archshrk » From the Inbox

Good (supplemental) Health to You…you’ll need it

archshrk — Fri, 28 May 2010 04:58:17 +0000

Some people will do anything for their health. Others will sell you anything to improve it. While this may seem to be an ideal situation, the reality is far from it.

The methods, claims and results of a large number of supplements is reminiscent of snake oil salesmen of the 1930′s. While it’s true that there’s usually some medicinal qualities to the product in question, as the old adage says, if it sounds too good to be true… it usually is.

Let’s take Proargi 9 for example. A google search will yield a lot of results. Most of which are very glowing reports of what it can do for you, including such claims as improving cardio-vascular health, increasing nitric oxide and sexual function benefits. Some pages claim that if you take the pills at a different time, you will see anti-aging results. At the time of writing, these type of results fill the first 50 google pages, after which it starts into non-English languages.

Not surprisingly, most of these pages are constructed in very specific way. You’ll see the words ‘Proargi9′ more often that one would think is reasonable. One page I’m looking at lists: ProArgi9… Benefits, …Caution, …Directions, …Ingredients, …Nutritional information, …Suggested Serving, Top 10 benefits of ProArgi9, How to get the Benefits of ProArgi9, the accompanying text, and not much else – except perhaps links on where to buy it.

Why does it do that? Quite simply, it’s the dark side of Search Engine Optimization. Construct a page that has a singular purpose, an overuse of keywords and plenty of links to similar pages, it will float up to the top of most search engine results – at least temporarily. Quite shortly after, the glut of these sites will be banned. It is a continuing arms race between the sites and the search engines.

What’s actually in these pages? A lot of semi-true information. It cites a 1998 Nobel Prize in medicine as ‘proof’ of it’s claims. What it doesn’t say is that it was an award for discoveries concerning nitric oxide as a signaller – nothing to do with the supposed health benefits. The most touted active ingredient is l-arginine which, as noted earlier, does have some medicinal properties. That proves to be something more worthwhile to look up. You’ll see what they don’t tell you: Most people produce enough in their own bodies, and if they can’t, it’s readily available in many foods – including but not limited to – dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, seafood, wheat germ, flour, granola, nuts and seeds. Of course, the manufactures would have you believe that their combination of ingredients and riders can “unlock it’s awesome potential”. In the same breath they say that every other formulation is garbage – if not downright dangerous. Remarkably self-serving, isn’t it?

Just as important is what it leaves out. Wikipedia and HowStuffWorks both list a number of well-cited side effects. As the FDA doesn’t regulate herbal supplements the to the same degree as pharmaceutical drugs, it’s buyer beware.

Considering the underhanded tactics used to advertise, the strained credulity of many of their claims as well as the exorbitant price, I’m going give this stuff (and many, many things like it) a wide berth.

This article was written by regular commenter (and good friend) Adonis after learning (on FB) that someone he knows is now a distributor for the aforementioned “product”. Please take a moment and visit his site to learn more about Photographs and Photochops. He really knows his stuff and knows how to explain it to us mere mortals.

Finally, a purpose for the Apple iPad

archshrk — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:35:47 +0000

From Days of Wonder – Small World for Apple iPad (via email newsletter)

The new Apple iPad – the first truly intimate interactive device…
Small World for iPad – the first interactive board game designed specifically to deliver the face-to-face gaming experience that you love!

Small World for iPad is the first digital adaptation of this award-winning fantasy board game. It enables two players to face off against each other and vie for conquest and control of a world that is simply too small to accommodate all of the zany fantasy characters that inhabit Small World. Sitting across from each other around the iPad, players use their troops to occupy territory and conquer adjacent lands in order to push the other players’ races off the face of the earth.

It uses iPad’s innovative Multi-Touch interface and large screen to provide a tabletop virtual board game with touch control of the game elements. Users can intuitively move their fantasy forces across the game map as they conquer new lands, while the game automatically enforces the proper movement rules along with the special powers unique to each set of troops. For the first time, two players can sit across a table from each other and share a magical moment of gaming with a face-to-face playing experience that has had no previous equivalent in the digital world. With Small World, the iPad is no longer a solitary pleasure!

Small World for iPad is already getting rave reviews…

From Game Spy…

“Small World, however, was a shocker. Dead-tree publisher Days of Wonder is no stranger to digital board games, having ferried the excellent Xbox Live Arcade version of Ticket to Ride to completion. Their smash hit territory control game, Small World, is a natural for the iPad… Digital board games have several advantages over cardboard: They’re always with you, they save space, they take care of all the record-keeping and rules enforcement… Small World hits all these marks. Marvel and Small World are the future.”

From SJL in Hawaii…*****

“This game is great. My 8 year old daughter and I had a fun time learning how to play together as neither of us had played this board game before… Bottom line is that I am extremely happy with this purchase. It’s more portable, easier to learn as a digital game, and most of [all] very fun.”

You can learn more by visiting the Small World for iPad web page. The Small World for iPad game is available for $4.99 from the App Store on iPad.Similar Posts:

Finally, a purpose for the Apple iPad

False Alarm

archshrk — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:23:28 +0000

The fire alarms are a false alarm. Apparently someone on the 5th floor tripped the alarm. Building management has advised us to stay on alart at our own discretion.

This was a message sent to us by our receptionist shortly after two fire alarms this morning. Spelling aside, I’m not really sure what it means. First, am I to stay alert at my own discretion? Like I can choose to stay or not stay on alert. Or maybe they just want to wash their hands of it in the event that the next one isn’t a false alarm and we get burned to a crisp. Whould they come back and say “we told them to stay on alert, they decided not to. Not our fault” I think that worked out well for Great White.

WARNING: This video contains graphic footage of a tragic nightclub fire. Viewer discretion is advised.

This tragedy was the result of many things including a lack of properly marked exits for the number of occupants, no fire sprinklers, flammable wall coverings, and a stupid pyrotechnic.

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False Alarm

Piss Off!

archshrk — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:18:51 +0000

I hate liars and I try not to use the word “hate” very often. After all, scriptures tells us “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer” but the liars I’m thinking of are not my brothers (or sisters) but deceivers and are “of [their] father the devil”. So I guess it’s OK to hate them. But back to the point. They seek to deceive you and make you a fool for their own gain. When we lie to cover our guilt, we are just revealing our weakness, when we lie in the course of a joke or story we are not intending to keep the listener in the dark (rather we show them the truth of our actions). But when we lie simply to be dishonest, we are actively attacking others.

Case in point. There are many urban legends and old-wives tales circulating the globe and many were originally believed to be true or simply a piece of fiction someone mistakenly took to be true (like a ghost story). but there are those who create lies with the intent to mislead people in believing the lie. And many people fall victim to these lies thanks to the internet.

Recently, I received an email with a story about the design of a men’s room which turns out to be false – not in error, but a bold-faced lie. What makes this one so offensive is that the actual designers and client are not credited for this work.

Edge Designs is an all-women run company that designs interior office space. They had a recent opportunity to do an office project in NYC…The client was a company that was also run by all women execs…

Why not just say it was a client with an all-women staff and only women customers in an all-women country?

The mural was actually designed by Perron Developments and graces a second floor men’s loo in a Sofitel hotel in Queenstown, New Zealand. An October 2005 article on Hotel Industry News notes:

The second floor men’s toilet, which services the complex’s restaurants including Bezu and Fatz Cat, has been tastefully and aesthetically designed by the complex’s developers Cam Marsh and Mark Perriam of Perron, and Brett Taylor of Group CDA. It features six unique individual ‘stands’ manufactured by Three Sixty Limited in Auckland.

But it’s not the tasteful design or subtle lighting that has tongues wagging in the New Zealand resort town.

It is the six-metre long backdrop of life-size photographs featuring local models in varying poses directly behind each of the six stands – each with a full view of the action. – Queenstown, New Zealand Hotel Unzips Eye-opening New Loo :: Hotel News Resource

So next time a piece of email comes through your inbox, take a moment to verify if it’s true before sending it on to your entire contacts list. Because next time, I’ll “reply all” with the proof of the lie to all your friends.Similar Posts:

Piss Off!

SPAM

archshrk — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:12:56 +0000

This is spam (my apologies to anyone named Chris Hutchinson).

I would like to start out with saying
I’m sorry about yesterdays server
outage. It certainly caused a ton
of headaches on our end but we did
not expect the response we received.
I have included yesterdays offer as
well as letting you know that this
offer will be ending soon. Hurry and
click HERE now to signup for FREE.

I just wanted to let you know about
this amazing offer we are having
tremendously positive response
about. I’m talking about the Tweet Tank.
If your not interested in a system
that can make you $500.00 a day then
go ahead and close your browser.

Follow this link to Sign Up for FREE

How would you like to turn Twitter into
a instant push of the button cash machine?
Sign up here for free to find out
about this amazing system. These guys
are going to give you 6 informative videos
on how you can get the Twitter ball rolling.

Hurry now and GO HERE to sign up
and get your spot.

Thank you for your time.
Chris Hutchinson

That is all. Go about your business.

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SPAM

They Might Be Giants on Tour!

archshrk — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:38:21 +0000

ON SALE NOW OR SOON! Boise, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Diego, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston, New York, Raleigh, Ithaca, Albany, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Kutztown, Brooklyn, Minnneapolis, Queens

Click here for dates and ticket info!

We went to their show when pregnant with Corbin, makes sense to see them while pregnant again.
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They Might Be Giants on Tour!

Brother, can you spare a card reader?

archshrk — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:21:12 +0000

With the widespread use of digital cameras, the need to download those priceless memories is becoming an everyday thing. Most cameras come with a USB cable so you can download from the camera to your computer. But for many of us, that means remembering where you put that damn cable and inserting it into that tiny little slot on the camera (carefully hidden behind an impenetrable rubber seal). But as for me and mine…we shall use a card reader.

Problem is, unless they are built-in, they can go missing too. Like the one from this email we recently received at my office.

OK, this is really getting frustrating.
The media reader is missing from the common workstation once more.

Please, please, please do not remove the media reader from the common machine. If you need to *borrow* a media reader, please come up and see us in the IT Office. We have spares we can check out to you.

When you do this, you take away the ability for others to download their pictures from their media cards. If you want your own, go buy one. They are VERY inexpensive, and you can get any kind you want right over at Fry’s.

By the way, we have already had one taken. If this one *permanently disappears*, we are not going to put another one down there. We cannot afford to continually replace. Therefore, thanks to *some people*, everyone, will be forced to come up to the IT office to get their pictures downloaded.

And he’s right, they are very inexpensive. Typically around $10-15 (or less) and can read about 4-9 different card types.
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Brother, can you spare a card reader?

Adam Lambert – go home

archshrk — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:39:36 +0000

Got this email from our office manager…

Tomorrow morning, Adam Lambert (a finalist on American Idol) will be at the radio station across the street at 8:00 AM. Lambert will arrive via police escort. The station is inviting people to come down and see him . . . for what it is worth. . . our parking situation might stink.

I don’t have anything against Adam, I just am not looking forward to the chaos that will ensue. It will be extra strange since there is also an FBI building across the street from the station.
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Adam Lambert – go home

H.R. 1913 is not anti-christian

archshrk — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:19:10 +0000

You may have received an email similar to this one…

Persecution today announced that there is a measure before Congress (H.R. 1913) that will effectively make it a hate crime to call homosexuality a sin. It also will make it a hate crime to call Islam a “False Religion.” Write to you congressman (or woman) to protest this violation of the Freedom of Religion. The more people that complain to their representatives, the more likely it will fail.

Problem is, its not true. I read the measure and think this claim is a bit exaggerated. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1913: To provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes.

In short, this measure simply amends the existing Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code to provide grants to local jurisdictions to investigate “hate crimes”. Hate crimes, as described, are when someone “willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of any person”. Or the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person when the ‘hate crime’ crosses state lines or national borders.

And, Section 10 specifically says “Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution.”

And what of those “other purposes”? They amend the Hate Crimes Statistics Act (28 U.S.C. 534 note) to include `gender and gender identity,’ after `race,’ and `, including data about crimes committed by, and crimes directed against, juveniles‘ after `data acquired under this section‘.

No Christian can say that causing bodily injury to any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability is Christ like. So the only valid objection is financial.Similar Posts:

H.R. 1913 is not anti-christian

Small World by Days of Wonder

archshrk — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:20:56 +0000

Board game makers, Days of Wonder, are introducing a fun, light-hearted civilization game in which players vie for conquest and control of a board that is simply too small to accommodate them all!

This newest Days of Wonder game features a zany cast of characters such as dwarves, wizards, amazons, giants orcs and even humans! Picking the right combination from the 14 different fantasy races and 20 unique special powers, players must rush to expand their empires – often at the expense of weaker neighbors. Yet they must also know when to push their own over-extended civilization into decline to ride a new one to victory.

Small World is for 2-5 players ages 8 and older. The design is filled with rich details and components that beg to be played. The game includes: Two double-sided game boards, one for each of four possible player configurations, 14 Fantasy Races with matching banners & tokens, 20 Special Power badges, a variety of Troll Lairs, Mountains, Fortresses, Encampments, Holes-in-the-ground, 2 Heroes and even a Dragon, along with Victory Coins, 6 Player Summary Sheets, a Reinforcement Die, Rules Booklet and a Days of Wonder Online Access Number.

Small World is now available for pre-order at the Days of Wonder Web Store. In Europe it is expected to ship and be in stock at your local game store around March 27. In the US, it is expected to be available by May 6. Order yours today!

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Small World by Days of Wonder