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DePuy Hip Implant Personal Injury Lawsuit Sees First Round of Testimonies

Testimony in DePuy Hip Implant Personal Injury Lawsuit Indicates All-Metal Hips are Dangerous

The first bellwether case in the DePuy hip implant MDL against the ASR model is going forward. The plaintiff is Loren Kransky, a Vietnam veteran who received one of DePuy’s ASR model hip implants in 2005. Since then, he has suffered several common but dangerous side effects from the device’s failure, including metallosis. Because of his poor health, Judge Richard A. Kramer scheduled Kransky as the first bellwether trial in the MDL.

As the lawsuit moves forward, witnesses are being called to testify about DePuy’s hip implant model ASR.

Various Testimony Indicates that DePuy’s Hip Implants Caused Personal Injury

On Friday, February 1st, Dr. Robert Harrison, a toxicologist, testified to the harm cobalt and chromium can do when they seep into a patient’s blood stream. These two metals are the most common found in the blood of patients with all-metal hip implants, due to the cup and socket parts of the device grinding together and releasing metal shavings into the bloodstream.

Harrison reviewed Kransky’s medical records, and testified that there were high levels of metal ions in the plaintiff’s blood. He said the levels were “seven or eight times the level set by the California Poison Control department.”

According to Harrison during his testimony, metallosis poses two major dangers: “local damage,” or damage around the tissue, and “systemic” damage, which includes organ failure due to a toxic increase in metal ions.

Harrison added that the medical community has known about the dangers of metal implants causing metal poisoning since the 1970’s.

In further testimony, a compliance manager from DePuy, Jimmy Smith, said that J&J’s engineering report from 2010 showed that executives and designers “ did their job, but they could have done it better.”

Also on Thursday, January 31st, a DePuy engineer, Graham Isaac, testified that the company only tested the ASR all-metal hip replacement device at one angle. This meant that any other angle of implantation, which surgeons would have adjusted for different-sized patients, would cause the device to grind against itself in such a way that the implant would fail quickly, and release metal pieces into the blood stream, potentially causing metallosis.

Finally, on Wednesday, January 30th, company executive Andrew Ekdahl’s videotaped testimony was shown to the court. When pressed for comment on why DePuy’s ASR hip replacement device had been recalled, Ekdahl answered “because it did not meet the clinical standards we wanted in the marketplace.”

DePuy Orthopedics continues to deny any wrongdoing.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with DePuy ASR and Pinnacle Metal Hip Replacement Injury Lawsuits

The metal hip replacement devices manufactured by DePuy are dangerous. The FDA said: “It is known that over time, the metal particles around some implants can cause damage to bone and/or tissue surrounding the implant and joint.” In addition, the FDA adds that there are a “small number of patients in which high levels of metal ions in the bloodstream may have caused other types of symptoms or illnesses elsewhere in the body, including effects on the heart, nervous system, and thyroid gland.”

In August 2010, DePuy recalled a number of their metal hip replacement devices.  Currently, the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System has not been made a part of that recall.

If you or a loved one has received a metal hip replacement device, specifically from DePuy Orthopedics, and have since suffered painful side effects, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800.

About Pete Strom

Defending criminal charges including drug crimes, DUI, CDV, mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, computer crimes, money laundering, and juvenile crimes, Pete also handles Federal and State investigations. Representing individuals in Civil Matters including Class Actions, Personal Injury, Qui Tam Actions, Defective Products, Nursing Home Neglect, and Professional Licensing Defense cases. Joseph Preston “Pete” Strom, Jr., the managing partner at Strom Law Firm, L.L.C., has been fighting for justice since 1984.

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J&J Accused of Ignoring DePuy Pinnacle All-Metal Hip Implant Failures

Jury Hears Arguments Against J&J and DePuy for Ignoring All-Metal Hip Implant Failures for Profit

hip implant failureAs the 7-week personal injury trial of plaintiff Kathleen Herlihy-Paoli against DePuy’s all-metal Pinnacle hip implant continues, the jury heard accusations that Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of subsidiary DePuy Orthopedics, ignored reports and evidence of DePuy Pinnacle hip implant failure could cause serious damage to patients, because they wanted to profit from the device.

This first DePuy Pinnacle bellwether case, which began on September 1st, involves allegations from plaintiffs Kathleen Herlihy-Paoli and Toni M. Lay, who say that DePuy sold them unreasonably defective all-metal hip devices that were poorly designed and doomed to fail. Ms. Herlihy-Paoli received a Pinnacle hip replacement device in 2009, but soon afterward she returned to her physician with complaints about pain at the surgical site. Her surgeon determined that the pieces of the all-metal hip device were rubbing together, destroying tissue and dislodging metal fragments, which released flakes of metal into the plaintiff’s bloodstream. In April 2011 – just two years after Herlihy-Paoli received the all-metal hip replacement – her surgeon had to remove the device.

Ms. Toni Lay, another plaintiff in the first bellwether trial, received her first DePuy Pinnacle in her right hip in 2006, followed by a second replacement hip the next year. Within four years of her first hip replacement surgery, her doctors found that she had dangerously high levels of cobalt and chromium in her bloodstream, and there was significant tissue death around the all-metal devices.

Their bellwether case is the first in about 6,000 personal injury lawsuits consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) against DePuy Orthopedics and J&J. DePuy recently agreed to settle another personal injury MDL involving their all-metal hip device, the ASR. Despite the recent settlement, however, a spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson said, “We are confident that the evidence shows that the company acted appropriately and responsibly in the development, testing and marketing of the product.” The company also argued in their closing statements that doctors made errors that led to problems with the all-metal hip devices, not the manufacturing company.

Herlihy-Paoli’s attorney, in his closing arguments, claimed that Johnson & Johnson intentionally ignored evidence that the all-metal hip devices, including the Pinnacle, were failing, degrading tissue, and causing metallosis. He has requested at least $1.4 million to cover his client’s ongoing medical expenses related to the all-metal hip implant failure, plus an unspecified amount in punitive damages.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with DePuy Pinnacle Personal Injury Cases

Side effects of all-metal hip implant failure, like the DePuy Pinnacle or Stryker, include:

  • Pseudotumors from metal debris
  • Allergic reactions
  • Permanent muscle and tissue damage
  • Loose hip cups
  • Hip dislocations
  • Bone fractures

If you or a loved one has received a metal hip replacement device, specifically such as the DePuy Pinnacle, and have since suffered painful side effects, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800.

About Pete Strom

Defending criminal charges including drug crimes, DUI, CDV, mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, computer crimes, money laundering, and juvenile crimes, Pete also handles Federal and State investigations. Representing individuals in Civil Matters including Class Actions, Personal Injury, Qui Tam Actions, Defective Products, Nursing Home Neglect, and Professional Licensing Defense cases. Joseph Preston “Pete” Strom, Jr., the managing partner at Strom Law Firm, L.L.C., has been fighting for justice since 1984.

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Why Global Warming Efforts are Doomed

At this point, it’s probably fair to say there are few people in the U.S., indeed in the developed world, who haven’t yet heard about global warming.  It’s probably also fair to say that there are few people, other than a few far-right wingers and oil company executives, who think it’s nothing to worry about.  However, there is scant agreement about what to do about it, and there’s the rub.

The well-accepted scientific analysis of global warming is that the earth’s average temperature is increasing rapidly — far more rapidly than at any time in the earth’s history.  An increase of 3-5 degrees F. in the next hundred years is considered quite probable.  Much of the discussion centers on the likely effects of this rapid increase, including sea level rise, loss of endangered species habitat (e.g., polar ice floes for polar bears), and direct effects on human populations (e.g., in various places, drought, floods, and threats of permanent inundation).  Less attention is being payed to the impacts the Earth’s long-term ecosystems.

Most of us acknowledge that humanity is a major cause of the recent rapid increase.  For one thing, such a rapid increase is unprecedented in geological history, at least so far as geologists can tell.  For another, the recent rapid increase in human greenhouse gas production (especially CO2) correlates far too well, in theoretical modeling, with the increase in global temperatures.  These same models also indicate how much human greenhouse gas production must be reduced, and in what time-frame, to avoid the most drastic effects of climate change.

Using climate models, scientists have also identified a number of elements that are likely to produce a “tipping point” in global warming — a point beyond which the synergy between global warming and its effects will result in an acceleration of the process, even without further greenhouse gas production.  That tipping point is fast approaching, giving an even greater urgency to the need for drastic action.

The Kyoto Accords represent an impressive and near-unanimous accord among world government that something must be done.  However, the agreements in the Kyoto accords are not even close to sufficient to address the predictions from the scientific models.  Even more unfortunate, some of the most important producers of greenhouse gases, most notably the United States, China, and India, either aren’t signers or are unaffected by the Kyoto Accords’ provisions.  As a result, the human contribution to greenhouse gases has continued to grow, with little effect from these agreements.

It is my observation and prediction, that, based on human politics and human nature, humanity will not react in time to avoid catastrophic results, both for humanity and for life as we know it (and not just human life!).  One can see this unfortunate dynamic on a small scale in the recent congressional debate on a global warming bill.  Never mind that most scientists agree that the provisions of the bill were almost laughably inadequate.  Even so, many legislators were unwilling to support the bill because it might hurt some of their constituents or political supporters.  Such is the nature of “zero-sum game” politics, where, for every winner, there is also a loser.  Legislative action works poorly unless it can be converted from a zero-sum game to a “win-win” situation.  Unfortunately, climate change is not easy to convert to a “win-win” type of game.  Addressing climate change is almost certain to hurt some people.  It may be possible to ease some of that hurt, if there’s the political will to do so, but that will only be done by spreading it around — for example, providing assistance to those hurt.  That will, however, in turn result in either increased taxes or cuts in some other programs.

Our political system doesn’t do well at accepting hurt — at least not unless there’s a crisis.  Global warming isa crisis, but it’s an invisible one.  Even when we reach the tipping point and further warming impacts become inexorable, most people won’t realize it has happened.  This distinguishes global warming from many past crises, such as wars and natural disasters, where rapid political action occurred.  The closest analogue is probably the gas shortage caused by the 1973 oil embargo.  There, some responses did occur, but President Carter’s call to consider the situation the “moral equivalent of war” and embark on a crash program of energy research aimed at oil independence went unheeded.

Likewise, my expectation is that, at both the national and international levels, humanity will not have the united political will to make the changes necessary to avoid drastic consequences until it is far too late.  Unfortunately, the resulting catastrophe will affect not only humanity, but all life on the planet.  Biologists are already aware that the speed of climate change is rapidly outstripping species’ ability to adapt, either physiologically or evolutionarily.  Species habitat would have to shift in a manner that simply cannot be accomplished.  As a result, we are likely looking at a massive species extinction event on a par with what happened with the end of the dinosaurs.  Litlerally tens of thousands of species are likely to go extinct in a matter of a few hundred years.  The remaining ecosystems will almost certainly be far simpler and more primitive.  It’s an open question whether civilization, and indeed humanity itself, will be able to adapt.  However, I think it’s unquestionable that human life in the year 2500, or even 2100, is going to be far less comfortable than it is now.  Those living then will probably look back and curse us for our blindness and ineffectiveness.  The only answer will be to say that it wasn’t our fault; we were doomed by human nature.

2 Responses to Why Global Warming Efforts are Doomed

  1. Tree Planter says:

    Great article… and don’t forget the benefits of planting a tree. If we all just plant a few we can really make a difference, each one will soak up 20kgs of CO2 every year and put enough Oxygen back in the atmosphere to support 2 people.Peace

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Travel guide: places to go, people to see in NYC…

I am in No way saying, I am a know it all on anything NYC. I just really enjoyed my stay and would love to go back and explore some more! I will tell you though, I was expecting it to be a bit different in set up, but what can you do, show biz has lied to me all these years!
I did make a list of things you should see when traveling there and a list of things that may not be as worth your time. Also I will link the hotel where I stayed. And I will add the places I plan to go when I return to the big apple! Hope you enjoy, and I encourage you to make it to the city that never sleeps. It’s such a treat!

First off, the places you need to see:
-Statue of Liberty: obviously that’s a must. She really is quite a beauty! They have ferries, to where you can get off and roam around the statue on Stanton island. Ferries are between $0-$X.
-Empire State Building: it’s rather tall, but so worth going. I only walked past it. But plan to go back and go up. It will set you back between $27-$42.
-Mood fabrics & Parsons school of design: if your like me an project runway & you’re creative, you need to get your Hiney over to the garment district. It’s filled with unique shops to get the creative juices flowing!
-The freedom tower: it’s actually really pretty. You need to go, just see it in all it’s glory. It’s so significant.
-Central Park: I bet it’s just lovely in the springtime!
-A broadway show: I would have gone, but nothing sounded fabulous to see…
-Trinity church: gorgeous! Amazing architecture. And has a whole lot of history holding it all together.
-The plaza hotel: you need to at least see the outside. It’s beautiful.
-Duane Reade: for all my beauty lovers, you need to go to the one closest to battery park, so worth going in! It will not disappoint!
-Junior’s cheesecakes: Soooo yummy! A must try!
The apple cube: it’s just cool to see! I wouldn’t go down, it looked way to hectic for me!
The bull on Wall Street: it looked like fun to stand in front of a massive brass bull and snap of photo! Keepsakes people!
Gregory’s coffee: amazing place. They have 5 locations, go to one of them! It’s worth it!

Places that were a let down:
-Times Square: dare I say, it was not my fave. I probably loathe that area of town the most! It’s such a discussing area. I will say, go once. Just to get it out of your way.
-FAO SCHWARTZ: now this wasn’t so bad, but when your expecting the toy store from Home Alone: Lost In New York. It’s a major let down! And then you find out, it’s owned by toys r us, you understand it’s only a glorified toys r us store.
-Serendipity 3: I’m only putting this down, because we wanted to eat here but, they do not take reservations, so it would have taken 3hrs to get a table, and I heard the food wasn’t even that good! But I would like to get dessert there sometime! (Frozen hot chocolate to be exact!)

Places I would like to still go to:
Central Park
Grand central station
Shake shack
The Empire State Building
Take the ferry to see lady liberty up close
I’d like to go to bergdorf’s and roam inside.
And bloomie’s! And 5th ave again!
Get a hot dog on the street.
Also get a bagel from a Jewish deli
Get a cronut: a hybrid between a croissant and a donut!
The plaza hotel: have high tea or lunch there.
A broadway show: if I can find one worth going to!
The metropolitan museum
Hillsong church
Take the double decker bus around the city.
Visit parsons!
Eat at The Smile Restaurant
Visit soho
Visiting Hoboken and going to Carlos bakery!
Ground zero

And anywhere else I can think of! 😉

The hotel I stayed in:
Marriott hotel on the Newark airport.
It was nice to unwind after each day in the city. I wasn’t in the city, so I could actually here myself think. No, but it was so nice. I wouldn’t mind staying at a quaint b & b in the city, next time though, but we’ll see!
*disclaimer: staying in New Jersey and especially on the airport, the shuttle would not drive us anywhere but to the AirTran to get to the train. So if you are planning on venturing out into new jersey, the hotel does have a car service of $80 round trip, each trip. So be forewarned!

I hope this helps! Let me know of any places you enjoy going to aswell! I’d love to hear!

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Part II – Transformation of the IT Services

Illustration 1: The Maturity Vs Value Curve

This edition is the second part in the series on Transformation of IT Services Companies and their relevance to customers globally. In the previous edition, we skimmed the surface on the Maturity versus Value curve without really going deep into the characteristics of TransValuation (The Transfer of a higher degree of Value to Customer as a consequence of creating a higher threshold of capability at the Vendor’s end). In doing so, we can eliminate the subjectivity of the debate and look at the transformation objectively; thereby providing the opportunity for those who choose to renew the model as needed.

The following table provides an overview of the Strategic Framework of the transitions that IT Services Companies and their Vendors would have experience as they moved from 1.0 to 3.0 Versions of their business.

Illustration 2: The Maturity Index Unravelled

It is not difficult to notice from the above table that the IT Services businesses as they matured from Version 1 to Version 3 would have ideally emerged more and more stronger at their core. What this means in the real world is:

  • In the earlier versions, their sales people powered the business from the periphery and moved work inwards for execution. In the current Version 3.0 a complete flip would occur where the business will need to be driven from the core to the periphery for sales to occur.
  • The earlier relationship matrix from a one to one would have progressed to one to many. However, Version 3.0, the mandate would be for many to many.
  • Measures of Delivery would move away from transactional delivery Process (Quality, Cost, Delivery, Service and Flexibility) to Value Chain Business Processes in the form of  Mind & Time to Market (Innovation Index).
  • From Customers choosing Vendors, the model would be flipped to IT Services companies partnering with those that create Annuity Relationships and mutually guarantee growth and progress.
  • Intellectual Property (IP) and definitely not size and scale will be a criteria in an open world where the former is unique and the latter a commodity.

This is a fundamental and foundational shift in the way the business is organized and delivered. There is a huge requirement of the Change Management process; Education, Ownership and Commitment from the Customer as well as the IT Services companies’ side. Has this happened is the trillion dollar question? There appears hardly any evidence on either side of the fence, anywhere in the world.

  • There is evidence in the form of IBM’s Smarter Planet Campaign being Visible and having allocations of teams, budget and resources. But there is hardly any evidence at the execution end or an impact on Customers.
  • The emphasis in sales has hardly shifted from announcing dollar based contracts to IP based Valuation.
  • The majority of the Indian enterprises are busy catching up with last quarter shortfalls as opposed to dedicated product development. Lean and Agile are still discussed either as a concept or at a software implementation level (read as in Scrum, etc) as opposed to a business implementation level.
  • Most or all of the companies at a very foundational level have to figure out how the customer will see their BPO, IT Services and Infrastructure offerings from a common framework perspective rather than being confounded with making multi vendor / party decisions. Cosmetic interface level changes will not cut ice.
  • The integration and cross-pollination between acquisitions and organic organization has not seen tangible benefits for the IT Service providers or their customers as it is hardly anything to write home about (geography, cultures, functional mindsets and turf wars still at large) another than a concocted sales approach.

The American, UK and the European economy is still on the verge of doubt and despair. The businesses in these developed nations where the incumbent Customers reside for the IT Services companies require growth on a global basis to survive and sustain their business for the future. At the same time, new emerging markets such as China, India, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia Pacific (to a lesser extent) require Innovation to take global center stage. The opportunity is clearly going unattended when the pace and demand of Change / Transformation is met with advertising campaigns and constipated response with respect to the new mental and business model.

About Subbu Iyer

Subbu Iyer is an Innovation & Transformation Leader as with 28 years of serving customers globally. He is currently the Chief Designer & Transformer at Energizing Innovation, an enterprise that is being founded to facilitate continuous growth in enterprises and as a consequence create societal wealth. The Radical Shift that this enterprise intends to employ is focusing on the Potential rather than the Performance of a business. He has been a serial entrepreneur and an intrapreneur in his past life, having founded Nihilent Technologies and Nandaki Systems besides being associated in senior leadership roles with firms such as Coopers & Lybrand, Cambridge Technology Partners, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro Technologies and Steria.
This entry was posted in Business Strategy & Innovation, Change Management, Customer Management, Innovation and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Part II – Transformation of the IT Services

  1. Hi Subbu, I saw your post here and here ( and I’d like to better understand what you’re saying as it may help me on a project I’m working on. May I ask you a follow-up question or two? If so, please email me:

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Citizen added to Bled Fest 2016 alongside the Black Dahlia Murder, Kevin Devine, more

Toledo, OH based alt-rock quintet Citizen announced on Friday night that they will be playing the Howell, Michigan, music festival BLED Fest on Saturday, May 28. The band, currently supporting their sophomore studio album Everybody Is Going To Heaven, announced their appearance at the festival during their stop in Pontiac. The band is currently on a co-headlining tour with Turnover, along with support from Sorority Noise and Milk Teeth.

Citizen joins over 70 bands played Bled Fest already, including the likes of The Black Dahlia Murder, Knuckle Puck, The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, Jeff Rosenstock, Aaron West & the Roaring Twenties, Kevin Devine, All Dogs, Tiny Moving Parts and many more. You can see the full lineup below.


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Category Archives: Social Media Marketing

30 Steps To Business Success on Google Plus

GooglePlus-550x375Google+ isn’t Facebook. It isn’t Twitter either. You should not join Google Plus to replace any other social media platform. But if you are not happy with any of the sites you are currently on, or even if you are, you should definitely give Google+ a go. Why?

Google+ is a completely different experience. It’s a different way of relating to your business world as well as personal network. Speaking of personal, it is entirely possible that you looked into Google+ but weren’t impressed. You think it feels a bit like a ghost town but this is not true.

Google+ is not the answer if you want to spy on your ex boyfriend or dig up dirt on your old college mates. But if you want to discover new people based on your interests, passions and common interests, if you are looking for kindred spirits then this is the perfect platform for you. This allows for both personal as well as business growth.

Intrigued? Allow me to explain.

Set up your Google+ business page

Here’s what you need to do to leverage the power of Google+

#1 Claim a custom URL. Now you don’t have to have a long ugly URL, you can use a custom URL ( so you can brand yourself and it is easy for people to find you on the web.

#2 Claim Authorship. Although there are some changes happening with the Google Authorship, it is still worth getting it done as it enhances your visibility in search results and gives you more authority. First you need to include a link to your Google+ profile in your author bio of the blog post (with a ?rel=author tag attached to the end of it). Then add a link to this blog to the contributor section in your Google+ profile.

#3 Invest in professional photos. With the bigger cover photo option, you can use this to your advantage. Get professional photos done or ask a graphic designer to create a cool banner for you. You can use anything from physical product images, customers and clients images, to any major upcoming event. The possibilities are endless.

#4 Optimize your profile for search A personal profile is different from a business page and you should optimize both. Complete your about page basics for both. Your tagline shows up in the search so pay attention to it. Make it clear, concise and add relevant keywords.

#5 Cross promote your profile and page. Use your business profile to share personal content and vice versa (when appropriate).

#6 Add a badge to your website. Link your Google+ profile to your website by adding a badge on the sidebar. When you do this, an active follow widget also shows up next to your listing in the search results thus making it even easier to follow you on Google+.

#7 Segment your audience. Unlike any other social media platform, you can segment your audience and place them in different circles.

#8 Curate your circles strategically. Circles are a great way to manage different interest groups. Create your own circles around themes and use keywords to identify new people to add to them. Circles are invaluable for maintaining current relationships but a great tool for discovering new ones. You can create new circles for people you would love to connect with so you can remain in the know about them without having to run searches every time.

#9 Interact with others as your business page. Just like you can act as your business page on Facebook, you can do the same on Google+. Interact with other pages as your page and use them to connect and +1. To switch to your business page, simply click the dropdown arrow next to your picture on the top right on your Google+ screen and you will see your page listed for selection.

#10 Be personable. Don’t become a robot or a faceless corporate identity. Show off your personality, act like a human and you will encourage more people to circle you.

Build awesome relationships with Google+

Looking to connect with more people on Google+? Here are some ways to get more followers for your Google+ business page.

#11 Share content with your personal Google+ profile. Share excellent content on your business page then switch to your personal profile and share your content again. Anything you choose to share or +1 can show up in your follower’s stream. This gives you a great opportunity to get in front of more people.

#12 Use hashtags. Hashtags (#business, for example) are a great way to tag and track conversations so add 2-3 hashtags to your posts and they will appear when people search for these specific hashtags. Most people overlook them on Google+ so do that and you will stand out but don’t go overboard. Anymore than 3, and you will end up looking like a spammer.

#13 Discover new engagers. Create new circles to keep track of people who clearly engage with your content such as leave a comment or +1. There are also other people who are sharing your content but not necessarily mentioning you. Use Google Ripples to find those interactions so you don’t miss the new connections.

#14 Be helpful. Make relationship marketing your number one goal on Google+. This means you should engage with other people and help them out. It is fine to promote yourself but if this is all you do, you will have trouble creating meaningful relationships. Shift your think from it’s all about me to it’s all about them.

#15 Participate in hangouts and communities. Join communities and hangouts on topics you are interested in and you are bound to find interesting, like minded people to connect with.

#16 Host hangouts. Hangouts on air are a great alternative to webinars as they are free. And if you are new to online broadcasting world, this is a great starter option. Using video you can present to 10 people at a time but you can stream this video using YouTube to an unlimited number of people. You can use hangouts to conduct interviews, present live webinars with screen sharing, do panel interviews, private talks and more.

#17 Create a community. If you can’t find a community on your topic, create it. When you start one, you will naturally attract some spam but don’t worry too much about it. Google+ has an excellent spam management system and will hold it for moderation before making it public. You can create a private community if you wish or you can make it public but approve any requests to join.

#18 Take the time to connect with a key influencer. Want to connect with the thought leaders and the influencers in your industry? Get in line. You are not alone. But don’t worry, there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Add value to these people before you ever ask for anything. Comment on their updates, share them, mention them (+username) and generally be of service. Get yourself noticed and your relationship will become mutually beneficial and will go a long way. You can use a private message, a chat message or a private hangout to take your relationship to the next level.

#19 Reach out to one new person every day. Building your network on Google+ takes time but do it consistently and your efforts will pay off.

#20 Ask for follows. Don’t appear desperate but make a strong call to action.
Market your business

Google+ is invaluable when it comes to marketing your business and getting your products and services in front of new audiences. Here are some tips to supercharge your marketing efforts.

#21 Make your Google+ profile findable. You can easily do this by adding a badge for both your personal and business profile on your website. This allows for people to connect with you on Google+.

#22 Use +post ads from Google. Give yourself massive visibility with +post ads from Google. You can pay to promote your Google+ plus content and get them in front of third party websites in the form of advertisement. You can handle them through Google Adwords account. You can promote any form of content: blog posts, video, images, hangouts etc. People who are logged in to Google can interact with your ad. They can share it, +1 it or comment in it right in your ad. Combine +post ads with Facebook ads to get even better results.

#23 Optimize your content. You want to use great visuals and post high quality stuff especially if you want to promote it using ads. Format your posts using bullets, bold, italics and numbered lists. Use captivating headlines and strong calls to action. Use rich media within your content to maximize the reach and engagement of each piece. Integrate YouTube videos directly on Google+. Use animated GIFs and cinema-graphs (images that move). Use audio, video, infographics and Google+ stories.

#24 Use Google helpouts to generate leads. This is a service rolled by Google where people can seek assistance from others via video. You can set yourself as a true expert and build your credibility by helping people through helpouts. If you need to hire people, you can ask them to demonstrate their expertise on a helpout. For tutors and trainers, it is a great tool to add to their arsenal. You have complete control over how much you charge for your live video or if you want to teach for free. Get in the game early by delivering helpouts. You will start getting reviews and get rewarded for early participation by getting indexed for better placements.

#25 Integrate it with YouTube. If you have a YouTube channel, integrate it with Google+ and you will reach a wider audience. Any comments on your video being viewed on Google+ will show up as comments on YouTube.

#26 Use hangouts on air. Use this free broadcasting service for delivering webinars without having to use the clunky software that often comes with a high price tag.

#27 Embed posts on your blog. Increase the life of your content by embedding it on your blog. Not only will you get more out of it, when people who are logged into Google accounts comment or +1 it, it will count as if it was done on your Google+ rather than your website.

#28 Create video with pictures. Videos are usually more engaging than any other forms of media. Using Google+’s Awesome Auto feature you can convert your photos into video. You can download the Google+ app on your smart phone, take photos and upload to Googe+ and it will turn it into video for you.

#29 Use images without having to resize or crop them. Google+ won’t automatically do it for you or ask you to it. If your brand is highly visual or if you take pride in your professional, high quality images, you can flaunt them on Google+ with minimal modifications.

#30 Track in-depth analysis. At the end of the day don’t forget to track your social media marketing efforts. There are a number of tools you can use to do this for example SumAll, CircleCount, or Steady Demand’s Brand Page Audit tool.

Final thoughts

Google+ isn’t just a social network. It is part of Google and you should take advantage of this fact to reach even bigger audiences.

Do not try to replace your website with Google+ but use it as a complimentary platform to meet your business goals. Keep your website as the hub of all activity but invest time and effort sharing content on Google+. Not only are you building a strong social media presence, you can get better results on Google search when you use Google+ strategically.

Social Media Marketing

Just What Is This Social Media Marketing All About?

Hopefully you are asking yourself,

“What is Social Media, Why do I need It and Can it really help my business grow?”

Let’s start out by me asking you a few questions on Social Media.

Ever wish you were a fly on the wall when it comes to your customers and prospective customers?

What if …you could address a complaint in real time, resolve it and not only renew your customers faith in you, but enhance your reputation with thousands of viewers?

What if …you could reach out to thousands of prospective customers in a single text message and convert a slow day into a banner one?

What if … the power of word of mouth advertising was an instant chain reaction creating buzz about your company?

What if…you received a glowing review, recommendation, referral or testimonial that thousands of consumer saw instantly?

What if…you could target an ad to a consumer who needs exactly what you sell at a fraction of the cost of regular advertising?

Who are the Social Media Consumers?

We, are social consumers and savvy. We no longer trust an advertisement as gospel but trust our friends advice, recommendations and experiences about your business, service or product. We expect you to be available where we communicate, online, Facebook, mobile text, smart phones, twitter and more. We’ve gone beyond 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 web marketing. We want instant gratification and instant response. We move in real time, why aren’t you here? Your competitor is.

Social Media Marketing is Word of Mouth Advertising on Steroids.

Social Media Marketing is becoming the most effective way to reach consumers to increase your market share. I could spew out stats about the millions of consumers who purchase and research before they buy online via the internet and smart phones. The numbers are a staggering magnitude too large to make real meaning out of but I will mention a few. YouTube is the second largest search engine to Google, there are over a billion users on Facebook and there were a total of 200 million Smartphone mobile devices distributed in the final quarter of 2013.

You need your business where your customers eyes are, and they are no longer on the yellow pages, newspaper, radio and local television channels.

Using a social media marketing manager to help create and generate buzz is a great way to begin to engage customers. Just having a website isn’t enough anymore and what did work to get you seen online no longer is as effective. Social media marketing helps you increase market share and reach consumers you may not ordinarily. It will drive traffic to your business, provide you with happy, repeat customers and keep the customers you have. How? When Social Media is done right, your customers are engaged. The personality of your company shines through and you build a like minded tribe of loyal followers. When using a social media marketing manager, a strategy should be developed that fits your goals and incremental growth. Use of video distribution, Facebook fanpages along with other popular social sites, mobile marketing capability, a website that displays correctly on mobile phones all need to be incorporated in todays advertising strategies and your Social Media Manager should have the ability to provide these services for you. Social Media by Proxy is offering a no cost 1 hour consultation to determine your company’s goals and what Social media programs are best to attain them.

Contact us today and let’s start building relationships through social media!


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Monday, February 23, 2015

Happy 10th Birthday, Makenna Nicole!

 Sweet Makenna, you are 10 years old today!! Double digits!  How quickly we arrived here. I swear it was just yesterday I was cuddling a three year old.

Makenna, you are like a breath of fresh air, when life seems chaotic.

You are my most go-with-the-flow, little Darlin

When plans change at the last minute (as they often do) you are least likely to let that bother you.

You take your time in everything you do. From the time you were tiny, there was no rushing you.

You are also an extremely sensitive soul.

 You think deeply, love fiercely, and are completely uninhibited.

You are, by far, the silliest of your sisters! Once you get in one of your moods, and the giggles start, you drag all of us along with you!

You've become a tremendous help. Not so long ago you were content to let Sissy handle the big jobs, but these days, I can count on you to help wherever needed.

You are WONDERFUL with children. That is where you shine.

You are patient with others, and a true teacher at heart.

In fact, you want to be a preschool teacher when you grow up.

And if that's what you pursue, I just know you'll be amazing.

You have a smile that lights up the greyest day, and a giggle that is infectious.

I thank God each day that He has entrusted us with you.

Happy Birthday, my Darlin Girl!

We love you so much!!

1 comment :

Jenny said...

She is so beautiful! Happy birthday to Makenna!

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What is FCO and why do I need to provide for service?

Fire Code Occupancy is the maximum building occupancy that is allowed in a commercial business and is typically validated through an FCO Certificate. The FCO Certificate is used to price DIRECTV® programming for Commercial customers.
Please ensure that you have your FCO certificate or other FCO documentation available to send to AT&T when adding a new sports subscription for the first time. Alternative FCO documentation can include:
• Building Occupancy Certificate (only if maximum occupancy is listed);
• Business License (stating number of seats);
• Letter from Fire Marshall, building inspector or other city official (must be signed, on official city letterhead and indicate specific occupancy);
• Certificate of Inspection (stating capacity of location);
• Life Hazard Use Certificate of Registration (stating maximum capacity number).
FCO documentation is subject to review and approval prior to the activation of programming.


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Connecting Microsoft Frx to Platinum for Windows

How do I set up Microsoft FRx to connect to Platinum for Windows?

More Information

  1. After installing FRx you will need to register it. Launch Report Designer then go to Admin and select Organization. Enter in the necessary registration information.
  2. The next step will be to set up a company other that the demo companies that come with FRx. To do this select Company then Information. The Company Information dialogue box opens and you can see the FW and FWC companies. Click the new button and fill out the company code and company name accordingly for your company. Then select the Sage PFW accounting system in the drop down box
  3. Next fill out the FRx System Information tab. Select the appropriate specification set if you have created one other than the default. Change the Import and export path accordingly if you want to point it to a server share. This is the default path to which all reports will be generated unless otherwise specified in the catalog. All aditional fields will be specific to your company and can be filled out based on your business.
  4. Now we move on to the System Specific Information tab. There are only two fields you need to worry about here. The first is the System Directory. This is going to be the PFW directory and is usually a mapped drive.

Artikel-id: 964005 - Laatst bijgewerkt: 26 jan. 2009 - Revisie: 1


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PredictWind Help Center

How to Calculate a Weather Route

The Weather Routing is a powerful tool for yachts and powerboats to display the optimal route for your trip based on forecast weather conditions.

To begin routing, select 'Weather Routing' under the main menu

Start Time Zone

Please select the timezone for your routing. Generally this is the time zone for the start of the trip, but you can select any time zone you prefer. The time displayed is corrected for daylight savings using the most recent forecast location you have selected.

Start Time

The start time is the time that you intend to start the trip. Please ensure your start time is within the next 12 days as the forecast runs for a maximum of 12 days.

Run a weather route

Simply type your start and destination points in the white boxes provided or click and drag the start (green) waypoint and the destination (red) waypoint for the desired trip.

  • You can also add waypoints along the route. Simply click on the 'plus' (+) button next to the start/other waypoints.
  • Waypoints should only be added if absolutely necessary as they constrain the route to go to the waypoints. The land avoidance will keep the boat clear of land. Please make sure your start and destination waypoints are in the water (and not on the land).
  • The waypoints appear as white dots, and can be dragged to the desired position, or alternatively you can enter the Lat/Long position or search for closest city. Please remember to keep all waypoints on the water.
  • When your waypoints have been set, click 'Calculate Route' to determine the optimal path.
  • The optimal route is calculated between the start and destination waypoints by using a computational mesh between these waypoints. If the destination waypoint is in a bay, you may need to extend the mesh area by adding another waypoint.

Note: The objective is to use the minimum amount of waypoints so the algorithm is free to find the optimal path.

Click here to view How to use Weather Routing Results.


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Podcasts are HERE! ———–>

Every week SupremeBystandr will release a new podcast to engage your judicial curiosity in an alternative, easy-listening, and highly engaging way.  Podcast projects are SB’s labors of love (slight emphasis on labor).  We plan to alternate between recent/upcoming cases and the great cases in history.  Whether you are a student seeking out a quick way to learn the facts and decisions of cases, a commuter with time and a casual interest in a case you’ve always wanted to know more about, an educator looking to save your vocal cords for the day and let us teach a judicial matter, or a legal juggernaut interested in how we laypeople understand and enjoy great cases – All are welcome!

Please enjoy the podcasts, pass them on to others who might enjoy them, and let us know what cases you’re interested in hearing us cover.  We’ll try to meet all requests.  Cheers!


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Bicycle Law

Often we hear about some horrible ruling by a court against  a Plaintiff Cyclist in a personal injury case.  Happily, the Tennessee Court of Appeals has delivered an opinion in the case, Wineland vs. City of Cleveland, et al, wherein the City as well as the State of Tennessee are held liable for damages to a cyclist whose front wheel was eaten by one of those old-fashioned grates causing her to endo on to her face.

I’m posting the url to the opinion by Judge Susano here.  If it doesn’t work for you and you would like the pdf, let me know.

~ by susancyclist on July 29, 2011.

One Response to “Bicycle Law”

  1. Good news, indeed! Thanks for posting it!

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Glenda (Blue)

by: Miss Pois

  • A lovely cropped-sleeve shirt by Miss Pois.
  • The item features buttons on the back for easy dressing and bubble pleated sleeves.
  • Available in in both yellow and cobalt blue. A long sleeve version of this item is also available in yellow: Gloria.
  • 100% cotton & entirely Made in Italy in Rome, by ex-Prada tailors.
  • Complete the look with the luxury jackets Grazia or Guendalinathe shorts Guenda, trousers Graziella or the skirt Graziana, all from the same collection.


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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a question about policing or the law? You may be able to find the answer here.

Through our frequently asked questions section we aim to help you find the answers you need without having to call us to ask for information. We've provided answers to questions on a range of topics which are regularly asked of police forces up and down the country.

Download the Ask The Police app from the following app stores:

Get it on iTunes Get it on Google Play

No there is no legal age for babysitting. It is the responsibility of the parents using common sense to make the decision. It is worth bearing in mind though that a child under 16 years old cannot be prosecuted for neglect or ill treatment of children in their care. The parents/carers/guardians would be charged in that situation. However, any person who is 16 or over and who has responsibility for a person under that age could be prosecuted.

Current rating

1 2 3 4 5

Answers in this FAQ section are provided by the 'Ask the Police' website. Produced by the Police National Legal Database (PNLD) team, 'Ask the Police' is an official police site approved by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC). All FAQ answers are © PNLD.


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SweatBox Yoga Rates

To purchase online, please click here. Also available for purchase in studio.

First Time Student Special: $30- 14 consecutive days of yoga, one special per student.

Auto-Monthly Membership grants you access to unlimited yoga at The SweatBox. Even if you practice a little as twice a week, this is your best package we offer, taking your class rate down to just $13/class. As a SweatBox Auto-Monthly member, you can take advantage of special deals, and elite coupons throughout the year. $110/month. This package is also available with mat/towel rental for $145/month.

Member Benefits:

  • No hassle for you; contract renews every three months unless you give written notice to cancel.
  • $5 off SweatBox signature hoodie.
  • Two free guest passes on initial sign up.
  • 15% off in house workshops.

*The auto-monthly package can be paused once/quarter for no charge. Additional pauses will be $25/event. To ask for a pause on your package, please contact us.

  • 1-Week Unlimited: $45 (Great for visitors and travellers!)
  • 1-Month Unlimited: $145 (with mat and towel rental $175)
  • 3-Month Unlimited: $370 (with mat and towel rental $470)
  • 6-Month Unlimited: $600 (with mat and towel $810)
  • 1-Year Unlimited: $1100 (with mat and towel rental $1520)

  • Single Drop-In Class: $20
  • 5-Class Punch Card: $90 (1 year expiration)
  • 10-Class Punch Card: $165 (1 year expiration)
  • 15-Class Punch Card: $230 (1 year expiration)

**Punch Card Extensions are available for $10/month. To request an extension, please contact us.

Private Consultations: $75
Treat yourself to a 45-minute private consultation! In this session with, you will have carte blanche to ask questions and make clarifications about your Yoga postures and your practice in general. This is a session specifically geared towards helping you deepen your own practice. If you have specific postures that you want to talk about in depth or if you have physical limitations that may require postures to be adjusted for your needs, schedule a consultation.

To schedule a consultation, please email The SweatBox at contact@sweatboxyoga.com

Private 90-Minute Class: $125
To schedule a private class, please The SweatBox at contact@sweatboxyoga.com

Private Group Classes: $200***
To schedule a private class for your office or other small group, please The SweatBox at contact@sweatboxyoga.com.

*** For 1 hour class up to 20 students. For larger/longer classes, additional fees may apply.

10% Discount off 10-punch carder or greater
Teachers | Bicycle Commuters | Students | Seniors (65+) | Police | Firefighters
(Commuters must ride to most or all classes; valid ID required for all other discounts)
Gift certificates available | Visa & Mastercard accepted
(All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable)


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festivids went live! And lo there was much vidding, and music and wonderment. And I spent a lot of time, as is now custom when almost anything happens in Fanland, wondering quite when I got so out of touch, and what on earth all these fandoms actually are. For I am old and decrepit. But then! Then I found this, and my little cup didst overflow with joy and merriment. And yes, okay, so it's two years old, but the important thing is that I found it. I'm not good at up to date. Look at it! Look look! With the bouncing and the falling and the giggling, and the more giggling. I'm impressed at the complete lack of snogging, actually (although there is licking). I'm not selling this too well, am I. Never mind me, I'm just grinning like an idiot over here in my seventy-year-old fandom.

Oh, and I found this too, which actually is from this year. Modernity, I has it! Well no I don't, technically, because although it's a this year vid, it's for Flash Gordon, which came out in 1980. But that's a little bit modern. Maybe? Oh, who cares anyway. Being up to date is so passé. *cough*

Seventy years. Blimey.

( 8 fierce growls — Growl fiercely )
Jan. 31st, 2016 12:35 pm (UTC)
And I spent a lot of time, as is now custom when almost anything happens in Fanland, wondering quite when I got so out of touch, and what on earth all these fandoms actually are

I think in part that's just festivids, because it's a relatively small group requesting quite random rare things, like this or that film, or whatever. I start off by staring at the list thinking I don't know anything and then look again and go... ooh, wait, no, really someone's vidded that?!

Jan. 31st, 2016 01:58 pm (UTC)
Yes, it's quite brilliantly small-fandomy, isn't it! Last year somebody requested "Jack Holborn". I was delighted. Partly because it was a fun vid to watch (pirates! identical twins! more pirates!), and partly because I thought I was the only person in the world who remembered it.

(I was going to link to it then, but it seems to have disappeared. Woe).
Jan. 31st, 2016 05:24 pm (UTC)
Oh, what a shame!
Jan. 31st, 2016 07:48 pm (UTC)
Probably the song choice falling foul of the copyright fairies. I know that copyright is a good thing really, but it can also be an almighty joy killer! Ah well, c'est la vie. :)
Jan. 31st, 2016 04:34 pm (UTC)
Aw - you're having a good week in fandom! New stuff is over-rated, it's like cheese it needs 50years distance before it gets good;p
Jan. 31st, 2016 07:49 pm (UTC)
Ha, yes exactly. All these fools watching telly that doesn't have any beige cardboard, or black and white and crackling, don't know they've been born!
Jan. 31st, 2016 10:51 pm (UTC)
Aah, Dean and Jerry are so innocently flirty with each other, it's adorable.

As an irrelevance - well, maybe not, considering all the One Direction RPF - I found video evidence of 1D's new style direction today -

Okay, maybe not. But that has to be Harry Styles's grandad, right? Nice wing collar you got, there, pal.

Feb. 1st, 2016 12:09 am (UTC)
Gah! Do not link to that song without warning! That is against the Geneva Convention. *shudders* :p

I know nothing about 1D other than that they keep trending on Twitter, and that one of them has very silly hair (and a baby). Or they might not be the same one. If they're seriously using Pilot as style gurus, I fear for the youth of Britain.

Although I suppose it could be worse, and they could have chosen the Bay City Rollers.
( 8 fierce growls — Growl fiercely )

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11 Stars Who Turned Down Guest Roles In ‘The Simpsons’

While ‘The Simpsons’ has managed to attract huge stars to guest on the show, it seems others weren’t so keen on it! Here’s a list of celebrities that have reportedly turned down roles on the show:

1. William Shatner

William Shatner

He was approached to star in an early episode — rumour has it that it was a 1992 episode called ‘Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie’, which featured the spoof Star Trek XII: So Very Tired.

2. Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino

‘Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious’ features the Itchy & Scratchy cartoon ‘Reservoir Cats’, a parody of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.  He was asked to lend his voice for the spoof, but, according to Matt Groening. he turned down the part because he didn’t like the dialogue. Simpsons regular Dan Castellenata voiced the Tarantino stand-in instead.

3. Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise

In ‘Brother from the Same Planet’, Bart gets fed up with Homer’s bad fathering and signs up for a “Big Brother” called Tom.
Writer Mike Reiss revealed that Cruise was approached to voice the character, but turned it down. He was instead played by Phil Hartman.

4. Michael Caine

Michael Caine

James Woods plays a kooky version of himself in season five’s ‘Homer and Apu’. However, according to David Mirkin, who was the show-runner at the time, the role was originally offered to Michael Caine.

5. Jon Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi

He was apparently supposed to star in the season 14 episode ‘Brake My Wife, Please’; the part was given to another singer-songwriter, Jackson Browne.

6. George Takei

George Takei

George Takei has appeared in The Simpsons three times (in seasons 2, 10 and 13), playing three different characters. But he turned down to the chance to play himself in ‘Marge vs the Monorail’ — one of the show’s most popular episodes — so the role was offered to fellow Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy instead.

7. Courtney Love

Courtney Love

Homer makes friends with several rock stars in season seven’s ‘Homerpalooza’. Courtney Love and her band Hole were asked to guest-star, but declined.

8. Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood was offered the role of creepy dentist Dr Wolfe in season four’s ‘Last Exit to Springfield’. After he said no, producers asked Anthony Hopkins (who also said no), then Anthony Perkins (who said yes, but died before he could record the part), and finally settled on Simpsons regular Hank Azaria.

9. Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera

American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino stepped in to play Lisa’s singing rival in season 16’s ‘A Star is Torn’ after Christina Aguilera turned down the opportunity.

10. Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

He seems a natural fit for a show set in Springfield, but he turned down the chance to play himself in season three’s ‘Radio Bart’. Sting got the role in his place.

11. Bruce Willis/Demi Moore

Bruce Willis and Demi Moore

Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger play Homer’s new friends in season 10’s ‘When You Dish Upon a Star’. They later split up, as did all the other celeberity couples offered the role — Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, and Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

*All images via http://www.yourtv.com.au

2 thoughts on “11 Stars Who Turned Down Guest Roles In ‘The Simpsons’

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MANOR OF FACT – Supernatural Roleplaying with “Betrayal at House on the Hill.”

In a previous blog, I looked a GM can take the Kill Doctor Lucky board game and adapt it for an RPG game map. This week, we’re looking at one of my favorite new games, “Betrayal at House on the Hill.”

Betrayal at House on the Hill is a horror-themed board game designed by Bruce Glassco and published by Avalon Hill Games (now a subsidiary of of Wizards of the Coast, which is owned by Hasbro). The 1st edition debuted in 2004 and is out of print, while the 2nd edition debuted in 2010. The premise is simple, the execution complex; 3-6 explorers are locked in an old haunted house, encountering the many twisted and dangerous rooms. At some random point in the game, the Haunt begins, turning one of the “heroes” into a traitor; no one knows who it will be until it happens, even the traitor himself! To say that “every game is different” is a bit of an exaggeration, but with 50 random end games to stumble across, it means that there’s ton of variety and replay. If you’ve never played it, I highly recommend you go to your local store or con and buy it.

Official Box Art from the Game, used without permission. Find it at

How Does it Rate as a Game Mat?

Given that I’m looking for a spacious haunted mansion that the players are exploring for the first time, I’ll be ranking the game on the following scales:

Structured vs. Random

Creepiness & Surprise

Structured vs. Random?: This first criteria is more of a spectrum, as Structure and Randomness are polar opposites. By default, the map you create is definitely random. If that’s what you want, wonderful. However, some of the rooms are designed to show up in more specific locations: you will only find the Bedroom in the Upper Floor, only find the Furnace Room in the basement, etc.
Can it be Structured?: If you want to go through the time of mapping each room by each room, recording it, and having the characters run through it, you can, but it is a bit of a hassle. The best way to handle this would be to build the entire house and then flip the tiles over- those, the players know where the next room is located, but not what’s in it. (Although, you’d still have to keep records yourself so you know without having to peek every few minutes).

I would recommend allowing a little bit of randomness; for example, have some important events in your adventure occur in specific rooms, and trim down the deck so players will stumble upon those rooms faster. Likewise, you can craft three “decks,” one for the ground floor, one for the upper, and one for the basement; this means you have strict control of which rooms will appear close to other rooms, even if their exact placement will shift about.

Random: 7, Structured:3

Monica Marier and a rulebook that's very clear (mostly)

Monica Marier and a rulebook that’s very clear (mostly)

Mood: This game is dripping with mood. Drip. ping. Be careful how you stack it on your shelf, as it will drip on to games underneath it, turning your edition of Candyland dark and spooky. Dripping ceilings? Check. Great art? Check. Even the font keeps me up at night. I give it a 9/10- about a 7 by itself, but the bonus cards pick it up to near perfection (more of those later). Mood: 9

Suspense: Whether you’re going with a randomly generated map or one that the GM has created and flipped over, it is very easy to keep the players in the dark over what is coming next. The only people who are likely to see what’s coming are the players who own the game and have memorized all of the room names. (On a side note, if you want to study game craft, the default game has great ways of building suspense on its own.) Suspense: 9

Space: This is the one place where Betrayal is poorly suited for RPGs: the space. Each tile is roughly 2.5” by 2.5” long, which is barely big enough to fit the six 20mm figures that come in the box, let alone any monster or larger size figures you might supply yourself. If you’re playing Fate Core, it’s hard to imagine any room being bigger than a single zone, making the conflict in one room nearly identical to a conflict in another. The exception is the entrance hall, which is three long rooms connected together, making it the most interesting location to have a conflict. With this is mind, it might be a good idea to have a “Betrayal” RPG adventure involve the characters exploring in and retreating back to the entrance; alternatively, you can have them wake up in the strange place and have them explore until they find the way out.

The only other option I see setting up complex multi-zone areas involves a partially pre-built the map: a GM could link together three separate room tiles and declare them as one space that’s split into three zones (ex. The characters start in on the Balcony, with slender Tower bridge which leads to the open air Chapel.)

The last issue comes from Movement. Fate Core is very loose with moving out side of a conflict (no limit) and very strict during a scene (one zone for free, nothing else). I recommend that outside of a conflict, a character can explore one new room a turn. Once explored, they may move one room OR one room for each Athletics point unless they’re in a conflict. If a fight breaks out, they can move one for free, or use their action to move several (must use Athletics, to an overcome a difficultly equal to the number of extra rooms you’re moving). For, tiles have special rules regarding movement (ex. The Tower, the Collapsed Room) treat those rooms having situation aspects, which make movement in the zone difficult and will block someone from running through several rooms that exchange. Space: 2

The game we played... as lightning crashed outside. Brrrr.

The game we played… as lightning crashed outside. Brrrr.

Extras: Almighty Jeebus, the extras in this game are fantastic. If you ever need inspiration for random events to occur in your game, look no further than the 13 omen cards and 45 event cards, which range from mildly creepy to Grade-A Nightmare Fuel. The game includes decent plastic figures, close to 145 tokens, and some decent mechanics. Some of the room tiles themselves have suggestions for obstacles and situation aspects. If you don’t mind spoilers, you can even read the scenarios themselves for ideas for adventures (but at that point, you might as well just play the game as is). I almost wonder, though, if the Omens and random tiles are enough to create a random adventure on the fly as it is (although, Fate Core might not be the system for that… I’m wondering if that would work better with an Apocalypse World game, like “Monster of the Week”). Space: 10

Total Score: 40 / 50

Comparison: Kill Doctor Lucky: 38/50

Even if the game was terrible (which it’s not), the tiles and extras make this game a great buy for any GM that loves running horror games. Snatch it up and break it out for a Halloween.


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The outcome will be the world you have dreamed and prayed for all these years. – Michael channeled by Ron Head

The outcome will be the world you have dreamed and prayed for all these years. – Michael channeled by Ron Head

April 12, 2012 in Ron’s Channeled Messages | Tags: , | by

    Press here for   Spanish   or  Portuguese

Our message today is on the topic of your ability to mitigate the effects of what you call earth changes.  The occurrence yesterday of several large earthquakes brought about no massive loss of life nor damage to buildings, etc.

This was not entirely due to your efforts at sending love and light to those areas; but understand that even the efforts of your star brothers and sisters were in response to your requests.  We were gratified to see the great and instant response by so many of you to the news of these happenings.  It was exactly the best and most effective response you could have made.  You are unaware of the numbers of you who reacted in this manner, but we tell you it was in the many tens of thousands.  Please be prepared to continue your effort in this manner.  Those areas are still active today, and those and other areas will see still more shifting.

Hold your dear planet in your loving light as she makes the changes she needs to make to release the pressures necessary to her ascension.  Much that is negative is being transformed in this process.  For many years, there have been millions of prayers, meditations, ceremonies and intentions offered toward the kind of earth you wished to live upon and the kind of societies you wished to live in.  Many who began this process have moved on, and many others have come to continue the process.  The climb to the summit has been long and arduous.  We tell you that you have now begun the race to the finish.  It is all downhill from here.  The momentum is gathering and it has reached the point of being unstoppable.  The earth human will fall down and get his knees scuffed.  He may get bruised.  But he will not die off.

Everything that occurs now will not be welcomed by every one of you.  But hold tightly in your hearts the assurance that the outcome will be the world you have dreamed and prayed for all these years.  When you look back upon this year, it will all seem a small price to have paid for what you have gained.  All of the messages, all of the promises, have not begun to describe the life you will be living soon.  We will be with you each step of this journey, as we have been until this day.  Reach out to us often if you need to.  We welcome the chances to be closer to you.

Until tomorrow, then.  Peace, light, and joy be yours.

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Prerelease:Final Fantasy IV

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This page details one or more prerelease versions of Final Fantasy IV.

Prerelease Shot

Ffiv pre tower quake.png

This party is impossible in the final. The closest this party can happen is the first Tower of Babil dungeon where your party consists of Paladin Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Yang and Adult Rydia. Despite this, the Tower depicted in the screenshot cannot be Babil because the enemy formation is exclusive to the Tower of Zot, Golbez's off-screen flying tower where you save Rosa.

In addition, Rydia cannot normally cast Quake as a child without an absurd amount of power-levelling, especially not with that HP level. It should be noted Cecil's HP is that of when he becomes a Paladin, so it's possible this screenshot is entirely a fabrication to avoid spoilers.

Original Edge Character Design

Many sources seem to indicate Edge would have had different hair and a completely different palette design.

Ffiv edge sd concept art.pngFfiv edge sd concept box art.pngFfiv edge sd final artwork.png

The earliest design (on the left) seems to have Edge with brown hair combed backwards, with a gray cloak, dark green or teal armor and shoes, and cream-colored pants. The second design (in the middle), used on the game's Japanese box art alongside "Warrior" Cecil, is an evolution of this design, cleaned up with bright green armor and a blue cloak. The final on the right, used for the GBA port, shows the correct colors, indicating the former two designs are definitely not the final ones, although the hair is still not accurate to the original in-game sprite.

Ffiv edge sprite mockup.png

Finally some mockups of the original sprite, recolored to resemble the two prototype designs.

Ultimania 25th Anniversary SAMPLE Images

A sample page of this guidebook is floating around showing some interesting gridded plans for menu screens. In those are some prototype character portrait designs!

Save Screen Mockup

Mockup Final
Ffiv 25thguide mockups1.png Ffiv final save screen.png

The first mockup is an early version of the screen asking where to save. In the final version you are taken to a far more contextual screen showing all four save files with character information. The default character class is あんこくきし (Dark Knight), and the character name is... ザリガニイル (Zaliganiel), a name that never appears in the game! The text in the upper left reads "New Game", "Save 1" through "Save 4"; the bottom text reads "このデータでいいですか？ はい いいえ" which translates to "Is this data okay? Yes No". The final text reads "まえのデータをけしますか？", or "Do you want to delete the previous data?".

Most interesting is the character portraits, which all have differences from the final game:

Mockup Final
The brand-new F-Zero racer, Zaliganiel Ffiv cecil portrait final.png

Ff3nes dark knight.png

Here is Dark Knight "Zaliganiel", with a portrait looking closer to a Dark Knight from the previous game as pictured above this line. This portrait doesn't bear a resemblance to most other character art for Dark Knight Cecil, which would imply this is for another character entirely - without the gold trim, however, it does bear a resemblance to the original SD artwork for "battle" Cecil:

Ffiv cecil dark knight SD art.png

Mockup Final
Ffiv yang portrait proto mockup.png Ffiv yang portrait final.png

Yang's head is angled differently, and the prototype artwork seems like it would be too large to fit the reserved space, but otherwise the prototype portrait is very close to what was used in the final game.

Mockup Final
Ffiv rydia portrait proto mockup.png Ffiv rydia portrait final.png

This portrait is nearly identical to the final game's, barring some spiky hair on the right side of her head.

Adult Rydia

Mockup Final
Ffiv adult rydia portrait proto mockup.png Ffiv adult rydia portrait final.png

This portrait is completely different from the final game, and seems to be of very poor quality compared to the final portrait, with a very low mouth and a lot of forehead exposure.

Mockup Final
Ffiv edge portrait proto mockup.png Ffiv edge portrait final.png

There isn't much here, but the contour of his hair doesn't seem to be as detailed as it is in the final game.

Shop Mockup

Mockup Final
Ffiv 25thguide mockups2.png Ffiv final shop screen.png

The only differences here are that the party member sprites aren't put into a box in the mockup, and the flavor text at the top. In the mockup, it's hard to read, but reads something like "なにをおもとみでー？" or "What are ya looking for?". In the final it reads "どれにいたしましょう？" or "Which do you want?"

Config Mockup

Mockup Final
Ffiv 25thguide mockups3.png Ffiv final config screen.png

An extremely elaborate controller configuration screen was (wisely) cut down to a simple menu in the final game. The title text differs; the mockup reads something like "ボタンはしら", and the final's is "カスタマイズ" (Customize).

Config Number A B X Y
1 Select Cancel Menu "All-Cancel"
2 Cancel "All-Cancel" Select Menu
3 All-Cancel Menu Cancel Select
4 Menu Select "All-Cancel" Cancel


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Pooling our Data

Last Monday in Geometry, it was time for my students to ‘discover’ that when two parallel lines are cut by a transversal, corresponding angles are congruent, etc.  I think its pretty typical for geometry teachers to have students construct parallel lines and a transversal and measure pairs of angles to determine special relationships.  Here’s the activity as suggested by a geometry textbook I have:

I think this is a good activity, and I’ve done it before, but I’ve never been entirely satisfied with it.  First of all, invariably someone starts shouting out the conclusions before everyone is done measuring, and students start making assumptions about their own results, and the magic is lost.  Second of all, I feel like the teacher usually ends up saying something like, “and every time you draw parallel lines and a transversal, alternate interior angles will be congruent.”  I don’t want my students to believe everything I say without evaluating its reasonableness first.  They need more evidence than that.  I am trying to teach my geometry students to adopt an attitude of skepticism; they shouldn’t be drawing conclusions unless they can explain them.

In an attempt to improve this activity this year, I had students work with partners, but I imposed a strict ban on speaking while they were working, so that no pair’s work would be influenced by that of others.  Some students asked me if they could assume certain results would be the case, and I reminded them of the dangers of assuming.  I had them submit all of their measurements via a Google Form, and then we looked at the pooled results as a class to see if we could establish patterns.  I did this with a class of students that need a lot of direction, and it did not exactly go smoothly: some students measured the wrong angles, some students measured the right angles incorrectly, some students entered their data in the wrong place, but we got it done eventually, and I was still happy I did it.

1) It was a struggle.  I wouldn’t confirm or deny anything my students were thinking and saying for most of the activity, so it forced some actual thinking.

2) Our examples and data were student created.  They weren’t perfect, but they were real.  Not all angles in life are 60 degrees, and sometimes that makes them hard to measure, but you might still have to measure them.

3) There were mistakes.  Students didn’t only see their results, but they saw those of their classmates.  When something didn’t look right, we could have a conversation about whether someone made a mistake, or whether it was actually the case that the pattern people thought they were seeing wasn’t a pattern at all.

I liked this activity, and I liked how my students’ iPads made it relatively easy to execute.  But it got me thinking about something I’m starting to not like about my students having iPads, but that’s a topic for another post…


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5 Ways to Bounce Back After Sleepless Nights

April 18, 2017

5:50 pm

After a few sleepless nights, it’s easy to feel like you’ve been hit by a bus. This often makes your ability to perform at an optimal level diminish throughout the day. But don’t worry, we’ve found some solutions to help you bounce back after those sleepless nights of tossing and turning.

Dr. Amy Serin, neuropsychologist and co-founder of The TouchPoint Solution, suggests to start looking at your sleep environment and pre-bed habits to help shift your body into sleep mode.

“Look for the root cause of the lack of sleep and address it,” Serin said.

Technology is Adding to The Problem

Checking that last Facebook or Snapchat post before you go to bed or watching a certain type of TV show you hit the hay could be adding to your sleepless night. Serin suggests setting bedtime boundaries and turning off your smartphone well before bed to allow your brain to switch to sleep mode.

“Technology creates two problems for sleep. Bright screen lights can confuse your brain into thinking it’s daytime and interfere with your sleep cycle. [As for TV programs,] the content you watch before bed is also a factor. Suspenseful TV shows can put your body into a stressful state, which is counterproductive for sleep. I recommend not having a TV in your bedroom and to turn off your phone and avoid bright lights before bedtime and create a peaceful sleeping environment.”

To Nap or Not to Nap

Grabbing a cat nap during the day after a restless night might be ok now and again, but creating a pattern of sleepless nights, and gulping caffeine at the office followed by an afternoon nap isn’t ideal. Serin suggests getting back to your regular sleep schedule as soon as possible.

“Taking naps and staying up late the following night can disrupt circadian rhythms and create a pattern of sleep problems rather than just dealing with one restless night. If you must nap, take a nap for only 10-30 minutes during the afternoon hours to give yourself a boost without impairing your ability to fall asleep at your usual bedtime.”

Use a Sleep Hack, not a Sleeping Pill

If you have too many thoughts racing through your head, some may try to use a sleep aid to counter their busy mind and fall asleep. Serin cautions the use of this method as you may not reach the deep stages of sleep that are required to feel rested the next day. Instead she suggests these sleep hacks before you go to bed:

“Your body needs to be able to be calm enough to fall sleep. Heating the body up and then cooling it down is a great sleep hack to replace sleeping pills. If you take a hot shower and then turn the water to cooler temperatures before you get out, this change in temperature can kickstart your body’s ability to start the sleep process. Also, if you have racing thoughts in your head, try writing your thoughts down before bed. Keep a pen and pad of paper next to your bed and write down the thoughts that won’t go away and trust yourself to take care of whatever is on your mind the following day.”

Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule

While eight hours of sleep is recommended, the reality is that we aren’t prioritizing our sleep schedule. Serin suggestions to first try to develop a set time to get to bed and make it a goal for 7 to 9 hours of shut eye versus making it up on the weekend.

“Try to go to bed around the same time every night and prioritize your sleep over everything else. Don’t fall into the habit of trying to ‘catch up’ on sleep on the weekends. Some research suggests getting more than 10 hours of sleep a night can have a negative impact on performance and mood in the same way that only getting 4 or 5 hours a night can cause, so it’s best to stay within the recommended range whenever possible.”

If All Else Fails, Try to Do Something Positive

If you tried to relieve some stress during the day and still had a tough night, Serin said to expect that you might have some change in mood during the day and to try and engage in positive activities.

“Be mindful of how your brain is impaired after a night of sleeplessness. You may be irritable, less productive, more anxious, feel depressed, have more cravings and make more mistakes. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you aren’t on top of your game.

“Try to plan for a slightly earlier bedtime the next day and limit unnecessary events from your schedule. Practice healthier habits that day and try to exercise if possible. When you hop into bed at night, don’t worry about not sleeping well the night before. Remember, sleep is a natural state that your body wants you to go into, so calming down and surrendering to it is the best policy.”

Read more about avoiding sleepless nights here at Tech.Co.

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Tishin is a technology journalist and correspondent. She has written for TechCrunch, Demand Studios and Fitness, and has regular network segments on local Phoenix affiliate stations. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical and Sport psychology, and has covered many areas of technology ranging from 3D printing and game development to neurotech and funding for over 15 years.

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Mechanical Engineering Majors Needed for Spring 2018 Tutor Position

Are you looking for engaging, fun, and meaningful on-campus work?  The TECHniques Center is starting recruitment for our Spring 2018 tutor positions and we want you to apply!

· Pay begins at $10.00 / hour for undergraduate tutors and $11.00 / hour for graduate tutors.

· We offer LOTS of paid training.

· Work hours are flexible.

· No late night or evening work hours.

· We pride ourselves in fostering a supportive and positive work environment.

· All tutors earn a tutor certification through the College Reading and Learning Association (a great resume item).

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for tutors…

· Who have a strong understanding of course material

· Who have a positive attitude, energy, and the desire to help others

· Who have strong organizational and time managements skills

· Who have earned at least 40 credit hours and have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA (transfer hours may count).

· Who have excellent written and oral communication skills

· Who are available for two days of training: Tuesday, January 16th and Wednesday, January 17th from 8:30 - 4:00 p.m., both days.

1.  Go to and download an application packet.

2.  Submit your complete application packet WITH a current resume AND unofficial copies of undergraduate / graduate transcripts to 242 West Hall.  Transcripts are not necessary if the courses you took elsewhere appear already on your Tech transcript.

3.  Only complete applications will be evaluated for an interview.  Interviews are not granted to all applicants, so please read our application carefully and let us know if you have any questions by calling 806-742-1822 or emailing

4.  Apply soon, as we are scheduling interviews now for our SPRING 2018 positions.

You can learn more about the TECHniques Center by visiting

Kyla Shannon

Student Disability Services


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Toshiba and Sharp to join forces on LCD panels

Wonder_Twins Toshiba and Sharp were recently pressed their magic rings together proclaiming, "Wonder Twin powers, activate! Form of…a strategic LCD alliance wherein Toshiba buys LCD panels from Sharp and Sharp buys semiconductors from Toshiba!"

The actual meeting may very well have gone differently than that, but you get the idea. The partnership will allow the two companies to produce more LCD TVs and monitors at lower costs. Sharp is in the midst of building the world’s largest LCD plant in Japan and the arrangement calls for Toshiba to buy 40% of its LCD panels from Sharp and, in turn, Sharp will buy 50% of its LCD TV semiconductors from Toshiba.

Toshiba and Sharp Form LCD Pact [DailyTech]


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OS X is now macOS and gets support for Siri, auto unlock and more

If Apple’s naming scheme was starting to bother you (with iOS, tvOS and watchOS working under different naming rules from OS X), fret no more. As the company announced today, OS X is getting a new name that brings order to Apple’s nomenclature.

Behold the new name of OS X: macOS. And because this is a new version of OS X/macOS, too — and Apple decided to stick with its California names — this new version’s full name is macOS Sierra.

As expected, this new version of macOS will finally bring support for Siri to the desktop. To bring up Siri, which is getting its own improvements today, too, all you have to do is say “hey Siri,” and Apple’s modestly useful AI assistant will be at your beck and call.

Siri will be able to help you find files on your Mac and send messages, and because it works in the background, it’ll also help you perform tasks while you are using other apps in full-screen mode, Apple says.

Also new in macOS is the ability to automatically unlock your Mac when your iPhone or Apple Watch is close to it (similar to Google’s Smart Lock on ChromeOS). Apple calls this feature “auto unlock.”

Also new is what Apple calls the universal clipboard. This gives users access to a single clipboard that works across iOS and macOS. In addition, Apple is adding improved support for iCloud Drive, which can now make files more easily available across devices. With this update, Apple now also allows you to easily move older files to the cloud in order to free up space on your local machines.

In addition, if you use multiple macOS machines, Apple will now sync your desktops between them, too. Other new features include support for Apple Pay in the browser. To authenticate, you will be able to use TouchID on your iPhone. Among the minor, but useful features the company announced today is also the addition of Safari-like tabs to virtually every app on macOS.

The update is coming to beta users in July and will be available as a free upgrade to all OS X/macOS users in the fall.


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The Registry on a Clustered Node Could not be Accessed Remotely

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at]

Topic Last Modified: 2007-04-13

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 setup cannot continue because the registry on a cluster node could not be accessed.

Exchange 2007 setup requires access to the registry of all nodes in the cluster to retrieve various settings.

To address this issue, do the following:

  • Verify that the Remote Registry service is running on all nodes of the cluster.

  • Verify that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is enabled for the network adapter that is listed first in the binding order.

  • Verify that the values of the following registry keys are the same on each node of the cluster and are valid for the relevant group policy:

For more information about troubleshooting registry connectivity issues, see the Troubleshooting Registry Connectivity Issues section in "Microsoft Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer Tool Troubleshooting Connectivity Problems" (