Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Alpha Asian: Book Review: Don Lee's "Yellow"

So I just finished another book. This time it was Don Lee's Yellow. I got to say that I love this book!? In fact, I would say of all of the Asian American lit books, Yellow is my favorite, HANDS DOWN.

Yellow is a collection of short stories, most of them set in Rosarita Bay, a fictional coastal town near San Francisco. As I was reading Lee's description of Rosarita Bay, I thought to myself, "Sounds like Half Moon Bay," which is 2 towns over from where I live. But there are hardly any Asians in Half Moon Bay.

Lee's fictional Rosarita Bay, however, is a hick town with an unusually high percentage of overachieving Asian Americans for its small population. You've got lawyers, doctors, world famous artists and writers living in this sleepy town. It's like the TV show "Twin Peaks," but filled with Asian people.

And yet most of these overachieving characters don't have any issues related to their Asian identity. Sure, they have issues. But for the most part, there is no issue regarding their racial identities. The stories revolve around some basic human motivations: jealousy, insecurity, loneliness, sex. The fact that these characters are Asian is incidental.

What I liked about these stories was that each of these characters was comfortable with his or her sexuality. Virtually everybody had a healthy libido and no hang ups over their race. This made the book much more enjoyable to read than David Mura's Where the Body Meets Memory, which was tedious at times. Granted, it's not fair to compare a short story collection with an autobiography, but every one of the short stories in Yellow sucked me in.? The title story "Yellow" is the only story of the collection that delves into Asian American identity and sexuality, and this story does a much better at exploring the issues than Mura's entire book.

The quality of Lee's storytelling and writing defies genre.? If you like good short story fiction, whether or not you're into AA lit, then get this book.

Source: http://alpha-asian.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-review-don-lees-yellow.html

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Conquering Distances Via Video Conferencing Software Program ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Video conferencing is the transmission and reception of audio and video signals by way of the Internet for the extra efficient effectuation of communication. With video conferencing, individuals can talk whereas seeing each other on ...

Source: http://geniusarticleshub.com/conquering-distances-via-video-conferencing-software-program/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=conquering-distances-via-video-conferencing-software-program

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Hayley Rose Horzepa: The Worst Piece of Advice Ever (Huffingtonpost.com)

If you've been spending your time avoiding your passion or what you love in
favor of something more practical, you are not only cheating yourself but the
world out of your greatness.


Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/95019739?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Monday, May 30, 2011

Electrical & Solar | Green Home Improvement

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Regardless of what the benefits of solar electric panels are you are still concerned about how this technology can help you save money. When purchasing panels you can choose to buy cheap ones that guarantee the same ...

Source: http://www.angrytoxicologist.com/electrical-solar/

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Lynyrd Skynyrd | World Latest News

Lynyrd Skynyrd

South icons of Rock Lrd Skynyrd join Alice Cooper, bad Pop, STYX, Bachman and Turner, Def Leppard, Toby Keith, George Thorogood, and Leon Russell to celebrate on the podium of the legendary Buffalo Chip 30 party on 10 August during the Sturgis motorcycle Rally.

?Southern rock has always been an important part of what the Buffalo Chip with success during all these years,? said Rod Woodruff, owner of the campsite.

ltic

?Bikers love the freedom-loving lyrics and boogie riffs that define the genre. And, Lynyrd Skynyrd themselves and the music they play helped invent that genre.

Related posts:

  1. goo goo dolls
  2. Taste of Buffalo
  3. Workers Party Rally
  4. Musikfest
  5. Earth Day Activities

Source: http://adailynewsonline.com/lynyrd-skynyrd-html

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[Updated] There will be an Android gaming console available soon ...

b_500_274_16777215_0___images_stories_news_evo2_Envisions-Evo-2-android-console.jpg

Well here is something that should have happened possibly a year ago but better late than never right? It looks like a company by the name of Envisions is going to try and use Android to dig a bit deeper into their market share in the world of console gaming. This unit will be named the EVO 2.

Envisions is responsible for the Gamebox console gaming system which you may or may not have heard of yet. If you haven't, you will be hearing about it now because their upcoming version of GameBox, named the EVO 2, will be running the latest Android OS! This means that the EVO 2 will be the first console system to run Android and why not, Android will be running everything else soon in your house thanks to the Android@Home announcement from Google I/O 2011.

Here is what the EVO 2 can do currently. More features will arrive as Envisions continues developing it.

  • Use EVO GameBox to back-up game saves from your PC or other devices via your wireless network
  • Stream games from your GameBox storage account
  • Communicate with friends and family with EVO GameBox chat
  • Install new apps/games from the Android Market or the Envisions App Store
  • Stream your music, photos or data from your GameBox storage account
  • Sync with other Android devices to schedule back-up or other functions
  • Low cost cloud PC
  • Low cost storage device
  • New game gesturing software
  • Comes pre-loaded with free games
  • Custom GameBox Apps
  • Sensory biometric application

?

b_250_200_16777215_0___images_stories_news_evo2_Envisions-Evo-2-android_console_2.jpg

Not a bad selection for something still in development. The fact that this will have Android Market access is a huge bonus as well. It won't be like those smaller companies who come out with Android tablets but with no Android Market access. You will have compete access to the market so you'll be able to play all those awesome games from the console instead of using HDMI cable from your phone. The chipset that will come with this console will be from nVidia but whether it will be Tegra 2 or Kal-El is yet to be determined. *See update below

Another thing to note about Envisions is that they let everyone have a say in the development of their units. They allow the community to vote? can vote on the system?s first launch location and the design and appearance of the console in terms of color, package design and product image and also be apart of developing the roadmap for future upgrades.

Current EVO 2 specs:

  • The newest version Android OS
  • The newest? Nvidia Tegra Chipset (3D acceleration, GPU Flash 10 acceleration)
  • HDMI Output
  • Five USB Ports
  • Compact flash storage
  • Support 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
  • Support Bluetooth
  • MEPG2/H.264/H.263/VC-1 Codec up to 1080P
  • Ethernet Port

?

While this may not be an XBox 360 or PS3 killer, it certainly does pose some interesting ideas that may sway us Android gamers to invest in one of these units. We will keep an eye on this and report back when more information is available. Interestingly enough, this announcement of the EVO 2 was made back in January and flew by everyone. Would you be interested in something like this?

Update May 28th, 2011 2:25pm: A tweet from the CEO of Envisions has shed some more light on what the chipset and hardware/OS specs will be. According to the link in the tweet, the EVO 2 will ship with Android 2.2, 512MB DDR2 RAM and a 1.2GHz Snapdragon CPU. Also, IGN is reporting the price of the EVO 2 to be $249 when released. Still interested? Thanks to

Developer Website: Envisions

Website Referenced: AndroidSpin

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Source: http://www.droidgamers.com/index.php/game-news/hardware-a-devices/1696-there-will-be-an-android-gaming-console-available-soon-it-shall-be-named-the-evo-2-by-envisions

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Logan fish pond ? Blog Archive ? Steer clear of running accidents ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]For items to help you recover from sports injuries, along with sports clothing, first aid kits plus much more, visit PhysioRoom.com. They also offer expert advice from medical experts so you can return to full fitness ...

Source: http://www.loganfishpond.co.uk/2011/05/steer-clear-of-running-accidents-with-the-help-of-physio-room/

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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Handicapping the field for Los Angeles, with one ... - Fantasy Sports

During his appearance on PFT Live Friday, the conversation with NFL Network?s Albert Breer naturally gravitated towards his recent story about Vikings ownership meeting with AEG. That segued into a discussion regarding what team could eventually wind up moving to Los Angeles. ?The whole conversation is worth checking out below, but I was especially surprised?

Click to continue reading this fantasy sports article at ProFootballTalk.

?

Source: http://www.fantasysportsdish.com/handicapping-the-field-for-los-angeles-with-one-surprise-team/

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Web Design that Really Gets the Job Done - Internet Based Business ...

If you really want to make a mark in online business, then you have to make sure your site design is up to par. Think about what you do ? when you hit a website as a first time visitor, what do you think about or feel? We are visual and the first thing that happens is we get a feeling based on the site design. That is why this is so important to us as online marketers. Our conversation will center on what you need to know and get right on your site concerning design.It has become clear that promotions for example Killer Content will take advantage of this kind of marketing.

Isn?t it very obvious that you should take the content on your webpages through a basic spell check? You should know by now that a lot of things will add up to the final grade your site receives. Just about everyone has a word processor of some kind, and just take five seconds to check your copy before signing off on it. You could be losing traffic with nobody returning and not have any idea about it ? until you remember reading this article. So just bite the bullet and get it done because in the end it will help you.These pointers can help you broaden your understanding on subjects such as Income Instruments Bonus.

RSS Auto-Discovery Code: this is the code that should be placed in your website header if you offer an RSS feed for your website (which you really should do). This helps all of the browsers and RSS readers find your feed automatically and alert people to its presence. RSS feeds are a wonderful way to alert readers and tell them about any changes that you make on your site; this one little feature can make a major difference in how things run for you.

Alternate Domains: to make sure that your brand is protected and that everybody can find your site, you should register alternate and multiple versions of your domain name with a variety of extensions. This protects you against other people who will want to take advantage of your success with similar domain names. It?s not really related to your website design but take this step anyway so that you won?t accidentally lose any valuable readers. You can simply re-direct all your domain names to your main domain name, which is often done by big companies to protect their brand and increase awareness of their site. For example, besides registering the .com extension, you can also register .net and .org extensions so that you own all the three popular extensions. This can also help you make sure that there isn?t any domain extension competition in the search engines.

As time goes on your site is going to get better and is going to be even more successful as you learn and improve things. The thing is that you need to begin with basic web design elements so that your site won?t lack anything. Web design isn?t actually complicated?until you make it that way. You need to focus on your foundation first when you want people to respond well to your site, buy your stuff and help you find wild success.

If you wish to see how promotions by using this kind of marketing can rank then take a look at Video Marketing Goldmine.

Source: http://internetbasedbusinessarticles.com/50124/web-design-that-really-gets-the-job-done/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=web-design-that-really-gets-the-job-done

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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

A School for Others: The History of the Belize High School of ...

By?George LeBard
Xlibris, $29.99,?280 pages

?There was always something there, nagging me in the back of my mind, telling me there was more to life, that my existence had meaning. I knew that in order to be successful and make something out of life, I would have to change everything. The problem was that every time I thought about taking charge, I did what I always did?drank, did more drugs, and got laid. It didn?t help me find what I was looking for, but it helped me forget that there might be something better.? These are the words of a man in the fight for his life, a man in search. On his quest for a way out, he finds a jungle, a need and, perhaps the bravest act of all, he finds himself.

George Lebard joined the Peace Corps, volunteering in Belize in Central America in 1981. While sweating in the humidity and swatting flying pests from his sleep, he finds a need and fills it. He has documented his dedication and the time he spent turning an abandoned school, tucked deep in the thick of the jungle, into a refuge for students who would not otherwise have had a chance at an education. His memoir is raw and unapologetic, from the backdrop days of a biker-wannabe to a drug-induced lost boy to a man with a vision and a purpose. His story sings with the refrain of fresh air.

Each chapter is divided into small, bite-size segments and the writing flows much like one would hope: cohesively intriguing.

There is a finely attuned balance between LeBard?s personal accounts and the political views and globalization of Belize, each detail lending itself to its counterpart. The woven history and exploration of this distant neighbor come alive on the pages at most times. Every so often the writing falls into ?pronoun over usage,? but not enough to cut into the meat of the story, or to take away from the fluidity. He keeps things moving along and the characters absorbing.

By stretching beyond himself, he comes to his own realities. Under the canopy of the jungle, LeBard manages to conquer both boundaries, the immediacy of the Belizean need and his quest for self.

Sponsored Review

Source: http://www.sanfranciscobookreview.com/biographies-memoirs/a-school-for-others-the-history-of-the-belize-high-school-of-agriculture/

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Investing in Gold: A Self-Contradictory Phrase - NYTimes.com

Carl Richards is a certified financial planner in Park City, Utah. His sketches are archived here on the Bucks blog and on his personal Web site, BehaviorGap.com.

Gold is not an investment. It?s a speculation.

Investments are made by evaluating underlying value. Speculative bets are made by looking at the price of something and simply hoping the price goes up. Investing is about value; gambling is about price.

Gold has no real underlying value. I know there is a market for it. I know it is real, just like real estate was real in 2007.

But what is the value of a bar of gold?

It has no value except the one assigned by a herd of speculators. This is true for most commodities. They don?t actually produce anything. They are raw material. No value. No dividend. No cash flow.

Investing in gold is a very dangerous game right now. Whenever the price of something rises as much, and as quickly, as gold has, we need to stop and consider the end game. While in Florida last week, I was surprised to see guys standing on the street waving ?We Buy Gold? signs. They looked exactly like the guys I used to see all over Las Vegas with the signs announcing open houses and touting real estate as a sure bet.

Remember when your brother-in-law told you that you had to invest in real estate because they weren?t making any more of it? Or the common justification people used ? that at least with real estate you could see, touch and feel it? It was real! And how did that work out?

Now I hear people using the same argument for gold. It?s real. Tangible. And you can enjoy it because it?s pretty. But what does that have to do with investing?

Keep in mind that there are huge institutional players in the gold market right now. When they decide that the run is over, there won?t be time for you to run to your safe in the basement, pack up all your coins and gold bars, run to the local pawn shop and get rid of the stuff.

I have no idea where the price of gold is going, but for me it doesn?t matter. But if George Soros is selling while your grandmother is buying, you have to wonder who?s more likely to get hurt. The point here is that it (literally) pays to consider that the time to bet on gold was 2007. At this point if you are counting on the gold under your bed to fund your retirement, things could get very ugly.

Source: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/gold-is-not-an-investment/

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My Article Ocean ? A Source for Great Advice ? Your HVAC Supplier

A Charlotte NC HVAC supplier can give you great advice regardless of whether you are installing a new system or trying to work out an existing heating and cooling system. When we buy our houses we often do not think to check how efficient the furnace is or when it has last been serviced. Some people don?t even know how it is powered. Yet it is extremely important that you have a furnace serviced at least on an annual basis. Not only do they become inefficient when dirty but they could develop a leak. You do not want natural gas or propane leaking in your home.

Ask your Charlotte NC HVAC contractor to have a look at your existing running costs. Technology in the heating and cooling systems area is developing all the time and it could be that a better system is available. There may be an initial capital outlay to install it but overtime the reduction in fuel bills should cover this.

With the air quality affected by smog in Charlotte, you may be suffering from asthma or other allergies. You can remove a lot of the germs, mold and other impurities in our air by using a more modern air conditioning system. You may be able to simply upgrade your existing system and may even qualify for grants to cover the cost. Speak to your doctor or medical health care adviser to see if your condition may be related to lack of good quality indoor air.

Get in touch with various Charlotte NC HVAC contractors. Find the one that works best with you and see what you can do today to improve the comfort factor in your home. You may be pleasantly surprised at the deals available and be prepared to ask for a discount to get the best deal possible.

Want to know more about air conditioning Charlotte NC? Join us on the web at: http://www.charlottehvaconline.com/heating-and-air-conditioning-in-charlotte-nc/

Source: http://myarticleocean.co.cc/2011/05/23/a-source-for-great-advice-your-hvac-supplier/

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Monday, May 23, 2011

Brief Overview Of Payday Loans | W3 PR

Oleh: antoniocaulkins

May 23, 2011


Financial crisis has had an impact not just on the world economic situation, but on each and every one of us, and we all had to lower our expenses, and began spending our hard earned cash in more responsible ways. Nonetheless, no matter how mindful you are using your financial resources, or the amount you earn monthly, there are times when you might find yourself in a need of money to cover some unexpected and urgent bills. When that time arrives, you may either approach your family or friends for some amount of cash or turn to the lending institutions; generally, borrowing money for your closest people may bring lots of misunderstandings and worsen your relationship. If you just need several hundred dollars, contacting a traditional bank for such a small loan, is usually not worth the effort: the vast majority of banks don?t offer small loans and the ones that do, have lengthy procedures.

One of the options, which lots of people use presently are the cash advance loans ? they are easy to get, the acceptance rate is extremely high, and also those with bad credit or no credit rating at all could be eligible. If you live in the state of Florida, you can obtain a paycheck advance loan either by going to a loan provider?s office in one of the big urban centers, or simply by going on the web and completing a short form.

The fact that a lot of Florida paycheck advance loan providers operate on the web has made the application procedure extremely easy and this service obtainable by anyone. In order to be approved, you should be currently employed or making steady every month salary, be over the age of eighteen, US resident, and have a working bank account.

The bank account is necesary since after acceptance, this is where the cash loan lender will deposit the funds, and the money will be automatically withdrawn from the account on the maturity date as well. For the services you would pay an interest rate and a fee: it?s true that the payday advance interest levels are higher than the rates of interest on mortgage loans and other large loans, but the short-run character of this loan also makes the overall payable sum comparatively small. Nonetheless, you should work with this service only when you end up in a hard financial position, and avoid using cash advance loans (or any other forms of borrowing products for that matter) to finance your month-to-month expenditures. If you?re not able to meet your expenditures for longer periods of time, and if your debts carry on growing, then you should look at your cash flow and expenditures, and make the necessary cuts to be able to bring your finances in order. You can also hire the services of a financial expert, who can show you how to sort out your affairs and help you get back on your feet.

Nonetheless, if there is repair that you did not plan for or an urgent medical bill that you need to cover, then a payday advance lender could give you the cash that you need. You can make an application on the web, get approval within a few hours, and get the money in your banking account the next day!

To find out more on applying for payday loan florida ? pay heed to author?s websites on personal finance florida payday loans online.

Category: Business | RSS 2.0 Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://w3pr.org/press/brief-overview-of-payday-loans.html

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?Star Wars? Terrorists Storm Pakistani Naval Base

The Pakistan Taliban launched a brazen attack on a Pakistani naval base, killing at least 11 people and destroying two spy planes provided by the United States. Not only did the melee last through the night, the terrorists appeared to call on the power of the Dark Side of the Force to press their assault.

Pakistan?s humiliations compound. About twenty gunmen and suicide bombers successfully infiltrated what?s supposed to be a secure facility in the southern port city of Karachi, right as Pakistan is trying to project an image of martial strength in the wake of Osama bin Laden?s killing and a brief gunfight with NATO forces. Then the interior minister, Rehman Malik, made the bizarre statement that the terrorists resembled? Star Wars characters.

This is the second time in under two years that the Pakistani Taliban have struck deep and destructively into the heart of Pakistan?s military. The first, in October 2009, targeted the military?s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Like the Rawalpindi attack, the raid on Karachi?s PNS Mehran base ? very, very far from the tribal areas ? most likely involved operatives with knowledge of the facility. Not only were they able to infiltrate successfully, they found the hangars housing the P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft, blowing them up like the Death Star.

Let?s pause for the message here. The Orions are supplied by the United States, something of a bribe for Pakistan?s counterterrorism aid. They play absolutely no role against al-Qaida: Orions hunt submarines ? Indian submarines. It?s possible that the bin Laden killing prompted the Taliban to target any U.S.-supplied spycraft. But they attacked a navy base, not the Shamsi airfield used for the drone war. The Pakistani Taliban appear to be saying: Continue your alliance with the Americans, and your struggle with the Indians ? Islamabad?s major strategic concern ? will be a casualty.

It took Pakistani troops 15 hours to secure PNS Mehran. The newspaper Dawn reports that 11 Navy officials and a Ranger are dead, with 16 others wounded. Interior Minister Malik said that security officials recovered the head of a suicide bomber.

That wasn?t all he said. Not only did Malik appear to list far fewer attackers than Dawn reported, he said that they resembled Star Wars characters ? although an AP reporter tweets that Malik, like so many, may have spaced and meant Star Trek figures instead. (Klingons?) So much for focusing on what matters.

?What?s sad is now that I?m thinking WHICH Star Wars race would want to attack PNS Merhan and take out those military targets,? tweets writer Khaver Siddiqi. ?4-6 Wookiee militants could easily take out an entire airbase,? contends @desmukh. Quo Vadis, Siddiqi wonders. (?Sullustans? Twi?leks? Wookiees? Hutts? Droids? Sand people???)

The judgment of al-Jazeera?s Evan Hill is more succinct: ?Rehman Malik may have gone insane.?

Or Malik might have been freaked out. (Ask him about the attack yourself: he?s?@SenRehmanMalik on Twitter.) PNS Mehran is just 15 miles from Pakistan?s largest air base ? a likely repository of nukes. ?Are Pakistani nuclear weapons safe, if the country?s military installations are vulnerable to penetration through force, stealth, or the exploitation of inside-information?? the Royal United Services Institute think tank wonders. Outside Mehran, Reuters finds passersby who wonder ?how can any Pakistani feel safe? and suspect ?India or the CIA could have been behind this.? Anger, fear, aggression: the Dark Side are they.

See Also:

Source: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/05/star-wars-terrorists-storm-pakistani-naval-base/

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National flood insurance $18 billion in the red ? CNN | Vill ...

May 20

Posted in insurance loans
.............
  • Some schools in water?s path lack insurance ? Houma Courier
  • WWL First NewsSome schools in water's path lack insuranceHouma CourierHOUMA ? Two Terrebonne public schools that could face flooding from the swelled Atchafalaya River are not covered by flood insurance. Greenwood Middle and Bayou Black Elementar...
  • GOP to relaunch flood insurance overhaul ? Reuters
  • WTHIGOP to relaunch flood insurance overhaulReutersWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Draft legislation to overhaul the US National Flood Insurance Program will be unveiled next week, said the Republican chairman of a congressional insurance oversight panel on Thu...
  • House Committee Passes Flood Insurance Extension, Reform Bill ? Insurance Journal
  • TheStreet.comHouse Committee Passes Flood Insurance Extension, Reform BillInsurance JournalAs flood waters continued rising along the Mississippi River, a House committee yesterday voted in favor of bipartisan legislation to extend the federal flood in...
  • Congress considers raising flood insurance premiums ? al.com (blog)
  • msnbc.comCongress considers raising flood insurance premiumsal.com (blog)WASHINGTON -- Digging the beleaguered National Flood Insurance Program out of its $18 billion debt and keeping it solvent is likely to require homeowners to pay higher premiums, g...
  • Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Tennessee now digital ? Business Clarksville
  • Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Tennessee now digitalBusiness ClarksvilleWith the conclusion of the Federal Map Modernization Program, all 95 Tennessee counties now have their Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM's) in a digital format. Due to lack of fun...
  • Source: http://www.vill-yamanakako.com/national-flood-insurance-18-billion-in-the-red-cnn.html

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    Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

    Jermaine Jones 2 (Reuters)

    ?

    By FRANCO PANIZO

    There is a small chance Blackburn can get relegated on the Premiership's final matchday, but Jermaine Jones will aim to erase that possibility and secure the Rovers' spot in the league.

    Jones and Blackburn currently sit in 15th place in the Premier League, but they are not guaranteed safety as they have only one more point than Wigan Athletic and Blackpool, both of which are in the drop zone. Making matters more difficult for Blackburn is that it will be playing on the road against a Wolverhampton Wanderers side also fighting to avoid relegation.

    Freddy Adu and Caykur Rizespor will be looking to further their aspirations of promotion to Turkey's first division as they take on Orduspor in the first leg of the semifinals in the promotion playoffs. Adu has started in recent weeks, so it's likely he gets the nod for the road fixture.

    Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland aren't looking to get promoted, but they will look to lift some silverware this weekend. Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland square off with FC Midtjylland in the Landspokal final.?

    Here is a rundown of who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:

    Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SoccerByIves/~3/A47oDWoE2Gw/americans-abroad-a-look-ahead-2.html

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    Sunday, May 22, 2011

    Things Are Looking Up for Distance learning MBA Degree

    If you have the opportunity to visit the online University you are interested, get in addition to information about the programs, of course, a sense of the environment and the?people?who work and study there. Many institutions have information days or evenings, and offers views of the premises. An invaluable source of information are students in

    Distance learning MBA?programs and alumni who took a degree at the online University you are interested. There are often alumni associations that organizes activities and whose members also?participate in information sessions for those who want to know more about the programs. Annually organized free Online MBA fairs in several cities, often with?participants from?different countries and it is a good opportunity to meet representatives of various educational programs.

    The fairs provide opportunities to obtain general information and also?discuss with the representatives of the admissions to their programs go to.

    Another way to find the right distance learning MBA program is to visit utbildning.se and see the Distance learning MBA section . There are a variety of transparent or?customized Distance learning MBA programs. There are?also one year executive MBA courses offered in whole or in part, at a distance.

    Audience

    Distance learning MBA courses aimed at students who work as a leader or want to develop your leadership skills.

    Some general requirements to be eligible to apply for an

    Distance learning MBA program?tends to be:

    A minimum three-year academic degree with good results
    At least two, often more, years of work experience, relevant to the training they have
    Two or more letters of recommendation
    Testesultat from GMAT and TOEFL / IELTS

    Open training / course

    An open course means that training is conducted with participants from other companies. This group is normally more than 10 people.

    Source: http://education.ezinemark.com/things-are-looking-up-for-distance-learning-mba-degree-7d2e9b348791.html

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    Watch Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder Live NBA Basketball

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    Job Search Tip: The Cold-Call Letter! - trueyoumarketing.com ...

    In an effective job search plan there are times when you have to make a cold call. You call on the phone searching for information and you might even drop off a resume and hope the hiring manager has a moment to see you. Here are some suggestions on a little used job search technique that just might make the difference.

    Read Full Article Here: Job Search Tip: The Cold-Call Letter! on 19 May 2011

    Start Living Your DREAM LIFE for Just $20. It really is possible to live your dreams.

    Source: http://www.trueyoumarketing.com/job-search-tip-the-cold-call-letter.htm

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    South Indian Films Outshine Bollywood in 58th National Film Awards

    NEW DELHI -- South Indian films swept India's 58th National Film Awards with Malayalam film Adaminte Makan Abu winning best film, while best director went to Vetrimaran for Tamil film Aadukulam, set in the bloodsport world of cock fighting.?

    The winners received a cash prize of about 250,000 rupees ($5,555) each. Both films also saw their respective lead actors ? Salim for Adaminte Makan Abu and Dhanush for Aadukulam -- sharing the best actor award. Aadukulam bagged five awards including best screenplay, editing and choreography.

    The best actress award was also shared between Saranya Ponvannan for Tamil title Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru and Mitalee Jagtap Varadkar for Marathi language title Baboo Band Baja, which also picked a best debut director award for Rajesh Pinjani.

    Marathi cinema also saw a best jury award winner in female empowerment drama Mee Sundhutai Sapkal, while superhero caper Tamil title Enthiran won best special effects ?for bringing of age a spectrum of visual special effects in Indian cinema.? Starring South Indian superstar Rajnikant, the film was also dubbed in Hindi as Robot and became one of the biggest hits of all time.

    In contrast, the few winners among Bollywood Hindi titles included Walt Disney India's live action debut comedy Do Dooni Chaar winning best Hindi film, while action caper Dabbang won ?best popular film providing wholesome entertainment.? Gangster drama Ishqiya picked up technical trophies for best music, best female playback singer and best sound design.

    ?There were some truly great films from the south this year. They bridge the crassness of commercial cinema and the artistry of parallel cinema in a way that is reminiscent of Hollywood,? said jury member and advertising filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar.

    The awards will be presented in New Delhi by India's President Pratibha Patil at a ceremony for which a date will be announced later.

    Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HollywoodReporterAsia/~3/xmvGE8bZUVQ/south-indian-films-outshine-bollywood-190744

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    Saturday, May 21, 2011

    How to Successfully Launch Your Product Online ? Article Dump

    New launches are done on the internet every single day. Some of them do terribly, but others do very well. The launch day happens to be one of the biggest events for the product because that?s when you have the chance to make the first impression, and get it right. This is the exact day when your product can gain tons of market influence and make thousands of dollar in internet sales. And the launch day is the time when you can expect to hit the jackpot if you know what you?re doing. This should make you realize how the right launch is very essential for you product. Given below are a few important things that you need to keep in mind before going ahead with your product launch ?It is clear that promotions such as Income Entourage will benefit from this sort of marketing.

    Leverage the Influential: Seth Godin calls the influential and the popular guys in a niche ?sneezers?, as they have the potential to spread the word about your product virally. These are the people that you need to get in touch with. Do some work to figure out who the most influential people in your niche are and then make sure that those people are interested in the product that you will soon be launching. Making yourself heard is a very important part of every product launch. The main reason to put in this effort is because there is nothing that will help as much as being personally endorsed by someone who is very influential in your chosen market. The key to finding success with this strategy is to network with as many professionals as possible.It?s amazing at how easily things could be improved when examining The Commission League Review.

    Get Rid of the Bugs: There will be things that will go wrong that you did not plan for when you are working on your launch. This is going to happen. However, it is your responsibility to make sure that these do not come up and that all of the kinks are smoothed out before your product is launched. Review the product and be certain that nothing bad has been missed that could possibly go wrong. The value of your product will either make you get plenty of sales or lose them. So, it is imperative that you handle all issues before your big launch.

    Be Around for Your Customers: Be Available for Your Customers: Not keeping up the hype after the launch is not something that a lot of marketers will do, which is not a good thing. Be around for your customers and give them product assistance when needed.

    Taking the right steps at the right time is what helps create a successful product launch. You will find it?s easier to successfully launch your products online by using the above tips.

    It is amazing at how easily things could be improved when examining 1 Click Cash Bot.

    Source: http://www.article-dump.com/business-2/how-to-successfully-launch-your-product-online

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    Running Memoirs Evoke Blisters, Bliss

    Running has plenty of tomes: the indispensable cult classic Once a Runner by John Parker; The Perfect Mile, Neal Bascomb's bestselling book about the quest to break the 4-minute-mile barrier; the textbook-like Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger; the young women's staple The Complete Book of Running for Women by Claire Kowalchik; and the inspirational What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, in which novelist Haruki Murakami abandons magical realism to describe the joys of his favorite sport. And those are just five. In short, who needs another book about running? This spring, three more runners from starkly different backgrounds answer that question, and prove that there is always something more to say about this odd and entrancing sport.

    In the Long Run: A Father, a Son, and Unintentional Lessons in Happiness
    By Jim Axelrod
    Hardcover, 304 pages
    Farrar, Straus and Giroux
    List price: $26

    Read An Excerpt

    The goal at the end of Jim Axelrod's touching memoir, In The Long Run, is a marathon, but in 304 pages he talks about running surprisingly little. His focus is the parts of his life that drive him to start running in the first place, particularly his demanding career as a CBS political correspondent. That Axelrod's emotional struggles, rather than his aerobic struggles, dominate the book tells us that for running to be a consistent presence in someone's life requires a person to acknowledge it and continually coax it forward. In Axelrod's case, he can't fully commit to his goal ? the 2009 New York City Marathon ? until he has hit rock bottom. Things are so bad that he is too distracted and defeated to see how much he has let himself go. At some point, the only way out of the forest is to run.

    This is a relatable predicament: Negative circumstances threaten to crush this successful married father of three, plunging him into an endless stream of early flights, fast food, heavy drinking and terse phone conversations with his wife from the road. Instead, he lets his doldrums spur him to improve his lot. Much of the book finds Axelrod dancing between these two states, either too mentally exhausted to make the commitment to running, or so thrilled by his progress in the sport that he becomes fixated on it. (Neither state is ideal.) The carrot dangling in front of him is his late father, Bob, who at times was his son's biggest fan and at others treated everyone in his life as a nuisance. The elder Axelrod charms and torments his son from the grave; Jim's decision to run a marathon is largely a competitive one, but it becomes something far loftier by the time he crosses the finish line in Central Park.

    The Lure of Long Distances: Why We Run
    By Robin Harvie
    Hardcover, 288 pages
    PublicAffairs
    List price: $24.99

    In The Lure of Long Distances: Why We Run, a philosophical exploration of ultramarathoning, Robin Harvie, like Axelrod, acknowledges that ego plays an enormous part in running, not least because the feat of traveling many miles on foot is done without the help of machinery or maps, and usually without other people. "No matter what the distance covered or the time on the road," Harvie writes, running provides "the pleasure of empowerment."

    Harvie's descriptions of running cut to the core of the sport's thrills: He calls it "the feeling of fresh air on the face miles from home." But this feeling isn't quite enough for him. He starts running marathons to impress his university friends, but fed up with trying to surpass his personal best of 3 hours, 12 minutes, he takes up ultramarathoning, his end goal being the Spartathlon, a taxing 150-mile run that traces Pheidippides' historic trip from Athens to Sparta. There is "a void" after one has accomplished the marathon, Harvie writes, rather bafflingly. So he plunges into longer races, peppering his journey with dozens of quotes from philosophers, poets and novelists. His own poetic words are a better fit. During a 50-mile race in Rotherham, England, for instance, he notes the fields "as gray and bleak as the sea, the familiar, toneless color of metal." Later, running to Sparta, he writes that the Mediterranean Sea "breathed quietly, like a sleeping dog."

    To Be a Runner: How Racing Up Mountains, Running with the Bulls, or Just Taking On a 5-K Makes You a Better Person (and the World a Better Place)
    By Martin Dugard
    Hardcover, 256 pages
    Rodale
    List price: $24.99

    The wisest of this bunch, as well as the funniest, is Martin Dugard, a coach with competitive experience and bylines in many familiar sports magazines. Coaching has likely helped Dugard achieve such a pleasant outlook. "If I can write every day, run every day ... and treat the people around me with love and courtesy," he writes in To Be a Runner, "then my attitude and outlook will be just that much more fantastic. If I don't do those things, there is a very good possibility I will lapse into decay or lethargy, or simply feel overwhelmed to the point of sputtering inertia." This recognition of balance ? tempering each of his favorite activities with the others ? staves off the more negative effects of running: solitude, obsession, dissatisfaction, defeat. After all, it's balance that many runners, including Axelrod and Harvie, struggle with the most.

    All three speak at length about suffering, which can happen during a hard training run, during the last six miles of a marathon and during probably every mile of the Spartathlon. Indeed, suffering is central to distance running, yet it's quickly becoming one of the most popular sports in the world. To help numb the pain, Dugard offers the encouragement only a professional can, using lighthearted chapter titles like "First Steps" and "Weather Or Not" and covering key subjects like shoes, pacing and motivation, sharing his own adventures and missteps along the way. Harvie and Axelrod, meanwhile, let us peer into what happens if you are strong enough to get to the point where suffering begins. Beyond physical despair, they tell us, is great mental strength, euphoria and a deeper understanding of human life. And for those facing other kinds of despair, there is running.

    In the Long Run: A Father, a Son, and Unintentional Lessons in Happiness
    By Jim Axelrod
    Hardcover, 304 pages
    Farrar, Straus and Giroux
    List price: $26

    My BlackBerry started buzzing on my right hip just as the crowd got its first glimpse of Barack Obama. I'd put it on vibrate, since I knew I'd never hear the ringtone once Obama appeared on the floor of the Toyota Center in Houston. The roar was immediate as he glided into the arena from a corner tunnel, and grew louder still as each of his loping strides carried him into fuller view of the crowd. By the time he jogged gracefully up the stairs to take the stage, I couldn't hear a word of the instructions my camera an was yelling at me from four feet away.

    I was standing on the media riser ? a plywood platform set six feet off the arena's concrete floor, atop rickety scaffolding concealed by rectangles of rough royal-blue fabric. A dozen TV reporters were crammed together, each provided with a four-foot-wide broadcasting space marked off by electrical tape.

    As chief White House correspondent for CBS News, I'd been assigned to cover Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary campaign. I'd loved getting the assignment, seeing it at the outset as just the kind of validation I'd been looking for from a new set of bosses. In the last year of his increasingly unpopular presidency, George W. Bush wasn't going to generate enough interest to get me on the evening News regularly. Lame ducks never did. So the White House was not the place to be.

    When the assignments for the campaign had been doled out three months earlier, Obama was intriguing but still a long shot. Clinton was clearly the plum. Covering her positioned me not just for a short term supply of lead stories but also for another few years on the biggest beat in TV news if she went all the way.

    But since then, Obama's strong performance had raised the possibility that I hadn't landed the plum after all. I'd grown eager to see him live on the campaign trail. The breathless descriptions I'd been reading of the raw emotion Obama generated in the crowds hadn't set any standards for journalistic objectivity, but the reporters who wrote them hadn't oversold.

    Standing in front of the cam era making my last-minute preparation thirties hoist a boy onto his shoulders so the kid could get a better look. The man's face w as pulled tight in a severe smile, astonished to be sure but cautious as well, as if he wasn't quite sure he could trust what he was seeing. The expression on the face of the five-year-old was simpler: innocent, undiluted joy. Even if the boy didn't fully understand the meaning of the moment, he was on his daddy's shoulders. That alone was apparently reason enough for his ear-to-ear grin.

    Houston might have seemed like an odd place for Obama to be on February 19, 2008, given that it w as primary day in Wisconsin, but he w as already looking ahead to the Texas primary in two weeks. I checked my watch, which I kept on New York time no matter where I was to stay synchronized with CBS headquarters in Manhattan. It was 9:15. A t the bottom of the hour, I would update my report with a live shot for the West Coast feed of the CBS Evening News.

    If, as some grizzled cameraman once told me, TV news is "hours of boredom, = moments of terror," the live shot is the moment of terror. Not only can your whole day go to hell in an instant; your whole career can. There's a gazillion ways to screw up the shot ? technical screw ups, editorial screw ups, going blank just when you're supposed to speak to seven million people ? and every member of the live shot team spends the last fifteen minutes checking and rechecking potential trouble spots to prevent TV tragedy.

    On the media riser in Houston, Rob the cameraman and Giovanni the sound tech checked cables and lights while Chloe the producer linked up with the control room in New York. Inside the TV truck parked just outside the Toyota Center, the satellite operator made sure we had a steady broadcasting signal. As the correspondent, my obsession, naturally, was with myself. In my fifteen-minute run-up to the live shot, I flitted from applying a new layer of powder on my forehead to checking my tie knot, from smoothing the wrinkles in my suit jacket to making sure my earpiece fit snugly. Then I took a moment out of tending to the cosmetic touches and barked at the ever-calm Chloe to double-check the facts of what I w as about to report.

    Most of my two-minute story was a preproduced video spot running roughly a minute and a half and providing an overview of what was at stake in the Wisconsin race. That gave m e fifteen seconds to introduce the spot live and fifteen seconds on the back end to add a final thought. The whole idea was to provide a way for me to update my story if anything had changed from the 6:30 East Coast broadcast. Good thing, because a few minutes after 9:00, we received word that Obama had been declared the w inner in Wisconsin. Harry Smith, substituting for Katie Couric in New York, would handle that headline in his toss to me. My job was to seamlessly w eave a reaction to Obama's win into my live intro.

    Blowing the live shot would ruin the rest of the night and most of the next day, until I had another chance at one. Forget a thick Rolodex of sources or a finely honed ability to bang out sharp, urgent copy under deadline pressure; network news reporters are judged first and foremost by their ability to flawlessly deliver a four-sentence live introduction to a pretaped story with an insouciant air of command to millions of viewers. In the minds of the executives who run the network news operations, a single "um" or "uh" can undermine a reporter's credibility. And God save the correspondent who actually breaks eye contact with the camera to look down at his notes.

    Excerpted from In the Long Run by Jim Axelrod. Copyright 2011 by Jim Axelrod. Excerpted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux. All rights reserved.

    Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/05/19/136363720/running-memoirs-evoke-blisters-bliss?ft=1&f=1032

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    The Top 10 Commercial Cleaning Franchises | Yoctomy

    From reducing costs to taking advantage of more efficient procedures, businesses are outsourcing in-office cleaning services for a growing number of reasons. And the aggressive growth of the commercial cleaning franchises on this list help illustrates that movement. Even though the recession put a halt to industry-wide 10 percent annual sales gains, the niche is still among the fast-growing businesses in the U.S. All rank in the top 200 on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list, and many are among the fastest-growing franchises.

    Here's a look at how the top 10 commercial cleaning franchises are growing, thriving and standing out from the competition.

    Number of U.S franchises: 1,734
    Franchising since: 1984
    Startup costs: $8,200 - $38,100
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 7
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 30

    Promoting the benefits of environmentally-friendly cleaning is a top priority at Vanguard Cleaning Systems. The Vanguard team uses microfiber cloths and mops, high-filtration vacuums and chemical dilution systems to minimize the environmental impact of cleaning while also improving indoor air quality. Vanguard ranks No. 1 on two other Entrepreneur franchise lists: Low-Cost Franchises and Home-based Franchises.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 10,266
    Franchising since: 1992
    Startup costs: $3,145 - $50,405
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 11
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 11

    With more than 10,000 units throughout the U.S. and Canada, Jan-Pro was recently recognized as one of the top 50 franchises for military veterans. Its stable of eco-friendly services includes what it calls "EnviroShield," a sprayer system that uses a disinfectant that has been registered with the Environment Protection Agency as safe for both the cleaning staff and their customers. Jan-Pro updates customers and franchisees on its latest innovations and news through a company Twitter page, Facebook page, LinkedIn profile and YouTube channel.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 3,512
    Franchising since: 2005
    Startup costs: $3,450 - $57,750
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No.20
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 13

    Searching for a recession resistant franchise opportunity? Eco-friendly commercial cleaning company Stratus Building Solutions may be the answer. Its franchises in the U.S. have grown 329 percent over the past three years, the company says. This aggressive growth inspired Stratus of Philadelphia owner and CEO Tom Weiss and fellow master franchise owners John and Bonnie Coleman to give away a free Stratus franchise (which they value at $12,000). The contest was open to Philadelphia-area "unemployed and under-employed." Stratus is ranked No. 1 on Entrepreneur's 2011 Fastest-Growing Franchises list.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 4,745
    Franchising since: 1988
    Startup costs: $6,655 - $92,950
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 25
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 79

    What stands out about CleanNet USA is that it advises the businesses it works with on ways to use environmentally-friendly solutions to reduce operational costs and create a safer environment for employees. The company offers Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified green cleaning services, meaning it uses products that can save energy, improve indoor air quality and reduce water use.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 1,711
    Franchising since: 1996
    Startup costs: $9,020 - $41,919
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 36
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 32

    Bonus Building Care was started by Arleen Cavanaugh, a co-founder of commercial cleaning franchise Jani-King. Bonus Building Care has expanded nationwide with a concentration of locations in the Midwest. Bonus is also the official cleaning company for Philips Arena in Atlanta (home to the National Hockey League's Atlanta Thrashers and National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks) and has helped the arena become the first-ever LEED-certified green NBA or NHL arena of its kind.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 1,190
    Franchising since: 2003
    Startup costs: $5,460 - $37,750
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 41
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 58

    Commercial cleaning franchise System4 is the result of two entrepreneurs sharing and learning from past business experiences. Partners Phil Kubec and Ed Hammer combined their accumulated knowledge (Kubec from the commercial cleaning industry, Hammer from the car rental industry) to build a cleaning franchise that allows franchisees freedom while offering them training, technical assistance and operations support. Their systemized approach to the cleaning business includes the use of proprietary software which integrates inside and outside sales operations and management functions into one web-based application.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 3,043
    Franchising since: 1952
    Startup costs: $47,072 - $141,303
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 42
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 31

    ServiceMaster Clean got its start in 1945 when Marion Wade had a chemical accident that left him temporarily blind. ServiceMaster Clean is now part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, which includes Furniture Medic, Merry Maids, Terminix and others. It offers commercial cleaning services and disaster restoration. Former U.S. Small Business Administration administrator Steve Preston formerly served as the company's executive vice president of strategic services.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 2,196
    Franchising since: 1991
    Startup costs: $8,543 - $65,406
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 110
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 49

    In its 20th year of franchising, Anago Cleaning Systems was recently recognized as one of the 50 top franchises for minorities. The business was founded in 1989 by David Povlitz, who previously owned a cleaning business in Detroit for 15 years. It is ranked No. 5 on Entrepreneur's 2011 Fastest-Growing Franchises list.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 309
    Franchising since: 2000
    Startup costs: $2,195 - $52,795
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 154
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 161

    Innovation is king at commercial cleaning franchise BuildingStars. Through its Green Star cleaning program -- which aims to create efficiencies in the workplace -- BuildingStars offers options such as touch-free restrooms and programmable thermostats. The company also offers a "Rising Star" program to help train and develop advancement paths for franchise managers.


    Number of U.S. franchises: 270
    Franchising since: 1967
    Startup costs: $96,600 - $166,960
    2011 Franchise 500 rank: No. 189
    2010 Franchise 500 rank: No. 146

    In addition to offering general commercial and residential cleaning services, international franchise system Steamatic Inc. specializes in restoration services -- cleaning up fire, smoke and water damage. Steamatic will also work with its customers to develop a disaster recovery plan to help increase response time in case a fire, storm, earthquake or other type of accident strikes. Through its company blog, Steamatic offers cleaning tips for customers as well as advice for franchisees.

    Source: http://www.yoctomy.com/the-top-10-commercial-cleaning-franchises/

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    Are PC Gamers the Hipsters of Gaming?

    Mike Fahey ?Are PC Gamers the Hipsters of Gaming? Should we consider hardcore PC gamers the hipsters of gaming just because they tend to bring up how PC gaming did everything first whenever an innovative new console title comes out? Maybe commenter Truthtellah has a point in today's Speak Up on Kotaku.

    Why am I only now realizing that ardent PC gamers are the Hipsters of Gaming?

    We get it; PC gaming is pretty cool and has gotten a lot of things first. We just don't have to hear about it every time a console game does something. Maybe that obscure PC game from the early nineties did it first. Maybe PCs had HD graphics before everyone else. That doesn't mean we need to be reminded every time of how awesome you are to have owned a PC back then.

    I love PC games; I've played them for two decades.

    But a lot of console games are pretty darn great, too.

    Can't we just let people be excited and enjoy themselves?

    About Speak Up on Kotaku: Our readers have a lot to say, and sometimes what they have to say has nothing to do with the stories we run. That's why we have a forum on Kotaku called Speak Up. That's the place to post anecdotes, photos, game tips and hints, and anything you want to share with Kotaku at large. Every weekday we'll pull one of the best Speak Up posts we can find and highlight it here.

    Source: http://kotaku.com/5803920/are-pc-gamers-the-hipsters-of-gaming

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