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How Did I Get Here?
Khalil Mack went from playing one year of high school football to becoming the fifth pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Oakland Raiders rookie retraces his steps and dishes on teammates, his biggest motivation and the QBs on his sack list
A few weeks ago, I was out on the field for one of my first practices with the Raiders, and I looked around the huddle: LaMarr Woodley. Antonio Smith. Justin Tuck. Charles Woodson. Pat Sims. That's when it hit me: Wow, I'm going to be on the field with these guys. It was kind of surreal. It wasn't too long ago that I was waiting to find out where I was going to be drafted, and now I'm part of this team, working toward a common goal. It's extremely crazy, but I'm crazy enough to think it's normal.
I've been taking it day by day, learning a lot, keeping my ears open and knowing that I don't know it all. That's how I got to this point. I only had one scholarship offer coming out of high school, probably because I only played one year of football in high school. My journey to the NFL was unique. Let me retrace those steps to tell you how I got here:
Life at a small school
Although it wasn't a powerhouse program, I loved my time at Buffalo. I invested a lot of hard work and time there to get myself to this point. We were not featured on national television as much as other Division I football programs, so I had to be even more impressive in my workouts, practices and games to dominate and distinguish myself as a player.
I played pretty well against Ohio State early in my senior season, and I think that went a long way in showing NFL teams I could thrive against tougher competition.
The NFL Scouting Combine
I spent weeks getting ready for the biggest job interview of my life. The pressure of performing in front of 32 potential employers was high, but at that point, you have to trust your preparation, instincts and confidence. It is a grueling process, and while we understand that millions of dollars are on the line, players are also faced with the reality that even if we achieve our dreams, we might only get to do it for a few short years.
Between the drills, the medical exams and interviews, the thing I remember most about the combine was the feeling of brotherhood among the prospects and respect we all had for each other. The competition for jobs was high, but we had a common bond and mutual respect that I know will continue in the NFL.
The draft was a blur
The NFL draft was a special experience and it went by fast. I tried to soak up every minute of the different activities the NFL set up for us, but admittedly, it was hard to focus on anything other than where I was going to be selected. That speculation, combined with the overwhelming media interest, was indescribable. Only at the draft did I truly understand the expectations and promise we as draft prospects are bringing to a team and to a city. You realize in those few days that you are not only playing for yourself, your family and your teammates, but for the fans and the city that invest so much to support your success.
The night before the draft, the Mack family joined together for a private dinner. We ate family style at a steakhouse in New York's Meatpacking District. It was a way for me to celebrate my accomplishments to this point, thank them for all the support and prepare for the next step in my career. I remember DeMaurice Smith stopped by and made a surprise visit to meet my family that night and the feeling of support he gave me was important. It made me realize that there are others in the business of this league beyond my family, like my agent, my union and eventually my teammates, who have my back.
The NFLPA Rookie Premiere
The NFL is a business. We know that as players, but the experience that hammered that home for me the most was the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. The event, driven by top sponsors and licensees, brought some of us together again, but this time officially as NFL players. Our union sets up this event annually to introduce us to NFL partners, sponsors and licensees. The demands and rewards of the business are tied together and it is amazing to see how many people are behind the scenes working every day to help connect us with our fans. For three days we were up from dawn through the evening taking pictures, doing media interviews, signing cards and memorabilia and most importantly, understanding the size and scope of the business of football. Being an NFL player entails so much more than just playing football, and we are in a unique position to take advantage of the popularity and interest in our sport. We have a responsibility to being the best possible professionals we can be and at the NFL level that means taking advantage of every opportunity we can to build our personal brand and help grow the game.
Finally hitting the field
Only after all of those experiences did I finally get to spend some time with my new teammates in Oakland for organized team activities and minicamps. The opportunity I have with an historic franchise is a special one. The fan base here is incredibly supportive and there is certainly merit to the traditions and mystique of Raider Nation. We have a good team, and I feel fortunate to learn from players I admire and respect. I want to learn a lot about what it takes to be successful and the work I put into honing my craft can only be enhanced by what I can learn from the coaches and players around me. It takes a tremendous amount of personal responsibility and commitment to succeed both on and off the field in the NFL and I am confident that my teammates and I can achieve great things.
1. I think I'm at my best as a wild card on defense, being used at multiple spots on the field, as strange as that might sound. That's what the team has laid out for me, and I think that will be a good thing. I like the idea of being the guy other teams have to look out for.
2. I think I'm still figuring out which pass-rush moves will be most effective in the NFL. I usually use a dip-and-rip off the edge, and it's pretty effective, but at the same time I have been learning a lot from Tuck and Woodley since I got to Oakland. I have a long arm that I think will be effective as well. We'll see when we get into pads. But I have to be careful what I say for my opponents who might read this.
3. I think Tuck makes rushing the passer look easy, and he's helping me get there. He told me I need to work on using my hands off the edge, because if I don't, I'm making it a lot harder for myself than it needs to be. That's what I was working on from that day on, and I think it was helping. I'm going to try to meet up with him during the break before training camp to keep working.
4. I think I want to cover tight ends like Woodley does. He was telling me that he had success on tight ends by just bullying them. "Are you strong enough to bully them?" he asked me. I told him, "I'm strong enough to bully them." He said instead of using finesse coverage, he just beats them up. I can do the same thing.
5. I think I have a couple guys on my sack list: AFC West resident Peyton Manning, fellow Class of 2014 member Blake Bortles, and I've got to put Tom Brady on there. Brady is going to pass the ball more than 36 times a game, so that's a lot of opportunities for me.
6. I think my biggest motivation is something my dad always told me, even back in elementary school and middle school: There is somebody out there working harder than you and trying to take what's yours. In the NFL, that rings even more true. There are guys working every day to take your place and your role, so when your name is called, you've got to make the most of it.
7. I think my first impression of Oakland was, "Wow, the weather out here is nice." It's a lot different from where I was in Buffalo.
8. I think one of the games I'm most looking forward to is our trip to London in September to play the Dolphins. That's going to be pretty unique. It will be my first time in England, and to be going there as an NFL player is a blessing.
9. I think as a rookie it's important not to keep making the same mistakes. During OTAs and minicamp, I did whatever I could to avoid that. I'd come into the facility during my down time to watch film or work back at the hotel, trying to fix both the big things and the little things.
10. I think I need to memorize a song before training camp, just in case. There was a day when I had to take a physical right off the practice field, so I came into a meeting a little bit late. I started getting booed, and the guys had me walk to the front to sing a song, but I was nervous and I couldn't think of one. I'm probably going to have to make up for that.
Can you sez"GhostWriter"??
Looking forward to Rich Eisen taking over this column next week. Wish it was a permanent change.
I'm sure we'll get the usual very concerned comments from Peter King on political matters when he returns from vacation.
He's covered guns, gay marriage, gay athletes, and the like. So I am sure he will weigh in on the disgraceful, tragic, dangerous conditions at the US border brought on by the President's refusal to enforce border protection, and his refusal tosend a strong message to Latin American countries dumping their indigent at our feet. I'm sure Peter is drafting that criticism right now. We can count on him to bring great objectivity to the political events of the day.
I don't think you should expect a major revelation for a guest writer sitting in for fat boy. This kid is going to be great for the Raiders I was so happy they drafted him we got lucky and he seems to enjoy being in Oakland, the past is the past Raider fans Mack is our future. I hope he pile drives Brady and Manning into the ground
This might be a tame article for some (not sure we need anything else controversial). It speaks of his intelligence which is huge. I can think of a few highly drafted knuckleheads that have set back the franchise considerably. He definitely does not remind me of Rolando. Getting fired up for this season. Go Raiders
@Buck2185 he also wants to sack your mama.like every one else did
Khalil - from a fellow UB alum - good luck with your career - you're going to need all you can get up in Oakland. Wish you all the best
Kahlil, I hope you enjoyed writing this article for Peter, because it will be the last. You broke the cardinal rule and said you want to sack Peter's little Tommy Brady.
Blake Bortles is not in the AFC West.
Not one mention of the former FU QB/Preacher or the former Mizzou linebacker. All in all a great column, with no social engineering!
Mack is the kind of kid everyone wants on their team.
Another "I" - "me" story? Not interested, see ya.
Hope you have a good rookie season. Thanks for your article. As for the others criticizing the article, what do you expect him to write about. He is just coming into the league and training camp hasn't even begun.
I appreciate what PK is trying to do here, but these player written articles often come off sounding like a "What I Did This Summer" report from an elementary school student.
I am always amazed that guys who stand a good chance of being a bust (any high draft pick) are fawned over and consulted about anything. This kid hasn't played a down. Who cares what he thinks?
Seems like a nice kid... article sounds a little like "What I did at Summer Camp", but nice...
Well written article ...Saw plenty of clips of Khalil via Mike Mayock .. He had Khalil #1 on his draft board ...From what I saw looks like Khalil is going to be a superstar in the NFL...How did all those Florida schools -Colleges- let him get out of the state ....
What a racist right wing nutbag. You should be kicked out of America and sent back to whatever country your family immigrated here from. I love that the republicans have totally screwed themselves and wont get control of the white house for at least 14 more years. Stupid elephants.
@Knowitall How do you function on a day to day basis? Like, do you worry about some hypothetical political association the food you eat for lunch might have? Hmmm, peas are green, environmentalists like green things, therefore peas equal socialism! But that's probably not fair since you "Knowitall" and you already knew that peas are only two steps away from Communism. Ok, I'm just having fun with you, but do answer me this "Knowitall": could you write a comment so completely off topic that even you questioned why you wasted both yours and every single person who has had to accidentally lay eyes on your comment's time?
@Knowitall It's too late and I'm too tired for anything witty, so I'll be direct: Stop your betching and read something else if you don't like it (or just skip that garbage). Either way, SHUT UP!
@Raiderforlife He won't they're too smart fo him.
@dogpaws4x4 @Buck2185 So original and mature. I would have to climb down a few rungs on the ladder of life to even respond to that, therefore, nevermind and enjoy your basement....
@chiefsheath Nobody said he was.
@SteveRowFla: Not one mention until you mentioned it. Thanks a lot.
@dennis it was supposed to be one. It's his intoduction/get to know him article. But then he did mention his teammates and learning from them, so it isn't a me-me story. Is it?
@Hello1813 Not criticizing Mack... just lamenting the lack of substance to the article.
@ruggerrick9 I think part of the problem is that players are mindful of getting ripped to shreds if they write anything controversial - so they likely go through their agents and attorneys to ensure there's nothing offensive to anyone in the articles they write.
@Wombat Sorry Wombat, I posted my comment before I read yours. Great minds think alike, I suppose.
@OmahaOwl Ah ah ah! No name calling! That's such a declasse, left wing thing to do... and we would all be better off without the elephants OR the asses... I mean donkeys in office.
Whoa, there little Husker hooter. Stupid elephants? Now you have gone too far!
@MatthewEllingson @Knowitall Don't forget about the Monroe Doctrine - once peas go Communist, carrots, onions, broccoli and brussel sprouts are soon to follow as well.
@Mike26 @Knowitall You said it for all of us Mike... Thx!
@Mike26 @Knowitall Who are you to always be telling people what to do anyhow?? Btw, rocket Scientist, what is "Betching".....
@Buck2185 @dogpaws4x4 "So original and mature." Believe me, you don't have to climb down ANY rungs to match 4x4's level.
@Jason1988 @chiefsheath chiefsheath is a Payton Manning denier.
@usameos6 @ruggerrick9 Then why bother? No one is asking for anything controversial, just a little less obviously-written-by-someone-else would be nice.
@ruggerrick9 @Wombat Lol! No problem Rug! Always good to have confirmation!
@usameos6 @MatthewEllingson @Knowitall Don't forget beets! They are the Red Menace of the veggie world!
@Buck2185 @Mike26 @Knowitall Just think Buck - in about 4-5 weeks your summer break will be over and you'll be back to your job as editor as City-Town Middle School Weekly Newsletter. Then you won't have to worry about having to read my "drivel" and "orders".
@Buck2185 @Mike26 @Knowitall I am assuming that :betching is an attempt to avoid censorship in this forum. I've said it before and I'll say it again... If all you can complain about is a person's grammar or spelling then you have nothing to complain about. You sir have nothing to complain about.


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Hello There, Guest!
[Project] Learning a language? Let's help each other!
09-11-2011, 05:05 PM | Post: #61Memphiso
(09-11-2011 04:52 PM)McLovin_ftw Wrote: Native language: EnglishI'm suprised how many people wanna learn Japanese. It probably has something to do with this so called Desu~.
(09-11-2011 04:55 PM)Happyghast Wrote:He speaks Brazilian Portuguese. I want to learn European Portuguese, though I think Brazilian Portuguese sounds more beautiful. I think I just get my Portuguese course from the library...(09-11-2011 04:05 PM)Memphiso Wrote: I already added some Swedes and Italians, but I need more people, especcialy Portuguese!Leocano is from Brazil, their main language there in Portuguese. :3
09-11-2011, 05:08 PM | Post: #62ihaslolpug
native language = dutch
my english isn't the best but its enough.
would love to learn russian (its the most epic language ever)
First try at photoshop ;3
10-11-2011, 12:56 AM | Post: #63McLovin_ftw
(09-11-2011 05:05 PM)Memphiso Wrote: I'm suprised how many people wanna learn Japanese. It probably has something to do with this so called Desu~.
Desu has nothing to do with my wanting to learn Japanese. I would think that Desu might have gotten Tomonor on that track, but I doubt it's is as popular as he(Tomonor) would like us to believe.
My wanting to learn Japanese started when I decided I liked Aikido and Ken-jutsu enough to stick with them. I would love to go to Japan sometime in the future as well.
10-11-2011, 02:37 AM | Post: #64The_WUUSTER
I was raised speaking Chinese, but then due to the corruption of American public schools English became my first language. However I never lost in touch with my native language as my parents sent me to Chinese school >_>
I study Spanish in high school; they call it Spanish IV.
10-11-2011, 04:54 AM | Post: #65DavidoRex
My native language is English, but I'm studying Spanish- I'm moderately good at it- and know some survival phrases in German.
I'd gladly trade your Spanish or German tutelage for reciprocal training in English.
11-11-2011, 02:58 PM | Post: #66McLovin_ftw
Oh ya, I guess I can offer my Aikido and Ken-jutsu terminology to any fellow practitioners in exchange for German or Japanese.
11-11-2011, 09:25 PM | Post: #67Memphiso
Yay, I just got my Portuguese language course from Assimil from the library!
26-11-2011, 01:24 PM | Post: #68Kalta
Nice thread Memphi.
12-12-2011, 04:54 PM | Post: #69Fisal-911
need arabic .......
12-12-2011, 06:20 PM | Post: #70FlaSh[b]aCk
12-12-2011, 06:31 PM | Post: #71kakkeli52
Native language: Finnish
I would love to learn better English :3
And just PM me if you wanna know some words in finland!
12-12-2011, 07:15 PM | Post: #72Shugon
my language is danish
and i just started having french at school and want to learn some more
12-12-2011, 07:39 PM | Post: #73Picxell
Memphiso je moj dobar drugar on se drogira dok igra bfh i voli da psuje na cetu al inace je skroz super
Translate Memhpiso is my good friends he uses drugs while he plays BFH and he loves to swear ingame chat but he is nice guy
Translated serbian ;3
13-12-2011, 12:00 AM | Post: #74Groonz
(05-11-2011 11:32 PM)ironsiolder123 Wrote: [22:26:21] George: No. It's not. But I wont post on that. I'll let someone else do it.If I were a mod, I would allow this. As this isn't a generic thread just in another language. This falls within a different category of ...something. Of which I would deem it as a valid thread. Simpyl going by the 'rules' blindly leads to no fun. Might want to think of that.
(06-11-2011 10:27 PM)[FT]Arupsta Wrote: I know English, Spanish, another language you guys probably wouldn't know, and a bit of Japenese from watching 300+ episodes of anime.I'm with Anoobsta on this. I know abit of Japanese but only through listening. Can't read or write it. Watching alot of anime will eventually cause you to get used to it.
The only problem I see with this thread is how it works. It is only possible for it to work if both parties (person wanting to learn and person wanting to teach) fully understand a common language between them. As you need to be able to explain to the other person indepth about how to use what and what within the language, while the 'student' needs to understand what he is saying too.
Spanish 'Teacher' teaching Spanish / knows English very well / knows Spanish very well
English 'Student' learning Spanish / knows English very well / knows very little of Spanish
With the above, both parties are able to fully communicate in English to clear up misunderstandings and such.
German 'Teacher' teaching German / knows English but not very well / knows German very well
Swedish 'Student' learning German / knows little to no German / knows little English
With the above, they would have difficultly trying to communicate as even if they both know English, they can't communicate well enough to make their points to one another.
This is why I see that it will only work to some extent. The teacher and student both need to have a good 'common ground' language that they both know, otherwise it's not going to advance very far.
Just my random rambling opinion on the thread.
13-12-2011, 12:02 AM | Post: #75Kriking
I learn Khmer and spanish. If you don't know what launguage Khmer is then look it up
16-12-2011, 04:30 PM | Post: #76Serradoss
Hey guys!
I'm Austrian so my native language is GERMAN. I'm happy to help anyone who wants to learn german, so feel free to add me on Skype: Serradoss
Please tell me that you got my skype adress from this thread and that you want to learn german.
I'd also like to improve my english, even though it is already in a quite advanced stage.
I also learn french in school and I really need to improve a lot! So is a GOOD FRENCH TEACHER out there?
Summed up:
Looking for FRENCH TEACHER
Btw, I find this thread really great!
Cheers Serradoss
Youtube: TheAustrianToast Twitter: Serradoss
16-12-2011, 04:47 PM | Post: #77FlaSh[b]aCk
(13-12-2011 12:00 AM)Groonz Wrote: German 'Teacher' teaching German / knows English but not very well / knows German very well
Horrible example. Everyone knows that Swedes are actually pretty good at English. (Jonzzon is excluded)
16-12-2011, 09:40 PM | Post: #78Memphiso
(12-12-2011 07:39 PM)OperativacAleksa Wrote: Memphiso je moj dobar drugar on se drogira dok igra bfh i voli da psuje na cetu al inace je skroz superWhen I say Imam veliki kurac I'm not swearing, I'm just telling the truth.
(16-12-2011 04:47 PM)FlaSh[b]aCk Wrote:It's true that both parties need a good English base to teach each other a language. For instance if a Russian wants to teach me Russian, but he doesn't speak any English, this ain't gonna work. But since English is the lingua franca on this forum (and the world), people can use it to communicate with each other. You don't need to be fluent at it, as long as the message gets thru.(13-12-2011 12:00 AM)Groonz Wrote: German 'Teacher' teaching German / knows English but not very well / knows German very well
As a matter of fact, it's possible to learn a language without even having the knowledge of the lingua franca. For instance if I want to learn Russian and spending many hours with Russian people, I will learn Russian the natural way. You need to be in Russia though, so you get exposed by the language all day long. Then you're forced to use the language and even though your phrases don't make any grammatical sense, people will understand you. The more time you are practising, the more fluent you will become in the language. But again, you need to be in the country itself, so it probably doesn't work here in the forums.
16-12-2011, 11:19 PM | Post: #79FlaSh[b]aCk
I was just trying to say Swedes know their English. But well, I see your point
17-12-2011, 12:15 AM | Post: #80Memphiso
(16-12-2011 11:19 PM)FlaSh[b]aCk Wrote: I was just trying to say Swedes know their English. But well, I see your pointI know. It was actually @ Groonz, but didn't want to quote his wall of text. I thought that people would understand that, but meh.

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
Penobscot button basket, ca. 1934
Contributed by Hudson Museum, Univ. of Maine
Penobscot Indian Theresa Camilla Lyon Sockalexis made this button basket, part of a set of sewing baskets that includes a needle case, thimble holder, pin cushion and scissors case in addition to this basket.
She was well known for her fine basketwork.
Other Information
- Title: Penobscot button basket, ca. 1934
- Creator: Sockalexis, Theresa Lyon
- Creation Date: 1934
- Subject Date: 1934
- Town: Indian Island
- County: Penobscot
- State: ME
- Media: Ash splints
- Local Code: HN3039
- Object Type: Physical Object
For more information about this item, contact:
Hudson Museum, Univ. of Maine
5746 Maine Center for the Arts, Orono, ME 04469
(207) 581-1902
Cross Reference Searches
LC Subject Headings
Indian art--North America
Indian baskets
Sewing--Equipment and supplies
Basket making
Indians of North America--Maine
Penobscot Indians
Penobscot baskets
Other Keywords
Native Americans
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text:
What is "Qi power"? Has it been scientifically investigated? How can we achieve this?
It is the idea that you can physically use spirit energy. If you've ever watched Bleach (you should if you haven't. It's awesome), you'll hear them referring to it as reiatsu.
It's totally a myth of course. What old school practitioners of martial arts understood as spirit energy is actually just good old physics and/or body mechanics. When "building up qi", all you're really doing is relaxing your muscles which means there is more "snap" in your technique. Or when you "use qi to root yourself into the ground", all you're really doing is acting like dead weight. If you've ever tried to pick up a friend when his muscles are tense and again when his muscles are limp (dead weight), you'll understand the difference.
You can improve your "qi" by increasing your fast-twitch muscles.
Study on acupuncture: http://consensus.nih.gov/1997/1997Acupuncture107html.htm There's also this hilarious fight between what seems to be an MMA fighter and a chi master: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djUKqxGWj_Y
What do we mean when we say Qi?
It's not possible to scientifically study Qi until people agree on what it is. If it's good body mechanics, then that's perfectly reasonable. Nobody would argue that some people use their body well and can punch hard because they know how to relax and efficiently use their muscles.
But if Qi is supposed to be something supernatural, then it very quickly becomes absurd. People claim they can perform no-touch knockouts with Qi, but they always fail when asked to do it on someone who is not their student. That tells us that their students are playing along--usually due to unconscious social pressure. Note that in that video, Dillman says that Qi is a radio wave. If it's a radio wave, then we can test that, study it, see if it's present, and examine where it comes from. In fact Qi is not a radio wave--Dillman is just making up BS.
Qi debunked--over and over and over
Proponents of Qi will always find a way to keep believing, despite every instance of Qi being shown to be bunk. Skeptical people keep testing claims of Qi and keep finding them to be plainly false. Over and over, whenever we scientifically examine Qi, it turns out to be a parlor trick. Scientists aren't interested in claims so vague that we don't even know what Qi is or what it does. To scientifically study it, first decide what you're trying to prove:
Qi is similar to the medieval idea of humours, or astrology. They are both clumsy attempts to describe very real phenomena (people getting sick, people getting knocked out with a punch to the neck) with naive and ultimately incorrect frameworks. It turns out that the planets don't even move the way that astrology describes, and that phlegmatic humours were just a shot in the dark that turned out to be wrong, and that Qi was just a way to vaguely describe medical and martial phenomena that people didn't understand.
The word "Energy"
It's perfectly reasonable to talk about energy in the context of martial arts. Wrestlers and mixed martial artists use it to simply mean "resistance" or "oomph". It's silly to think that the word is anything more than a metaphor or out-of-context hand-waving. It doesn't mean anything like what scientists mean when they talk about electrical energy. It's silly to claim that the word relates to any specific, tangible, yet mystical force.
This article on how Qi came west points out the origins of the confusion around the word:
A few chinese (born and trained) tai chi guys I've worked with have said "When the old people talked about Qi they meant leg strength".
I think the main thing Qi does is subconsciously boost your own willpower. This may be simplified, but it works like a placebo. If someone believes they have an increased energy about them that will allow them to defeat their opponent, their thought goes less into fear and doubt, more into trusting their body and their knowledge/technique.
When training at home, i find that my spiritual excersises from tai chi have absolutely no effect on my performance. At first i relied on these techniques before training, but now i know the precise way to use each muscle and joint, i do not waste my time.
Being that most people seem to be incredibly biased on the subject, i doubt there is any credible scientific work into the subject. As for 'How can we achive this?', have no doubt in your technique and train for a lifetime. Keep in mind the martial arts grandmasters who claim to use Qi have been training their entire lives and have the skill and willpower to outmatch someone twice their physical strength.
Your Qi or Ki or Chi or Energy or Willpower is really how much energy [as in actual electrical charge] you are willing to put into your body's muscles before deciding that you have lost and will not win the arm wrestle, or will not be able to hold your ground when being pushed, i could go on.
One more thing i have to mention, on my first kung fu lesson, i watched a video of myself, my brother and two friends [with our eyes closed] being pushed forward or backwards by the sifu without him touching us, we were told this was Qi. His hand was very close but not close enough to make contact with the skin or hairs so i think this is a combination or two things, - the fact you are expecting to be pushed in one direction -your mind picking up signals such as heat, sounds at a negligible amount you would not normally pay them any attention and/or [i would like to believe, because it's cool] minute interference in your electric circuits due to the radiation given off by another persons electric circuit in close proximity. Either way it is nothing supernatural.
I used to believe in Qi when i started martial arts until i realized it was, as i say, a placebo.
Many of the other answers discuss the rational Western view of qi (or chi or ki)--that it is a mythical "wind," "power," "spirit," or "energy" claimed by traditional Chinese medicine, Daoist cosmology, and traditional martial arts heritage to be the primary invigorating force in human beings. It's a popular idea, with analogs across many cultures. It's the "ki" in Korean or Japanese arts. It's echoed in yoga and elsewhere.
The rational, Western, scientific view is that it doesn't exist. It's a concept inherited from an ancient world that did not understand how physics, biology, and medicine really work, and so invented a poetic, shamanistic, religious story as though they did.
As a rational Western scientist, I don't disagree with this skepticism.
Whether you believe qi is a "real," tangible thing/force may not be the most important issue.
My experience is that training as though qi is a thing is genuinely helpful even if you don't believe it's real. How can that be? Because considering, talking about, and training qi focuses attention on useful aspects of what we feel, how we physically act, and what we intend to do that we would not otherwise be focusing on.
In training marital arts, acrobatics, dance, and other motion-involved activities, many of the elements of kinesthetics, balance, and proprioception are subtle learned capabilities--things we must learn to do, feel, or feel comfortable with that are not necessarily "built in" or entirely natural. Considering qi can focus our attention on gathering and emitting energy--a focus that is functionally useful, even if it's only a metaphor.
There is actually a lot more precedent for this type of model in Western thought than you might think. Legal fictions, for example, are places courts and legislatures assume a set of facts or circumstances that are not strictly true--because it's useful to do so. Philosophy--whether ancient or modern--is replete with such assumptions. And the clincher: So is modern science and mathematics. See e.g. electrical engineering, quantum mechanics and string theory, which eagerly use models of virtual and imaginary constructs when "the math works out better that way."
So be a skeptic about qi if you like, or outright disbeliever. I am! But that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider or use the metaphor as a martial arts (and motion arts) training tool. I do, with good success.
Qi is a term that gets used to mean a lot of things, and the most common usage as an independent energy force, is regularly shown to have no evidence supporting it. That said, here's some ideas of the different things people mean when they talk about qi:
Muscle & Joint Activation
"Try to move my arm! You can't! My qi is what keeps it up!" A lot of these are good uses of body mechanics - often positions that allow you to use both agonist and antagonist muscles together for structural efficiency in holding static positions, or intelligent use of positioning and muscle chains for dynamic movements.
Activating some of these muscles often works best with a bit of visualization or movement that seems completely mental - "Hold your arm out, point at something in distance, try to reach it with your fingers, as if you were extending your energy beyond your fingers - seen how strong your arm is now? See how hard it is to pull it down? This is Qi."
Although thinking of energy flowing to different parts of your body, or beyond your body can help you do stuff like this, you can replicate the same results with good body coaching in other terms, so it's not any kind of energetic force.
The flipside, especially used in martial arts, is that you can "feel their qi by touch" which mostly is reading the intent of the person's movements because you can feel subtle changes in their balance and muscle tension - basketball players do this all the time when they stick someone.
Assessment of several body functions
If you end up studying acupuncture or tradition chinese medicine, they may use the word qi, but you find out there's over a dozen qi types referred to in the body: "circulatory qi", "Heart qi", "digestion qi" etc.
In this case, when you assess someone and try to figure out how to help them, the quality of the individual qi is looking at the combined results of several body functions working together - your digestion for example involves your stomach, gallbladder, liver, small and large intestine, etc.
In this sense, it's basically clumping a lot of organs together into a larger system, and it's not something to prove or disprove anymore than it's a convenient way to assess overall health, much in the same way doctors say "Circulatory system" without necessarily talking about each part.
Many translate qi as "wind" or "breath" so it's not a hard guess as to why this is the way it gets used sometimes. No breathing = dead, breathing = alive, so it's not hard to see how a lot of folks would see this as the sign or source of life energy. An old Chinese folk idea is that everyone has a limited number of breaths they get before they die in life, so slowing the breathing extends your lifespan.
Life Energy
This is the usual method talked about, which involves the usual point of qi pathways, acupuncture, acupressure, and even action at a distance. So far, no scientific study has proven or matched 1:1 to traditional Chinese medicine theory, martial arts theories, or meditation/yoga type work in this manner. Several studies have reported minor but notable benefits for several things (pain relief, increased mobility of limbs, lowered blood pressure), but nothing has matched completely.
How can we scientifically study this?
Well, lots of studies are being made all the time. Including in China, Taiwan, Singapore and many places where TCM is already a major part of the society.
If you want to study outside the medicine side, I would be looking first to understand explicitly what you're trying to get from it, since, with so many definitions, and people often using qi for any/all of them, you would want to structure your experiments to test for just one of them.
A secondary and useful context is to also understand that anyone advocating a skill or ability with qi is probably extremely varied in terms of skillfulness and training. Outside of China's TCM system, which is a fairly modern construction, everyone got individualized training of different theories, quality and ability even within the same "school" or lineage.
And a lot of these things also underwent a lot of destabilizing factors that made it difficult to assure transmission - look up the history of civil war and famine in 20th century China where 40 million people dying in a short period is kind of a regular occurrence. Stack on top the Cultural Revolution driving a lot of people out who have these skills or schools and you can see even people who claim the same lineage may have very different theoretical understandings and practices of qi.
So I would probably add a third layer, which is even after you narrow down what you're testing for, I'd probably also sort out the people you'd be testing based on what they claim their theory base is of qi - since it may drastically affect what they're really doing and what outcomes are the result.
It's not so complicated. Chi is nothing but a precise experience that, when recognized, leads you on. We can not arrive at near-perfection in our movements and body dynamics and breathing and application of force by reasoning or by drawing diagrams on a blackboard, we only arrive there through our experience.
Chi means cultivating a feeling; it is the cultivation of that special feeling we have when we move or stand and breathe, walk and apply force in a perfect way. By cultivating that feeling, we develop our capacity in a very concrete way (of course a good method is needed!). It's not supernatural, on the contrary it is the way of nature; it can look supernatural to observers just as gymnasts or acrobats or skaters or riders can look supernatural to untrained spectators.
Everybody uses "chi"; doing it consciously and with good method helps a lot. That's all.
Whether Qi can be measured by science is still difficult question. Accordingly there is much room for individual interpretation.
I have found the Chinese are more drawn to studying relationships between things than Westerners. We tend to like to understand the thing, on its own, then study how it relates to others.
Accordingly, when we set up a "scientific test," the first thing we do is hold all of the details fixed, then perform the test over and over to build up statistical significance.
However, a key feature of this test is the assumption that the observer does not affect the test. This becomes an issue with placebo effects, and becomes a frustrating issue with quantum mechanics, where observing a particle actually changes it's state unpredictably.
It appears to me that Qi is found in the interaction between the martial artist and his foe (or friend). Qi seems to capture the power of adapting to your opponent quickly and fluidly. If you succeed at a strike, you never simply assume that strike beats that opponent. You assume it beat that opponent that time. The opponent will not give you the same opening again, so you use Qi to find the next opening.
In the end, Qi arts seem to show up statistically in that they are repeatable skills. However, they prove remarkably frustrating to quantify as they rely on the interaction between the two individuals, so you cannot measure it if you remove the opponent.
And, if you want, you are free to treat that as "metaphysical." Such interactions are frustratingly difficult to capture with Western science. If you want to declare "the physical world is what Western Science claims it is," then Qi is metaphysical. If you don't like the idea of it being metaphysical, then I am yet to come across any reason to assume it could not be physical... just really hard to pin down. If you prefer a definition along the pines of "the physical world has rules," then Qi may be physical, because there are well recognized ways to "build Qi" and "issue Qi" according to rules.
Edit: after a very very long conversation with Dave, it appears that there is a fundamental gap between Qi and science in some people's mind. Qi is most effectively understood as a whole, and you grow towards its finer details. Science, in many Western people's mind, is only concerned with information that can be gathered from isolating the small individual pieces, breaking their connections, then building them up again according to the smaller behaviors. If you subscribe to that approach, Qi will be proven or disprove scientifically the day science is advanced enough to completely define and model your "self," predicting all of your behaviors. Fortunately for us, it is no where near that point!
Let us try to combine the descriptions an experience of a 3000 year old culture with the scientific accievments of our time:
To my understanding Qi means the energy or a fighter has available. That is to say, if I am tired or exhausted my Qi is low, but when I am well rested I have a lot of Qi.
That would fit the answers others have provided like "Qi is the power of your kick".
It also would also provide a scientific prove that greter Qi can be attained trough a healthy life style and MA practice, the latter allowing you to create more powerful techniques through more precise execution.
Also certain breathing techniques are known to calm your body, thereby removing stress, thereby allowing a regeneration and increased energy.
Finally, from an ethymological viewpoint, I the last syllable of "energy" sounds a lot like "Qi" (Chi).
Qi is your life force energy. When you die, your life force leaves the body and the skin and flesh become whitish in hue.
You Qi is strengthened in a number of ways (I'm only a piker here.). The breathing methods in traditional karate (as well as other martial arts, yoga, etc.) are a primary way of building up your Qi. Diet, rest, and exercise are also elements of building up strong Qi. Again, I have only a layman's understanding.
The martial arts applications of Qi progress from increased health, to increased physical strength, to levels where the practitioner can mentally direct Qi to areas of the body for protection or to generate force by itself (advanced).
Martial arts exercises, starting with basic techniques, builds Qi through the proper breathing and alignment of the body, which then facilitates the circulation of Qi throughout the body.... leading to the enhancements described above....
Qi, as pure energy, is problematic to sense or measure. As one poster comments, empirical evidence of Qi can be seen in the pink color in one's palm's, the breaking of bricks and boards (especially good vid of the chinese doing this.), and the resistance of the body to what would be certain injury (chinese vids again).
I realize I am the devil's advocate here but I would like to add some relevant information even if it is downvoted. Chi power is real, albeit incredibly rare. If someone is bragging about how much chi power they have, they probably don't have any chi power. By chi power I mean neijin or internal force.
You cultivate neijin by practicing martial qigong. Neijin is a fundamentally different type of force than muscular strength or li. You should not practice martial qigong on your own. You need a teacher who has neijin in order to teach you how to get it. Otherwise, you will probably not make any progress and get hurt instead.
I don't know of any scientific studies that focus on neijin specifically but there are plenty that have studied qi. Here is a blog post by my teacher on the subject. Chi and neijin are not mythical or supernatural, just uncommon and foreign to the western scientific paradigm. For some reason, there is an abundance of qigong and taijiquan teachers who know nothing about chi and even some who believe it is a myth.
It is important to realize something when talking about this: masters who have chi power are highly respected and extremely valuable. Although the internet may sneer at them, they have plenty of students with cash in hand willing to pay them handsomely in order to learn. What would their motivation be for "scientifically" validating their art? They already know it works, their students know it works, and it provides everyone involved tremendous benefits. If they are always worrying about what skeptics think and extremely concerned about proving that their art is real, they probably do not have neijin.
I am sharing this because genuine internal martial arts have brought me tremendous benefit and I would love to see more people cultivating the wonderful benefits. You absolutely have to have a good teacher though. If you don't, you won't make progress. Best of luck to everybody!
The Qi power has not been proven scientifically, because currently there is no way to measure or observe Chi by using physical scientific instruments. However there were some attempts to investigate it scientifically and below you can find few sources.
There is National Geographic video called 'Fight Science – Qi Gong Tested' where scientists trying to reveal the truth about Qi power.
The video demonstrates that Chi can protect the body and provides immunity. Shaolin monk with 13-year Qi Gong training and experience (by using the inner Chi) demonstrates power of Chi by withstanding a blow from a baseball bat, and a spear to the neck (and he remains undamaged which in normal condition it would result death).
The conclusion was:
Video: Fight Science - Qi Gong Tested by National Geographic
There is also another video which shows a Kung Fu Master that proves that you really can break two brick blocks with just your hand and without the use of trickery. He demonstrated also the push technique (no inch punch) by channeling Chi energy from his body to opponent body without using any physically pull-back.
It is all about ability to channel inner Chi energy and reverting it into Gang (power).
Video: Kung Fu Strength by National Geographic
See also Bruce Lee's One Inch Punch By Shi Yan Ming monk video who demonstrates secret of his power - Chi energy. He generated 772 pounds of force on face punch and his One Inch Punch was 1.7 times more injurious than a 30mph car crash with modern safety features.
However studies has found that Chi movements within the body can be tracked by the heat detector (source).


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Johnson's Senior Year Derailed
Posted: January 25, 2013 at 5:11 a.m.
Ali Johnson couldn't wait for her senior year to begin in August.
Ali Johnson
School: Rogers Heritage
Class: Senior
Height: 5-8
Notable: Played in 26 of 28 games and started four games for Rogers Heritage's basketball team a year ago. ... Started for the Lady War Eagles soccer team, which advanced to the Class 7A state semifinals last season.
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When I am left to my own devices, this is what normally happens. Its also why you don't normally see me doing fashion spread pieces or a separate blog for stuff. I just need assistance in that category. Be that as it may, next time I put these pieces on my avatar, it will come together better. For Sure. My style card for this look is as follows:
- Lashware Saved by the bell Bayside Dirty black jeans & Bayside Tigers grey undies
- Ms. B Designs Model 39 pose
- Heartsick Black Hair Base
- Liderc Male Dog Tags (Dragon)
- Battle Fairy 7ommys Multi-Colored shoes
- Heartsick Liam: 4: Goatee skin
- U-neek Twirla Mowwy black plait hair
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Wash/166/79/23
- Avacar Bluestar


text:
Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes.
Read more


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I am amazed at how fast people can find the information they want on the internet. I have been writing on this blog for about a month, this will be the fifteenth post, and the content of each post is vastly different in the context of research. My post about Skechers was a mere three or four paragraphs and was not in-depth at all compared to others who researched this for specific papers, case studies, etc., yet it was still filtered to the women who sent me the email. Out of all the content on the internet that pertains to this scandal, she still found mine. The advancement in our technology continues to fascinate and astonish me. Researchers can filter through information to target their specific audience from a multitude of websites, social media networks, blogs, personal websites, recent purchases, etc. Research has come very far in the last ten years and I think because of this companies are able to specifically advertise and market to a new and more specific market across the globe.
As a student, SurveyMonkey has been a great resource when researching a specific topic. I have had to write numerous papers on original research that I conducted myself. My go-to method of acquiring that information is to create a survey on SurveyMonkey and send it to all of my friends on Facebook. The response rate is high, compiling the data is a synch, and I didn't have to leave my desk!
Link to SurveyMonkey:
Below are screenshots of the Survey I took
My email:
I think that online evaluations are more beneficial. They cost less, its easier to compile information, and we can take our time when answering open ended questions. When I am handed an evaluation in class I fill it out as quickly as possible because I want to be excused. I believe that professors are favorable towards the in-class evaluation forms because they are nervous about low response rates. I also think they are unsure about the new online innovation. As time goes on I think teachers should utilize the online evaluation form and to increase response rates, teachers should say that the evaluation is apart of teh students grade.
My dad has always told me to purchase clothing that is classic. He cringes when I come home with bags from Forever 21 or H&M because he always tells me I will wear those items once or twice and then they will hang in my closet. Rather than purchasing tons mass quantities of cheap clothing from those types of stores, my dad has suggested I purchase classic items that can be worn years from now. Turns out he was right. Last week I cleaned out my closet and this was a wake up call. The items that I got rid of were worn at max five times and from stores like Forever 21. The clothing that remained within my closet were items that I had saved up to buy and planned on keeping for years to come. The brand that I love the most is Polo. Although it's pricy, I feel that the style is classic and well made. It matches with everything and always in season. I wanted to look into Polo marketing because I believe the brand is a marketing genius. They have created their brand image and it is almost always recognizable.
Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. was named the luxury marketer of the year in 2010. The lifestyle brand beat out 2nd place finisher Louis Vuitton and third place finisher Burberry. Polo Ralph Lauren Lauren has marketed themselves as a luxury brand, but more importantly kept up that reputation for many years. Their marketing could be described as excellent or consistent, and that little Polo horse always stands out amongst other advertisements.
Now it's 2012 and there are new fashion trends, emerging sales, marketing strategies, and media outlets. Classic brands are facing the challenge of staying relevant because of these challenging aspects. If they fail to keep up with the quick pace of up and coming competitors, household names will die out. Polo Ralph Lauren is an example of a classic brand that not only keeps up with competitors, but also sets trends in the retail marketing. David Lauren, Executive VP of Advertising, Marketing, and Corporate Communication for Ralph Lauren.
Lauren presented the brands strategic marketing approach during session titled, "Keeping a Classic Brand Modern," at the National Retail Federation annual convention earlier this year in New York City. Regardless of their reputation and 44 years of success, Ralph Lauren had to pursue new strategies to remain a top competitor in the ever-changing retail industry. David Lauren describes this new angle as, "merchantainment," or "the seamless blending of merchandising and entertainment" (Florletta). Merchantainment embodies a story or lifestyle, that of which can be transcended across different channels. A deep-rooted connection between consumer and brand is created because shoppers visualize Ralph Lauren's product in their personal lifestyle.
Ralph Lauren has also incorporated e-Commerce into their brand marketing strategy to keep up technology innovations. Many individuals though e-Commerce would diminish Ralph Lauren's retail stability, but it only strengthened the company. Their website allowed shoppers to access products at home or on the go, at any time. Regardless of the interactive changes, Ralph Lauren has never given up their representative characteristics of luxury, quality, and classic. David Lauren's goal was to introduce the idea that luxurious items like a gown or leather bag could be purchased online. The internet was not a place to find discounted items or coupons, but rather a convenience for consumers who did not have the ability to shop in store. Ralph Lauren is constantly updating their website and adding new features. There are an array of east to use tools and resources that showcase the whole spectrum of Ralph Lauren.
Polo Ralph Lauren acknowledged the latest technological innovations, observed consumer demand, challenged competitors, and never lost sight of their individuality. In the end Ralph Lauren is lifestyle brand that will forever (or at least I believe) be a powerhouse in the retail industry.
Work Cited:
Fiorletta, Alicia. "Ralph Lauren Executive Explains How Retailers Can Stay Relevant In Light Of Marketing And Technology Shifts." Retail TouchPoints. Retail TouchPoints, 25 2012. Web. 4 Dec 2012.
I never took advantage of loyalty programs until I came to college. As my bank account decreased and my consumption of food/beverages increased I had to think of a solution. Achieving gold member status at Starbucks is one of my proudest accomplishments this year. I am addicted to coffee and as a gold member I get free refills, a free beverage for every 15 stars, free syrups/soy milk, and weekly coupons/personalized offers. This loyalty program has saved me a ton of money and I have the convenience of storing my card and my rewards on my iPhone within the Starbucks Application.
I love and appreciate loyalty programs, but did others feel the same? I was curious to see other perspectives regarding these rewards programs as well as the overall use of such programs on a regular basis. After extensively searching the internet I found some very interesting information and informative statistics.
---The number of loyalty memberships in the U.S. is 2.1 billion
---The average U.S. household has enrolled in more than 18 loyalty programs, but only actively participate in 8.4.
---Of the roughly $48 billion in reward points and miles issued annually, at least $16 billion goes unredeemed by consumers.
---Only 17% of U.S. respondents say that loyalty programs are "very influential" in their purchase decisions.
---Only 31% of Americans find loyalty program communications "extremely relevant."
---85% of loyalty program members haven't heard a single word since the day they signed up.
---81% of loyalty member don't know the program benefits or how/when they will receive rewards.
---44% of consumers have had a negative experience with a loyalty program.
---Only 36% of consumers received a reward or promotion that made them come back to the store.
---1 in 4 consumers have received a reward or promotion for something they would never buy.
---Only 1 in 4 consumers feels "very loyal" to his or her providers across industries, and just as many profess no loyalty at all.
Although I am a huge advocate for such programs, many Americans are not satisfied with customer loyalty programs. Consumers will maintain their loyalty to brands they are favorable towards. Rewards programs will rarely make a difference in their decision to purchase "Product A" over "Product B." I'll admit that I am stuck up Starbucks fan. I will go out of my way to get a cup of their coffee. Gold member or not, I will always choose Starbucks over other retailers which makes me believe loyalty programs need a new market approach.]]>
Shape up shoes began in the early 1990s. Previously known as the "rocker bottom shoe" shape ups popularized amongst the mass market and by 2005, 200,000 pairs of the heel-to-toe rocker sole shoes were sold in the United States. The demand for shape ups increased considerably because of the obesity epidemic in the United States. Waistlines were growing and people were looking for any solution to shed a few pounds.
Skechers created a line that embodied the "rocker bottom shoe." Shape-ups, Resistance Runner, Shape-up Toners, Shape-up Trainers, and Tone-ups were the different options Skechers offered. Skechers became the market leader for toning shoes. Advertisements made claims that these shoes went beyond toned muscles...Shape Ups could account for weight loss and cardiovascular health. They also declared that their version of the tone up shoes was much more advanced and beneficial in relation to other shoes in the market. These were all bold claims and consumers expected great results from Skechers' Shape Ups.
Shortly after their purchase, consumers realized the only side effects of shape ups were back pain, an unchanging scale, and uncomfortableness (oh and ugly footwear!). Individuals began to file complaints and demands for a refund. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission finally had to interject and handle scandal. Currently, Skechers is paying $40 million to settle charges that they deceived their customers with unfounded advertising claims. A consumer can apply for a refund if they purchased any of the Shape-Up footwear that Skechers offered. This scandal emphasizes the importance of truthful and ethical advertising. It was wrong of Skechers to make these bold claims and as a result they are paying a huge price.]]>
As a freshman I rarely took advantage of the online library resources on the University of Minnesota Library website.My use of these databases has greatly increased because they provide an abundance reliable and scholarly sources. I have had to write a lot of papers that require primary and secondary sources. Although these terms have been embedded into my brain since about seventh grade, I still have to look up the definitions when writing a paper to clarify my understanding. Instead of reading the definitions for the billionth time, I looked up a video on YouTube.
To my surprise, JSTOR, a library database (and one of my favorite resources) provided a great video that differentiates primary and secondary sources in a clear and concise manner. First the video defined a primary source and a secondary source. Then it communicated the importance of each source. I found this aspect the most helpful because I realized why I needed both primary and secondary sources in my paper. Primary sources are the core of historical research and are original material from the involved time period. They have not been filtered through for interpretation or evaluation. Secondary sources are written after the original time period. They are interpretations and evaluations of the primary sources. They aren't evidence, but rather commentary and discussion of evidence. By comparing and contrasting the primary sources and secondary sources one can communicate the necessary background information as well as the impact and evaluation of the original material. Check out the video because it's very helpful!]]>
The class lecture notes from October 23rd shared the four procedures of observation. I am going to share how I carried out each of those steps during my own observation of a yoga sculpt class.
1. Make arrangements with participants or select location(s)
My plan was to attend a yoga sculpt class at 4:00pm on a Friday afternoon at the Stadium Village Corepower. The class was led by a teacher named Katie. I contacted Katie earlier that week to ask permission and she gave me the okay.
2. Create a guide with potential questions and/ or behaviors interested within a set timeframe
I had a set guide from my training manual. It outlined the basic layout of each yoga sculpt class with space below each component. I decided to record the movements the teacher used, the facial reactions of the students, and the perceived difficulty level of each component. I also wanted to record the verbs and phrases used by the teacher and later analyze whether or not those were clear to the students in the class. I was to record the class for an entire hour from start to finish.
3. Conduct session(s), taking copious notes and/or recordings
I went to the class that Friday afternoon. Before Katie started class she briefed the students about my reason for sitting on the side. She told them that I was participating in yoga sculpt teacher training and I would only use these notes for training purposes. I then took a significant amount of notes within the next hour.
4. Analyze the data
I compiled my notes together and later repeated this observational method the next Monday at a 10:00 am class.
After observing both yoga sculpt classes I compared the two under the following elements:
---Difficulty level
---Student reactions
---Demographic of students attending classes
---Layout of class
---Who sat where (front, back, middle)
---Outline of class
---Strength training exercises
---Verbs and phrases used by teacher
---Temperature of room
---Stretching techniques at beginning and end of class
The purpose of this observational exercise was to determine the successful and unsuccessful components of each yoga sculpt class. I interpreted class satisfaction and favorable exercises by observing student behavior and reception. I also deepened my understanding of what it means to be an admirable yoga teacher by recording the communication techniques of each instructor. I was able to layout and create my own unique sculpt class because of my observations. I am pleased to say that I tested it out a few days ago at a practice session and I received positive feedback. Observations are extremely beneficial and I am happy that I got to participate in this qualitative method of research.]]>
We had to write our final research paper on a technological innovation that related to communication using primary and secondary sources. Although the paper was a comprehensive overview of an innovation, a specific research question had to be addressed. Information that examined society's expectations and acceptance of the new technology was obtained through primary sources. Secondary sources were used to analyze the actual impact of the innovation and whether or not that impact matched the previous expectations.
My research question, which is now a statement for the purpose of a paper, was....
This paper examines the degree of behavioral changes in relation to the use of smartphones in social, educational, and work settings and the possibility that the innovation has decreased society's ability to practice the common manners of courtesy and politeness in everyday life.
I was about six pages into the what was going to be a fifteen page paper when I realized that I was writing an essay rather than a research paper. My content told a story rather than analyzation of the innovation. My mind went blank. How in the world do I write a legitimate research paper.....I haven't done that in years! I starred at my screen in utter confusion. Finally I decided that I need to shift my focus on the aspects of the paper. That meaning the outline of a research paper, the true definitions of primary and secondary sources, how to form research questions, data analysis, and reporting research. Turns out those were all defined and explained in Journalism 3251 and from there I looked back on our power points, lecture notes, and book. The information was so useful that I decided to create a handout that showcased the definitions and tips that I found most helpful.
Diane Archer Case Study
Link to Study:
Summary and Analysis:
Diane Archer, a biology professor at a large Midwestern university, was reviewing proposals for an NIH grant. When she came across Charlie West, a past student of hers, proposal she was impressed with the background section, but notices a shift in tone and phrasing in the research design and methods section. Rather than continuing with the scientific soundness, these two sections were awkward and difficult to understand. The significant shift in style causes Archer to look at West's past work. She realizes that the background section was almost identical to an earlier proposal that West had reviewed with her two years ago. Archer is torn what to do because if she reports her discovery, West's future as a scientist is over, but if she doesn't her own reputation and career is at risk. Archer decides to contract and confront West directly. She plans to advise West to withdrawal his proposal, and if he agrees, she feels no need to take further action.
The questions....Should Archer proceed with her plan to contact West? Why of why not?
I think Diane Archer is in a tough situation because she is playing the role of the educator within the biology department as well as a reviewer of NIH grants. As an educator Archer's plan is acceptable because she is trying to teach her student a lesson and show him that the decision to plagiarize the background section was ethically wrong. Archer also has to recall what she has taught her students. Archer is also responsible for stressing the rules and conventions for conducting scientific research. These can often be difficult to understand as a student because we have to analyze and report on them without plagiarizing. If Archer feels that she did not adequately teach the rules and conventions of scientific research she may feel that it's her responsibility to tell West directly rather than turning him in and ruining his career. One could also argue that plagiarism is universally understood and taught in all levels of education and West should have realized that copying an entire section was completely wrong and unethical.
When Archer agreed to be a reviewer, she agreed to the rules and regulations of NIH. If she contacts West directly and he only changes his background slightly or fails to withdraw the proposal, it could come back and hurt Archer. If the granting agency notices the plagiarism, they may question whether or not Archer truly reviewed the proposals to the best of her ability and more importantly if they found out that she took her own measure to fix the issue, she could lose her job and reputation. Her job as a reviewer is separate from her job as an educator and she needs to take that into consideration and put the granting agency's needs first when she is working for them. As a reviewer, she also needs to choose the best original proposal for scientific purposes and to ensure that the best research is funded.
I believe that Archer should put her reviewer obligations first and realize that she is no longer a teacher in this situation. Her job is to grant the best and most scientifically sound research proposal. Clearly that isn't Wests so why go out of her way to help him out when she is putting not only herself, but the granting agency at risk. She needs to uphold the standards of conduct and report the plagiarism because if she doesn't, West's decision to plagiarize is essentially acceptable and she did not adequately do her job as a reviewer.
After analyzing this case study I looked back at the research journal assignment that was posted on our moodle page. It said that this assignment was created to help us "attune to to the research we encounter and to get us thinking about the research we would want to create ourselves." Although it was a simple explanation of our assignment, it made me really think. When researching and reporting my findings, I am fundamentally drawn to research that is ethical. Although I am naturally indecisive in every situation, my ethics and values continually define and govern my final decision. When it comes to communication I hope to explore and create research that exemplifies my ethics as well. I am happy that I looked into the ethical implications that occur behind the scenes in research and experiments. It made me realize that my own standard of ethics and values are extremely important and I am glad they play a huge role in my life. I think that having a personal understanding of what is right and what is wrong will get a person very far in life.
Our teacher extensively emphasizes the importance of evaluating sources of health information. Last week we had to evaluate a study that was published in The Journal of Pediatrics and an article that was published in the Chicago Tribune as a result of that study. The assignment asked us focus our attention on biased questions, misleading titles, the type of survey, demographics of the respondents, or any other factors that were questionable.
Below I will provide a summary of the study and the article
Prenatal Exposure to Nicotine and Impaired Reading Performance
by: Kelly Cho, Jan C. Frijters, Helping Zhang, Laura L. Miller, Jeffrey Gruen
The objective of this study was to investigate whether prenatal exposure has an impact on several reading skill outcomes in school age children. The method of this study was to explore the specific reading skill outcomes in the areas of speed, fluency, accuracy, spelling, and comprehension in relation to prenatal nicotine exposure. Prenatal nicotine exposure was divided in to three categories: high (>17 mg per day), low (≤17 mg per day), and no exposure. This was tested on a longitudinal, specifically a cohort, sample of 5119 school age children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The outcome was prenatal nicotine exposure was associated with increased risk of underperformance in specific reading skill outcomes and overall the results showed that maternal smoking has moderate to large associations with delayed or decreased reading skills of children in Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
Smoking in Pregnancy Tied to Lower Reading Scores
by: Kathleen Raven Reuters
According to a new study (the study described above) babies who are exposed to their mothers cigarette smoke in the womb later perform more poorly on reading comprehension tests. Children born to mothers who smoked more than one pack per day had increased difficulty on tests specifically designed to measure how accurately a child reads and if he/she comprehends or understands what was read. Children who were exposed to one pack of cigarettes per day, defined as high levels of nicotine, scored 21 percent lower on the reading comprehension tests than classmates born to non-smoking mothers. The researchers took into account the demographics of each family as well as other factors such as if the parents read to their children at a young age, and despite these, the scores remained the same. Public health initiatives discourage smoking, but as many as one in six pregnant American women still light up. The study tied the effects of the low test scores to nicotine in cigarettes, which also produce harmful chemicals and carbon dioxide, but either way, smoking while pregnant seems to put the baby at risk for many negative health and behavioral outcomes in the future. This study showcased that smoking during a pregnancy creates dangerous outcomes, and why risk those outcomes when smoking is completely preventable.
Now don't get me wrong. I think smoking throughout pregnancy (and smoking in general) is stupid and unhealthy. Despite this, I think the article by Kathleen Raven Reuters contained a significant amount of misleading information starting with the title. The study specifically tested the relationship between prenatal exposure to levels of nicotine and reading skill outcomes, not prenatal smoking and reading skill outcomes. Results showed that high prenatal nicotine exposure (>17 mg per day) had a negative association with reading performance in school age children. Reuters' article continued to address the results in terms of smoking a pack of cigarettes. In reality the study tested children exposed to high levels of nicotine in utero (which almost equals the minimum amount in one pack of cigarettes per day) and Reuters fails to mention this until halfway through the article. The study also investigated seven specific reading outcomes: reading speed, single-word identification, spelling, accuracy, real and nonword reading, and reading comprehension. All of these outcomes produced different results in relation to the exposure to three nicotine levels. The article states that one reading comprehension test was created to asses the relationship between smoking in the womb and future performance of children, which is false.
This post was written to exemplify how often misleading information exists within, what we often think are, credible sources. If I read this article without background knowledge of the study, I would assume the study tested the effects of prenatal smoking (actual pack of cigarettes) rather than prenatal exposure to different nicotine levels. There is a big difference because nicotine has its own dangers whether it's within a cigarettes or not. Large observational studies like this one do not prove a direct cause-effect relationship. Rather they showcase patterns and call attention to issues. When publishing research, authors are required to correctly and truthfully illustrate their exact methods, design, assignment of subjects, results, and potential source of bias or factors that contributed to skewed results. Journalists have the ability to put a spin on their article if they have a bias opinion towards a particular group, person, subject, or thing. In this case bias existed because Reuters altered and almost manipulated the components of the study. Whether she did this because she is against smoking, wanted to attract an audience, etc., we'll never know. The important thing is to be aware.
Tips When Evaluating Sources of Health Information
I would have never guessed that similarities existed between my kinesiology class and my journalism class. I have deepened my ability to evaluate sources of information because I have been forced to use this skill in two contrasting class settings....which often is not the case!
Cho, Kelly, et al. "Prenatal Exposure to Nicotine and Impaired Reading Performance." The journal of pediatrics (2012) http://tc.liblink.umn.edu/sfx_local?sid=Entrez%3APubMed&id=pmid%3A23122624&issn=0022-3476
Reuters, Kathleen Raven. "Smoking in pregnancy tied to lower reading scores." Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune Company, LLC, 16 2012. Web. 2 Dec 2012.
I didn't realize how many issues would arise from putting this small patch on the front of the jersey. Complications would potentially include issues of exclusivity and conflicts with player endorsements. Do NBA teams have to eliminate competitors of official sponsors in every category? What happens if a team sells a sponsorship to a company that competes with a company that the star player is endorsing? Although the patch is very small, the ad on the jerseys would be seen in clear view for nearly 500 hours in a season. It'd be difficult to see from the stands, but in close up situations like free throws, timeouts, and interviews (which are the views most often seen on television) the ad would be strategically visible. The NBA hasn't even let Adidas, the official apparel maker, put their label on the jerseys. The NBA has been weighing this idea since 2009 and they still haven't reached an overall census.
As an NBA fan, I personally would not like this idea. If the ad's were on the players jerseys during every game would this mean that the ads would also be on the jerseys sold at retail as well? I would hate that and would go out of my way (eBay, Amazon) to buy older jerseys that did not have the advertisements. I think the NBA has to realize that many companies who would most likely jump on this opportunity have a select audience of their own. Pepsi has loyal consumers who hate Coke, individuals prefer Nike over Adidas, and vice versa. If a jersey has a Pepsi logo as an advertisement will loyal Coke consumers purchase the jersey? I know the patch is extremely small, but audiences are tricky and individuals are extremely loyal to the brands they consume regularly. The NBA is expected to put this plan into action by the 2013-2014 season. I am curious to see how they address all the issues because I think this could stir up more controversy than they think, but then again this little 2.5 by 2.5 inch patch that is almost invisible would generate $100 million in total each season.
---The first myth is "Social media initiatives drive customer loyalty and acquisition." The fact is "Engagement with a brand drives social engagement." My assumption was social media could market and conduct surveys to a large population via social media therefore they could gain a new customer base and maintain the loyalty of current customers. The reality is most brand-sponsored social media initiatives don't have much influence on customers. Social media initiatives do not establish an emotional attachment or customer engagement. Rather it drives social engagement. Most rely on family family members, friends, trends, parents, or experts to try a new product or brand rather than a Facebook or Twitter sponsored media incentive.
---The second myth is "Social networking is an online-only phenomenon." The fact is "social networking predominantly happens offline." Initially like I mentioned above, I believed that social networking websites could increase a consumer awareness and increase their product or service's popularity. In reality buzz is not generated via social media and rather it could hurt a company. Many individuals are often annoyed by the surveys, marketing campaigns, and advertisements that are shown on social media websites. Users ignore the requests, coupons, and/or advertisements. Popularity is generated offline. Talk amongst co-workers, friends, family, magazines, etc., will cause a person to try a new product. In general word-of-mouth is the reason why a trend or company emerges and gains popularity amongst the public.
---The third myth is "All social networkers are the same." The fact is "People se social networks in very different ways -- and for very different reasons." Many networkers attempt to gain information quickly and from a large population therefore they conduct surveys, try out advertisements, and offer incentives to many different social media websites. They often use the same strategy for all websites as well. This is not the way to approach the idea. Social media websites are vastly different. The demographic using myspace versus LinkedIn versus Facebook is extremely different. A networker would have to change each of their surveys or marketing strategies to adapt to that specific audience. Many do not do this and as a result the marketing strategy or means of acquiring information is a waste of time and will not provide anything valuable.
After reading this article and thinking back to the way I answered the surveys this past week, I believe social media is not as effective as anyone believes. Many companies are banking on gaining new information, insights, and a target audience via social media because of the advantages (quick, cheap, easy, broad audience). Yes, all those advantages are true, but when did anything good come out of taking the easy or fast path. If a company wants to gain popularity, consumers, and information they need to research a potential target the correct audience, spend the money to create an effective method to gather information, and take the time to analyze the data critically.
Hiring market research vendors can be very beneficial for many reasons.
---Market research vendors can offer expertise and skills that are not available within the DIY market research team. DIY marketing research teams would need to have the education, experience, and expertise with research methodologies to properly conduct the research. After studying the various research techniques for our last exam I realize that expertise within this field and topic is difficult to acquire. Research vendors also offer better insight when analyzing the research results. There is a level of complexity within research. The type of research method, biased information, population type, reliability, response rate, etc., are all factors that have to be considered when analyzing information. Vendors can recognize the flaws within research because of their experience in the field.
---Market research vendors can also provide innovative and customizable approaches instead of using the established and standardized methods of research. These unique approaches can be created to specifically benefit the company in need by providing new insight, meaningful information, and quality data.
---Many companies turn to market research vendors because of time constraints. Beneficial, reliable, and credible research cannot be produced quickly. Quality research takes time and concentration. DIY market research teams often skip past important aspects of research so they can get back to their intended jobs. The skipped steps often contain important information that is ultimately unaccounted for and thus the research is flawed.
---Market research vendors provide neutrality. There are many factors that can contribute to biased research. Researchers have the ability to manipulate results and information to fit their position. DIY research vendors have a ton of experience within the field they work in therefore they have strong and often contrasting opinions regarding the industry audience, politics, and economy. Research vendors do the required job with no opinion. They provide insight and results that are credible, unbiased and straightforward.
---Market research vendors can obtain more research because they guarantee the anonymity and confidentiality of respondents when this is a concern. Individuals are more likely to participate in the research method because they do not feel vulnerable or at risk. This is also important because if respondents feel any sort of pressure they may not answer the questions truthfully. When vendors can offer confidentiality and anonymity, more individuals are willing to participate in the research method which in turn means more access to target populations.
These are just a few of the benefits that market research vendors provide. I know realize that I would definitely turn to one of these vendors if I was in need of research. Within class we learned about the various research methods for both qualitative and quantitative. I thought it would be easy to learn the difference between all the methods, but I didn't realize is there are methods within the methods. It was so confusing! Although there has been discussion that many companies will begin using DIY research vendors, I believe we are far from this shift and external market research vendors will continue to be a necessity.]]>
After looking up various articles, I stumbled on the link above. The article "Ad Agencies: Are Focus Groups Dead," describes how the advertising industry is about to experience more change in the next five years than it has in the last fifty. There are new communication innovations and technology has advanced to a new level. As our society moves faster and faster, focus groups are beginning to seem irrelevant, time consuming, and costly methods of research. Companies are now thinking that flying somewhere, getting together a group of reliable respondents, renting out a space, and taking time out of their day is unnecessary and there are alternative ways to gain information and insight about consumers. Internet-based research is a new method that companies are using more often. Online surveys are cost-effiecient and require little time compared to focus groups. They can also be sent out to a wide variety of audiences. Companies could potentially gain a new audience or target market from the online market. Online surveys can also stimulate interest in a product or service. By using video, animation, and audio techniques within the surveys or questionnaires online, consumers could get excited or interested in a product whereas if they were in a focus group they wouldn't have the ability to view the product or service in this light. Companies have more control over online surveys because it is much easier to manage and sort information. Sampling, respondent bias, demographic information, skip patterns, etc., can all be controlled at an easier level if the survey is conducted online.
I have no doubt that focus groups will remain as a method of research, but from my experience of participating in one and after reading this article, I believe they won't be as prevalent of a source. As our society continue to modernize our research methods have to keep up. Companies will have to turn to the methods that are quicker, cheaper, and more efficient.


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Marketing Information
The new 2365 LED flex neck light from Pelican lets you shine light where it's needed. Whether you are working in the engine bay of your car or under the fuselage of a jet, the 2365 ensures you can work hands free in bright LED light. A magnetic base attaches metal surfaces and the 15" flexible neck directs 56 lumens of bright LED light. A push button tail switch activates the efficient 2365 for 7 hours of burntime on two standard AA batteries.
Battery Information
Built-in Devices
Push Button Tail Switch
General Information
Additional Information
Physical Characteristics
Power Description
Technical Information


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WORCESTER, Mass. - Freshman midfielder Eddie Viscount (Smithtown, N.Y.) has been named the AT&T Crusader of the Week, for competition from September 17-23. Viscount helped lead the Holy Cross men's soccer team to a 1-1 mark in a pair of games last week.
After being held scoreless in a 4-0 loss at Boston University on Tuesday, Viscount netted the game-winning goal during Saturday's 1-0 victory over Army. At the 33:54-mark, he took a crossing pass from junior forward Kevin O'Connell (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and buried the ball in the back of the net from eight yards out. The goal was the first of Viscount's collegiate career, and gave the Crusaders a victory in their opening Patriot League game of the season.
Holy Cross (2-5 overall, 1-0 Patriot League) returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 25, when it travels to Northeastern for a 6:00 p.m. game.


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Jason Adams on Iron Fist
06.10.2010 //
Iron Fist Clothing is proud to welcome Jason Adams to the team.
Iron Fist Clothing is proud to welcome Jason Adams to the team.
Elijah's the newest am on Foundation and has a video to show why.
The King of Flushing is the latest addition to Zoo's master division.
Either way, Bachinsky, Jeremy Reeves, Russ Milligan and Josh Matthews are on Think.
The Lutzka now rides Darkstar decks. You heard right.
Steve's off Birdhouse again and teamed up with the homies at the High 5.
Dekline's got a video up welcoming Ben Gore to the team. He rips, so watch it turkeys.
Osiris welcomes its newest am
Shane O'Nugget Neill is now on Fourstar Officially
Aussie Bartie landed on Powell as his new board sponsor.
Jake's now grinding crusty hubbas and switch wallriding walls on some Destructos.
Watch the welcome video for Max Van Arnem


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Book Search
Interpretive Approaches to Global Climate Governance
(De)constructing the Greenhouse
Series: Interventions
Global climate change is perceived to be one of the biggest challenges for international politics in the 21st century. This work seeks to fuse a global governance perspective together with different interpretive approaches, offering a novel way of looking at international climate politics. Equipped...
Published March 4th 2015 by Routledge
The Politics of Carbon Markets
Series: Routledge Studies in Environmental Policy
The carbon markets are in the middle of a fundamental crisis - a crisis marked by collapsing prices, fleeing actors, and ever increasing greenhouse gas levels. Yet carbon trading remains at the heart of global attempts to respond to climate change. Not only this, but markets continue to proliferate...
Published September 10th 2014 by Routledge


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Maurice Brazil Prendergast – American, 1858-1924
On View: Amulet in the Form of a Ba as Human-Headed Bird
Ba is the Egyptian concept closest to what is meant by the English word "soul." Its composite human-and-bird form symbolizes its ability to ...
Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Hiroshige's 118 woodblock landscape and genre scenes of mid-nineteenth-century Tokyo, is one of the greatest achievements of Japanese art.
A latecomer to the Egyptian pantheon, the god Tutu was responsible for human fate and fortune. Tutu's might was supplemented by the de...
Maurice Brazil Prendergast – American, 1858-1924
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, New York 11238-6052
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum
Wednesday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Thursday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Friday–Sunday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.


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The speed camera ticket that Baltimore City issued to John Slingluff last summer said he was speeding, yet the evidence says he was closer to stopping than to breaking the law.
The citation alleged that his Chevrolet sport utility vehicle was headed east on University Parkway at 45 miles per hour. But The Baltimore Sun found that it was going just over 7 mph, based on measurements taken using the two time-stamped photos provided by the city as evidence of the infraction.


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5.0 Mustang & Super FordsEvents
Ford Mustang Fuel Challenge - Corn Bred-E85 Challenge
Thirteen E85-Burning Super 'Stangs Assault The Strip At Gateway International Raceway
Horse Sense: We really have to thank the Illinois Corn Growers Association (www.ilcorn.org) and Center Ethanol (www.centerethanol.com) for providing us with enough E85 to run our cars down the track, especially since during our mid-October event window, refineries usually blend up an mixture with more gasoline and less E85 to help with cold starts. Likewise, we couldn't have run the event without Gateway International Raceway (www.gatewayraceway.com) offering us the hospitality of its racing surface for the day. Thanks to all involved for helping us pull off a great event.
During the height of $4-a-gallon gas, the idea of being green gained a lot of traction. For us, it meant taking a harder look at the benefits of ethanol-infused gasoline, known popularly as E85 since it's 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Some countries, such as Brazil, run the stuff as mainstream fuel, but for performance enthusiasts, the real benefit is this fuel's lower price, higher octane, and alcohol-like charge-cooling benefits. In short, it's race gas available at the pump, and because it burns cleaner than pure gas, it carries the connotation of environmental friendliness.
Because the ethanol in E85 is created from crops grown in the U.S., it also means that using E85 helps lessen our dependence on foreign fuel, and keeping our farmers growing it seems like a sound idea rather than shipping our U.S. dollars to countries that don't really care for us. E85 carries less stored energy than pure gasoline, so you have to burn a bit more of it to cover the same distance as gas. This means your mileage won't be as good with E85, but for speed freaks like us, mileage isn't the primary concern.
The kicker for E85 is that it packs 105 octane, and with its inherent cooling benefits, it allows you to crank up the boost or compression while dialing in more timing. Any performance nut will tell you this adds up to more power. We've covered a few stories showing just that on these pages, but more and more we've seen Mustangs making big power on corn. As such, we hatched the crazy scheme to bring a variety of Mustang combinations to the same track to see how they perform on E85. The combinations were left wide open. The only rule was that the 'Stangs had to run E85.
Knowing that E85 was big news in corn country, we contacted Chuck Spencer of the Illinois Farm Bureau and Dave Loos of the Illinois Corn Growers. They enthusiastically agreed to help us out by providing a fresh batch of enough E85 from Center Ethanol to fuel 13 Mustangs for a day of quarter-mile antics. Chuck and Dave also put us in touch with Lenny Batycki, vice president and general manager of Gateway International Raceway, as he was hip to the idea of an E85 event. After a few phone calls, our first E85 Challenge was underway and scheduled for mid-October 2008 at Gateway in Madsion, Illinois, which is just outside St. Louis.
With the party planned, would anyone attend? As it turned out, we had an amazing response to our announcement, and more impressive was the wide variety of combinations that our readers had put together to make the most of E85. Moreover, unlike our longstanding King of the Street competition, the E85 contestants were skewed toward the Fox-body era. That shouldn't really be a huge surprise given the open-ended rules, but it did provide a welcome change.
How did the cars perform? In short, quite well, and there were some pretty big surprises, so let's dig into the competitors and see if this corn-fed power is all it's cracked up to be.
Bill Olander: '95 Mustang Cobra 8.98/158No stranger to laying down big numbers on corn, Bill Olander is a veteran of DynoMax's Power to the Wheels dyno competition, which used E85 as its spec fuel last year, and where he placed Fourth. Bill's 'Stang isn't only a bad boy, it's also one of 499 '95 Cobras built with the elusive removable hardtop option, so we aren't the only ones who like to modify rare cars. Over the years, Bill stepped up his combination to its current twin-turbo boosted 427 Windsor, which has put down as much as 1,382 rwhp on a Dynojet.
At the E85 Challenge, Bill became the top dog. After sneaking up with a few 9-second runs, he finally laid down the big number, an eye-watering 8.98 at 158 mph. Sure we've see 8-second race cars before, but Bill says he puts 5,000 miles a year on this car and drives it to the track once a month to get his launch on. If this car's performance doesn't get you thinking about the potential of E85, we don't know what will.


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Off-color humor has been used in Ancient Greek comedy, primarily by its most famous contributor and representative, Aristophanes. His work parodied some of the great tragedians of his time, especially Euripedes, using sexual and excremental jokes which received great popularity among his contemporaries but would be considered embarrassing in the Christian milieu.
Dirty jokes were once considered subversive and underground, and rarely heard in public. Comedian Lenny Bruce was once tried, convicted, and jailed for obscenity after a stand up performance that included off-color humor in New York City in 1964. Comedian and actor Redd Foxx was well-known in nightclubs in the 1960s and 1970s for his raunchy stand-up act, but toned it down for the television shows Sanford and Son and The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour, stating in the first monologue of the latter show that the only similarity between the show and his nightclub act was that "I'm smoking" American society has become increasingly tolerant of off-color humor since that time. Due in part to the mainstream success of comedians such as Dolemite, Andrew Dice Clay's "The Dice Man", and Richard Pryor in the 1970s and 1980s, such forms of humor came to be distributed widely, and grew socially acceptable.
In the 1990s and modern era, such comedians as George Carlin (and, in a more moderate form, Dave Chappelle) use shocking content to draw attention to their criticism of social issues - especially censorship and the socioeconomic divide. The highly-praised television show South Park also popularized the use of offensive humor. The Aristocrats is perhaps the most famous dirty joke in the US; certainly, it is one of the best-known and most oft-repeated among comedians themselves.
In India, sexual humor in particular is known as "non-veg" humor, contrasted with the "veg" jokes that are more acceptable in polite company. The use of the term "non-veg" is probably a reference to the carnal nature of sexual humor, and can be viewed in the context of the prevalence of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dietary preferences in India.