text:
What Is Pneumococcal Disease?
Pneumococcal disease is an infection caused by bacteria. It can lead to:
- Pneumonia
- Bacteremia—infection of the blood
- Bacterial meningitis
It is spread by person-to-person contact.
What Is the Pneumococcal Vaccine?
There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines:
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)—Recommended for infants and toddlers. The PCV13 vaccine protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria.
- Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV)—Recommended for certain children and adults. The PCV23 vaccine protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria.
The vaccines are made from inactivated bacteria. They are given by injection under the skin or into the muscle. The goal of getting a vaccine is that later, when you are exposed to the bacteria, you will not get sick from it.
Who Should Get Vaccinated and When?
The PCV is routinely given in four doses at 2, 4, 6, and 12-15 months. It can also be given to children with high-risk conditions.
If your child has not been vaccinated or missed a dose, talk to the doctor. Depending on your child's age, additional doses may be needed. Also, an additional dose may be needed if your child:
- Is less than 5 years old and was given PCV7, which is an earlier version of the vaccine
- Has a condition that increases the risk of severe disease
The PPSV is given to adults aged 65 and older.
PPSV is also given to anyone aged 2 to 64 who has certain conditions, such as:
- Heart or lung disease
- Sickle cell disease
- Diabetes
- Alcoholism
- Cirrhosis
- Cerebrospinal fluid leaks
- Cochlear implants
- Hodgkin's disease
- Lymphoma or leukemia
- Kidney failure
- Multiple myeloma
- Nephrotic syndrome
- HIV or AIDS or other disease the creates a weak immune system
- Damaged spleen or no spleen
- An organ transplant
PPSV is also given to anyone aged 2 to 64 who is taking a drug or treatment that lowers the body's ability to resist infection, such as:
- Long-term steroids
- Certain cancer drugs
- Radiation therapy
The vaccine should be given at least 2 weeks before cancer treatment begins.
PPSV should also be given to any adult aged 19 to 64 years old who:
- Is a smoker
- Has asthma
In some cases, a second dose of PPSV may be needed. For example, a second dose is recommended for people 65 and older who got their first dose before they turned 65 and it has been more than 5 years since that dose. A second dose is also recommended for people 2 through 64 who have:
- A damaged spleen or no spleen
- Sickle cell disease
- HIV infection or AIDS
- Cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma
- Nephrotic syndrome
- An organ or bone marrow transplant
- Been taking medication that lowers immunity, such as chemotherapy or long-term steroids
When a second dose is given, it should be 5 years after the first dose.
What Are the Risks Associated With the Pneumococcal Vaccine?
Generally, all vaccines have a small risk of serious problems. Side effects of PCV include:
- Redness, tenderness, or swelling at the injection site
- Fever
- Drowsiness
- Loss of appetite
- Irritability
Acetaminophen is sometimes given to reduce pain and fever that may occur after getting a vaccine. Giving the medication at the time of the shot may weaken the vaccine's effectiveness. Discuss the risks and benefits of taking acetaminophen with the doctor.
Half of the people who get the vaccine have mild side effects. However, developing the disease is much more likely to cause serious problems than getting the vaccine. Side effects may include:
- Redness or pain at the injection site
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Severe allergic reactions—rare
Who Should Not Get Vaccinated?
Children who should not receive the vaccine are those who:
- Have had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose of PCV
- Have had a severe allergy to one of the vaccine's parts
- Are very ill
You should not receive the PPSV if you:
- Had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose of PPSV
- Had a severe allergy to one of the vaccine's components
- Are very ill
What Other Ways Can Pneumococcal Disease Be Prevented Besides Vaccination?
You can prevent pneumococcal disease if you:
- Avoid close contact with people who have infections.
- Wash your hands regularly to reduce your risk of infection.
What Happens in the Event of an Outbreak?
In the event of an outbreak, all people who are eligible for a vaccine should receive it.
- Reviewer: David L. Horn, MD, FACP
- Review Date: 12/2014 -
- Update Date: 12/20/2014 -


text:
Video: John Legend Strips For Funny Or Die
Jonathan Higbee | August 20, 2013
sexysagi - August 24, 2013
Wished he had shown all his gorgeous nakedness with his fine self!
Joe - August 21, 2013
John John John John John! That's way too many showers, buddy. You're not a germaphobe, are you? ;-)
Papi - August 20, 2013
He was wearing a tan-colored tanga and a black tanga for the shots.
Sunny Valentine - August 20, 2013
This wasn't funny overall. There were moments tho. Actually he is beautiful naked 4 what we were able 2C. He is well endowed that I do know. A nice sized chunky piece. Great skin. I didn't laugh too much, but I watched it 2 the end. I love you John, like you love what swings between your legs ;-) Lol.
Mikki Johnson - August 20, 2013
wow this wonderful I love John legend he's a great man
william zurba - August 20, 2013
this was not too funny because hid the favite spot, other wise ok.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Site menu:
Subscribe to email updates
Tag: Abigail Adams
Happy Mother's Day to All, Past and Present
As we make our brunch reservations, choose the perfect greeting card, and make the rest of our preparations for Mother's Day this Sunday, let's not forget the women, the mothers of our nation, who took a stand for women's rights and blazed the trail for future movements. Men such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas […]
Posted by on May 11, 2012, under Archives I, Civil Records, Outside NARA.
9-11 Adolf Hitler Alan Walker Alfie Paul American Red Cross Civil War Cody White David Langbart deck logs Department of State District of Columbia DOJ donated materials Dwight D. Eisenhower FBI Foreign Service Posts Franklin D. Roosevelt Greg Bradsher looted art M. Marie Maxwell MFA&A Monique Politowski Monuments Men National Archives at Denver Onaona Guay OSS RG 59 RG 60 RG 84 RG 165 RG 239 RG 242 RG 260 RG 286 RG 306 RG 331 RG 469 Roberts Commission Sylvia Naylor U.S. Army U.S. Marshals U.S. Navy War Department World War I World War II


text:
Moderator: Butthurt
Almighty Benny wrote:I am back for good, stupid.
Silverdream wrote:MOST UNLIKED BY SILVERDREAM
-Vami IV
WINNER: Nitewatchman
Almighty Benny wrote:I am getting my own parade, it's on Monday.
Silverdream wrote:MOST UNLIKED BY SILVERDREAM
-Vami IV
WINNER: Nitewatchman
birdman wrote:He has returned, stupid.
Warhead wrote:my head burns with War.
Warhead wrote:my head burns with War.
ahp77 wrote:IVhorseman wrote:birdman wrote:He has returned, stupid.
Two days ahead of schedule, too.
I just love it when I have no clue as to what the fuck is going on.
birdman wrote:
james+burgundy wrote:nice parts
james+burgundy wrote:Think you can get me the guys number
james+burgundy wrote:O I was hoping he'd stay at my place
OneEye589 don't be a booty bothered.OneEye589 wrote:I have a question about booty bothered.
It seems like whenever there is a disagreement on the forums, even if it is just a basic one with differing opinions and no arguing or harshness, it is still assumed that there is booty bothered. Is this correct?
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


text:
Sunday Obituary: Reginald Brown 1889 - 1916
Today is, I imagine, the day on which Reginald's life officially ended, the day on which his Unit realised that he was definitely not just missing, but dead. There is no exact day, no time, not even a body - just an official estimate of 22-25 July 1916. He was Private 2336 in the 1st Battalion, Australian Imperial Force and during this time he and his comrades were involved in some of the bloodiest fighting on the Somme, at Pozieres. The war diary mentions "exceptionally heavy shell fire of all calibres" and reports that they could not evacuate some of the wounded for 24 hours due to a lack of stretcher bearers. Somewhere amongst all the chaos, Reginald fell. He is remembered on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, as is his brother Ernest. Their brother Sidney lies not too far away at Rouen.
There is a little more about Reginald here.
Lest we forget.
4 comments:
- Rosemary said...
My first cousin 1x removed, Reginald Sydney Merrett (1895-1917) fell at Pozieres on 9th April 1917 and died of severe chest wounds. A private in the 12th Battalion, 14th Reinforcements, he is with his comrades in the Pozieres British Cemetery.
Lest we forget.
- 24 July 2011 at 20:07
- The Treehouse said...
Hi Rosemary
I can see from your blog that you have researched the Australian National Archives, have you had a look at the Australian War Memorial site for a war diary? Here's the link in case you haven't
Great blog, by the way - I am now your willing follower!
- 24 July 2011 at 21:29
- Rosemary said...
Thanks for the reference. Reg didn't leave anything at all, no diaries, not even a will. His folder is filled with correspondence up through the mid 1930's trying to settle his estate. His father seems to have left him part of a dairy farm in Mepunga, Vic.
The correspondence included letters from his sister who was living in a "de facto" relationship and pointed me towards her and a son we didn't know anything about. The old gentleman is still alive and won't talk to his own family about these matters ... all very shameful.
- 25 July 2011 at 16:49
- The Treehouse said...
What a pity! I have traced a couple of family members who are slightly reticent about sharing information (the majority are absolute gems though, and now good friends). I try to keep the lines of communication open and hope that in time they relent...
- 26 July 2011 at 10:37


text:
Want full access?
Current subscriber?Activate
Have an account? Login
STUART -- My dog Homer with his new patriotic bandana.
STUART -- Caymen relaxing at home.
ROSELAND -- Our beloved pet, Doodle Bug, lying in the grass waiting to play ball.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- My big husky, Akira, and little miniature pinscher, Roxy.
VERO BEACH -- Bruiser is a 9-year-old pomeranian who is a lion at heart. (ROAR)
STUART -- Libby is a three-year-old yorkie who owns the Peppler family.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Maggie.
STUART -- This is my 1 1/2 year old Chihuahua named Bella. We call her The Princess.
SEBASTIAN -- Feisty, 2 years old, is owned by Florette Robillard.
VERO BEACH -- Smitty, our five-year old cairn terrier, is laughing it up while he rolls around on our couch! He is a very happy dog indeed!
FORT PIERCE -- Chula.
LAKEWOOD PARK -- Andy checking out Papa and Baby Bird.
VERO BEACH -- Our bichon frises, Beemer and Buffy, love to come with us in the car, airplane or in our daughter's red wagon! They always make us smile.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Marmaduke's sunshine. Duke of St. Lucie or "Duke" for short, is a 4-month-old AKC English springer spaniel.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Scooby Doo, an orange-winged Amazon parrot, was 2-years-old on February 14. She loves to play with her toys. Taken with a Kodak EasyShare Z1012 IS.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Best friends forever. Ralph is our orange tabby and Dexter (aka Keyton) is our black and white domestic shorthair cat . They both spend hours each day running around outside and basking in the sun. At night they love to cuddle in bed with us and dream of their exciting, but exhausting day.
SEBASTIAN -- This is woman's best friend, Rilee (named after the the phrase originated in the Irish/American community of the USA) meaning: An easy and pleasant life. She is a Labrador mix and we got her from the Humane Society about 10 years ago. We adopted her on Saint Patrick's Day and I told her that she would live the Life of Riley. We adore her.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Amber (a 5-month-old Cavachon) rules!
PORT ST. LUCIE -- I took this as my "baby" Pepe woke up from his nap. Taken with an Olympus FE-120.
VERO BEACH -- Hi, I'm Bailey and this is what I look like when I see a camera in my face.
HUTCHINSON ISLAND -- Loki, a field spaniel mix, on Hutchinson Island.
STUART -- One happy cat.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- As you can see, my dog Pepe (a Bichon) is not impressed with the sandhill cranes looking in our front window. Taken with my Olympus FE-120.
VERO BEACH -- Fourteen-week-old pitbull puppy, Cali, plays in the water and swims for the first time in a mud hole out west of town.
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Cane and Sugar, two Jack Russells, taking a much needed nap after running around chasing each other.


text:
PDHLibrary.com offers the lowest priced Florida Laws and Rules course that I've found on the internet. They were offering the course as low as $19 this year but that was a special price. The current price is $29 which is still way lower than anyone else I've found even if coupons were used. The rest of their courses are also pretty cheap especially the laws and rules based courses. I took their laws and rules course for Florida and everything worked out fine. The one thing I would say is that their quizzes pop the questions up one by one so its better to fill out the quizes on paper first before you complete the quiz online.
Started by email@example.com , Nov 22 2010 03:01 AM
1 reply to this topic
Posted 22 November 2010 - 03:01 AM
Posted 25 February 2012 - 04:09 AM
I've actually taken courses a few times from them. I found their format pretty easy to navigate and their courses were pretty good for the money. I took the corrosion course and I thought it was really good.
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


text:
Trail Seat
In Stock Product Number: 25953
Sit more comfortably just about anywhere with the Trail Seat, an all-purpose, self-inflating seat cushion. Lightweight and compact, it fits easily in your pack or duffel and is ideal in a car, boat, camp or stadium seat.
- R-Value: 4.2
- Width: 12 in (31 cm)
- Fill material: Urethane Foam
- Country of Origin: Made in Seattle, USA
Gender: Unisex
Weight: 5 oz (140 g)
Season: S14
Vendor ProductId: 5217
Review ProductId: 25953


text:
News & Information » Fact Sheets » Regulatory Partnership Project in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Project Snapshot:
Total Funding: $434,206
Start Date: November 2013
End Date: October 2015
Cooperative Agreement Partner:
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
The Challenge
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) signed the Energy Community Treaty, which sets the parameters for creation of a regional electricity and gas market. There are numerous technical and political challenges in reforming the energy sector to become consistent with the requirements of the Treaty. BiH's compliance and consistency with the Treaty will ensure its attractiveness to investors by creating more competitive and transparent conditions for economic growth. The country will have greater access to a diverse set of energy options as well as strong independent regulatory bodies able to respond to citizens' demands.
Our Program
Under the auspices of a Cooperative Agreement between USAID and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' (NARUC), NARUC has launched a partnership activity with three energy regulatory commissions of BiH: the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), the Federation Electricity Regulatory Commission (FERC), and Republika Srpska Energy Regulatory Commission (RSERC). This partnership, funded by USAID/BiH, forms a part of NARUC's Energy Regulatory and Security Program in Europe and Eurasia.
The Regulatory Partnership Project is designed to enhance the exchange of best practices and information between U.S. and BiH regulatory bodies to improve regulatory processes and foster long-term sustainable relationships between regulatory entities. The Ohio Public Services Commission (PUCO) serves as the lead commission in the partnership. PUCO has been involved in market opening, customer switching, ancillary services, and other elements of energy market liberalization, and will provide much-needed hands-on experience to BiH regulators. The partnership will broaden and support energy sector reform by emphasizing coordinated efforts and procedural commonalities. To facilitate successful implementation of the project, NARUC has established a BiH field office.
Implementation and Results
This regulatory partnership will lead to a number of results and accomplishments focused on creating the preconditions for full market opening: It will help develop market processes, establish market roles of key market facilitators, implement more streamlined decision-making processes, determine tariff methodologies for restructured markets, and improve relations between market participants including customers and other stakeholders. The partnership will also broaden access to U.S. regulatory practices and offer both partners the chance to share new techniques and methodologies while gaining an understanding of the international regulatory environment.
For more information, please contact:
Ankica Gavrilovic, USAID/BiH Economic Development Progrect Manager, at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Last updated: August 06, 2014


text:
Help Center
Local Navigation
The file picker sample application demonstrates how to create a UI component that presents a list of folders and files from which a user can select a file. The sample application also demonstrates how to specify the default search location for folders and how to filter files by file extension (for example, how to display only .mp3 files).
Next topic: Featured classes


text:
|Print Page
Pinnacle High senior Dalton Rudman goes up for a layup during the Panthers' 61-50 win over Green River last week.
PHS head coach Andrew Olson and Panther players watch from the sidelines during the home win over Green River last week.
While the excitement of clinching a spot in the 1A State Tournament is still in the air, the Pinnacle High boys basketball team still has some work to do before heading off to Richfield on Tuesday.
The Panthers will travel to Whitehorse tonight (Feb. 21) for their regular season finale.
In the previous meeting between the two teams, Pinnacle needed a big fourth quarter run to pull away from Whitehorse for a 49-35 win on Jan. 12 in Price.
The Panthers trailed 29-28 going into the final quarter before they turned on the jets on offense with a 21-6 run to pull away for the victory.
After defeating Green River 61-50 last week to clinch a playoff spot, PHS head coach Andrew Olson said his team needs to work on making open shots and fix a few minor details on defense before heading into the state tournament.
"We've got to attack zone defenses better on offense and we can't get stagnant by just standing around watching the man with the ball," Olson said.
Pinnacle is currently 14-6 overall with a 6-3 mark in Region 19 play.
|Print Page


text:
Practice Makes a Master
Thursday, December 15, 2011, 7:00 p.m.
Education Classroom B, mezzanine, The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Education and Research Building
Related Publication
Sanja Iveković: Sweet Violence
Roxana Marcoci and Terry Eagleton
More info at MoMAstore.org »
Add Hardcover to cart ($50.00 / $45.00 Members) »
Sanja Iveković first performed Practice Makes a Master in 1982 at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin. The video documenting that performance shows the artist in a black evening dress on a stage, her head hooded by a white plastic bag. Her body suddenly jolts violently, and she falls to the ground. She lies immobile for several seconds and then gets up. A few seconds later she falters, falls again, and lies on the stage with legs outstretched. She stands and falls and repeats these actions over and over again. A spotlight switches on and off with a regular rhythm. All the while a sensual tune sung by Marilyn Monroe, from the sound track of the movie Bus Stop (1956), is progressively slowed until the female voice starts to sound like a man's. The score is disrupted by the jarring clamor of guns and other machines from video games, recorded by the artist in New York the previous year. Practice Makes a Master is a compelling study of the rehearsal of violence and psychological savagery. In 2009 Iveković asked dancer Sonja Pregrad to reenact Practice Makes a Master at the Akademie der Künste, Berlin, and at BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, Utrecht. Performed again in conjunction with the exhibition at MoMA, this contemporary restaging brings to mind the images of aggression that have followed in the wake of the September 11 attacks, among other episodes of recent violence around the world.
In conjunction with the exhibition Sanja Iveković: Sweet Violence
Tickets are free of charge and can be obtained starting November 12 at MoMA at the lobby information desk, at the film desk, or online.


text:
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa (Coombsville)
2001, now regarded as an excellent vintage for Napa cabernet, had winemakers nervous in the early going. A warm March was followed by freezing temperatures in April and then record highs in May. The weather stabilized in summer, however, giving the grapes a chance to ripen in mild and consistent temperatures from July through the harvest.
The combination of early thinning, a long, mild run-up to the harvest, a low yield of 1.87 tons/acre, and the warm microclimate of the Tulocay region (soon to be an official viticultural appellation—watch this space) has made our inaugural vintage a muscular and extracted wine. The 2001 is showing beautifully now, which puts oenophiles in a predicament: Cellar it to have an even more complex and nuanced wine in a decade? Or open it to enjoy one of the most powerful, unusual, and hard-to-get cabernets in the world right now. Six-bottle limit.
RELEASE DATE: 28 May 2004
SHIP DATE: We will ship whenever you require. We prefer shipping when the temperature in your area is between 32 and 90 degrees F.


text:
Why Does Christianity Flourish?
As a follow up to this post I ask another question.
You missed what's probably the most crucial factor---the christian meme includes the idea of aggresive proselytization as one of its core tenets and, over the course of 2000 years of practice, has developed very effective techniques for breaking down peoples emotional and intellectual defenses against nonsense.
I'd definitely go with Door #1, although I would substitute "heavenly daddy" with "salvation". Religions long ago recognized the monetary benefits in controlling who received salvation and who didn't and this hasn't changed in the least today. Play the 'burning in hell' card early enough and long enough in the beginning and poof, out pops a Christian ready and willing to give his money because the church says salvation comes only through them.
I would have to say that I believe that the reason that Christianity flourishes is because Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 - ""I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." What Jesus said was not a lie, but the truth. Satan was trying to stop Christ even before He was born, but has had no success, and never will.
Don't you think it's interesting that Christianity is the only religion that people are trying to silence in America? Why is that? Because it is at the name of Jesus lives will be changed and sould will be saved.
Raymond - what is the basis for your assertion that "Christianity is the only religion that people are trying to silence in America?"
Most rationalists are opposed to all religions, not just Christianity. In the USA, they simply don't need to speak out against believers of other faiths very often because a) most of those folks don't impose their religious agendas into the public forum, and b) they are minorities in a nation heavily influenced by Christianity. Christians - especially some evangelicals and most fundamentalists - are the most visible, vocal and obnoxious religious spokespeople out there.
Please, stop playing the "Christians are so persecuted" card. It's old, worn and untrue.
raymond wrote: Don't you think it's interesting that Christianity is the only religion that people are trying to silence in America? Why is that?
Thanks! The morning funnies didn't do much for me today, but that comment caused one big smile of all. But then... you're serious aren't you?
Here's a tip for Christians who wants to practice more critical thinking than the above demonstrates. Ask themselves "Why has Buddhism flourished?" or "Why has Judaism persisted past the birth of Christianity?" to give themselves a model for how to respond to the OP. To think critically and objectively, you need to approach the question as if you weren't a member of any religious or anti-religious group. Answers like "because they don't recognize Jesus as their savior" only get partial credit.
I think you missed a big one: Christians, along with members of pretty much every other religion, indoctrinate their young before they have developed the intellectual capacity to question their beliefs.
Children are born as atheists and subsequently brainwashed daily with the belief in supernatural causes for natural events. We instruct them not to use their own capacities for reason (Proverbs 3:5) but instead to simply believe. Add to that a healthy dose of confirmation bias and you'll start to find God everywhere.
We allow our children to question the existence of the tooth fairy and Santa Claus but the second they question the existence of God we threaten them with eternal damnation in the fires of hell. Any ideology that does not have a self-preservation mechanism will live or die based on its merits (or the cascade error effect - I'll need to think on that one). It is illustrative that religions typically save their most severe condemnation and punishment for apostates and infidels. Makes it easier for a belief to survive if you kill all of the people that don't believe.
More than anything else, I suppose the survival instinct is what drives mankind towards any religion. The desire to cheat death is central to the focus of virtually any such belief system. There would be an inordinately small number of Christians (or any religious believers) in this world were it not for doctrines of an afterlife or rebirth of some sort. Thousands of years after the chronicling of Gilgamesh's epic mythological journey for immortality, humankind still finds an obsession with the pursuit of eternal life.
It's very interesting to encounter believers who claim God desires a "selfless," reciprocal, loving belief in him, i.e. "we love God because he first loved us." This is pure rubbish, as any reasonable Christian will admit if probed sufficiently: a more accurate summation would be something along the lines of "we love God because we want to live forever and/or avoid the fate of hell."
Had early Christians not preached life after death (or at least some enticing manner of reward for their service of God), there would be no Christianity today. The entire religion hinges on the necessity of such rewards and punishments.
I hope responding to this doesn't sidetrack a very interesting and important discussion -- and I'll add my own cooments to the main point later -- but I have to call out Raymond Isham on what he said:
"Don't you think it's interesting that Christianity is the only religion that people are trying to silence in America?"
What are you talking about. There have been -- just over the last year, five or six examples of conservative Christians trying to silence other religions -- the Delaware School District that forced the only Jewish family to move, the outcry against a Muslim taking the Congressional oath on the Qur'an, the complaint about a Hindu giving the opening prayer in Congress, etc. -- but there are no examples of Christians or Christianity being silenced.
Disagreeing with them, of course. Preventing some examples of a minority viewpoint even among Christians, in this wonderously diverse society, from attempting to commandeer the organs of government for their own sectarian ends, absolutely. Preventing a group of them from disguising their views and presenting them as science -- when the entire scientific community rejects them -- yes.
But the churches remain open -- complete with tax advantages for the ministers. The Internet lets Christians and atheists have their say. Every Presidential candidate must at least bow to the Christians to have a chance -- and only one Congressperson out of 535 has suggested he might be an atheist, and backed away from this when challenged to explain he was a "Universalist-Unitarian."
Care to give any example of Christians being 'silenced?'
To add to the keen observations so far, I believe Christianity flourishes ultimately because it offers the hope of eternal life. Everything else is secondary and peripheral to that. People will buy into all the strange rituals and irrational doctrines, just to have the singular hope that their life with transcend death.
Back to the main thread. I'm surprised no one has mentioned one major factor, the fear of death. This operates in two ways. First, we don't like to imagine a world where we don't exist. Almost as important is the difficulty of accepting that our loved ones are lost to us forever. Christianity tells us that these fears are groundless -- and many branches of it stress the likelihood of our meeting our loved ones again in heaven, not in hell like the dour ugliness of many of the commenters here. (And only Christianity and Islam do this. Judaism, strictly speaking, does not accept an afterlife, and the various versions of reincarnation in other religions aren't quite the same thing.)
Emotionally, I'd like to believe this promise too, as false as my mind shows me it is. But it does not surprise me that people hide from their fears behind the cross.
weighing in here...denial of death and securing a place in the social structure are the two reasons that I believe xanity has flourished. Others have treated the issue of death/eternal life well - kudos to all, well said, amen!
Xanity offers a very strong community identity, beginning with initiation rites (confirmation, infant baptism, etc) and ending with a funeral service that launches one into the Great Beyond. In between is social position, group identity, and fellowship that can be very wonderful if one is willing to always color inside of the lines. Most Christians I met - over 30 years of faith and 25 years of ministry - were not students of the Bible or even very radical in their faith...they were church members who had a moral compass, a place to fellowship, a ritual to welcome babies-marry people-bury people, and they were happy with that.
Same as it ever was.
The fear of death is intimately tied in with the concept of salvation, which has already been mentioned a few times.
Joseph and I wrote in unison -- as usual his answer was far more succint than mine.
But there is yet another factor. This is the difference between three 'orientations,' the scientific-rational, the authoritarian, and the mystical. (There is considerable overlap between the last two.)
In many ways, the society is centered around the second of these, and, in some cases, understandably so. "The teacher, the pastor, the policeman is always right, do as they tell you. Most importantly we, your parents are always right." It takes training to break out of that mold, once you are forced into it.
I was lucky, almost uniquely so. My two mothers never pretended to be 'always right.' They were capable of admitting mistakes and taught me to be able, unashamedly, to admit mine. More importantly, from literally my earliest years -- as young as five -- they did not say "Don't do this because we tell you not to." They always said 'We don't think you should do this, and here's why we think it is a bad idea.' (I am sure, in an emergency they would simply say "No, don't!" But they'd later explain it.)
I'm not saying their arguments were always rational and logical ones. They'd certainly say that they'd feel hurt if I did something. And they'd appeal to my pride by arguing "Do you really want to act like X" using any one of several 'bad examples,' individuals or types.
But they knew they could trust me to listen to them, weigh their arguments, and that while I was free to make my own decisions, that I'd usually decide the 'right way.' (They also taught me to be responsible and to take responsibility. The one thing that would have been unforgivable was for me to try and lie my way out of accepting the consequences for what I'd done.)
I've taken all this time to demonstrate how untypical my upbringing was. Most parents need the 'rod of infallibility' to enforce their authority, and most parents don't want children questioning other authority figures -- if only because if they get in the habit, they might start questioning the parents.
And religion rides on this acceptance of authority. True, 'growing up' in many cases means learning to question in just that way, but many people never take that step at all, and many more take the step rationally, but emotionally they are still bound by the feeling that they should be ashamed to be daring to challenge their parents and other authority figures.
I'll be taking this further in some follow-up posts, dealing with specific Christian reliance on authority and on the related 'mystical' orientation.
I think religion gives the right to feel superior, and special. I think it justifies self-centeredness in the guise of community service and 'righteousness' and 'sacrifice'. It gives the right to put on a show and 'be an example'. How many christians have you seen on this blog pointing the finger at 'those christians'. It gives them ability to play the victim and elicit sympathy by their 'unselfish self-sacrifice'. It gives them a whole treasure trove of important sounding rhetoric to parrot so they can puff up their chest and make "camaraderie building" jokes in the hallway of a professional organization (as i heard yesterday) about being the "token white" in a situation and having it accepted because they are a proud professing christian. It gives them a license to 'otherise', and classify and judge and push it on other people because they are just trying to do the right thing, the moral thing and they are christians after all It gives them a license to actively resist civil rights legislation to categories of people like women, blacks and homosexuals wearing the mask of righteousness, humility and morality.
I'd like to say more, but i have to go. remember blood transfusions, pacemakers, invitro fertilization, gene therapy, stem cell research, and all the other medical advances they resisted because it was immoral or unnatural or playing god.
yada, yada, yada
Exactly. The myth of salvation is one of the strongest weapons in the Christian arsenal. Of course, this starts with the vile teaching -- in some branches of Christianity -- that we are all wicked and untrustworthy.
There is a 'cascade effect' to this. We are taught we can't trust ourselves, that without the fear of God's punishment and the myth of salvation through faith we would be 'totally depraved.' And if we can't trust ourselves, we can't trust others -- unless they are in authority through God's putting them there. (And even then, they are still human, so when a scandal occurs, it does not work against Christianity, but merely proves the depravity we need Christ to protect us from.)
And through all of this there is a horrible subtext. It is the Devil -- that borrowing from Zoroastrianism -- who is shown to be the intelligent one. It is 'evil' that -- it is implied -- is the 'smart' way to act. (Which is simply nonsense.)
Give a child enough of these teachings and it is very likely that he will be so scared, of himself and others, that he will seek the protection of religion.
At the risk of riling up the natives, Christianity flourishes by operation of Holy Spirit. An invisible, efficient, unstoppable force. Can it be proved to your satisfaction? No.
I'll go stand in the corner now.
I think there was a bit of "right place, right time" going on in the early years as well. As has already been pointed out, Christianity has proselytization and indoctrination as core tenets. That goes a long way to ensuring that the faith will continue long beyond the point that it ceases to be feasibly believable. If you take that into consideration along with the fact that Christianity made it's rise parallel to the height of the Roman Empire, you can see how it gained such a foothold in Europe in the first place. Had it risen significantly before or significantly after the height of the Empire, it seems quite probably that we'd have a completely different religious landscape today.
Christianity flourishes by operation of Holy Spirit.
Then why, pray tell us Chris, does Islam flourish?
godless geek- in addition to the factors others have already mentioned (I like the way William Hazlitt put it: "The long habit of living indisposeth us to dying"), I too believe that part of the reason Christianity flourishes is luck: being in the right place at the right time.
...Holy Spirit. An invisible, efficient, unstoppable force.
If it's so unstoppable, why can't I see the evidence of its works? If it's so efficient, why can't it find a way to reveal itself to me?
As a child in a fundagelical home, I believed it all as a child does, and I really did believe. Even then, I never once felt this "Holy Spirit" presence or anything of the sort. None of it ever moved me at all. It wasn't until I was a teenager that it occurred to me that it was even possible to simply not believe; a revelation I resisted for several years. When I finally let myself consider it, I found what truly moves me, and that is the simplest things in nature and the universe, and the wonderment and awe I get out of it all. It took loosing this primitive idea of a god and all of his "parts" to make me realize what really matters.
The "Holy Spirit" had almost 20 years and every opportunity imaginable to move me, and it couldn't even do it once. Doesn't sound very efficient to me.
If we have an idea why Christianity flourishes, then understanding this can help us to debunk it. Given these reasons how is the best way to debunk it?
The 'myth' of salvation. You guys just can't help yourself. Gotta get your digs in where you can, right? Regardless of whether or not it's a 'myth', the question was why Christianity is flourishing. Salvation/eternal life is the answer. Case closed.
In response to B H's response, The reason that other religious organizations (ie Buddhism) have flourished is because those that are following these religious organizations are doing exactly what their flesh desires to do. They have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof (Romans 10:2; 2 Timothy 3:5). They are trying to please a diety with their actions, leaving them in charge of what they do. With Christianity, (despite what you may have seen or heard) is about God reaching out ro us and wanting to bring us back into fellowship with Him. We must humble ourselves to the point that we surrender our will to God's will and we do this through faith.
One of the main reasons Judaism has flourished is because it is the forerunner of Christianity. It was around for some 5000-7000 years before Christianity came on the scene. Another reason that it continues to flourish is because many Jews continue to reject Christ as the Messiah and are still waiting for him to come. Although this answer may seem partial to you, it is the truth of the word of God. Read Acts 2:14-41; 7:1-59.
"Then why, pray tell us Chris, does Islam flourish?"
Zilch- It is imploding before our very eyes. It has been hijacked by its fundemental elements and is now consuming its own.
To some extent, Christianity is doing something similar with its double dealings, cozying up to the power structures, co-opting the political process, pedophile priests, etc.
The bible does indicate that the nations will turn against religion and set out to destroy it, or seriously minimize its influences.
"If it's so unstoppable, why can't I see the evidence of its works? If it's so efficient, why can't it find a way to reveal itself to me?"
Godless Geek - Its works are demonstrated at the grass roots level, and are often obscured by the large shameful headlines generated by the faux Christians who seek their own glory via secular power structures. True Christianity, grass roots Christianity is growing and expanding to the four corners of the globe. The bible is available now in almost all languagues and in conformance with our commission, the good news is being spread throughout the inhabited earth.
As to your 2nd question, you simply aren't open to it. I liken it to a radio frequency. Our brains act as receivers of messages, similar to the way radio's pick up radio waves. You don't hear a message, simply because you aren't tuned into the frequency.
In response to Prup (aka Jim Benton), there are clear examples of Christians being silences in this country. One that may interest you just happened September 13, 2007. Four Christians were arrested for praying in a New York public park. If you want to read the article, go to familynewsinfocus.com and type in "Christians Fight for the Right to Pray in Park"
Chris: "Zilch- It is imploding before our very eyes. It has been hijacked by its fundemental elements and is now consuming its own."
Absolutely false. Islam is growing and flourishing at an unprecedented rate as its sphere of influence expands to a degree unsurpassed in history. Currently it is among the fastest growing religions on the earth - a fact to which even Christians will frequently attest as they stress the need for more missionaries to Islamic nations.
Islam is, unfortunately, not going anywhere. As Christianity slowly begins to fade in the Western world (as it has almost entirely done in Europe), the Muslim spiritual empire grows stronger by the day. Even in largely post-Christian nations such as France (or even a "Christian" nation such as England), Islam is gaining a foothold such as it has not seen since the glory days of the Ottoman Empire.
The bible does indicate that the nations will turn against religion and set out to destroy it, or seriously minimize its influences.
The bible also indicates that insects have four feet, and bats are birds. Forgive me if I don't take Biblical prophecy seriously.
It is imploding before our very eyes. It has been hijacked by its fundemental elements and is now consuming its own.
I'm glad you admitted that Christianity is falling to the same influences. However, I would argue with your assertion that Islam is failing. Recent statistics show that Islam is increasing in membership while Christianity (and unfortunately, "no religion") is falling.
How now, brown cow?
The reason that other religious organizations (ie Buddhism) have flourished is because those that are following these religious organizations are doing exactly what their flesh desires to do.
You clearly know nothing of Buddhism or other world religions. Fasting is common in many religions, which is directly opposite the desires of the flesh (indeed, their purpose is to deny the desires of the flesh). Please refrain from speaking when you are sadly in ignorance.
They are trying to please a diety with their actions, leaving them in charge of what they do.
Do I, or do I not, have to profess a belief in God and Jesus and repent of my sins in order to be saved? You Christians just have different actions that tend to be less overt; however, they are still actions that are required for salvation.
Your "reasons" why Judaism have flourished are word salad; it flourishes because it is rejects Christ and waits for the real Messiah? That's not a reason; that's just what they believe.
If we have an idea why Christianity flourishes, then understanding this can help us to debunk it. Given these reasons how is the best way to debunk it?
I think the most vitally important thing for debunkers of religion to be aware of is that intellectual argument, while it may be effective for those individuals more inclined by temperment and interests toward rationality in the first place, is only part of the solution. Since most of us are deconverts because of intellectual difficulties with the claims of religion we tend to be a bit myopic in our approach.
I think we can all learn a lot by looking to the example of Julia Sweeney. She does something which is much more likely to have an effect on the thinking of a broader audience than bare intellectual argumentation----she tells the story of her deconversion in LETTING GO OF GOD in its personal and emotional aspects as much as in its intellectual content.
Just a few of the things we should focus on:
--open and personally engaging deconversion stories.
--the positive emotional and societal benefits of critical thinking (with a particular focus on specific examples rather than general and theoretical discussions of the topic).
--the promotion of openness in one's religious skepticism among the atheist/agnostic community. The more people there are who are casually open with the fact that they're skeptical of religion the easier it will be for believers to question their own articles of faith.
you simply aren't open to it.
I challenge you to read my post again. For the first 13 or 14 years of my life I believed unquestioningly and lived the religious life in its entirety, but even then, I never felt moved by any of it. I spent a great deal of time, even then, wondering what it was that all these people around me professed to feel, because I just wasn't getting it, and I really wanted to. My mind was wide open, waiting for the experience that never happened. It was exactly that which led to my next few years of living the life, but harboring thoughts in the back of my mind that maybe there really wasn't anything going on. It was actually a combination of psychology and western civilization classes in my first two years of college that allowed me to confront both why people could feel this way and just how many different paths the civilizations of the past, and the present, had to get there. Reading the Bible in it's entirety certainly accelerated the process as well.
Given these reasons how is the best way to debunk it?
That's a tough one and there is no easy answer. No matter what any of us say, most of the religious will, at best, be dismissive. Take this very discussion thread as an example. Regardless of what we say, it all comes back to feeling for them, and if we don't get these feeling, then it's just because we don't want them. Any attempts to get real answers or cohesive arguments out of them results in the same thing.
Also, what works on one person will probably not work on another, and there are a very large percentage that will simply close their ears to anything you say. I agree that having a cohesive set of logical reason that Christianity has flourished despite the evidence would be great, but I'm not sure how it's going to help in the long run. In the end, the average Christian doesn't seem to care so much if something is provable, so long as it feels good.
"I never felt moved by any of it."
Mr. Geek - You have made my point.
Godless Geek - Its works are demonstrated at the grass roots level, and are often obscured by the large shameful headlines generated by the faux Christians who seek their own glory via secular power structures.
Aye, no True Scotsman would ever do such a think.
The bible is available now in almost all languagues and in conformance with our commission, the good news is being spread throughout the inhabited earth.
As is Time Cube; do you relegate your faith to the same status?
As to your 2nd question, you simply aren't open to it. I liken it to a radio frequency. Our brains act as receivers of messages, similar to the way radio's pick up radio waves. You don't hear a message, simply because you aren't tuned into the frequency.
Very convenient; you receive a revealed truth that I simply cannot. Why on Earth should I (or you) believe for a second that your revealed truth is genuine? It is clear that revealed truth is often a lie, or in error, so why should anyone, including you, have any certainty that your revealed truth (which cannot be verified) is correct?
John: This assumes the Christian faith is a delusion...
Nice, John. Why do you bother to ask the question when right up front, you eliminate every possible answer but the one(s) you want to be true? Is this just more of your intellectual dishonesty bubbling to the surface?
You don't hear a message, simply because you aren't tuned into the frequency.
David Berkowitz couldn't have said it better.
(There's more than just sarcasm in my comment)
If Christianity's appeal is centered on fear of death, why does the Gospel spread in areas where you are persecuted for your faith? Even to the point of death.
Please, David, that should be obvious, given the expositions posted on the subject thus far in this comment section. Physical death is scarcely death at all to a genuine believer convinced of an eternity of bliss in heaven. True "death" to a Christian mind is the concept of spiritual death and/or eternity in hell.
That's a powerful drug you take to cure your fear of death and it gives you suicidal tendencies.
More high comedy from Raymond Isham:
Lets take his comment to me. "One that may interest you just happened September 13, 2007. Four Christians were arrested for praying in a New York public park."
First, the arrest happened in June, not in September. That was merely when the ADF got involved in the battle -- as stated in the article you directed me to. Second, you fail to mention that the praying took place in the middle of a gay rights demonstration -- and it was in Elmira, New York, btw. Usually when New York is used alone, it implies NYC.
I am very curious as to the exact circumstances of the event -- as narrated by a more reliable source that Focus on the Family. Was the praying deliberately disruptive, and meant to be so, during a time when the Park had been given over to the organizers of the parade? (I doubt if you would complain at gays being arrested for interrupting a Chruch service.)
How can you claim this is 'silencing' them, even if all the facts favor your interpretation. At worst it was police overreaching their authority and arresting them for a misdemeanor of disturbing the peace. More likely it was police enforcing rules on crowd control -- I have little doubt that, had the demonstrators moved a couple of hundred feet they would have been allowed to pray all they wanted.
But your real high humor comes in your previous comment about other religions. Again, I quote:
"The reason that other religious organizations (ie Buddhism) have flourished is because those that are following these religious organizations are doing exactly what their flesh desires to do. They have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof (Romans 10:2; 2 Timothy 3:5). They are trying to please a diety with their actions, leaving them in charge of what they do."
Buddhists are not theists, to start with. As for other religions doing "exactly what their flesh desires to do" which religions. Muslims must pray five times every day, no matter what else they might prefer to be doing, and few people's flesh desires a whole month in which they must fast from sunrise to sunset -- a fast that includes even water. And the Muslim sexual code is as strict as the Christian one -- though both are 'honored more in the breaching.' (And they worship the same deity that Christians do, the same one that, supposedly, made the covenant with Abraham.)
Muslims must deny themselves pork and alcohol, hardly 'doing what they wish to do.'
In fact, except for sexual matters -- and teetotalism for some groups -- it is Protestantism that has the fewest restrictions on sensuality of any religion I can think of. No required fasts, no banned foods, no required time for prayer or required services -- even Catholics are theoretically required to attend Mass every Sunday.
Please keep commenting. I need good laughs.
caleb- you beat me to the punch. If, by "flourishing", one means "increasing in membership rapidly", then Islam is flourishing. On the other hand, if by "flourishing" one means, as I suspect chris means, "believing in Christ", then chris is correct.
The Christian response to the question "why is Christianity flourishing?" here has been, basically, "because it's right". When asked why other religions are flourishing, the response is either "they're not" or "because they're wrong". Hmmm.
David said, "That's a powerful drug you take to cure your fear of death and it gives you suicidal tendencies."
You must be talking about the Bible, right?
On the original post as to why christianity florishes, it must be noted that the hierarchical structures found in the original church correspond roughly with an anthropological imperative consistent with human existence -- we are, much like baboons and chimpanzees, socially structured animals. Why did gnosticism lose out to orthodox christianity? Why was the original catholic church (for over 1000 years) so successful in perpetuating the belief system versus a more informal "apostolic father" church as much fancied by fundamentalists? Simply put, the social structures that are inherent in human existence were strongly present. Note that it wasn't until Luther's time that any real backlash against oppressive church doctrine gained a foothold. Further, the Roman church used (to my mind, rather masterfully) existing pagan belief systems with abandon, in order to absorb and control competing theologies. How long would christianity have lasted if, like the gnostics, it was all about individual mystery knowledge and no real need to evangelize? How long would it have lasted had not the Roman church involved those nasty little pagan rituals. And of course, the icing on the cake: eternal life in exchange for simple submission to authority. Sounds like a deal to me.
One other thing:
Joseph, I note the general times you post -- do you sleep at night, buddy?
Thanks, prup, for tackling Raymond's points.
Raymond: Prup gave what would be my response to the first part of your reply: that many of these religions are stricter morally than Protestantism. (Take a look at Jainism, that definitely doesn't survive because it appeal's to the flesh.)
You seemed to miss the real question though. Stating that these religions exist because they deny Christianity is like saying "the only reason Christianity exists is because European's refused to honor Mohammed as a prophet." You'd consider that a partial explanation too, right?
Stating that Judaism is around because it's old isn't a particularly revealing answer either. All of the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Caananite religions are old now: but few have any modern practitioners.
The question isn't why they survived past their introduction to Christianity, but why - particularly the case of Islam - they have no trouble finding members ranging from the everyday believer to the passionate evangelical. And once you can answer that in a satisfactory manner, try applying that insight to Christianity.
Hi. I'm new here, but I follow this site and have a few thoughts about this topic that I haven't seen brought up yet. I am an atheist-leaning agnostic, a former fundamentalist, and a psychiatrist, so I hope I can bring that perspective to this discussion.
What I suggest as part of the reason for the flourishing of Christianity is apologetics – but not the "conscious", logical sort of apologetics debated on this site, but rather a more "implicit" sort, more emotional and rhetorical (in the sense of classical rhetoric), that otherwise uncritical prospective believers come across.
I recently wrote my deconversion story and, as part of that process, went back and looked at some of the apologetics that I used to find convincing. What an interesting exercise! It is fascinating to re-examine these things, now that I am a much more critical reader, and note the assertions and bad arguments I used to accept.
Most significant for me was CS Lewis (like many people), especially his Mere Christianity and The Problem of Pain. Here's what I noticed:
It is quite noteworthy, I think, that Lewis does not begin with philosophical or evidential arguments about God or the Christian Bible. He instead argues from the basic human experience of guilt. He asks his readers to consider all of the times they have acted, or thought, selfishly, or done something they knew was wrong. This is a master rhetorical move, because it gets his readers into a state of affective arousal (we are social creatures, and all experience guilt), which makes them less critical. And then he pulls a bit of slight-of-hand, which it goes without saying I did not notice at the time.
(a) He defines "sin" extraordinarily broadly, encompassing anytime we have any bit of self interest in our actions (for example, if we take any pleasure in having done something good – i.e., the fact that *I* did something good – rather than pure egoless pleasure in the fact that *good was done*, that's sin), as well as any "primitive" emotions, such as jealously (which implies selfishness) or irrational anger ("If you are angry with your brother…"). Since human beings cannot control what they feel, then obviously, by this definition, we are all sinners.
(b) He suggests that these experiences of shame and guilt are the truest and most accurate intuitions we have, so we should heed them. They imply what kind of creature we are. There is no irrational or misplaced guilt, for Lewis.
(c) He suggests that this is only the tip of the iceberg, that we are actually much, much worse than we realize. He does not even bother to argue this. He simply states, in Problem of Pain, that once we *feel* how bad we have acted, that something about us is really awful and unforgivable, then we will begin to see how pervasively wicked we really are.
Lewis then makes another Christian assertion, which is common (not unique to Lewis) but is almost never argued: that God cannot tolerate sin. Yet this seems curious and at least would seem to require an argument. Why not? Isn't he God? Doesn't he tolerate our "corruption" already, while we are alive? Why does he stop after 80 or so years? Lewis does make a somewhat oblique argument for it, when he suggests that "real" love, such as God has for us, "demands the perfection of the beloved." Love that does not wish its object to be perfect is disinterested, and therefore not real love, according to Lewis. Yet this, too, seems curious, and is inconsistent with human relationships: we wish those we care for to be the best they can be, yet accept their foibles nonetheless, indefinitely. We even laugh about them. Its what makes us interesting! But Lewis' readers are not likely to notice this. Now that they are convinced how utterly corrupt they "really" are, being told they are loved fiercely by God (Lewis has a stirring passage describing this) is likely to engender even more guilt and a sense of undeservedness.
Taken together, if Lewis is effective (and his popularity suggests he is very effective) then it is likely because, it can be argued, he gets his readers into emotional arousal, taps into bad feelings they have about themselves, and then convinces them that they are much worse than they think and God will not tolerate even minor imperfections.
What out does a reader have at this point but accept the cure that Lewis offers?
I think some psychology can shed some light on this process. Most schools of thought within psychology, though they differ on the details, agree that self-esteem is a learned phenomenon. We are not born knowing how to feel okay about ourselves, and feeling that we have worth. But anything that is learned, can be learned well or it can be learned poorly. Self esteem can be spotty, uneven, even in healthy people, and can be lower during times of difficulty in our lives.
Moreover, modern psychology suggests that the emotional life of young children is much different than the emotional life of adults. Consider when you are angry, as an adult, at someone you love. You may be very, very angry, spittin' angry in fact, but somewhere, deep down, you still know (and could say, if pressed), that this person is still the same person they were, the same person you love, and still has good qualities, despite your being so angry. This sense is what children probably lack. Their emotions have a global, totalizing quality. When they are mad, that anger is, for the moment, all they know and all they have ever known. It colors their whole experiential world.
The reason is that the ability to discriminate emotions from self is also a learned behavior. In older analytic terms, it is an ego function. It takes brain maturation and good parenting to learn that what you feel at the moment is not all of who you are; feelings are part of the self but not identical with it. Thus, the upshot is that, for a young child, there is no or little difference between *feeling bad* and *being bad.*
The point here is that we all carry within us a residual sense of "inner badness" that most of us eventually learn to master, but during periods of stress and emotional upheaval, can be reactivated. Christianity has a keen sense for human frailty, and well-honed methods for rooting out any sense of imperfection we already harbor.
Lewis taps into these feelings. This sense of inner badness and (potentially) low self-esteem is ubiquitous in our development and so Lewis, in activating these feelings, presents what is essentially an emotional argument that serves as both an amplification of bad feelings, low self worth, and a solution to them.
And if we feel overwhelmingly that we are bad, worthless, and unable to help or improve ourselves, well then what option to de have except to accept the "rescue" of a larger-than-life figure such as Jesus?
My proposed solution to this focuses much more on emotional health than on the more cognitive arguments that many atheists gravitate toward. We should be teaching our children – perhaps in schools? – how to deal with their emotions. How do you recognize when you are upset, or hurting? How do you seek support when you need it? How do you ask for and get what you need from others, effectively? How do you make, and keep, friends? How do you make yourself feel good about yourself? What do you do when you get mad, or sad, or lonely, or upset? How do you "regulate" emotions, as psychotherapists say? These are skills that many of us learn, imperfectly, as part of growing up, from watching others and trial-and-error, but they can also be taught explicitly. I think we can make people much more resistant to Christianity or any other form of ideological indoctrination, not only by making them more adept at critical thinking, but more adept at managing their emotional lives. We can impede Christianity by getting people to need it less.
So, my basic idea is this: critical thinking is extremely important. But it goes out the window when emotional needs are not being met. We need to teach people how to take care of themselves emotionally. Psychotherapists know how to do this. I'm not saying everyone needs therapy; these are skills that could be taught in a classroom.
I apologize for the length of this post, but this material is hard to summarize quickly.
I'm interested in hearing others thoughts!
Richard M
Richard, if you are a psychiatrist you are of course aware of the way psychiatry has been abused in the past century.
Especially with the availability of more and more powerful drugs.
The danger I see here of labeling Christianity as some kind of disorder...and I am seeing blatant instances of this as over at the "Rational" Responers...is that he seems to similar to what the Dialectical Materialists did with both believers and dissidents.
After all, if one group can be labeled this way, so can others.
More blatantly, we see Dawkins calling Christians delusional and Dennet calling them child abusers.
And what do you do with delusional people, and child abusers?
Well, in many places they are locked up.
Taking a different approach, perhaps atheists are simply in DENIAL.
Oh you could easily claim atheists were in denial if the existence of God were strongly in evidence. It's not. Would you be in denial about the teapot orbiting Mars, or would I be delusional for insisting it exists without evidence?
And what do you do with delusional people, and child abusers?
Well, in many places they are locked up.
In civilized society, we only lock up the delusional if they are a danger to themselves and others. And I think we should do the same with people with religious delusions who are a danger to themselves and others--if your child isn't eating his supper, is there a real difference between telling him that God is going to torture him eternally for not honoring his father and mother, and telling him that the boogieman is going to dismember him for being naughty?
The danger I see here of labeling Christianity as some kind of disorder...and I am seeing blatant instances of this as over at the "Rational" Responers...is that he seems to similar to what the Dialectical Materialists did with both believers and dissidents.
First of all, call them Communists; they are the subset of Dialectical Materialists that did the atrocities you mention. Second, Christianity is not in any danger of being labeled a mental disorder, which you know damn well. You guys are by far in the majority. We can't even get an open atheist into the Senate; you really think we can lock up all Christians?
I do think that this is a fair pushback against the idea that "faith" is a virtue. Whose stupid idea was it that believing in something with admittedly insufficient evidence is a good thing!?! And yet I constantly hear that we are a great nation because of our faith, and so-and-so is a great man because of his faith.
After all, if one group can be labeled this way, so can others.
Yeah, the people who talk to aliens make this argument all the time. Why won't you get off their back!?!
Islam flourishes (although I'm not sure flourish is the correct word) because in most of the Muslim world apostates are either ostracised or executed. The Koran is quire explicit about this. (Just like Xtianity used to do and still does if you happen to work in certain medical areas).
In the UK Muslim apostates http://www.ex-muslim.org.uk/ are very bravely trying to do something about this.
However slamming planes into buildings has helped raise the consciousness of the world to realise that religionists are not the benign beings that they would like us to think they are (I include all god botherers in this because the 'nice' ones just help legitimise the more extreme versions of this delusion). I exclude Buddhists because they don't have a god but do have some nutty beliefs about reincarnation. However they are probably the least likely of all religions to kill you if you do not believe what they believe. They may kill themselves in protest at civil issue though usually by self-immolation.
It is not just Muslims who do this though remember Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma and historically xtians have been much much worse than muslims ever were. The total irony of this are all these people are arguing over something that never existed http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/1000years.htm
It is like arguing over who is the best wizard Merlin or Harry Potter.


text:
2014 Championship Pros & Cons
I hope everyone who attended the FIRST Championship is recovered from all the activity!
As I did last year, I wanted to list initial impressions on what went well at the FIRST Championship from an FRC perspective, and what could use some work. Just like the lists last year, these aren't intended to be exhaustive. Also, note that these pros and cons are for the Championship itself only, not about the game or any other aspect of FRC or FIRST this season.
- 10 scheduled qualification matches for every FRC team – Thanks to some very hard work by our volunteers and staff!
- Safe, smooth team entry in the mornings – No reported issues, and everyone was calm and mostly smiling*
- Closing Ceremonies – Good fun, no technical issues, no scoring problems, exciting matches, and 2 hours 10 minutes long from start to finish. Last year's length? 3 hours 20 minutes
- Team match viewing area – Seemed well received
- More awards at the Division level – Also seemed well received!
- 4 Team Alliances for eliminations – This extended involvement in the tournament for 32 additional teams compared to last year. While no 4th robots (3rd picks) played on Einstein, within the Divisions, approximately 50% of all 4th robots got to play at least one match
- Hall of Fame – An enhanced Hall of Fame area gave these teams the additional recognition they deserve and made the Hall of Fame area more of a destination for teams aspiring one day to join them
- Drivers' Meeting – Confusion over who should be allowed to pass security, and some seating sections were closed that should not have been
- Wednesday afternoon schedule was very hectic – At the end of practice matches, about 30 or more teams from each Division had not yet had a chance to connect to the field
- Einstein feed on NASA TV cut out before the last match – NASA TV broadcasts are automated, and there was no practical way for us to ask for a few more minutes because we were running late, but we'll see what we can do next year
- Signage – With the complicated logistics operation we have at Championship, we need more signage to help direct people to the right place
- Tight timing between the end of Division play and the start of Closing Ceremonies – While things on Einstein ran exceptionally smoothly, we were a little late getting started with Closing Ceremonies, and we didn't get in as much testing as we would have liked. Also, teams felt the need to leave their Divisions early to get good seats for Einstein. I understand one team even missed being named as Engineering Inspiration Award winner for their Division. As the top award at the Division level, this is a real shame
- No live feed of matches in the pits – Having a live feed would add to the excitement and maybe help keep teams on schedule
- Paper airplanes – I was on the fence about listing this one, because it could be considered minor, but decided to. We saw a significant increase in the number of paper airplanes being thrown during closing. They are beautiful in flight, but once they touch the ground, they turn to trash – an eyesore that someone needs to pick up. I recognize that throwing paper airplanes is fun, and that folks in the stands don't have much to do while waiting for ceremonies to start, but as a community I think we are not leaving a positive impression with this.
As I say above, these lists are not intended to be exhaustive. We will be working on the cons listed above, along with others, for next year.
I'll be on GameSense tonight starting at 8PM ET/5PM PT , talking with the fine folks there about all things FRC. Hope you can tune in here, or watch the recording on YouTube later.
We had some fun last night just prepping for the show, I think it's going to be a good one!
*Guess what time Team 148, the Robowranglers, showed up to be first in line for entry Thursday morning? You're going to have to guess, because when I asked them while they were standing there, they wouldn't tell me.
Team viewing area and paper airplanes
The team viewing area was well recieved. I would suggest that the volunteers let the viewing teams stay until the final scores are announced.
There was a lot of time to waste prior to the closing ceremonies for some divisions. I think that was the cause of the increase in paper airplanes. One suggestion would be some entertainment that is interactive. For example a game (they are all already in the competitive mode) to text answers to random questions on the screen with logo prizes lead my an MC/DJ.
It was an amesome experience and you did an excellent job! Thank you!
Team Representatives at Closing Ceremonies
Another Con that could be added was the lack of an announcement saying that 2 team representatives would no longer be allowed on the floor at Closing Ceremonies. Neither Pit Admin or Security knew what was going on and left both of our chosen representatives rather hurt that they wouldn't get the experience of being on the floor. Even with the switch to division awards, the assumption that 2 representatives were no longer needed wasn't enough, as I saw many teams attempt to get onto the floor. If this change is permanent, can an official announcement be made by FIRST concerning the situation?
Most of the changes this year were fantastic! I'm so glad we're able to give the teams 10 matches. Some of the true confusion will dissipate as volunteers get used to starting Wednesday afternoon. I do think we need some time built into the end of Wednesday to connect the teams that haven't done so already.
Also, from a lead-volunteer perspective, the Wednesday schedule is too packed. I couldn't have my customary long-talk with my field team prior to practice due to a number of conflicting volunteer-oriented things going on up-to or during the time immediately preceding practice matches.
More Einstein screens
Being up in the 400 level seats for closing ceremonies, it was tough to see the video screen on Einstein because it was being blocked by the lighting trusses. Adding a screen or two above the trusses would be a huge help.
Viewing From Top Level
I would add that viewing from the top level during the closing ceremonies wasn't as ideal as it could be since the screen was completely blocked by the truss for lighting. If there was another screen higher up above the audience it would have gone a long way.
Other than that everything was great.
Missing Engineering Inspiration Award
My team missed receiving the Engineering Inspiration Award, totally my fault (Head Coach Team 1710). I think the change from overall Awards to Division Awards could have been better published. I had spent 3 weeks preparing a trip to St. Louis not searching for updates. I have looked back through e-mail blasts and have yet to figure out where teams were informed of the change. I guess we will just have to shoot for Engineering Inspiration next year so we can get our picture on the field.
Two more cons (Sorry for the negativity):
-The distance to walk to the Dome from the pits was long. If you spent 4 minutes walking each way, and you go to your team's 10 or more matches, that's over 80 minutes just spent walking. Would it be possible to unlock doors to the pits that are closer to the dome, or even better, add a human path (next to the robot path) in the annex that goes to stairs to the stands?
-I agree that Einstein seating was still difficult. What made it worse was that the speakers and flags over the field blocked the screen for many seats. Would it be possible for them to be mounted out of the way?
Paper Airplanes
I'm new to FIRST, this was the 1st Championship I've watched (online in my case).
Simply have no trash left behind, period. Leave none for event or facility staff to clean up. Be a good visitor/participant at any and all FIRST events. Then you're remembered in a rare and positive way.
#PickUp and #CleanUp


text:
Of all the places to find fashion muses, we'd never have guessed that so many of ours would hail from British TV. We're not talking about actresses in this instanceÂ--though there are loads we loveÂ--it's actually the on-air presenters/hosts we find captivating. If you think about it, our adoration makes sense, as these ladies are accessibly cool and totally funny, plus they dress to kill. While we could tick off some notable past examples (Alexa Chung and Jameela Jamil come to mind), today we're focusing on our fashion crush du jour: Louise Roe. While you may recognize our GOTM from her stint on The City, where she competed with Olivia Palermo to be the face of Elle.com, Roe also is the star of the brand-new CW show Plain Jane. For those of you who haven't seen the series, it's definitely worth checking out, as each episode features the delightful Roe helping the stylistically clueless get prepped for a big event. It's charming, touching, and perfectly helmed by Roe, who is a fashion expert par excellence and always looks perfectly put together.
Perhaps part of the reason Roe never fails to stun can be attributed to her fashion magazine background (she started her career at British Vogue as a reporter for the VogueTV web series and writing for the site). She certainly seems to know what works on camera and on the page, as the leopard-print coat and ultra-violet dress combo she wore for Elise Overland's F/W 10 show proves (far left). Roe knows how to mix statement prints and colorsÂ--the oversized red Allyn Scura frames are the perfect touchÂ--while balancing price points too; her jacket and bag are Topshop, the dress is Reiss, and her heels are by Christian Louboutin. Best of all, this look is easy to emulate: simply combine a bright dress or skirt with Lucky BrandÂ's Leopard Fur Coat ($115), Nasty Gal's Foxy Mama Glasses ($30), and some neutral heels, like Steve Madden's Trinitie Pumps ($79.95).
That same week, Roe was snapped between shows wearing another knockout piece of outerwearÂ--this time a Reiss peacoat in the perfect shade of plum (second from left). She created a camera-friendly outfit by pairing the jewel-tone jacket with a multi-color Forever 21 dress, oversized chain-strap Jaeger bag, and Jimmy Choo ankle boots. While Roe's exact pieces are sadly unavailable, you could get equally admirable results via Delia's Devin Brass Button Peacoat ($90), Juicy Couture's Duchess Chain Trim Tote ($448), and Corso Como's Submit Sandals ($173) or Vince Camuto's Aphrodite Heels ($120).
As you've probably noticed by now, Roe likes to follow a high-hem, high-heel formula for most situations, but she keeps things looking fresh by playing with proportions and prints. Take the ensemble she wore to E!'s 20th birthday celebration at the London Hotel in West Hollywood earlier this summer, for example. Roe rocked a printed romper from French Connection with a wide Ralph Lauren belt, All Saint's Lelex Jacket ($480), and Diego Dolcini peep-toe pumps. This festive look is perfect for a party and an excellent alternative to a mini skirt or abbreviated party dress. Feel free to recreate it for an upcoming fete with French Connection's Barnacle Beauty Halter Romper ($198), Cipriani's Roller Woven Belt ($78), Vince's Biker Leather Jacket ($775), and Cole Haan's Mariela Slingback Pumps ($328).
Even when Roe goes for a more covered-up look, she's still chic as can be, thanks to her accessorizing abilities and always-nuanced palette. For Rimowa's launch party in Beverly Hills earlier this year, Roe wrapped her signature gams in a pair of second-skin Kova & T leggings and added a voluminous Melissa Odabash Hermione Kaftan ($508) to create a balanced look. We love the seventies spirit of the whole outfit, from the top's neutral psychedelic print to the chocolate brown vintage hat. Roe's earthy accessoriesÂ--strappy taupe heels by Faith and a bronze Jimmy Choo bagÂ--further reinforce this grounded-yet-glamorous vibe. All in all, this look is definitely one worth trying out for fall, so get a sartorial head start and pick up either Goddis' Issa Poncho ($216) in Ashes or Elizabeth and James' Cee Cee Square Poncho ($285) now. Style one of these neutral tops with your favorite leather-like legwear, a classic chapeau like Free People's Johnny Sueded Fedora ($68), and a saddle leather bag like Rebecca Minkoff's MAC Clutch ($295) for your own interpretation of Roe's must-try style!Â--KM


text:
Luxury grooming label
Founded in Australia in 1987, Aesop has grown into one of the leading high-end grooming brands. The firm eschews artificial chemicals, instead using the finest plant-based ingredients and fragrances, which are carefully tested for effectiveness. Don't miss the Dapper Gentleman men's travel kit, created in collaboration with MR PORTER.
- High-end grooming products
- An emphasis on natural ingredients
- Great for gifting
- Sort by price:
- High
- |
- Low
- Product view
- Outfit view


text:
As per one of the leading unlocked cell phone blog site, with the success of the mobile app market, it is no surprise that Apple would want to expand a similar structure to their desktop systems as well. The company offered hands on for their new Mac OS X 10.6.6 operating system which is featured in the App Store for Macs.
When you first open up the store, you will have to accept a new terms and agreements package that does limit your rights a little bit more than the previous offering - but not too much. You enter your Apple ID and password and then you are taken to the marketplace.
As far as layout goes, it is very much like that of the unlocked iphone 4 App Store. Similarly, there are buttons that allow you to see featured apps, the top apps across all charts, different categories, and then the apps that you have previously purchased as well as the updates that are available for them.
To make a purchase in the marketplace all you have to do is click the button that has the price of each of the apps. Overall, it has been very easy to use so far and has ran very smooth. This will allow users to install many of their favorite games from their Apple devices right on their desktop computer including popular titles like Angry Birds, and other utilities that would normally be reserved for your mobile device.
Although you will still have to purchase programs for the Mac outside of the app store, the ease of purchasing new apps for your desktop provided by this new update should be welcomed by most users. It is not currently clear if Apple wills tart to offer more advanced apps and programs for the desktop through their store, but either way this is a very good introduction to a system that is based on the success of their previous app stores.


text:
April 5th 1918
Dear Folks:-
Received your letter of March 11th 1918- Glad to hear that you are all well.
It seems strange to get a letter from you this late date saying that we had just reached the other side, as we have been here some time.
I sent you some letters before I left the boat, it sounds as if you have not received them.
You will be disappointed in my letters as I can not say much or nothing in fact about the country as we are in the war zone all letters are read before they leave the unit.
There are lots of Santa Rosa girls in the unit- Lynn Hart is also in the unit.
Miss Du Vander is fine. I think you know her, she is Mrs. Laury's sister.
The nurses were given a


text:
Gestão de processos de negócios e integração #Processosdenegócios
Drive maximum value from your processes. SAP Process Orchestration empowers you to quickly automate and flexibly optimize your business processes – from simple workflows to integrated processes that span applications and organizational boundaries.
Hear how the intelligent business operations offering from SAP helps to infuse big data insights into your processes in real-time. Join this webinar that is part of the middleware webinar series.
Leading organizations, such as Bank of America, Puma, RS Components and more, are creating and integrating processes – fast and flexibly - with the help of business process management and integration solutions from SAP.
Leverage a solution that helps you effectively develop company-specific process applications – quickly and cost effectively. SAP Process Orchestration enables you to innovate faster and be more responsive to business demands.
Support process improvement projects by making it easier for your business and IT teams to jointly compose executable processes using standardized notation.
Use the power of SAP Process Orchestration to connect heterogeneous systems and achieve application-to-application (A2A) and business-to-business (B2B) integration.
Compose, execute, and maintain business rules across your enterprise – so you can improve agility and decision making.


text:
News Article Release
Media Contact
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 410.293.2292
New Brigade Commander Focused on Empowering Midshipmen
Posted on: September 10, 2013 08:00 EDT by MC2 Alexia Riveracorrea
Midshipman 1st Class Jean Luc Currie is the fall semester brigade commander, chosen after a rigorous selection process by senior Naval Academy leaders to lead 4,500 of his peers as the highest-ranking midshipmen.
Currie, from Mobile, Ala., hadn't intended to apply for the position.
"When my company officer approached me about going for brigade commander, I automatically said no," said Currie. "For the past three years I was only involved with my company, and that's all I wanted to do."
Currie wanted to be his company's commander, but his company officer, Marine Capt. William Woodward, persisted in encouraging him to apply for the brigade commander position.
It is the job of the company officer and senior enlisted leader to "create opportunities for midshipmen to grow," said Woodward. "Had he stayed at the company level, we would've missed an opportunity to allow him to reach his full potential."
"He saw the potential I couldn't see," said Currie.
Executing the commandant's policy – to be excellent to the academy, yourself and your shipmates – is Currie's highest priority as brigade commander.
"I am always looking for ways to improve," said Currie, who believes leading by example is important. "To me, that's the only type of leadership, and it's closely related to personal responsibility."
Currie also wants to continue to support squad leaders and youngsters.
"As the backbone of the brigade, squad leaders need our focus and attention. We must empower and equip them with what they need, giving them practical advice on training," said Currie. "I want to reach out to youngsters as well by getting them more engaged and involved in what's going on at the academy."
Currie believes communication and camaraderie should be enhanced within the brigade.
"In a lot of ways we gloss over the idea of midshipmen getting involved in one another lives, caring and looking out for each other," said Currie. "I believe in going beyond strict duty and reaching out to a shipmate to improve relationships."
Currie said his experiences at the Naval Academy have helped him broaden his mind.
"The academy has helped me expand my thinking," said Currie. "Now I am capable of seeing things from several different perspectives and not just mine."
His favorite part of being a brigade commander is being able to interact with midshipmen.
"I enjoy talking to the mids, hearing the awesome things they do and how they succeed and just being there for them," said Currie.
Currie is a systems engineering major and wants to attend graduate school after graduation. First class midshipmen will receive their service assignments later this semester. Currie hopes to serve as a Marine intel officer.


text:
iHerb Customer Reviews
Great product!
1 person found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer1496637 on Feb 24, 2011
I use this for my favorite gluten free bread recipe. It browns better than other starches and works well in coating mixes for gluten free chicken nuggets and things like that.
Love Bob's Red Mill
1 person found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer3037784 on Feb 26, 2011
Always go to Bob for my Gluten Free flours. They are finely ground and certified GF
Met expectations
Posted by Reviewer1248166 on Apr 20, 2011
I bought this potato starch to use in a gluten free flour blend. It worked quite well. I will be buying again!
Great product!
Posted by Reviewer1876403 on May 13, 2011
Works great in the gluten free recipes that I have tried, and iherb has the best prices.
great for biscuits
Posted by Reviewer2592474 on Aug 02, 2011
perfect for gluten free


text:
Ice Art 2013/2014
From Ice to Art. See popular landmarks like the Big Ben and Eiffel Tower sculpted in ice.
Held inside a thermal-insulated hall kept at -15°C, the exhibition occupies some 50,280 sq feet of space and uses a total of 450 tons of crystal-clear and coloured ice blocks.Spilt into 6 exciting themes featuring London's Big Ben, Paris' […]
Christmas Magic 2013 on Orchard Road
Head over to Orchard Road for an enchanting night of twinkling stars and sparkling diamonds where the streets of the famous Orchard Road light up and transport you into a magical wonderland!
Find out more @ http://www.orchardroad.org/christmas-magic-on-orchard-road/
Source: http://www.orchardroad.org/christmas-magic-on-orchard-road/
M1 Fringe Festival 2013
For the 9th year, the M1 Fringe Festival 2013 features 15 works from 10 countries.
The festival will feature a variety of ticketed and free performances, interactive events and artistic exchanges, covering music, dance, theatre and visual arts. And as always, there will be talk-back sessions with the artists after each Live Fringe performance.
Highlights include:
道德 Tao […]


text:
Midwest Living Review
Whether you're looking for an easy place to get off of the interstate and spend the night or for a destination hotel for a weekend in college town Peoria, the 109-room Mark Twain Hotel satisfies. Warm wood accents in the lobby accentuate a library rich with titles and brown leather chairs (not to mention free Wi-Fi and Starbucks coffee, as well as a framed portrait of the hotel's namesake). Our king guest room had white bedding and bath fixtures and minty-green walls, giving the older property a fresh feel. The beds were soft, the free Wi-Fi worked on the first try, and the staff was pleasant (though not particularly knowledgeable when it came to dinner recommendations). The baths sport plate-size shower heads and pretty fixtures, but not a lot of space on the sink to perch toiletries. We visited the day after Christmas, which also was a Monday, and many of Peoria's restaurants were closed. We ended up eating dinner at the on-site Two25, which actually proved to be a good choice. It's a dimly lit bar and grill setting, with exposed ductwork and pretty Tiffany-style lamps over the tables. Our server was friendly, helpful and knew that just-right balance of attention vs. privacy. We tried the barbecue chicken pizza, and found ourselves eating way more of it than we'd planned. The smoky chicken complemented the brown sugar-sweet sauce, and the chef's chocolate cake went down easily, too. Rooms from $130, including a breakfast buffet that features made-to-order waffles and omelets and coffee roasted locally at Leaves N Beans.


text:
As a former magazine editor, I'm very familiar with the appeal and limitations of print media, especially in today's digital world. Before I even took the plunge into publishing, I always loved magazines in particular. Even now that I get most of my news and entertainment online, it still feels like a treat to sit down with one of my favorite publications. But having been on the inside, I know the pressures these titles face as they try to remain relevant, become interactive and maintain profits. In an attempt to turn the page, many magazines are finding solutions to these dilemmas by integrate multiple platforms. And Microsoft Tag can play a key role by directing readers to online content.
Tag allows editors to provide:
Expanded editorial coverage. Each month, magazines are chockfull of educational and entertaining information but ultimately, there are a limited number of pages in each edition. With Tag, mags can link readers to microsites filled with supplemental content. For instance, a recent issue of Yoga Journal showcased a handful of new poses and stretched its coverage to include additional positions on a page accessible through Tag. Similarly, Sports Illustrated heated up this year's swimsuit issue with behind-the-scene videos from the photo shoot plus other fun bonus editorial.
Contests galore. While more articles and pictures are good, additional sweepstakes and giveaways are even better. Shape magazine recently integrated a Tag into an article about Bobbi Brown cosmetics that allowed readers to enter to win loot from the company. Not only were make-up enthusiasts able to sign up instantly, but it's likely the magazine received an overwhelming response. When Allure embraced Tag for its annual giveaway issue, the pub saw a 38% increase in the number of entrants vs. the number of beauty fans who signed up to win via the magazine's website the previous year.
Shoppable content. Long before you could click and ship a new pair of shoes, glossies have been in the business of selling product with carefully curated shoots and enticing settings (Think Lucky.). And now, ecommerce sites are seeing the value in presenting goods in an editorial format (Think Net a Porter's weekly magalog). So naturally the latest trend is collabos between the two. For instance, Details features advertorials of Mr. Porter products while GQ curates Park & Bond products on its site and promotes them in its pages. Just think how much faster those bespoke suits and motorcycle jackets would sell if either of these pubs' campaigns incorporated Tags that linked directly to the ecommerce product page.
Engagement. In a world where blogs are updated multiple times a day and Twitter feeds scroll continuously, it's odd that some print vehicles only come out once a month. As consumers, we're spoiled. We want fresh content all the time. And Tag can help editors deliver. For instance, women's service magazines are known for offering 30-day plans to improve every aspect of our lives. With Tag, readers could link to online content that updates regularly as they work to lose those pounds, plan that wedding or track their baby's development. Tag could also deliver an audience to blog content that relates to that month's stories, thus building a sense of community and keeping readers engaged between issues.
What are some ways you've seen Tags used in your favorite magazines? Let us know with your comments below or on Facebook or Twitter.
Caletha Crawford is a New York-based children's apparel consultant and part-time faculty member at Parsons The New School for Design. She has a unique perspective on the concepts, designs and companies that resonate with retailers and consumers.
Type the code from the image
Monday, Nov 14, 2011 at 3:00 PM
Monday, Nov 14, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 3:00 PM
Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 6:00 PM
Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Download the Tag app
at http://gettag.mobi
and scan this Tag.


text:
Enlarge / Alternate Images
Kur Dead Sea Body Mud
This is our Kur Dead Sea Body Mud. Long known for its healing properties and very high concentration of minerals, the Dead Sea has offered mud users relief from aching joints, stiffness, skin problems and other toxic ailments. Add essential oils to incorporate aromatherapy into this skin treatment. Gallon must be mixed; 26 oz ready to use.
Maris Limus (Sifted (with High Magnesium Dead Sea Brine) & Unscented Dead Sea Mineral Mud), Parfume (Lightly scented less than .5%).
Recommended Use:
Apply this mud to the body, wrap the client in plastic wrap and apply heat for 20-25 minutes to allow the mud to draw impurities from the body. Leaving it on longer will actually shrink inches from legs, arms and the waist!
For best results, allow to completely dry (depending on the thickness of the application times may vary). Then remove with warm water, followed by cool water to close pores.
Shelf Life:
9 Months
Due to high mineral content - this mud may feel thermal on some skin types. Should this occur, blend with other muds or clays to break the strength or work up to mud drying on skin. If separation occurs, stir before use.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires that MSDS be available to employees for potentially harmful substances handled in the workplace under the Hazard Communication regulation.
Kur Dead Sea Body Mud MSDS