job creators than President Obama, but he hailed Romney's "proven record" of creating jobs. He specifically mentioned the proximity of the South Carolina primaries as prompting him to issue the endorsement, since he is a Southern governor, and thought he could help Romney in a Southern primary. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has also endorsed Romney.
After finishing some business in New York, McDonnell is heading off to South Carolina to make some appearances with Romney today and Saturday.
Of course, McDonnell's choice of candidates to endorse was even more limited because only Romney and Ron Paul are qualified to appear on the ballot in his state. McDonnell has been saying for some time that he thinks the GOP candidate should be a former governor, and Romney is one of the only two former governors left in the Republican presidential field. (Pop quiz: who's the other one?) Also, McDonnell's lieutenant governor, Bill Bolling, is the chairman of Romney's Virginia campaign. If the Governor had chosen to endorse Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum for whatever reason, it would have been somewhat awkward.
McDonnell is also chairman of the Republican Governor's Association. CNN notes that his predecessor in that office was Texas Governor Rick Perry, who just dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Newt Gingrich.
Romney accepted the endorsement with praise for McDonnell's record of job creation:
Governor McDonnell's leadership in Virginia is an example for the rest of the nation… Governor McDonnell has used the conservative principles of keeping taxes and spending low and creating a fair regulatory climate to make Virginia a top destination for job creators. These same principles can be used in Washington to fix our economy and make government accountable to the taxpayers.
Besides helping Romney out in those Southern primaries, his endorsement will come in handy during the general election. Barack Obama carried Virginia in 2008, the first Democrat to do so in over forty years. A recent Politico profile pointed out that "McDonnell's approval rating is in the high 50s" and "On his coattails, Republicans just captured control of the state House and Senate for the second time in the state's history." McDonnell's also on the short list for Romney vice-presidential picks, a position he has said he would be "interested" in accepting, although he isn't aggressively seeking it.
Political cartoon Jan. 20
Fast and Furious: Cunningham Will Take the Fifth
Written By John Hayward
John Hayward began his blogging career as a guest writer at Hot Air under the pen name "Doctor Zero," producing a collection of essays entitled Doctor Zero: Year One. He is a great admirer of free-market thinkers such as Arthur Laffer, Milton Friedman, and Thomas Sowell. He writes both political and cultural commentary, including book and movie reviews. An avid fan of horror and fantasy fiction, he has produced an e-book collection of short horror stories entitled Persistent Dread. John is a former staff writer for Human Events. He is a regular guest on the Rusty Humphries radio show, and has appeared on numerous other local and national radio programs, including G. Gordon Liddy, BattleLine, and Dennis Miller.