Monday, December 31, 2012

semiofficial verina: Hire a Home Improvement Contractor for Your ...

Whether you are managing the demands of a growing family, or are financially sound enough to invest in a home addition, you need to get in touch with a reputable home improvement contractor in Arlington Heights. That?s the first and most important step in a home renovation project. You might need to speak to a structural engineer also if you are planning on altering your home?s structure as well.?

You should talk to more than a few of them in order to ensure that you get the very best available home improvement contractor. But sometimes that will put you in a catch-22 scenario because you will be tempted to go for the lowest bidder. It?s even better if you can talk to every one of them individually to discover why their prices are the way they are. The lowest bidder will not always provide you with the best service; unless it is a newbie trying to secure an impressive portfolio.?

Stay away from the substandard companies and avoid the ones who show up at your door step promising you wonders. One of the very first things that you ought to check about the home remodeling contractor is his track record; demand references and be aware that they are liable to give you a few.?

Generally a firm hires out their contractors, so it is essential they?re both registered by the correct associations. All states have their own licensing firms that hand out Home Improvement Contractor Licenses. Check in the Licensing and Business Registration Information Section of your state to see if the company is included. Every thing you can do to your house will require a different type of contractor, for example a General Building Contractor. The firm and the contractor should be properly insured so you will be safe in case of property damage, worker?s compensation and personal liability.?

Keep these things in mind while selecting your home improvement contractor:

? ? ?Inquire about his experience

? ? ?Check for references

? ? ?Check if he is licensed and registered

? ? ?See if the firm is registered

? ? ?Make sure he has insurance coverage

?

For more interesting facts and tips about home improvement contractors,?click here.

Source: http://audiovideo.au.pn/2012/12/27/hire-a-home-improvement-contractor-for-your-home-improvement-project/

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Source: http://catinici.posterous.com/hire-a-home-improvement-contractor-for-your-h

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Source: http://semiofficial-verina.blogspot.com/2012/12/hire-home-improvement-contractor-for.html

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Rebels extend reach in Central African Republic ahead of peace talks

BANGUI (Reuters) - Rebels in Central African Republic took control of a strategic town north of the capital on Saturday after soldiers defending it withdrew, ramping up tensions ahead of planned peace talks.

The three-week-old uprising by SELEKA rebels poses the biggest threat yet to President Francois Bozize's near ten-year rule over the former French colony - a nation plagued by poverty and turmoil despite its rich natural resources.

Regional neighbors agreed on Friday to send more troops to shore up CAR's army after a string of defeats and after French President Francois Hollande rejected a plea for military help made by embattled President Francois Bozize.

Insurgents riding motorbikes and packed into pickup trucks streamed into Sibut, a regional capital on a major crossroads about 190 kilometers (115 miles) north of the capital Bangui, unopposed early on Saturday, said witnesses.

"(They) took positions at strategic points in the town, firing their guns," said Yvon Bema, a 27-year-old Sibut resident who fled to Bangui. "The national army and the Chadians had left on Friday in the direction of Bangui," he added.

The land around Sibut had been seen as a buffer between the rebels and Bangui. Government troops there were backed by soldiers from neighboring Chad.

CAR's minister of territorial administration, Josue Binoua, confirmed on local radio that Sibut was occupied by rebels after troops withdrew to Damara, about 75 km north of Bangui, where clashes had been reported on Friday.

The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) - which already has more than 500 peacekeepers in CAR - announced overnight a decision to send in more troops ahead of talks planned between the rebels and the government in early January.

"We are thinking of a way to deploy this mission as quickly as possible," Gabon Foreign Minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet told reporters after a meeting with his regional counterparts in Gabon's capital Libreville. He did not say how many soldiers would be deployed.

The ECCAS soldiers, mostly from Chad, are part of the MICOPAX (Mission for the Consolidation of Peace in Central African Republic) peacekeeping force.

The SELEKA rebels have threatened to overthrow Bozize if he does not honour a previous peace deal offering former fighters pay and jobs. They have said they will stay out of Bangui for now to give peace talks a chance.

Officials in Bangui said on Friday rebels had agreed to send delegates to Libreville in early January, though a rebel spokesman was not immediately available to comment.

Bozize came to power in a rebellion in 2003 and has since won two elections. France launched air strikes against rebels challenging him in 2006, but Paris has said it will not intervene militarily in the current conflict.

The United States said on Thursday it had closed its embassy in Bangui and evacuated its staff.

Central African Republic is one of a number of countries in the region where U.S. Special Forces are helping local forces try to track down the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group which has killed thousands of civilians across four African nations.

About 1,200 French nationals live in CAR, mostly working for mining firms and aid groups in the capital. French defense ministry sources said Paris had sent in 150 troops to Bangui late on Friday to bolster an existing 250-strong deployment safeguarding French citizens.

French nuclear energy group Areva mines the Bakouma uranium deposit in CAR's south - France's biggest commercial interest in its former colony.

(Additional reporting by Phal Gualbert Mezui Ndong in Libreville and Catherin Bremer in Paris; Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rebels-extend-reach-car-ahead-peace-talks-152847284.html

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A Guide To Help You Prepare For Your Breast Augmentation ...

Related eBooks

Get the chest size you have always wanted by getting a breast augmentation. It is a very safe and affordable procedure that continues to make women appreciate their looks even more.

Source:A Guide To Help You Prepare For Your Breast Augmentation

Related Reading:

The Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic SurgeryThe Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic Surgery

Whether it is for augmentation, liposuction, or a lift, women often go into plastic surgery without being aware of all the aspects. This book, written by a female plastic surgeon, gives an objective, knowledgeable overview of the different procedures and includes topics such as decision making, smart questions to ask, expectations, possible complications, and recovery.

Surgery Junkies: Wellness and Pathology in Cosmetic CultureSurgery Junkies: Wellness and Pathology in Cosmetic CultureThe ease of accessibility, improvements in safety and technology, media attention, growing acceptance by the public, or an increasingly superficial culture: whatever the reason, cosmetic surgery is more popular today than ever. In 2005, in the United States alone, there were nearly two million aesthetic operations-more than quadruple the number from 1984, along with more than eight million non-surgical procedures. Innovative surgical methods have also brought cosmetic improvements to new areas of the body, such as the ribs, buttocks, and genitalia.

Despite the increasing normalization of cosmetic surgery, however, there are still those who identify individuals who opt for bodily modifications as dupes of beauty culture, as being in conflict with feminist ideals, or as having some form of psychological weakness. In this ground-breaking book, Victoria Pitts-Taylor examines why we consider some cosmetic surgeries to be acceptable or even beneficial and others to be unacceptable and possibly harmful. Similarly, why are some patients considered to be psychologically healthy while others deemed pathological? When is the modification of our appearance empowering and when is it a sign of weakness?

Drawing on years of research, her personal experience with cosmetic surgery, analysis of newspaper articles and television shows, and in-depth interviews with surgeons, psychiatrists, lawyers, judges, and others, Pitts-Taylor brings new perspectives to the promotion of "extreme" makeovers on television, the medicalization of "surgery addiction," the moral and political interrogation that many patients face, and feminist debates on the topic.

While many feel that cosmetic surgery is a deeply personal choice and that its pathology is rooted in the individual psyche, Pitts-Taylor makes a compelling argument that the experience, meanings, and motivations for cosmetic surgery are highly social. A much needed "makeover" of our cultural understanding of cosmetic surgery, this book is both authoritative and thoroughly engaging.

Cosmetic SurgeryCosmetic SurgeryCosmetic Surgery: Art and Techniques is an atlas of general cosmetic surgery that provides precise step-by-step descriptions of the full range of techniques, supported by photographs and illustrations of the highest standard. The book is comprehensive in its scope, covering the diverse procedures performed on the head and neck, breast, abdomen, buttocks, and extremities as well as other techniques such as labioplasty, penile enhancement, and total body lift. Risks and complications are fully explained, with clear advice on how to avoid and to treat them. All of the contributors are internationally recognized experts with extensive knowledge of their subject. This book will be of value to beginners, and experienced practitioners in not only cosmetic surgery but also plastic surgery, general surgery, oral maxillofacial surgery, neurosurgery, dermatology, otolaryngology, and ophthalmology. Cosmetic Surgery For DummiesCosmetic Surgery For DummiesCosmetic surgery is one of today?s hottest topics. From daytime talk shows and popular magazines to conversations at the salon, it seems that almost everyone has had it, is thinking about it, or knows someone who is getting it. Statistics show more and more women?and men?are having cosmetic surgery. And with all the options now available, it?s important to be fully informed before you make any decisions about having a procedure.

Now, Cosmetic Surgery For Dummies is here to guide you through today?s top procedures, candidly addressing both the benefits and the risks. R. Merrel Olesen, MD, the medical director of the La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, and Marie B.V. Olesen, a nationally known cosmetic surgery consultant, give you the tools you need to:

  • Decide if surgery is right for you
  • Find a qualified surgeon
  • Set realistic expectations
  • Evaluate the costs
  • Enhance your recovery and results

This plain-English guide shows you how to take advantage of all the advances in cosmetic surgery while avoiding the pitfalls that could compromise your safety or the quality of your result. From implants to liposuction to Botox, you?ll understand the right questions to ask your doctor, how to prepare for surgery (both physically and financially), and the best ways to influence the healing process. You?ll also:

  • Discover the latest surgery techniques and medications
  • Understand the different surgeon specializations
  • Sort through the various non-surgical facial treatments
  • Evaluate your post-op care options
  • Cope with complications
  • Deal with family, friends, and coworkers before and after surgery

Complete with lists of questions to ask before surgery and top Web sites for cosmetic surgery information, Cosmetic Surgery For Dummies is a practical, friendly guide that will help you say hello to a new you!

Tags: cosmetic surgery

Source: http://www.jackiesbazaar.com/womensinterests/cosmetic-surgery/a-guide-to-help-you-prepare-for-your-breast-augmentation

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Pentagon Readying 800,000 for Furloughs (WSJ)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273934375?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

ECB's Nowotny cautiously optimistic about 2013

VIENNA (Reuters) - Measures taken this year by policymakers to address the economic crisis in the euro zone allow for cautious optimism regarding 2013, European Central Bank ratesetter Ewald Nowotny said on Friday.

Nowotny welcomed the launch of a permanent rescue fund for struggling euro zone countries, a framework for common bank supervision by the ECB, and a deal to continue supplying aid to Greece.

"Altogether these are important measures that allow for cautious optimism for a way out of the crisis in 2013," Nowotny said in a statement.

His stance chimed with comments on Thursday by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who said in a newspaper interview the worst of the debt crisis appeared to be over.

Both men also stressed the need for euro zone states to stick with tight fiscal policies.

Schaeuble said he was optimistic France would press on with its efforts to stop its debt burden expanding.

Nowotny, who also heads Austria's central bank, said the government in Vienna needed to bring down its public debt level, which he expected to rise to 75 percent of gross domestic product next year.

"In the eyes of the central bank this level is clearly too high. It is therefore crucial to continue pushing for consolidation," he said. "We hope that this path will not be abandoned in 2013, an election year."

Nowotny also said he expected Austrian inflation to fall below 2 percent in the next two years amid signs of an economic upturn.

Schaeuble said he expected Germany's economy to expand at a decent rate next year, underpinned by exports to countries outside the euro zone.

(Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by John Stonestreet)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ecbs-nowotny-cautiously-optimistic-2013-102625526--finance.html

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How To Succeed With Internet Marketing Today! - Maynas Eric

There are many benefits to owning a business, such as unlimited profit potential and the ability to create your own schedule. In order to maximize the returns you get on your investments of time and money, you can market your business online to reach the broadest possible audience. Here are some tips to help you.

Always keep a track of what your competition is doing and see if you can boost your own sales from using, or modifying, some of their tactics. Browse competitors? sites to get ideas on marketing and advertising strategies, and then incorporate them into your own site.

Put comments from your customers about your products on your website. Because people enjoy sharing and reading others? experiences, be sure that these are somewhere on your page. Having honest comments from existing customers on your site makes potential customers feel at ease in purchasing products from you.

TIP! Design a game to entice customers to your website. People will come to your site to play a quality game and share it with their friends.

Getting your site listed by Google should be a key part of your Web marketing strategy. There are so many people using Google everyday to locate things, and you want to be able to be found by the people looking for your company?s products and services. The higher your Google ranking, the more profitable your business can become.

Do not overspend on advertising. There is no point in spending money on advertising techniques that will not work. Banner advertising is a form of advertisement that might be more likely to pay back your investment, so you reap benefits from those hard-earned dollars.

Internet Promotion

TIP! The purpose of Internet marketing is to recognize a problem in which you should fix. Make sure you know exactly what problems your business seeks to solve.

Even if you hit a few bumps in the road when it comes to internet promotion, you must persevere. Internet promotion takes a lot of hard work and trial and error before you will be successful. If you are designing a website, make sure you have done your research and are confident about the direction you are taking it in. This can be time consuming work. No matter how arduous this journey may be, always keep in mind that your efforts will pay off.

One way to market online is to encourage visitors to buy by using discount prices. You can do this easily, simply by showing the discounted price right next to an items original price. Also, make your special sound good. For instance, say something along lines of ?Order now and get (insert product) for half off?!

When planning your Internet marketing strategies, use a variety of techniques and approaches and don?t put all your effort into one narrow pathway. This is vital because Internet profits tend to be pretty slow at first. Don?t quit your day job until you are sure that you can support yourself.

TIP! Display a banner with your slogan, mission statement or a catchphrase on your website. Create a logo that will help consumers recognize and remember your company.

Make effective use of email in your business. Make sure these emails contain interesting information. Your goal is to give subscribers the feeling that your emails are useful to them, not spam messages. Newsletters keep your business in customers? minds months after they buy something, and subtly invite them to return for a second purchase.

When making your webpage, do your best to focus on content that is directly related to your keywords & topic, and also make sure it?s easy to understand. Your goal is to tell your customers what they need to know about the products they?re looking at in as few words as possible. Don?t pad or fluff; stick to stating the essential data that the customer needs to know.

In your advertisements and in your content, utilizing the word ?guaranteed? is a successful strategy. A guarantee makes purchasing your product a little less risky for potential customers, even if the real value of the guarantee depends on the company that makes it. A guarantee helps them feel better about buying from you than they would from a competitor that doesn?t offer the guarantee.

TIP! Internet marketing does not have to take place solely on the internet. Try reaching out regularly to bloggers, and them to attend a conference you are hosting to meet them in person.

You should complete a glossary full of various terms if you strive to be looked at as an authority figure in your particular field. This will help your customers, prospective customers, and competitors. People doing a search for those terms will be more likely to come to your website. You will get more traffic and be considered a reference.

Your internet promotion efforts should not be implemented without heavy forethought. Find an adviser who you trust and seek their assistance. There are many out there that can give you a fresh perspective for either free or at a small cost. Choose a method that suits you, and use that method. You may have a slow start, but in the end, it will be well worth the effort.

Mailing List

TIP! Regular blogging can have a large impact on marketing. Consistent blogging provides yet another way to keep your customers informed.

A client mailing list is vital. Include a place on your website for visitors to request information. Use these emails and the ones you acquire during purchases to compile your mailing list. You can find this info at a later date to communicate any deals you may have, or communicate with them.

Although your business might begin as small, you can build business by making goals for yourself. Don?t stop when you initials goals are satisfied, come up with new goals and continue to grow and improve. Continue to change strategies and learn until your set goals are topped. All the luck to you when dealing with your website marketing business.

Join me on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/maynaseric

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/how-to-succeed-with-internet-marketing-today

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dangerous post concussion basketball protocol - athlete safety 1st

December 29, 2012 by mike?

Diving on the floor for loose basketballs anytime following an Athletic Concussion is dangerous to the Athlete and counterproductive. It defeats the entire prupose of Sports, Recreation and Exercise participation.

Athletes might become permanetly injured, disabled or expire and the teams success will be hampered when the team doesn?t have enough healthy athletes to practice and play.

Hustle and aggressive basketball play are the most satisfying aspects to the coach during drills, practice and games. Aggression is often associated with boys more than girls, but both child and youth boy and girl athletes can play aggressively.

Child and youth girls cannot equally match-up physically and aggressively with boys, matched for age, size and skill even after intense skill drills, practice and conditioning. They are made differently. Aggression is not regulated in basketball by strong, violent emotions but regulated by playing hard, smart, controlled as a team.

Hustle for pure satisfaction of a macho Coach?s warped psychodynamics if factitious and only window dressing for the athlete. Mental Toughness is key to Sports Psychology.
___________________________________________________________________________

ATHLETE MENTAL TOUGHNESS, SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

Champions have a competitive advantage. How does an athlete develop a competitive advantage rather than the weakness of a mental Achilles? Heel?

Mental Athlete Toughness (MAT) is the competitive advantage.

Mental Athlete Toughness is derived from the love, passion, soul and spirit for the game. MAT is inspired by a mentor, credible, truthful, and trustworthy coach who coaches by the 4 R?s of Coaching. Trust is the Core of Coaching.
The mentor doesn?t have to be an employed athletic coach but a parent, friend, minister or another confidant. Naturally it is better if the mentor is the designated athletic coach.

The 4 R?s of Coaching are the backbone of Trust because they are the key of Positive Motivation.
Not all athletes have Mental Toughness. Authentic, genuine Mental Athlete Toughness is multidimensional. First the athlete is gifted with athletic intelligence and ability. The athlete also has a ?5 star Will To Win.?

At the same time, the athlete has passion for the game. This passion is an extreme emotional feeling for the game. The athlete plays for the love of the game and enjoys the aggressive play and self-denying physicality of the game.
The athlete studies the game and is focused with his or her destination in sight without distracting obstacles while playing the game. Nothing impedes that focus.

The athlete is dedicated, self-sacrificing, determined, plays aggressively, maintains strict conditioning and stays in excellent shape year round. They never dissipate and seize every moment to stay in top condition. The athlete desires to be a player in something bigger than self, part of a successful team. The athlete places the team victory first before personal achievement.

The nucleus of Mental Toughness is a Mentor Coach of the athlete and his or her Coaching Philosophy. The Coach must cultivate respect in themselves and then EARN respect from the athletes and others around them. Trust must be established and earned by the coach over time. A coach cannot lead without enthusiastic followers.

Athletes trust, respect and follow the coach who Coaches with the 4 R?s of Coaching i.e. Respect, Responsibility, Coach-Player Relationship, Recognition.

The Coach must have the best interest of the athlete at heart to prevail in the mind of the athlete and their mental state, ?toughness?.

Some coaches, who are not in step with the prevailing concept of Mental Athletic Toughness, and, conversely, practice physical and psychological athlete maltreatment, give Mental Athletic Toughness lip service and profess the awareness of its importance.

These negatively motivating coaches are convinced that Mental Athletic Toughness is achieved by over working, over practicing and physically and psychologically abusing their athletes.
They often cross the line and push and punish their Athletes beyond their physical and mental limits. More is not better and is extremely counterproductive, tending to defeat the Holistic Athletic Purpose. [http://www.cappaa.com/holistic-athletic-experience]

Out of step, that coach will demand and command respect and mistreat their athletes in the process. They will play head games verbally, physically and emotionally for admiration, approval, esteem, prominence, success and winning. But, pushing athletes too far will waste some athletes physically and emotionally and, at the same time, waste their careers. That coach will lose many games, because they lack athletes accepting their misdirection, which negates teamwork. Teamwork is the key to success; not brainwashing brutality that emphasizes tearing down and remolding elite athletes.

The athlete develops a belief based on absolute certainty that he or she is better than their opponent. The mentally tough athlete ?really wants it? more than their opponent and is not distracted by their own or their teammates mistakes. The mentally tough athlete wants the pressure and never is critically negative about themselves. A negative mind set is not in them. They always want the ball or the challenge and are confident when they are the center of the action.

The negative, mental Achilles heel will impair the proper movement coordination and restrict athletic performance. Mental Athlete Toughness allows the fluidity of muscle synergy during practice and during competitions, because the muscle agonists and antagonists are moving the extremities and athletic body parts as they should be moved in sink together for successful athletic coordination and performance.

The mentally tough athlete always comes with their game, every game, because their mind set is developed supported by a trustworthy mentor coach.
[http://www.cappaa.com/index.php?s=Mental+Toughness]
__________________________________________________________________
?Remember, coaches love hustle! So make sure your going all-out, if there is a loose ball on the floor.. you better be the first one diving for the ball. You should always play this way regardless, but you better take it up a notch if your trying out for a team!
[Making The Team: Things You Should Know to make the team? BASKETBALLTRAININGGHQ by Coach Monty]

__________________________________________________________________
Basketball Drill: Hustle Level: Beginner and up Instructions:

The basketball team will divide and form two lines underneath the basket. The coach will roll the basketball and then say ?GO!? The two players that are first will have to CHASE & DIVE on the floor for the basketball. The player who gets it, gets up and now the players play a one on one situation. It?s then the defenders responsibility to play defense and to rebound the basketball after the offense has shot.
[www.basketballplans.com , ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com]
______________________________________________________________

?I was at in attendance for a few of those practices during his (Billy Gillispie) two years, and saw firsthand some of his tirades. Joe Crawford could barely run recovering from knee problems, yet he hounded him relentlessly to run up and down the court and ?hustle.? He had Jodie Meeks diving on the floor for balls on the sideline so hard he would slide into the seats ? how he avoided getting hurt is a miracle. Patrick Patterson had a stress fracture from over-use in year 2 (with later surgery) that could have compromised his NBA career. I watched him storm down the hall at Rupp one day acting like a 3-year-old that didn?t get his way, and chew people out for the slightest of reasons. Bizarre experience looking back on it, but at the time I was just trying to figure out if that?s how they coached in Texas or something?? [Is this the end of the line for Billy Gillispie? DaveUK Says: Sept 5, 2012 at 6:50 pm Kentucky Sports Radio]
__________________________________________________________

Texas Tech on Wednesday disclosed that it had reprimanded men?s basketball coach Billy Gillispie earlier this year after learning he was exceeding NCAA practice-time limits.[ Coach Gillespie accused of holding practices too long, leading to injuries The Associated Press, September 5, 2012 LUBBOCK, Texas ?
_____________________________________________________

?All of us as coaches become quite frustrated when players refuse to dive on the floor for a lose ball because we all know how much those 50/50 balls matter in a close game. It also infuriates us because it shows that we are soft and that's something we just can't tolerate.

Building the Habits

Building proper habits for loose balls essentially boils down to doing two things - emphasizing it and rewarding it.
Emphasizing It:

1. Have it subconsciously be a part of every drill in practice. You don't need to do 10 loose ball drills a week for this to kick in, in my opinion. Loose ball drills are only something you run to start the year, or as a fun change up mid to late season. Their only real purpose is to get players over their fear of going for the ball. After that anytime there is a loose ball in a drill, in ANY drill for that matter, players need to dive on it. Even if a player fumbles the ball while passing it around in shell drill players need to sprint over and dive on it. This creates

2. Chart It In Games

Teaching the Form

When teaching the form there are a few key points I like to make.
1.The first is to dive at the earliest possible spot you can get the ball. No sense in waiting until the last moment - after someone else has started their dive.
2. Leading with your shoulder is another important point. All players want to lead with their head, but I teach them to go shoulder first to prevent injury.
3. Slide on your side is another key phrase I use. Have the players slide on their hip, it helps to turn the body and lead with the shoulder. I don't want guys landing on the palms of their hands either - sure way to break a hand or wrist. Side should hit first, then shoulder while the arms reach out.
[John Carrier, varsity assistant at St. Thomas Academy in Medota Heights, MN. under head coach in Dan Rubishko]
_________________________________________________________
?Nothing endears a player to a coach more than hustle. The willingness to give every last drop of sweat, often compromising well-being and risking livelihood to make a play is the ultimate act of basketball selflessness.? [All-Hustle Team: Diving on the floor, making things happen, Art Garcia, Oct 11 2010 NBA News]
____________________________________________________
Scott Schumacher Quotes
It?s playing defense, diving after loose balls, sprinting back on defense to break up a fast break. People forget sometimes that these are 18- and 19-year-old young adults. They go through so many personal things while playing college basketball and taking college courses.
[Scott Schumacher, a 25-year coaching veteran with 22 years? experience coaching junior college basketball, NJCAA,was named the new head men?s basketball coach at Blinn College, the school announced Schumacher comes to the Buccaneers with a career record of 426-249, including the last four seasons at North Dakota State College of Science, where he has served as athletic director the last three years.
Thursday, May 10th. May 16, 2012]
[Tiffin University, Inspirational Quotes]
____________________________________________________
?The problem of concussions in professional sports gets a lot more attention now than it used to, especially in the NFL and NHL.

?But Dr. Robert Cantu worries that concussions in youth sports aren?t taken as seriously. Cantu is a clinical professor of neurosurgery at the Boston University School of Medicine, and he?s co-author with Mark Hyman of the new book ?Concussions and Our Kids: America?s Leading Expert on How to Protect Young Athletes and Keep Sports Safe,?
.
?They write that sometimes in youth sports there?s a ?walk it off? attitude among some players and parents and coaches. And that means head injuries in young athletes sometimes go overlooked, even though they can be especially detrimental in kids.

[Robin Young, 90.9 WBUR NPR Radio, Friday, September 28, 2012, Web Chat: The Risks Of Concussions In Youth Sports]
?We still have this culture where it?s hard to convince people that a concussion is a very serious brain injury,??Dawn Comstock, principal investigator, Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute, Nationwide Children?s Hospital, Ohio State University (Time)

?In the late 1950s, I was a student at Cal-Berkeley and a member of Cal?s baseball team. We were playing Stanford one afternoon, and I came to bat. This was the dark ages before batters wore helmets with ear flaps. Our protection?if you can call it that?was a flimsy liner inside our felt caps.

?A pitch came inside and tight, and I didn?t react as quickly as I needed to. The ball caught me flush on the side of the head. The cap and the hard liner were just about worthless. The force of the blow stunned me, and I wobbled a bit as I made my way down the line to first base. This didn?t seem to bother anyone as much as the blood trickling from my ear. It wasn?t really coming from my ear?the force of the pitch had shattered the cap liner, which sliced into my scalp.

?The coaches didn?t know that, of course. They took one look at me and thought, ?My God, Cantu has a skull fracture! Get him to the hospital!?

?We?ve come a long way since those unenlightened times. Now head trauma in sports is a topic that leads nightly newscasts and is debated at every level of amateur and professional sports.

?A Concussion Is?
?The word derives from the Latin concutere for ?to shake violently.? Concussions are just that?a shaking of the brain inside the skull that changes the alertness of the injured person. That change can be relatively mild. (She is slightly dazed.) It can be profound. (She falls unconscious.) Both fall within the definition.

?According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

? almost four million sports- and recreation-related concussions are recognized every year, with many times that number occurring but going unrecognized.
? For young people ages fifteen to twenty-four years, sports are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury behind only motor vehicle crashes.
? According to research by the New York Times, at least fifty youth football players (high school or younger) from twenty different states have died or sustained serious head injuries on the field since 1997.
? One study estimates that the likelihood of an athlete in a contact sport experiencing a recognized concussion is as high as 20 percent each season.
? In my office, there is a very discernible cycle in the number of concussion patients. In the fall (football season) and winter (ice hockey) the numbers go up, sometimes exceeding fifteen new young athletes with a concussion per week. In the spring and summer, they slide back down.

?Concussions happen to all types of athletes?young and old, boys and girls, and in every conceivable sport. In a typical year, I see hundreds of children and adolescents in my office. We see more than athletes, of course. Some patients have suffered concussions in traffic accidents, mishaps around the house (they walked into a door), or a slip and fall in the grocery store.
?In a chapter later in this book, I offer observations about concussions in ?non-collision? sports such as volleyball and tennis that parents?for good reason?do not think of as posing a great risk of concussion. However, there is risk in every sport. I would have to think a long time before naming one that has not sent a single patient to our office at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts.

?Many patients get well over two to three weeks, pretty much as expected. Other cases take unexpected turns. Mario was an eleven-year-old kid making one of those typical recoveries. After his concussion, he had a number of symptoms. We held him back from sports, gym, and physical activity. He was also under restrictions regarding his schoolwork. Just as he was about ready to resume normal activity, Mario hit his head on a bedpost and suffered another concussion. The process started all over again. I can?t count the number of stories like that. Unfortunately, they happen a lot.

?Concussions in sports occur when an athlete is slammed and makes sudden and forceful contact. That contact can be with the ground, court, or pool deck. It also can be with a batted ball, a thrown ball, a kicked ball, a goalpost (football), the boards (hockey), the scorer?s table (basketball), and of course another player. Dylan Mello, a high school soccer and ice hockey player from Rhode Island, suffered a severe concussion in a collision with a player who smashed him with the plaster cast on his arm.

?Concussions can and frequently do occur without any contact with the head. Rather, the player?s body receives a jolt that causes his shoulders and head to change speed or direction violently. It?s the whiplash effect. Inside the skull, the brain shifts in the cerebrospinal fluid and bangs against the inside of the skull.

?Even falling from five or six feet and landing upright, if it?s unexpected, and therefore jarring, can send a shock through the spine and shake the head with a force that may cause a concussion. Concussions that are the most damaging to the brain tend to be the ones that involve a direct blow to the head, however. When you?re struck in the head, the forces generated are about fifty times greater than being struck in another part of the body.

?With such a blow, the brain pushes forward until it crashes into the skull, reverses, and bumps against the back of the skull.
[Book Excerpt: ?Concussions and Our Kids: America's Leading Expert on How to Protect Young Athletes and Keep Sports Safe byDr. Robert Cantu (Author), Mark Hyman]
[Robin Young, 90.9 WBUR NPR Radio, Friday, September 28, 2012, Web Chat: The Risks Of Concussions In Youth Sports]

__________________________________________________________________
?Basketball is a constantly evolving contact sport. Concussions in basketball put players at high risk for short and long-term head trauma effects.

?Contrary to the degree of contact seen in men?s basketball, there is equal number if not more, in women?s basketball. According to a study by the National Athletic Trainers Association of all divisions of the NCAA sports, there is an increase of head and facial injuries in basketball by an annual average of 6.2 percent.

?Of all the injuries reported 3.6 percent were concussion related. The study also showed women basketball players were three times more likely to get a concussion than men.

?Any contact sport puts you at risk for a concussion,? Williamson said. ?Sports are inherently at risk activity, you recognize it and accept it. We are now seeing more contact in women?s sports.?

?The women?s basketball team has had its own share of concussion experience with players. Skyler Warrick, a junior in mass communication, plays forward for the Mustangs and is no stranger to concussions herself.

?With the first one I thought I was having an off day, and it just kept getting worse,? Warrick said. ?My first concussion was my freshman year in the second week of workouts during a block out drill.?

Warrick has sustained four concussions in her college basketball career and is familiar with the rigorous testing that is required before a player is cleared. Typically, for a concussion to be diagnosed, the player is asked a series of questions and then put through a series of balance exercises.

?After a player concusses, there should be a side-line evaluation,? Williamson said. ?If you concuss in a game you should not go back in the game.?

?A balance test would include standing on one leg with eyes open then closed or lifting both arms. Some of the exercises are similar to a sobriety test and ironically the symptoms of a concussion are similar to inebriation.

?There are several signs and symptoms; disorientation, physical skill, nausea, ability to articulate and the content of speech,? Williamson said. ?The obvious would be unconsciousness but also visual accuracy and amnesia are other signs as well.?
?Warrick has experienced symptoms such as these however her first few concussions neglected proper diagnoses right away. Her first concussion she was elbowed in the face, immediately following this her head hit the floor, then the player who elbowed her fell on top of Warrick?s head.

?The day after my first concussion I ran all of practice, by the end of the day I couldn?t walk straight,? Warrick said.
Later in practice Warrick ran into a wall and fell. The coach approached her to scold her for falling, and then she realized something was wrong.

?I did not do well in any of the balance test,? Warrick said. ?At practice when running my head felt like it was going to explode.?

This was only the beginning to multiple concussions, Warrick would sustain in her first three years of college basketball. Warrick is no longer allowed to play unless she is wearing a protective helmet, which has become her signature as a Mustang.

?I am not as self-conscious of my head hitting anything, now I can play without worrying about it,? Warrick said. ?A downside of the helmet is it is hard to hear because the helmet has small holes and it is hot.?

Other college teams are also taking preventative measures with their players who have sustained concussions. The University of Louisville men?s basketball team uses helmets during practice. The team?s trainer, Fred Hina, made the decision for the team as a precaution.

We are just trying to be proactive and keep our multiple concussions down to a minimum, limit our risk Hina said. It may be overkill, but I really think you are going to see it more and more with the focus being on head injuries he said in an interview with The Associated Press.

These helmets are not mandatory for the whole team but Hina is smart in taking such preventative measures.
Warrick is the only player for the women?s basketball team that is required to wear a helmet while playing, however, she does see a positive side to it all.

?I call it my crown because I am the queen of concussions,? Warrick said. ?When I walk in the gym with it on, all eyes are on me and I like the attention because people think who is this girl in the helmet??
[Basketball concussions on the rise, December 4, 2012 By The Wichitan
By Samantha Forester]

?Louisville is taking a proactive approach to preventing multiple concussions: mixed martial arts helmets.
?Looking to protect players who have had previous concussions, Cardinals trainer Fred Hina came up with the idea of having them wear the padded helmets in practice.

?Wearing a black lid that looks like a cross between a skateboard and motocross helmet might look a little odd, but if it helps keep the players on the floor, no one seems to mind.

?We?re just trying to be proactive and keep our multiple (concussions) down to a minimum, limit our risk,? Hina said Thursday before the Cardinals played Michigan State in the West Regional semifinals. ?It may be overkill, but I really think you?re going to see it more and more with the focus being on head injuries.?

?Hina came up with the idea while sitting on his couch watching a football game between Toledo and Ohio last November. A player who had suffered a previous concussion went down with another after being hit, and Hina figured if a football player wearing a helmet could get multiple concussions like that, what chance does a basketball player with multiple concussions have with no protection?

He then went to the sporting goods store and started doing research on the Internet. After buying a couple of boxers helmets and looking at soccer headgear, he opted for the MMA sparring helmet, which is softsided but still provides protection and allows the players to have good vision on the court.

Hina approached Louisville coach Rick Pitino and he was all for it, especially because three Cardinals had suffered multiple concussions. The helmets aren?t mandatory, but the players have bought into the concept, even if it does make them look a bit odd in practice

?Really, it?s no different than putting an ankle brace on a guy that?s had three or four ankle sprains,? Hina said. ?You?re just trying to limit your risk and hopefully cut down on the possibility of that occurring again.?
Guards Peyton Siva, Tim Henderson and Elisha Justice, who all have had multiple concussions, wear the helmets in practice during any drill that might involve contact. The black helmets are made of plastic foam and have air holes on the top.

Hina said he?s heard of a handful of other schools getting their players to wear protective headgear for practices, but he doesn?t think it?s a common practice.

[Louisville using helmets in practice March 23, 2012, ESPN, Men?s Basketball, AP [Louisville using helmets in practice March 23, 2012, ESPN, Men?s Basketball, AP PHOENIX]
_________________________________________________________
BASKETBALL CONCUSSION RETURN TO PLAY PROTOCAL

?Blows to the head are not as common in basketball as in football and hockey, but they happen.

?We?ve seen just a quantum change in the way concussions are handled, from players routinely being allowed to go back in the same contest? after a blow to the head to being ruled out indefinitely if a concussion is diagnosed, says Robert C. Cantu, clinical professor of neurosurgery at Boston University School of Medicine and co-director of BU?s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy.

?And now it?s even tightening up further,? Cantu says. ?When you can?t rule out that somebody?s had a concussion ? in other words you suspect it, but you can?t be sure ? that?s good enough? to sideline a player. ?The risks are too great.?

Scalabrine took that inadvertent blow to the jaw Jan. 25, 2009. He was held out of games until Feb. 19. Then, four days later, at a game in Denver, he took a blow to the back of the neck and suffered his third concussion in less than a month.The Celtics sent Scalabrine to see Cantu at BU.

Brian David Scalabrine missed the rest of the season and felt symptoms for months, including severe sensitivity to light. ?The whole summer after that, I couldn?t go outside without sunglasses,? he says. ?There were a lot of weird things that happened. At a restaurant, I couldn?t have a conversation with all the background noise.?

Scalabrine couldn?t talk one-on-one if another conversation was going on nearby:
?It would all get blended in, and it would sound like mumbled noise. That wouldn?t go away. That lasted six months. I couldn?t have a conversation with the TV on.?

He couldn?t sleep more than four hours at a stretch ?probably until six or eight months later.?

?That combination of multiple concussions before completely clearing is what led him to get into what we call a post-concussion syndrome,? Cantu says, ?where the symptoms lasted a very long time.?

Cantu, a senior adviser to the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee, thinks the NBA needs a league-wide policy: ?Any sport ought to have a management protocol in place that reflects the highest level of current thinking.?
[Concussions now a hot issue as leagues toughen policies By Erik Brady and J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY Sports 10/25/2011]
__________________________________________________________________
Although concussion rates for basketball players are slightly lower than those for football and ice hockey players, concussions in basketball players still accounted for 4.7% and 3.2% of all injuries for collegiate females and males, respectively.22 In addition, high school basketball concussions accounted for 6.2% of all injuries in females and 5.7% of all injuries in males.21 Thus, concussions in basketball and soccer players are relatively comparable with those in football (6.0%) and hockey (7.9) players.22

Although normative data are available for computerized neurocognitive test batteries, baseline measures still provide the most reliable and accurate comparisons for postconcussion measures. Therefore, ATs should administer baseline neurocognitive tests to all collision-sport and contact-sport athletes to ensure accurate management of sport-related concussions.

As neurocognitive testing increases in popularity in the sports medicine field, it is important for practitioners to take the time to use this tool properly. In addition, practitioners could benefit from reviewing pertinent material (eg, user manuals and relevant publications) on neurocognitive testing administration and interpretation. This information will not only help them interpret and understand the scores but will also place them in a position to educate and help the concussed athlete understand the meaning of the scores. Such knowledge could also enhance communication and adherence to further clinical recommendations made by medical professionals. Future researchers should focus on expanding and improving educational efforts for practitioners using neurocognitive testing as well as other tools (eg, symptom checklists and postural assessments) in the management of sport-related concussion.

[J Athl Train. 2009 Nov-Dec; 44(6): 639?644. , Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) Practices of Sports Medicine Professionals, Tracey Covassin, PhD, ATC,1 Robert J. Elbin, III, MA,1 Jennifer L. Stiller-Ostrowski, PhD, ATC,1 and Anthony P. Kontos, PhD2]
_________________________________________________________________

The Importance of Return-To-Play Decisions: Striking Another Balance

?Avoid potential negative outcomes
?Protect the health of the athlete and avoid:
?Second Impact Syndrome
?Acute and Chronic Cognitive Deficits
?Severe Emotional Problems
?Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
?Carry out the mission/goal
?Return to game and play well
?Avoid being lost for future games

Potential Negative Medical Outcomes Associated With Return-To-Play Decisions: CHRONIC TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY

?Progressive degenerative neurological process found in some athletes who sustain multiple concussions and sub-concussive blows. This early degenerative process is characterized by cerebral atrophy and increased levels of tau protein, as well as cognitive impairment (dementia) and, in some cases, depression.

LOW-MOD INCIDENCE ? HIGH POTENTIAL CHRONIC IMPACT
McKee /Cantu, 2009; Omalu,/DeKosky 2005. Evidence Level 3 & 4

Return to Play and Practice What Do We Know With Reasonable Certainty?
?Single uncomplicated concussion often results in acute neurocognitive and balance deficits and a rapid (3 to 10 day) recovery curve.
?Once an athlete has sustained a concussion, the risk for subsequent concussion increases 3 to 6 fold.
?Multiple concussions may increase the severity and duration of cognitive symptoms (multiple concussions may result in CTE).
?Children are likely at greater risk for slower recovery.

Return to Play: Consensus Statements Evidence Level 5 [Expert Opinion] American Academy of Neurology Practice Parameters (1997)
Severity grading; no symptom return to play (being revised)
Zurich Conference on Sports Concussion (2009)
Neurocognitive assessment important (verify athlete self report)
Individually based decisions (one size does not fit all)
NCAA and AAN Sports Concussion Guidelines (2010)
Diagnosis of concussion = remove from game no matter how fast the symptoms clear

Conservative Approach to Return to Play and Practice
?Since there is no scientific evidence to support a cut-off for too many concussions in a season or in a lifetime, decisions should be made by the medical/athletic training staff (and the player), taking individual history into account.
?Recommend full neurological and neurocognitive examination when considered necessary by the team physician following multiple concussions. Trigger is
significant neurologic symptoms.

PREVENTION AND REDUCTION OF RISK IN SPORTS

? Education of the athlete and public
? Rules to protect the brain
? Equipment to protect the brain
? Reduction of contact in practice

[University of Virginia BISC Institute ,Brain Injury and Sports Concussion
Jeffrey T. Barth, Ph.D., Donna K. Broshek, Ph.D., Jason R. Freeman, Ph.D.]
____________________________________________________________________

A study recently published by the University of Kentucky?s Scott Livingston shows that physiological problems stemming from a concussion may continue to present in the patient even after standard symptoms subside.

Currently, concussions are diagnosed and monitored through a patient?s self-reported symptoms (including headache, confusion or disorientation, poor concentration, and memory loss) and through computerized neuropsychological testing programs, which measure cognitive abilities including attention and concentration, cognitive processing, learning and memory, and verbal fluency. Post-concussion abnormalities in either of these markers typically return to a normal level within five to 10 days following the injury.

Conducted while he was a graduate student at the University of Virginia, Livingston?s study was just published in the February 2012 issue of the Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology. The study used motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) ? an electrophysiological measurement that can provide hard evidence for changes in brain function ? to determine if any physiological abnormalities followed a similar recovery pattern to self-reported symptoms and neuropsychological testing.
During an MEP test, subjects have electrodes placed on a limb ? such as the hand or foot. A magnetic stimulating device is placed over the head, and they receive a brief pulse of magnetic stimulation to the brain. The ?reaction time? ? the amount of time it takes for the subject?s limb to receive the response from the brain after the stimulation ? is recorded.

Livingston?s study enrolled 18 collegiate athletes ? nine who had been concussed within the previous 24 hours, and nine who had not experienced a concussion. Each concussed subject was matched with a non-concussed subject using age, gender, sport, position played, prior concussion history, and history of learning disability or attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder as inclusion criteria.

Subjects were evaluated for evidence of concussion based on self-reported symptoms, computerized neurocognitive test performance, and MEPs for a period of 10 days. Post-concussion symptoms were more frequent and greater in severity in the immediate timeframe after the injury (24-72 hours) and decreased in the following days. Some subjects reported no symptoms by day 10, though others did not have complete symptoms resolution by that time. Neurocognitive deficits followed a similar pattern, proving greater just after the injury and returning to normal (or closer to normal) by day 10.

MEPs, however, showed delays in response time and smaller MEP size which continued up to day 10, with these physiological changes actually increasing as the concussed athletes? symptoms decreased and cognitive functioning improved.

Livingston, director of the UK Concussion Assessment Research Lab and assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, says these findings are significant for both athletes and sports medicine clinicians.

?Further investigation of MEPs in concussed athletes is needed, especially to assess how long the disturbances in physiological functioning continue after those initial ten days post-injury,? Livingston said. ?But in the meantime, sports medicine personnel caring for concussed athletes should be cautious about relying solely on self-reported symptoms and neurocognitive test performances when making return-to-play decisions.?

Livingston?s research lab recently began a new program to further study MEPs in athletes pre- and post-concussion. At UK, all athletes who participate in a contact sport ? including football, soccer, volleyball, diving, gymnastics, and basketball ? are assessed preseason using MEP and neurocognitive testing to establish a baseline measure for each athlete.

If an athlete receives a concussion, he or she will come back to the lab as soon as possible after the injury for follow-up testing. This approach allows researchers to get a clearer idea of the extent of an athlete?s injury, Livingston says.

Neurocognitive tests, such as the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Testing (ImPACT)?, are a valuable component of concussion management. While major professional sports organizations like the NFL and NHL, as well as hundreds of colleges, universities, and high schools across the United States follow this standard, UK Athletics did not have a formal, standardized neurocognitive testing protocol in place until last year. The addition of the MEP assessment in the preseason testing and post-concussion management are unique ? UK is the first and only collegiate athletics program to implement a baseline physiologic measure of brain function.

?No other college of university in the country is currently assessing physiologic brain responses and using this information to determine the extent of the functional brain injury,? Livingston said. ?This type of information enables us to closely track recovery, which may not correspond to the decrease in concussion symptoms or recovery of memory and other cognitive functions.?

[Scott Livingston, Effects of a Concussion May Last Longer Than Symptoms Feb. 29, 2012 ?Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google] [Journal Reference: Scott C. Livingston, Howard P. Goodkin, Jay N. Hertel, Ethan N. Saliba, Jeffrey T. Barth, Christopher D. Ingersoll. Differential Rates of Recovery After Acute Sport-Related Concussion. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2012; 29 (1): 23 DOI: 10.1097/WNP.0b013e318246ae46]
[University of Kentucky (2012, February 29). Effects of a concussion may last longer than symptoms. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 29, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com? /releases/2012/02/120229155055.htm]

__________________________________________________________________
Post-Concussion Protocol

If a student-athlete exhibits signs and symptoms consistent with a concussion (even if not formally
diagnosed), the student-athlete is to be removed from play and is not allowed to return to play (game,
practice, or conditioning) on that day.

Student-athletes are encouraged to report their own symptoms, or to report if peers may have
concussion symptoms. Coaches, parents, volunteers, first responders, school nurse, licensed athletic
trainers (if available), are responsible for removing a student-athlete from play if they suspect a
concussion.

Following the injury, the student-athlete should be evaluated by a qualified medical professional with
training in concussion management. It is strongly recommended that each institution seek qualified
medical professionals in the surrounding community to serve as resources in the area of concussion
management.

In order for a student- athlete to return to play without restriction, he/she must have written clearance
from appropriate medical personnel. The form that should be used for this written clearance is posted
on this website.

A blow to the head can disrupt the normal function of the brain. Doctors often call this type of brain injury a ?concussion? or a ?closed head injury.? They may describe these injuries as ?mild? because concussions are usually not life threatening.

However, the effects of a concussion can be serious. After a concussion, some people lose consciousness or are ?knocked out? for a short time, but not always ? you can have a brain injury without losing consciousness.

Some people are simply dazed or confused. Because the brain is very complex, every brain injury is different. Some
symptoms may appear right away, while others may not show up for days or weeks after the concussion. Sometimes the injury makes it hard for people to recognize or admit that they are having problems.

The signs of concussion are subtle. Early on, problems may be missed. People may look fine even though they are acting or feeling differently.

Because all brain injuries are different, so is recovery. Most people with mild injuries recover fully, but it can take time. Some symptoms can last for days, weeks, or longer. People with a concussion need to be seen by a Doctor.

Signs and Symptoms

Some of the symptoms of a concussion are:
_ Low-grade headaches that won?t go away
_ Feeling light-headed or dizzy
_ Increased sensitivity to sounds or lights
_ Blurred vision
_ Ringing in the ears
_ Slowness in thinking, acting, speaking, or reading
_ Getting easily confused
_ Memory loss
_ Difficulty paying attention or concentrating
_ Neck pain
_ Lack of energy
_ Severe mood changes - feeling sad, anxious, or angry

Danger Signs

In very rare cases, along with a concussion, a dangerous blood clot may form on the brain and crowd the brain against the skull. Contact your Doctor or Emergency Department right away if you have any of the following symptoms:
_ Headaches that get worse
_ Weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination
_ Repeated vomiting

The people checking on you should take you to an Emergency Department right
away if you:
_ Cannot be awakened
_ Have one pupil (the black dot of your eye) larger than the other
_ Have convulsions or seizures
_ Have slurred speech
_ Are getting more confused, restless, or agitated

Recovery

How fast people recover from a concussion varies from person to person. Although most people have a good recovery, how quickly depends on many factors. These factors include how severe the concussion was, what part of the brain was injured,
their age, and how healthy they were before the concussion.

Rest is very important after a concussion because it helps the brain to heal. You will need to be extremely patient because healing takes time. As the days go by, you can expect to gradually feel better. While you are healing, you should be very careful to avoid doing anything that could cause a blow to your head. On rare occasions, receiving another blow before a
concussion has healed can be fatal. Here are some tips for healing:

_ Get plenty of sleep at night and rest during the day
_ Return to activities gradually, not all at once
_ Avoid activities that could lead to a 2nd brain injury until cleared by the
Doctor
_ Take only those drugs that your Doctor has approved
[www.loveland.k12.oh.us/lhs/athletics/pages/Injury_Protocol.pdf]

Source: http://www.cappaa.com/dangerous-post-concussion-basketball-protocol-%E2%80%93-diving-on-the-floor-for-loose-basketballs

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Top News Events of 2012 & Resulting PPC Trends - Search Engine ...

2012 has been quite the year with many events that shaped it. These events ranged from the death of the legendary singer Whitney Houston, Facebook's IPO, the London Olympics (and Gabby Douglas winning the gold medal), the U.S. election (and ultimately the re-election of President Obama), Hurricane Sandy, the release of the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, the ?end of the world? on 12/21, and now the announcement of the Duke and Duchess?s first child.

It?s been a year of much news and many searches by the public, and of course 2013 will more than likely serve to be a year of similarly interesting and remarkable news and occurrences ? it?s hard to believe that 2013 is literally right around the corner.

For now, using SEMrush?s newly released historical PPC data allows for us to go back in time and look into the specifics of 2012 to see and compare the many events and PPC trends.

Social Media ? Facebook IPO ? facebook.com

On May 18, Facebook hosted an initial public offering, officially taking the company to a public level. Facebook has always been in the news, but in going public created even more of a stir.

Additionally, there has been a great deal more advertising on the website for both business and personal purposes, and Facebook ads are most often purchased by third parties to promote their Facebook product or company page. The PPC over the course of 2012 for Facebook has remained rather unvarying:

facebook-ads-traffic-2012

However, keyword purchases by these advertisers did change. In November, those utilizing Facebook as a method of promotion are bidding on some interesting keywords such as ?healthy families?, ?cityville?, ?pregnancy test?, ?cereal?, ?mio?, and. In July of this year, ?facebook.com? had some other keywords that came into focus:

facebook-historical-july-2012

While some of them were similar such as ?mio? and ?milky way?, it seems as though Facebook advertising has a very prime focus on keywords that are related to pregnancy and baby names (most of which are leading to the ?Huggies? Facebook page, so they are obviously placing a lot of stock into Facebook for their marketing campaign). In August, once again keywords were similar with additions such as ?pepsi?, ?game?, ?frito lay?, and ?funny videos?, but the advertisers on Facebook are continuously changing.

Sports/World ? the London Olympics ? teamusa.org

The London Olympics were a big part of the year 2012, with USA swimmer Michael Phelps announcing his retirement after the games and Gabby Douglas taking home the gold for USA gymnastics. Currently, teamusa.org is bidding on keywords such as ?Olympics 2012?, ?London Olympics?, ?us soccer?, and ?judo?. However back when the Olympics were taking place, results were a bit different:

teamusa-historical-june-2012

In June, ?teamusa.org? was distributing approximately 22 percent of their budget to the keyword ?2012 olympics?, and were also bidding on other keywords such as ?us womens soccer team?, ?usa field hockey?, and even ?shaun white snowboarding?, which is a sport that was understandably not a part of the summer Olympics. Thus, it seems as though ?teamusa.com? was utilizing the summer Olympics to promote other relevant sports, such as USA snowboarding.

Retail - JCPenney ? jcpenney.com

It has been a very interesting year for the well-known retailer JCPenney. Earlier this year, they announced that they would be laying off a good portion of their workforce, and began employing a new pricing method wherein ?everyday? prices would reflect what some would consider to be sale prices.

This change in the store cause consumers to be not quite as satisfied with the way in which JCPenney had decided to manage their pricing and store overall. Since then, they have suffered a great deal of revenue losses, and hence their PPC strategies have also been altered throughout the year in order to deal with the fact:

jcpenney-ads-traffic-2012

As the year-long screenshot shows, JCPenney actually began to gradually increase their ads keywords after the announcement of their new sale strategy in February. Since then, it has had steady escalation likely due to the fact that they have to find some way in which to advertise their non-existent sales, and their ads have reached their highest in November with approximately 1.2 million and traffic of 1.2 million. Perhaps their PPC strategy has begun to work, especially during the holidays?

Music/Reality TV ? mtv.com

MTV is an entertainment channel that is watched for many purposes such as for senseless reality shows and music videos. They are constantly coming out with new shows that they will believe to be of interest to their viewers, especially with the conclusion of the infamous program ?Jersey Shore?. Every year new artists and shows arise, and ?mtv.com? has altered their PPC throughout the year in order to promote new programs and artists:

mtv-ads-traffic-2012

AdWords were extremely sporadic for mtv.com throughout the course of the year, and they have most recently not been putting any funding into AdWords at all, specifically since September. Prior to that, specifically if we look back to July, we are able to view the difference in their bidding habits, which is rather considerable:

mtv-historical-july-2012

Looking at historical data for MTV for July, mtv.com was bidding on the keyword ?mtv? in addition to those such as ?jersey shore? (of course), ?the real world? (is that show even still on?), and ?mtv 16 and pregnant?. Therefore, it?s obvious that MTV has been placing more of an emphasis on their shows rather than music. Interestingly enough, MTV didn?t bid on any keywords in September, which is when the video music awards were held.

Prior to that in August, they were bidding on the keyword ?mtv movie awards? (even though they were held back in June), and ?Rihanna songs?. MTV appears to be experimenting with their PPC habits based upon where their prime focus is at the time.

News ? U.S. Presidential Election ? barackobama.com

Ah, the Presidential election. News of the election was booming for months, up until the final decision was made to re-elect President Obama.

There was much news about the campaigns, the debates, and anything else having to do with the candidates and their personal lives (take a look back at this article?for a brief reminder ? remember searches for ?shirtless romney??) Barack Obama?s website was doing quite a bit of work with their PPC to keep up with the Romney campaign, and the historical data for the website confirms just that:

barackobama-ads-traffic-2012

At the beginning of the year, traffic and AdWords seemed to be relatively stagnant, until of course the election began to get underway. At that point, Obama?s highest Ads Keywords were at 13,289 in August with 112,619 in ads traffic.

After August, these numbers began to drop progressively which may be surprising due to the fact that the election was around the corner, although search engine traffic was at its highest of the year with 524,000 searches.

In November, Ads Keywords dropped down to 0. At the current time, barackobama.com isn?t bidding on any keywords (he won the election already, after all). However looking back a few months such as to August when he had the most PPC, we can see some differing results:

barack-obama-historical-august-2012

In August, barackobama.com was bidding on expected keywords such as ?obama? (where they were spending the most of their budget), but also were bidding on ?obamacare?, ?immigration reform?, ?the white house?, ?democratic party?, and ?scotusblog?, which is a blog for the Supreme Court of the United States.

Other keywords bid on my Mr. Obama were those of ?chris Christie for president?, ?cost of Iraq war?, ?brock obama? (of course his campaign bid on the misspelling), and even ?el presidente?. The list goes on. But whatever strategy Obama and his campaign team used over the course of this long year, it worked, as Obama is back in office for another four years.

Technology ? iPhone5 ? apple.com

The iPhone 5. There was speculation about Apple?s newest phone for a long time, and it was finally released in September, followed not long after by the long-awaited iPad Mini. Both of these items are hot tickets for the holiday season this year, and trends for 2012 show that apple.com was bidding on the most keywords of 2012 in April with 184,000 and more than 1.2 million in Ads Traffic, and in September (likely for the release of the iPhone5) they were bidding on 100,000 keywords.

apple-ads-traffic-2012

Currently, apple.com is bidding on keywords such as ?itunes?, ?apple store?, ?ipad?, and ?iphone 5?. September data shows us the difference between what they were bidding on during the month of the iPhone 5?s release:

apple-historical-september-2012

During that month, as could have been guessed, apple.com was allocating almost 14 percent of their budget to the keyword ?iphone 5? while also bidding on words such as ?itunes? (which seemingly generated the most traffic of all), ?ipod?, and ?siri?.

Apple is a company that is obviously a household name. If you are without an Apple product, you are most likely considered to be out-of-the-norm.

If you recall from this article, Apple doesn?t quite invest in as much PPC as some other competitors might, and searches increase with the release of new products just as they did before the release of the iPhone5.?Since Apple is already so well-known by society, they don?t have to invest quite as much of their budget into PPC although they do allocate some of it when deemed necessary.

Conclusion

Taking a trip back in time to explore the historical data that is relative to different events in 2012 provides us with a method in which to compare data and coincidentally decipher how and why habits and trends may have changed or stayed the same.

Many factors succeed in determining the way in which Internet marketing tactics are handled throughout the year, but no matter what year it may be, there are always events that are going to change how (and what) the public searches, how they shop, and how retailers and websites act in response to whatever may be occurring in society.

By turning back the clock for a moment and revisiting historical data we can obtain and analyze extremely constructive information, and now it?s on to 2013. So until then: happy searching, happy holidays, and of course a Happy New Year.


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Source: http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2232612/Top-News-Events-of-2012-Resulting-PPC-Trends

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Friday, December 28, 2012

Free And Paid Methods To Stop Snoring

Free And Paid Methods to Stop Snoring

Should you buy a stop snoring mouthpiece or just stick to free home remedies to reduce or get rid of your snoring? Well that all depends on what kind of snorer you are, how often you snore, and if your snoring can lead to other health complications. I will begin by explaining why we snore.

Why do we snore? The simplest and most common answer for that is a blocked airway. Whenever we sleep, either our tongue or jawline can collapse into the back of our throat and lean against it during the night. This causes our air passage to be rough. When we breath in and out with a blocked up airway, it causes vibration in the tissues located at the back of our esophagus. That vibration goes on to produce the sound we refer to as snoring.

The dangers of snoring. This may come as a shock to some, but snoring does pose some serious health issues. These could range anywhere between Obstructive Sleep Apnea to cardiovascular diseases. It may even cause some brain damage. It is not something to be taken lightly. If you are someone who snores, or have a loved one that does; you should definitely look at what options are available for treatment. I say this, because snoring only gets worse with age. Along with all the health risks associated with it.

Home remedies to stop snoring. There are a handful of things you can try out at home to see what they can do for you. Here are some examples of good home remedies proven to work.

  • Avoid sleeping on your back. Sleep on your sides or your stomach.
  • Sleep with your head elevated above your chest
  • Avoid drinking alcohol 3-5 hours before sleep
  • Avoid eating large meals right before sleep
  • Loose weight. (10% of your total body weight)
  • Stop smoking
  • Hydrate yourself throughout the day (Drink 60% of your body weight in fluid ounces)
  • Clear up your nasal passages

If those do not cut it for you, there are some paid options. Although these options cost money, they also have a higher effective rate. I guess you do get what you pay for. Here are some paid options to stop snoring.

  • Tongue Guards
  • Mouth Guards
  • Chin Straps
  • Anti snore pillows
  • Breathing masks
  • Surgery

Personally I would suggest a mouth guard above all other options. They have the highest success rates. They are also reasonably affordable. I did a lot of research and found some good anti snoring mouthpieces. Here are some anti snoring mouthpieces.

  • Zquiet
  • SnoreRx
  • Snore Guard
  • Prosnore
  • Vital Sleep

Not all mouthpieces were made equal. I suggest that you go on the web and do your own research as well. The way to do that is by simply typing in the brand name with review afterwards. Research is very simple, but it can be very helpful in deciding which brand of mouthpiece is best for your needs. Good luck, and good night folks.

Source: http://www.streetarticles.com/sleep-snoring/free-and-paid-methods-to-stop-snoring

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Look Up! 13 Must-See Stargazing Events in 2013

As 2012 comes to a close, some might wonder what is looming sky-wise for 2013.What celestial events might we look forward to seeing??

I?ve selected what I consider the top 13"skylights" (get it?) for the coming year, and have listed them in chronological order. Not all these night sky events will be visible from any one locality (you may have to travel to catch all the eclipses), but you can observe many of them from the comfort of your backyard, weather permitting.

The next year also promises two potentially bright comets: PANSTARRS and ISON. As any astronomer can tell you, comets are notoriously capricious; we can only guess at how bright they will get and how long their respective tails will be. We?ll just have to wait and see.

In general, 2013 promises an action-packed 12 months for stargazers. Hopefully, your local weather will cooperate on most, if not all of these dates. The following list below includes some of the most promising night sky events of the upcoming year!?[100 Best Space Photos of 2012]

Jan. 21: Very Close Moon/Jupiter Conjunction

For North Americans, this is a real head-turner, one easily visible even from brightly lit cities. A waxing gibbous moon, 78-percent illuminated, will pass within less than a degree to the south of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. (For reference, your closed fist held out at arm's length covers 10 degrees of the sky.)

These two bright luminaries will make their closest approach high in the evening sky for all to see. What?s even more interesting is that this will be the closest moon-Jupiter conjunction until the year 2026! [Amazing Photos: Jupiter and the Moon]

Feb. 2 to 23: Best Evening View of Mercury

Mercury, the "elusive" innermost planet, will travel far enough from the glare of the sun to be readily visible in the western sky, soon after sunset. On the evening of Feb. 8, Mercury will skim within less than 0.4 degrees of the much-fainter planet, Mars.?

Mercury will arrive at its greatest elongation from the sun on Feb.16. It will be quite bright (-1.2 to -0.6 magnitude) before this date and will fade rapidly to +1.2 magnitude thereafter.(Astronomers measure the brightness of sky objects using magnitude, a reverse scale in which lower numbers correspond to brighter objects. Negative magnitudes denote exceptional brightness.)

March 10 to 24: Comet PANSTARRS at Its Best!?

Comet PANSTARRS, discovered in June 2011 using the Pan-STARRS 1 Telescope at Haleakala, Hawaii, is expected to put on its best show during this two-week period. During this time, the comet will also be near its closest approaches to the sun (28 million miles, or 45 million kilometers) and Earth (102 million miles, or 164 million km).

While Comet PANSTARRS was a very dim and distant object at the time of its discovery, it has brightened steadily since then. It still appears on target to reach at least first magnitude and should be visible low in the west-northwest sky shortly after sunset. On the evening of March 12, the comet will be situated 4 degrees to the right of an exceedingly thin crescent moon.

April 25: Partial Lunar Eclipse

This will be a very minor partial lunar eclipse, with the moon's uppermost limb merely grazing the Earth's dark, umbral shadow. At mid-eclipse, less than 2 percent of the moon's diameter will be inside the dark shadow. The Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Australia and most of Asia) will have the best view.

This lunar eclipse will not be visible from North America.

May 9: Annular Eclipse of the Sun

During annular solar eclipse?(also known as a "Ring of Fire" eclipse), the long, umbral shadow cone of the moon is too short to reach the Earth. In angular size, the moon's disk appears about 4.5 percent smaller than the disk of the sun. So, the effect is like placing a penny atop a nickel: a ring of sunlight remains visible surrounding the moon.?

The shadow path from where the ring can be seen runs for thousands of miles, but will get no wider than 107 miles (172 km) at the point of greatest eclipse. Much of the path falls over the Pacific Ocean, but at or soon after local sunrise, it will slice across a part of northern Australia (where it will be the morning of May 10) and the extreme eastern tip of Papua New Guinea, along with some of the nearby Solomon Islands.?

At the point of greatest eclipse, the ring phase will last 6 minutes, 4 seconds. Hawaiians will see a partial eclipse when, at 3:48 p.m. Hawaii time, the moon will obscure about 32 percent of the sun's disk.

May 24 to 30: Dance of the Planets

Mercury, Venus and Jupiter will provide a fascinating show low in the west-northwest twilight sky soon after sunset. They will seemingly shuffle around each other, changing their positions noticeably from one evening to the next. The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter,will be separated by just over 1 degree on May 28, with Venus passing to the northwest (upper right) of Jupiter and shining more than six times brighter than Jupiter.

June 23: Biggest Full Moon of 2013

On June 23, the moon turns full at 7:32 a.m. EDT(1132 GMT),and just 32 minutes earlier it will arrive at its closest point to the Earth in 2013 at a distance of 221,824 miles (356,991 km), making it a so-called supermoon.Expect a large range in ocean tides (exceptionally low to exceptionally high) for?the next few days.?

Aug. 12: The Perseid Meteor Shower

The annual Perseid meteor shower?is considered among the best of the annual displays thanks to its high rates of up to 90-meteors-per-hour for a single observer, as well as its reliability. The shower is beloved by summer campers and often discovered by city dwellers who might be spending time in the country under dark, starry skies.?

This past summer, the moon was a fat waning crescent and presented a minor nuisance during the meteor shower. But in 2013, the moon will be a couple of days before first quarter and will set during the evening hours, leaving the rest of the night dark for prospective observers.

Oct. 18: Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon

The moon?slides through the northern part of the Earth's penumbral shadow during this lunar eclipse event.

At mid-eclipse, 76 percent of the moon's diameter will be immersed in the penumbra, probably deep enough to cause a faint, yet discernible darkening of the moon's lower limb. The region of visibility includes much of Asia, Europe and Africa. The central and eastern portion of North America will get a view of the slightly darkened Hunters' Moon during the early evening hours.

Nov. 3: Hybrid Eclipse of the Sun

This is a rather unusual solar eclipse in that, along its track, which runs for 8,450 miles (13,600 km) across the Earth's surface, the eclipse quickly morphs from annular to total; it is therefore known to astronomers as a "hybrid eclipse."

Truth be told, along most of the track, the eclipse appears as a total, with a very thin annulus (or ring) of sunlight visible near the very beginning of the track. The track of the central line of this eclipse begins in the Atlantic about 545 miles (875 km)southwest of Bermuda. So, along North America's Atlantic Coast, interested viewers (using proper viewing devices, such as pinhole projection or #14 welders glass) will only see the dark disk of the moon exiting the sun's face at sunrise.

The eclipse track will pass south of the Cape Verde Islands, then curve southeastward parallel to the African coastline. The greatest eclipse, with 100 seconds of totality and the path width reaching a maximum of just 36 miles (58 km), occurs approximately 250 miles (402 km) off the coast of Liberia. The shadow track will then sweep across central Africa, passing over sections of Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya, before ending at sunset at the Ethiopia-Somalia border.??

Mid-November Through December: Comet ISON

On Sep. 21, 2012, two amateur astronomers (Vitali Nevski of Belarus and Artyom Novichonok of Russia)used a telescope owned by the International Scientific Optical Network to discover a new comet that was christened using the acronym of the instrument used to find it: Comet ISON.

Orbital calculations indicate that comet ISON will travel closest to the sun, less than 750,000 miles (1.2 million km) above the sun's surface, making it a true "sungrazer," on Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day in the United States).

The comet could eventually be bright enough to be visible in broad daylight around the time of its nearest approach to the sun. It will then travel toward Earth, passing within 40 million miles (64 million km) of our planet a month later.

Since comet ISON will become very well placed for viewing in the morning and evening sky from the Northern Hemisphere during the following weeks, it could become one of the most watched comets of all time.?

December (all month): Dazzling Venus

Venus, the brightest of all the planets, puts on a holiday show all month long, and what a spectacular one it is! Venus is the showiest it will be for all of 2013 and 2014 either in the evening or morning sky. It adorns the southwestern evening sky as much as three hours after sundown at the beginning of the month, and 1.5 hours after sundown by New Year's Eve. A lovely, crescent moon passes well above and to the right of the planeton Dec. 5, and the next night Venus will reach the pinnacle of its brilliance; Venus won?t be as bright an "evening star" again until 2021.?

Dec. 13 to 14: Geminid Meteor Shower

If there is one meteor display guaranteed to put on a very entertaining show, it is the Geminid meteor shower. Most meteor experts now place it at the top of the list, as it surpasses in brilliance and reliability even August's Perseids.?

Unfortunately, in 2013, the moon will be several days before full phase and will light up the sky for much of the night, hiding many of the fainter meteors. But around 4:30 a.m. (your local time), the moon will have finally set, leaving the sky completely dark for about an hour. That will be your chance to make as many as two meteor sightings per minute, or 120 per hour!

So stargazers mark your calendars: 2013 promises to be a great year for skywatching, and if you take an impressive photo of the night sky, let us know!

Editor's Note: If you snap an amazing night-sky photo and would like to share it with SPACE.com for a possible story or gallery, please send images and comments (including your name and the photo's location) to managing editor Tariq Malik at:?spacephotos@space.com.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for The?New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.?Follow SPACE.com on Twitter?@Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.?

Copyright 2012 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/look-13-must-see-stargazing-events-2013-171856367.html

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