Product DescriptionThriller writer J.A. Konrath, author of the Lt. Jack Daniels series, digs into the vaults and unearths a technohorror tale from the depths of hell… 1906 – Something is discovered by workers digging the Panama Canal. Something dormant. Sinister. Very much alive. 2009 – Project Samhain. A secret underground government installation begun 103 years ago in New Mexico. The best minds in the world have been recruited to study the most amazing discovery in … More >> Origin
Archive for January, 2011
Urine Therapy ? Fact or Fiction?
Posted by admin on January 30th, 2011
The battle rages on whether Urine therapy is fact or fiction and whether it does work or it doesn’t. So much has been written on the subject it’s hard to know who to believe. If you were to type in “urine therapy” into any of the major search engines you will find an incredible amount of websites all giving their own opinion. Every time I searched, the top website was one from Robert Todd Carroll who in a comical way shot down all those who believe it to be the best thing since sliced bread. This could be said that Urine therapy was one of the Alternative medical cures he was going to give a miss. But on the other hand there were more for the idea that it worked than against. One notable person whose writing was very convincing was that from Martha Christy who to me had done a lot of research on the subject although some of the dates she mentioned on this web page seemed a little dated. There’s no doubt that the list of diseases she claims that Urine therapy will cure is very impressive and that the way she writes about is very plausible yet you can’t get over the fact urine is a waste product that we all produce several times a day, and no matter what people will try to tell you it will always have that stigma about it. Alternative medicine is becoming big business for some sectors and if a person has any form of illness that is not responding or can’t be cured by conventional medicine they will try anything. Yes we all read about sensational and remarkable cures to illness that has deemed to be hopeless and I do wonder at times is this a mind over matter situation, but there’s no doubt that if this type of thing works for those who do believe I think it’s great. The body is a very complicated piece of machinery and we are learning more each day yet the people who do believe in Urine therapy will tell you this has been around for thousands of years. To sum up I think that Urine therapy is one of things you would have to make your own mind up on as there is so much information it’s hard to no who to believe.
The Best Kept Secret Everyone Seems to Know Part 5 of 5
Posted by admin on January 30th, 2011
Enemies at the Gate The mental faculties we do not use become weaker and overshadowed by those we do use. This behavior is particularly relevant in context of the media saturated culture of today. Of the many forms of media at play in the modern world, television is probably the worst offender, especially considering how our children grow up watching. We sit and we watch like a one-way receiver tuned to the channel of our chosen broadcast, and putting aside for a moment the content of what we watch, the critical issue is that the thinking part has already been done for us. The time we spend absorbing pre-designed information robs us of the time we could spend designing our own. A substantial proportion of mass media in effect trains us not to THINK at all, or at least not about anything worth thinking about. What kind of a brain does Neuroplasticity build in response to engaging in this mindless activity? Neuroplasticity always responds by optimizing the brain’s ability to support whatever activity the mind engages in. Activities like watching television optimizes the brain’s capability to enter a passive vegetative state to assimilate information as it’s presented. The information is presented complete and pre-formatted deliberately to unburden the mind from any need of active participation. Approximately one third of broadcast content consists of advertisements, which are reinforced by the barrage of passive advertising that literally fills our world. Experts in content creation, working from decades of extensive research into human psychology, are paid billions of dollars to influence, manipulate, and outright control our thinking behaviors, and all to serve a corporate agenda that satisfies their best interests, not ours. We are led to believe that advertising is a necessary evil to finance delivery of entertainment. But let’s never forget that corporate dollars drive the whole system. Never think for a moment that the remaining two thirds are not leveraged to compliment their corporate agenda. Like a cruel joke told at our expense, all media broadcast industries openly refer to their output signal as “Programming”. Remember that Neuroplasticity does not know the difference between fantasy and reality. The quality of our critical thinking and decision making depends on the information stored in the brain’s memory. If this information was absorbed while the mind was asleep or otherwise engaged, then what forms the basis of our thoughts, opinions, and decisions? Shouldn’t we be actually living and learning for ourselves instead of blindly adopting a corporate skewed vision of life? Imagine a world populated by billions of people, never realizing their minds are not totally their own, and all under control of a dominating few with a diabolical agenda born of corporate self interest. No doubt the stuff of some great science fiction. But wait a minute – We don’t have to imagine this fantastic scenario – We are in fact already living it. Is human stupidity responsible for bringing about this state of affairs? Our initial question is starting to take on a frightening new dimension. But we’re not finished yet. It Starts at the Beginning No exploration of human stupidity would be compete without a moment of contemplation about our systems of education. We spend our significant formative years participating in this system which shapes our minds in preparation for the rigors of life beyond. Presumably the intent of education is to transform us from a state of stupidity to a state of intelligence. Or is it from a state of ignorance to a state of knowledge? Either way, the most valuable attribute of WISDOM has become an elusive byproduct, acquired more by accident rather than a deliberate outcome of educational training. All systems are designed to accept some kind of input and process that input with the aim of producing some kind of output. The utopian system is one that accepts the widest range of input, and produces the highest quality output, within a process optimized for maximum efficiency. Formal education has been conceived as a system producing uniform parts to be integrated into the massive collective of human machines that make up the mechanics of civilization. If an individual part goes bad for some reason there is always another to seamlessly takes its place. Creativity could be seen as a disadvantage, for how can one conceive a functional machine were the individual parts had creative minds of their own? The performance of a single part could not be relied upon if one cannot predict with certainty how that part will function. Production of machine parts may be the ultimate in mechanical efficiency, but is it consistent with our true human nature which embodies the rigid disciplines of logic and the imaginative freedom of creativity in equal measure? Wouldn’t we be much better off if the education system concentrated its efforts on producing genius? If genius represents the very best we can be, then formal education must be a miserable failure, considering how genius is such a rare commodity. If the individual parts were imbued with genius, we could envision a system were reliable machines designed themselves organically in a balanced response to fulfilling societies true needs. The Truth of Stupidity Truth is a universal constant of nature that could never be construed as a manifestation of stupidity. Truth is simply the conscience realization of authentic reality. The pursuit of truth is the most noble endeavor of mankind and AWARENESS is the key that opens the doorway to truth. Awareness of our own ego opens our perception of reality far beyond the limits imposed by the prejudice of our personal preferences, and keeps our penchant for assumption at bay with a new preference for seeking the truth. Awareness of the brain’s Neuroplastic behavior gives us the tools to raise our mental faculties to Olympian levels. Awareness of the full potential of our gift of creativity allows us to utilize our imagination for purposes far beyond that of simple fantasy. Awareness of the true intent of media advertising nullifies its effect [...]
Advantages of Online Air Ticket Booking
Posted by admin on January 30th, 2011
You’ll find lots of transactions that will be done online. It could include a wide variety of shopping spree, paying the bills, subscription to certain services or even buying on the net tickets. You’ll find individuals who are usually in front from the personal computer and making on the net task. However, they don’t know that they can truly perform any transaction in the web. They could even have an on the net organization if they want. However, what are the advantages of obtaining on the net tickets instead of going in the local ticketing outlet and buy one? This article will likely be dealing from the advantages of purchasing on the net flight tickets. This will educate us within the items that we will look at if we will likely be purchasing out own airline tickets during the future. First over a list is convenience. Try to weigh two things. The very first a single is going for the authorized dealer or a ticketing shop locally, falling in line, and choosing an unsure schedule simply because you don’t have any other alternatives left. At the exact same time, you buy the particular variety regardless of whether it is discounted or not. You got yourself booked. On a other hand, from the on the net booking service, it is just a mouse-click away. All you need to do is go online, go directly for the airlines website, select obtainable schedule, buy it, and you got yourself booked. You don’t need to fall in line, and you can even drink your coffee though making the booking process. Isn’t it convenience? It is right? An additional thing is it is faster. Mind you, it’s going to take in up your time in case you need to go for the ticketing outlet or authorized dealer simply because you nevertheless need to travel, whereas with on the net booking service, all you need to do is to do the mouse click and you’re booked in no time. At the exact same time, instead of wasting your time falling in line though waiting for your turn being booked; you can truly do some worthwhile items simply because you don’t need to leave home. It is cheaper to book yourself online. Right here may be the thing. Should you go locally, you’ll spend gas for your car, or fare for the cab in case you don’t drive. At the exact same time, you’ll find limited offers and discounts in case you book it locally. In contrast, in case you book online, by going directly for the airline’s website, you’ve lots of alternatives and you’ll find numerous promotions and discounts you can grab. You don’t need to worry within the car gas or the fare simply because you’ll not leave your home. You are able to even do it though eating popcorn or you’re during the middle of making something. It is a single click away in the flight. These are just some of the advantages of shopping for on the net airline tickets instead of going locally and purchase one. You have to weigh your alternatives very first just before deciding so that you just will make certain that you just will make a wise choice and make one of the most out of one’s budget.
Don’t purchase on internet without using a discount code !
Posted by admin on January 30th, 2011
Many people like shopping, but lot of them miss good deals. Christmas is coming soon, if you wanted to save a few dollars on your online purchase, there is one thing that can help you ! The Internet is a haven of rebates and bargains. Everything you need to buy can be found on online shopping. You can see a big difference in price because online shops basically keep costs down. They have less rental fees, less employees…. Almost all online shops are automated and you are sure to receive your goods in good time via land or air delivery sometimes for free using a coupon code. But that’s not all, you can save a lot by using discounts codes and promo codes while you are on your online shopping spree. How does a discount coupon works ? By logging on to a discount coupon website, you would find a list of popular internet shops that give away promo codes so that online shoppers can get big discounts whenever they buy from a particular store. For example, if you wanted to buy a brand new computer at Dell, all you have to do is to log in to your favorite coupon website, click on the Dell link and you would be directed to a page where you can find all available discount coupons for Dell. For activate, click on the show code link and you will discover set of special characters that you need to copy/past upon your check out from the Dell shop. Currently, you can save as much as $15 off on Dell products ! You can find everything that you need to shop for at discount coupon website. Most of these websites have a listing where products and services are neatly categorized. The website lists promotional codes for products like videos, cosmetics, garden products, clothing, kids products, books and can even provide you with discount coupons for restaurants. You can also get your wanted coupons codes by selecting an internet store where you wanted to shop or by using the search box. It’s really easy to save bucks anywhere from $5 to $100… get gifts, free postage and more. You just have to keenly verify all the available coupon code that you can take advantage of. You can also join in the website’s newsletter by adding your e-mail address, so that you can get fresh updates on the newest promo codes available on the Internet. Remember, if you look to get Big discounts money on your shopping cart, visit a promotional code website and begin enjoying hassle-free and cost-effective internet shopping today ! Finally, you can earn money even if you do not buy anything on internet, just by submitting your coupon codes ! Website like http://www.1001coupons.com paid contributors $0.10 per code proposed !
The Mystery Writer Ahmad Khawaja
Posted by admin on January 30th, 2011
Ahmad Khawaja, the known Agatha Awardee, first started writing at the age of 11 after reading his first suspense and mystery novel. The first novel he read was that of Edgar Allan Poe’s Murders in the Rue Morgue. Ever since then the boy Ahmad had been inspired to relive his own creative mysteries through his writings. Ahmad Khawaja was born in Oregon, Texas on 1981 as the middle child out of 5 kids. Living in a poverty state, Ahmad enjoyed his free time at the local library and spent his time reading books. Ahmad’s first novel after reading Poe never got published as his manuscript was burned during a house fire. Still, it did not hinder his talents to be known to the world. He continued with his writing until a national publishing company, The Prints, gave him the chance to publish his first novel entitled Caprice. The novel centers on a young woman who had a sleeping disorder and doubles as murderer. It earned him the title New York’s Mystery Fiction Bestseller. Ahmad was also inspired to write by his sister, the famous actress Fatima Khawaja. Fatima was always behind Ahmad in supporting him with his writings. In fact, Fatima aims to star in one of Ahmad’s future writings one day. It wasn’t after 3 years later that he earned the Agatha Awards with Caprice. He continued to write 20 more mystery novels in a period of 10 years. It was in 1995 that he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia. In the same year, he married his long time girlfriend Anne Somers who bore him twins named Pattie and Cain. Extensive treatments were given to Ahmad but they were to no avail. He later decided to quit the treatments and started on alternative medicines. He also started working on his autobiography which talked about his life, struggles as a writer and his battle with cancer. Short of just a few chapters before completing his life story, he quietly slipped away in his sleep. His autobiography was completed by Anne as her tribute to his wonderful works. Ahmad was buried in the cemetery near their family home. His widow and twins are now living with the inheritance he left them as well as the royalties from all his written books. Ahmad Khawaja was a source of inspiration to a number of people. He was able to make his creative imaginings into something that would earn him a place in the hearts of different mystery lovers.
Sleeved Blanket
Posted by admin on January 30th, 2011
“Snuggie” cultural phenomenon A woman wears a blue Snuggie. Fans wearing the University of Texas Snuggie in the stands during a football game In late 2008 and early 2009 the “Snuggie” brand of sleeved blankets became a pop culture phenomenon, sometimes described humorously as a “cult”. The Snuggie has become a camp icon. The product became famous after a direct response commercial promoting the product was aired, leading to a mocking of the product and its commercial by comedians such as Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tim Burton, as well as website parodies and Lacie and Olivia. It was featured on television programs like Today where cast and crew donned Snuggie blankets for a segment which was described as looking like a gospel choir. Others have described mass-snuggie wearing as looking like a Harry Potter convention. The Associated Press likened it to “…a monk’s ensemble in fleece.” and proclaimed it the “ultimate kitsch gift”. The Snuggie initially sold singly for $14.95, and later in sets of two for $19.95. Several hundred parodies of the commercial have appeared on YouTube as well as numerous fan pages on Facebook. The slanket was also mentioned in an episode of NBC’s 30 Rock entitled “The Ones.” The product has also been ridiculed as a “backwards robe” or simple reinvention of the coat on radio and television talk shows in the United States. Comparisons have also been made with the Thneed – a highly-promoted, amorphous garment in the Dr Seuss story, The Lorax. On January 30, 2009 a group organized a pub crawl wearing Snuggies in Cincinnati, OH. In the following months they went on to complete over 40 more across the nation. Later, a group organized a Snuggie pub crawl in Chicago to raise money for an African orphanage, which led to similar sanctioned and independent events throughout the United States. A worker at Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative think tank, started the Facebook page “The Snuggie Cult”, and convinced fellow conservatives including Joe the Plumber, Tucker Carlson, and Andrew Breitbart to pose wearing the robes. The phenomenon resulted in sales of the Snuggie and its rivals that far exceeded their distributors’ expectations: more than 20 million Snuggies as of December 2009 and 1 million Slankets as of February, 2009. The phenomenon has even resulted in variations such as Snuggie for Dogs and Snuggie with print – known as the “Custom Snuggie” Australian radio program Labby, Camilla & Stav on B105 tested the claim that one can wear a Snuggie at sporting events, such as a soccer game, a football game or a basketball game. To test this, Labby and Stav wore Snuggies to a State of Origin game. The test was successful. They also dressed a statue of Wally Lewis, which stands in front of Suncorp Stadium, in a Snuggie live on the air. Security guards found it amusing at first but it was removed shortly after. A reference to the Snuggie was made in the iCarly episode “iThink They Kissed”, where they had a commercial spoof for a fictional product called the “Sack”, which was an over-sized laundry bag that kept the wearer’s arms trapped. Rock band Weezer is releasing their own Snuggie blanket, which is available in solid blue with the name “Weezer” on it in white font, as of November 2009. It has been rumored to be called the “Wuggie”. In the summer of 2009, the Designer Snuggie was released to the public, as well as the Snuggie for Kids and the Snuggie for Dogs. . The Snuggie became especially popular during the 2009 Holiday Season. On Disney Channel’s Original Series “Sonny with a Chance” Sonny (Demi Lovato) is seeing ordering in an episode A “Balarmy” “The blanket with arms”…making a spoof of the Snuggie. Commercial variations The product was first commercialized as the Freedom Blanket. The Slanket was created by Gary Clegg and was helped in the creation of his prototype by Ryan Lafayette (before the Snuggie) in Maine in 1998 using a sleeping bag. Clegg’s mother made him a blanket with a single sleeve for use in his cold dorm room. Clegg later developed that into the Slanket with two sleeves. The Snuggie, the most popular sleeved blanket product has been sold in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It was marketed primarily through a memorable television commercial. As of January 2009, over 20 million of the product had been sold. The company markets the Snuggie via its website and television commercials along with many other as seen on TV products. It has been incorrectly assumed to be marketed by the company Fosdick Corporation. Another well known variant, the Toasty Wrap, has been sold via infomercials hosted by Montel Williams as a method for saving on heating costs. However, based on the similarities of the Toasty Wrap’s advertising to that of Snuggie, it is probable that both brands originate with the same manufacturer. Other variations are known as the Cuddlee, and the Dreamie which is sold in discount and variety stores. See also Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sleeved blankets Cloak Robe Shawl Bathrobe References ^ How to tell the difference between a Snuggie and …, Chicago Sun-Times, January 31, 2009, http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1406531,CST-NWS-Snug31a.article ^ a b c Maria Puente (2009-01-29). “Snuggie gets a warm embrace from pop culture”. USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2009-01-27-snuggie_N.htm. ^ a b “Revelers ready for New York City Snuggie pub crawl”. New York Daily News. 2009-03-25. http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2009/03/25/2009-03-25_revelers_ready_for_new_york_city_snuggie.html. ^ a b Reyhan Harmanci (2009-03-29). “Warming to the cult of Snuggie”. San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/27/LVTI16LG23.DTL. ^ a b c Andrew Adam Newman (2009-02-26). “Snuggie Rode Silly Ads to Stardom Over Rivals”. New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/business/media/27adco.html?_r=1. ^ / Snuggies for Monsters ^ Celizic, Mike (February 4, 2009). “Matt said he’d never wear a Snuggie, but…”. Today’s Family Blog (NBC News). http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/02/04/1780135.aspx. Retrieved 2009-02-08. ^ Halper, Jonah. “Snuggie Review”. http://www.infonotmercial.com/snuggie-review.html. ^ a b http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hBLaJO2icr-H20cwclTxsuN38-HgD9CL88MO0 ^ a b c Puente, Maria (2009-01-28). “Snuggie gets a warm embrace from pop culture.”. USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2009-01-27-snuggie_N.htm. Retrieved [...]
review: The Help
Posted by admin on January 30th, 2011
The Help by Kathryn Stockett In Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960′s, most affluent families had black maids–informally known as ‘the help’. During this volatile time, and especially in the south, there was a fine line drawn between the races, and anyone crossing that line suffered threats, violence, imprisonment or even death. It’s no wonder that when a young aspiring journalist asks the black maids to tell their stories about serving white families, she is met with disbelief, silence and refusal. But, when one too many wrongful attacks is heaped upon the black community they find that perhaps their only chance of fighting back is by talking, albeit anonymously. This story is beautifully written from the perspective of two black maids–Aibileen and Minny–and a white, fresh-out-of-college society lady, Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan, who has never quite fit in with her set. While Skeeter and Aibileen form a close bond, Minny is rightfully wary of the possible consequences of going against the society rules deeply set in the minds of the people of Jackson. I think it must be said that this is not a sad or depressing book–there is an abundance of humor, most especially from Minny, who has a no-nonsense, forceful demeanor and Skeeter, who is quickly abandoning her innocence for rationalism. Aibileen is the voice of wisdom. Her simple, clear observations make this story the amazingly poignant narrative that it is. However, there is injustice and sadness mixed throughout, though very balanced with the heartwarming scenes. This book will make you cry. I’ve known of this book since it came out and wondered about the cover art. It makes perfect sense to me now–the bird to the side is Skeeter, edging ever closer to Aibileen, while Minny is turning her back and trying to keep her distance. The audio version is simply fantastic, and I would recommend it over the paper/electronic version. The narrators are so spot-on that one of them is even playing the part in the upcoming movie! Listen for yourself –You’ll be hooked! The Help is on my favorites list for 2011, and a definite re-read!
Posted in Historical Fiction Books 
Tags: asks-the-black, depressing-book, heartwarming, innocence, perspective, rightfully-wary, society, Story, the-perspective 
Comments OffMold Health Problems – Fact or Fiction?
Posted by admin on January 29th, 2011
Browse around the internet and you’ll find a wide variety of beliefs on the health effects of exposure to mold. Some claim devastating effects such as cancer and brain damage, while others see mold as no more than a minor irritation. Even among the mold inspection and mold remediation industry, you’ll find a wide variety of opinions. First, let’s look at the biggest question: Toxic effects of mold – legitimate or unfounded? Every you walk outside, you are likely breathing toxic mold. It is nearly ubiquitous in our environment and an important part of our ecosystem. Based on this fact alone, it is clear that not all exposure to toxic mold should cause a health problem. Or, to put it another way, if toxic mold were a problem at any exposure level, we would all be in trouble. The question remains, however, if exposure to an unusual amount of toxic mold can produce problems. And if so, how much? Unfortunately, at this time, scientists and physicians do not have sufficient information to answer this question. Though it is worth noting, no published studies have established negative health effects from airborne exposure to toxic mold. Why? Mycotoxins (mold toxins), like many toxins, require a certain quantity of exposure before they will induce measurable effects. Thankfully for us, current research indicates the quantity of toxins produced by mold is very small. Too small, in fact, to produce health problems. It is important to note, however, the limited understanding of mycotoxins. Future studies may reverse current beliefs and establish a solid connection between toxic mold and adverse health effects. Caveat. Though not particularly relevant to humans, mold toxins can cause severe illness and fatalities among animals. These problems are not derived from airborne exposure, but rather through ingestion of mold contaminated food. Exposure to food borne mold toxins can cause decreased reproduction, feed and water refusal, lameness, atazia, paralysis and death (Gregory Moller, Ph. D). What about Stachybotrys? Perhaps no other mold is more often referenced in the media than stachybotrys. Implicated in a wide range of health problems, the mold has garnered much attention in recent years. However, recent studies have shown that both the health implications and attention are simply not grounded in good science. The question is one of exposure. Regardless of whether or not stachybotrys is capable of producing harmful toxins, if actual exposure is very unlikely, then its health implications should not be emphasized. For example, a recent study tested whether or not the normal air currents within a building can disperse the conidia of stachybotrys. Surprisingly, they found a 1,000 fold increase in airspeed was required to disturb and distribute the conidia (Tucker, Stolze, Kennedy 2007). Antedctol evidence from thousands of air samples collected during our mold inspections support this finding. Stachybotrys is rarely found in high numbers in the air. While a building can contain large amounts of the mold growing on walls, a relatively small number of spores are found in the air. As mentioned earlier, stachybotrys was previously implicated in infant fatalities. Additionally, several high profile lawsuits regarding the famous mold have surfaced in the last decade. However, after revisiting the initial findings, it was found that stachybotrys was not a contributing factor in the fatalities. So why do we still care about mold? – Allergies. Research has shown a clear connection between exposure to mold and allergic responses, sinus infections and asthma. While less disastrous than the purported effects of toxic mold, the allergic response to mold can still be very unpleasant. Headaches, wheezing, shortness of breath, fatigue, etc. are all possible health problems associated with mold. According to a recent study by Fisk and Mudarri (2007) as much as 21% of the asthma cases in the U.S are caused by exposure to damp buildings and mold. Their study estimated an economic burden of $3.5 billion. Unfortunately, these symptoms are not limited to toxic molds; many non-toxic molds can still produce allergic responses in sensitive individuals. Compounding the problem is that skin prick allergen testing, the traditional method for diagnosing an allergic response, is not reliable for mold. This is because thousands of species of mold exist, and only a handful of these are tested for during a regular screening. If the primary health problem related to mold exposure is an allergenic response, this leads us to several conclusions: Each person will react differently. Some individuals can live in homes with highly elevated mold spore counts and apparently suffer no ill effects. Others can suffer from the background level of mold spores in the outside air. Sensitivity to mold can change within an individual’s lifetime. Once the mold spore levels are reduced back to normal, the symptoms should go away. What about other health effects of mold exposure? Infection. Some mold species can cause respiratory infection when the live mold invades the tissues of the lungs or respiratory tract. This is not a significant risk for healthy people, but can be dangerous for individuals with weakened immune systems, infants and the elderly. For those with extremely compromised immune systems, such as bone marrow transplant patients, even a small exposure to opportunistic mold spores can prove deadly. These patients must be confined to ‘clean rooms’ within a hospital, because even the normal quantity of mold spores in the outside environment can cause an infection. Irritation. Molds can produce volatile organic compounds (VOC) through both primary and secondary metabolic processes. It is these secondary metabolites that are often associated with musty odors. Both types of metabolites are capable of irritating the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory system (Harriet M. Ammann, Ph. D). However, it is difficult to determine if mold growth is capable of producing sufficient VOCs to effect the total VOCs found in a building.
Best Sellers Prove E-Books Are Not Going Anywhere
Posted by admin on January 29th, 2011
The digital market is rapidly growing. Compared with last year, the total sales of e-books for September increased to 188 percent ($39.9 million), according to figures released by the Association of American Publishers. Publishers Lunch, a newsletter in the publishing industry, also reported that 9.5 percent of total trade book sales can be credited to e-books. What’s more, Forrester Research predicts that e-books will soon become a billion-dollar market. Take, for instance, former U.S. president George W. Bush’s newest book, Decision Points, selling over 220,000 copies just on its first day. The astonishing factor here is that e-books account for 50,000 (or approximately 22.7 percent) of those sales. Other best sellers experiencing this trend include John Grisham’s The Confession. According to Nielsen BookScan, Grisham’s latest legal thriller sold 160,000 hardcover copies in its first week. This may seem like a huge drop compared with his previous novel, The Associate, which sold 223,000 hardcover copies in its opening week. However, it should be noted that along with the hardcover sales of that first week, the Wall Street Journal related that The Confession also sold 70,000 more copies in digital format. E-books now make up around 30 percent of total sales for Grisham’s newest books—quite amazing considering that this is the very first year his novels have been made available in digital format. Even more significant is what happened last summer when I’d Know You Anywhere, Laura Lippman’s suspense thriller, sold more e-books than hardcovers in its opening week! Further, the New York Times reinforced the fact that e-books are not going anywhere but up when it announced in November 10, 2010, that it will publish an e-book best seller list starting early next year. Despite e-book sales seeing continuous growth, publishers still need to deal with the “headaches” caused by the effects of cannibalization. While the release of the digital version can be delayed by weeks or months, this method has proven to be a “nonstarter,” and it’s also not likely that the print and e-book versions will be released at the same time. Further, deciding on the right price for the e-book involves much thought because readers bent on going digital may be discouraged if an e-book is more expensive than a “heavily discounted hardcover” or “gives the illusion of being too high.” Together with the climb in e-book sales, inWrite too is experiencing growth in the quantity of e-books submitted for proofreading and copyediting. Apart from our proofreading and copyediting services, we also offer various writing services, including copywriting and technical writing. So if you have an e-book in raw form or an idea for your Web site’s content, shoot us an e-mail at info@inwrite.com . For the full article, visit http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/big-numbers-for-bush-and-grishams- bestsellers-shows-e-books-are/19711603/.