Ding Dong: Avon Calling

Whilst browsing the internet earlier in search of inspirational Avon blogs; I came across a blog which outlined what they believed to be “The five biggest mistakes made by Avon Reps”.

To be fair; these are only mistakes in the authors opinion, but I couldn’t help but pick out mistake number three: ‘Wearing Avon Products’... The author claims that wearing the products (which you’re trying to sell) is the worst marketing technique because, in all their time as a Rep; they were never asked about their make-up or fragrance.

Slightly fathomed by this; I spoke to one of my clients & asked her for her thoughts:

She said: Wearing the products you’re selling is an effective marketing technique, because by doing so, people can see the products in their full glory & if you’re wearing something which they like, they can purchase their own.

In my experience; people often ask me about my make-up; nail polish & on a number of occasions I’ve been asked about the fragrance I’m wearing... & so I have to say, in my personal opinion: NOT wearing the products which you’re trying to sell, would be the biggest mistake that a representative could make...

What are your thoughts?

Saw 3D ~ In ‘eye-popping’ 3D o_O

Last friday I went to see SAW3D... I was rather hoping to spend the duration of the film with my head hiding behind my hands; sadly this was not the case. Being promoted as ’The Final Chapter’ & showing in 3D I was really looking forward to it. I have to say the 3D was unnecessary & although effective during the opening titles of the film; I feel its impact was redundant after this.

Initially, when introduced to the first trap, the first thing which crossed my mind was: ‘OMG! Is this a spoof’? The set up was so ridiculous; although I liked the morals & metaphor used to demonstrate this judgement.

The second trap was genius in the way it portrayed the judgement & the morals between Hoffman & the gang of racists.

The rest of the film was pretty average although the use of flashbacks were effective.

This instalment included the greatest number of traps (11) in any Saw Film;

however innocent people were killed which I found a little absurd & some traps were somewhat farfetched.

There are no spoilers here; but plenty on the net if you want to look into it further!

Was I scared? Nah

DId I want to be? Yeah

Would I go & see it again? Nah

Would I buy it on dvd? Yeah ^__^

Meow? orr, Woof?

I’ve always thought that 'cat-people' differed from 'dog-people' & now according to a study this really is the case. The study claims that ‘dog-people’ are more extrovert & agreeable; whereas ‘cat-people’ are more neurotic & open to trying new experiences... I myself am a ‘cat-person’ & I can’t deny this claim.

It’s safe to say these findings are pretty straightforward & probably not too surprising.

What are your thoughts on this?

Hugs & Glitter

Pixee_x

Slipknot's Paul Gray Died Of Morphine Overdose- 21.06.2010

An autopsy has concluded that the death of Paul gray, bassist for US metal band Slipknot was due to an accidental overdose.

Gray's body was discovered about 10.50am, May 24th by an employee at a hotel in Des Moines, Iowa.

According to the 911 call: a hypodermic needle lay near the bed and 'all kinds of pills' surrounded him.

Polk County Medical Examiner Dr. Gregory Schmunk said today that "it was two injected drugs — fentanyl is a synthetic form of morphine — that killed Gray... The pills did not contribute to his death." He added: "Gray also suffered from significant heart disease."

A spokesman for the Urbandale police said they were trying to find out how Gray obtained the drugs as they had not been prescribed. He added that charges were possible.

"He was everything that was wonderful about this band and about this group of people," Corey Taylor said. "The only way I can sum up Paul Gray is 'love.' Everything he did, he did for everyone around him whether he knew you or not ... and that's what he's left behind for us: absolute love. I will miss him with every fiber of my heart, as will everybody at this table and everyone who knew him. He was the best of us."

"It's very important that everybody on the outside of us understands that Paul Gray was the essence of the band SLIPKNOT. ... Paul was there from the very, very beginning, and none of us would be on the path that we're on now in life or have the sorts of life that we have without him," percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan added. "Paul loved the fans. He was kind of the person in the band that really wanted everybody in the band to always get along and just concentrate on the band. He was a really great friend and a really great person. He's going to be sadly missed, and the world is going to be a different place without him."

"It's very hard for me right now," added drummer Joey Jordison. "I just want to say that I love you, Paul, very much. You'll be sorely missed by the world over."

Sid Wilson, the band's DJ, credited Gray with introducing him to the band, which he described as a family.

"To me, that's the most important thing," Wilson said. "That in everyone he met there was a change in their life. He was so good at giving everyone a different perspective, and I love him for that."

Percussionist Chris Fehn said when Gray called "you just felt good," and he remembered the bass player as giving "the best hugs out of everyone I ever hugged. When he grabbed on to you, you could feel the love he had for you."

Brenna Gray spoke last, mentioning the couple's unborn child while discussing her husband.

"Paul was my husband, an amazing person, and I want people to remember him for that," Brenna said. "And his daughter will remember him for the way he was."

It was reported that Paul and his wife were expecting their first child in September.

Sources:

BBC News:

Blabbermouth.net

✖ The Consequences Of Blogging... ✖

With the popularity of blogging increasing & without any clear

guidelines or ethics which must be adhered to, I feel it important to

identity the range of legal liabilities and other unforeseen

circumstances which can arise when blogging.

There are 3 keys areas to be considered & understood:

★ Defamation & Libel ★

Defamation: false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel.

Libel: defamation by written or print words, pictures etc & the act or crime of publishing it.

★ Releasing proprietary & confidential information ★

★ Employment ★

There is no argument that blogs are a fantastic method of communication, however it’s important for all bloggers to take responsibility when writing/publishing in order to avoid the following consequences:

✖ Blogging & Defamation &/or Liability ✖

A number of cases have been heard in court against ‘bloggers’

concerning issues of defamation &/or liability.

Regardless of whether or not the blogger believe themselves to be anonymous, they can be traced via their ISP.

✖ In Malaysia, eight Royal Dutch Shell Group companies collectively obtained in June 2004 an Interim Injunction & Restraining Order against a Shell whistleblower, a Malaysian geologist & former Shell employee, Dr John Huong.

✖ The proceedings are in respect of alleged defamatory postings attributed to Dr Huong on a weblog hosted in North America but owned & operated by an 89 year old British national, Alfred Donovan, a long term critic of Shell.

✖ The Shell action is directed solely against Dr Huong.

✖ Further proceedings against Dr Huong were issued by the same plaintiff companies in 2006 in respect of publications on Donovan weblog sites in 2005 and 2006.

✖ The further proceedings include a "Notice to Show Cause" relating to a "contempt of court" action potentially punishable by imprisonment.

✖ The contempt hearing & a related application by the eight Royal Dutch Shell plaintiff companies for Dr Huong to produce Alfred Donovan for cross-examination in connection with an affidavit Donovan provided, was scheduled to be heard in the High Court of Malay in Kuala Lumpur on 17th August 2006.

✖ Donovan's principle weblog is royaldutchshellplc.com. In January 2007, Jeff Ooi and Rocky's Bru were sued for defaming a pro-government newspaper. This is the first legal case against bloggers in the country.

✖ In Britain, a college lecturer contributed to a blog in which she referred to a politician (who had also expressed his views in the same blog) using various uncomplimentary names, including referring to him as a "Nazi”.

✖ The politician found out the real name of the lecturer (she wrote under a pseudonym) via the ISP & successfully sued her for £10,000 in damages & £7,200 costs.

✖ Blogging & Employment ✖

✖ Losing one's employment as a consequence of personal blog commentary about the place of employment has become so commonplace that there is now an informal verb for the event: "dooced”.

✖ The word dooce originates from the pseudonym of Heather Armstrong, who lost her job after writing satirical accounts of her place of employment on her personal blog.

✖ In general, attempts at hiding the blogger's name and/or the place of employment in anonymity have proved ineffective at protecting the blogger.

✖ In the spring of 2006, Erik Ringmar, a tenured senior lecturer at the London School of Economics was ordered by the convenor of his department to "take down & destroy" a blog in which he discussed student life at the school.

✖ Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, was recently fined during the 2006 NBA playoffs for criticizing NBA officials on the court & in his blog.

✖ Mark Jen was terminated in 2005 after a mere 10 days of employment at Google for discussing corporate secrets on his personal blog.

✖ Blogging & Political Consequences ✖

✖ Blogging can sometimes have unforeseen consequences in politically sensitive areas.

✖ People are increasingly using blogs to express their political opinions.

✖ Sometimes bloggers can get into a very serious trouble when representing their political beliefs. There are many examples of this in the history of blogging.

✖ Other Consequences of Blogging ✖

✖ An unfortunate consequence of blogging is the possibility that the author may be subject to attacks, threats & harassment, often for NO rational reason.

✖ A blog is published worldwide & although if you publish articles you are open to both positive & negative criticism, under no circumstances are threats & abuse acceptable.

✖ Anonymity is often unsubstantiated as the best of times, however; blog trolls [individual’s who ‘anonymously' follow & harass other bloggers] believe that they can hide, & that their threats & insults can be emboldened by their anonymity.

✖ There have been many internet discussions aimed at countering abusive online behaviour, including developing a blogger's code of conduct (which will feature in a later post).

For more information (references):

☒ www.dictionary.com

☒ http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/01826/conseq.html

French Fashion designer Coco Chanel declared that we all get the face we deserve... whether it’s relationship breakdowns, late nights, poor diet or stress, all of our experiences will leave their mark upon our face.

Despite new treatments becoming available to repair the ‘damage' we should still be aware & take responsibility for the fact that our lifestyles will be illustrated within our facial features.

John Tsagaris, doctor of chinese medicine at London’s Vaishaly clinic says: “Our face can be divided into zones that relate directly to our organs, in much the same way our feet can.” He added: “Any imbalances & stress within your internal organs will show up in the corresponding face zone. The good news is that if you know the signs, you can prevent problems from developing in the first place.”

According to chinese medicine:

These are the areas which relate to our organs.

• Area around the mouth – the sexual organs & immune system.

• Mouth - the digestive system: a swollen or dry bottom lip can denote a colon imbalance.

• Cheeks – the lungs: inflammation or spots here point to mucus formation, possibly caused by too much dairy.

• The space between the eyebrows - the liver: if the area is oily, red or creased, go easy on the booze & animal fats.

• Area around the eyes - the kidneys & adrenal glands: kidney problems are shown by puffiness or dark circles under the eyes, problems with your adrenal glands can cause the inner-eye corners look bruised.

In addition to this; pharmaceutical companies also look to the skin to denote medical problems: “All of the body’s systems are interconnected and depend on each other to keep us healthy” says: dermatologist Tom Mammore, Cliniques director of biological research and development.

“The skin is our largest organ & its function is to protect from infection & eliminate harmful compounds. It makes sense that trouble on the inside becomes apparent here.”

Major upsets, such as a break-up or the death of a loved one, can also disrupt your skin’s natural self-healing and regenerative functions, which leads directly to signs of ageing.

These developments have not gone unnoticed by the skincare industry. Along with skincare designed to relieve the visible symptoms of stress, hard living & a poor diet, many brands offer increasingly holistic face & body treatments & even include lifestyle changes.

The International Dermal Institute trains beauty therapists worldwide. They believe that using both Western & Eastern diagnostics are the key.

IDI training manager Sally Penford says: ‘Along with helping clients to manage acute skin problems, we believe in addressing their causes, and the ancient methods of face diagnosis are a sure-fire way to get to their root.” She added: "We teach Dermalogical therapists a technique called “Face Mapping” which has them divide a client’s skin into zones & survey each area for congestion, lines, inflammation & the like. Recognising the cause of a skin complaint will help the therapist treat the condition effectively.”

Being in love, with being in love..

I’ve often wondered whether or not it's possible: ‘to be in love, with being in love’.

The concept of ‘being in love, with being in love’ can be illustrated clearer if considered ‘obsessive love’.

There are two suggested triggers for obsessive love:

1. Low self esteem as a result of a childhood issue.

2. The individual enjoys creating dramas to gain a ‘fix’.

Obsessive love can also be referred to as; love addiction or relationship addiction & can result in dangerous consequences including; stalking, rape & murder, furthermore; obsessive love can have a detrimental affect upon the addict.

Love addicts aren’t actually in love with their fixation; they become dependent on the emotional stability provided by the partner due to their low self-esteem & lack of self-identity.

The addict may have many brief, yet intense relationships; a long-term relationship, which will suffer many ups & downs or, they may withdraw from relationships all together; either way; the majority of their energy will be spent focusing upon romantic relationships.

It is their irrational thoughts that lead to obsessive-controlling behavior.

Characteristics of a love addict:

- Emotional &/or sexual attraction with people they hardly know.

- They feel incomplete when ‘single’.

- They idolise their love interest.

- They are unable to get over relationships.

- They repeatedly make a play for unavailable people.

- Their fantasies & obsessions interfere with daily life.

Psychologist, John D. Moore derived a hypothetical sphere, which he named the ‘Obsessive Love Wheel’. The wheel illustrates the four stages of Obsessive Relational Progression as part of Relational Dependency. It’s suggested that people afflicted with Relational Dependency will have their relationships follow the pattern of the wheel.

The initial phase can result from the slightest amount of attention the dependent receives from the person they are attracted too.

Phase 1: Attraction

• Instant attraction to their romantic interest.

• Immediate urge to rush into a relationship.

• Becoming ‘hooked on the look’.

• Unrealistic fantasies, assigning ‘magical’ qualities.

Phase 2: Anxiety

This phase is considered a relational turning point, which usually occurs after a commitment has been made between both people. The relational-dependent of the two will enter into this phase without the presence of a commitment & will create the illusion of intimacy, regardless of the other persons true feelings.

Phase 2 behaviours include:

- Unfounded thoughts of infidelity.

- Demanding accountability for daily activities.

- Overwhelming fear of abandonment.

- The need to constantly be in contact with the love interest.

- Strong feelings of distrust.

- Escalation of obsessive-controlling behaviours.

- Keeping their love interest from others.

- Violent reactions when rejected.

Phase 3: Obsession

Phase Three is characterized by a total loss of control on the part of the RD person, resulting from extreme anxiety.

Phase 3 behaviours include:

- The R.D required their love interests constant attention.

- Neurotic, compulsive behaviours.

- Unfounded accusations of ‘cheating’.

- Monitoring activities.

- Extreme control tactics, including questioning of love.

- Guilt trips.

Phase 4: Destruction

Inevitably, the previous three behaviours will have a detrimental affects on the relationship, leading to the demise of the love-addict & their relationship. The destruction phase is deemed to be the dangerous stage; because the dependent plummets into a deep depression.

Other characteristics of this phase include:

- Feeling ‘empty’ inside.

- Loss of self-esteem.

- Anger, rage, revenge.

- Denial & promises of change.

- Drugs, alcohol & sex to ease the ‘pain’.

References: Moore, John D (2006) "Confusing Love with Obsession: When Being in Love Means Being in Control"

Face Your Fears ~ SAW Alive..

Thrill seekers will experience the ultimate terror at Thorpe Park from March 18. Working in conjunction with Lionsgate & Twisted Pictures, Thorpe Park aims to create the worlds first realistic and most extreme horror maze.

Thorpe Park promises an ‘atmosphere of fear’ and the attraction has been designed to make the participant feel as if they’re in a real life horror scenario; navigating through six traps depicting the most grisly and iconic torture scenes realistically reinacted from the 18 certificate horror movie series SAW, according to a spokesperson for the park.

The park advises the attraction isn’t suitable for under 12s. However, with heated discussion already underway about the certification and content of video games and films and their effects on children it is suggested that ‘the links may be stronger with this interactive experience’, said clinical psychologist Dr Angela Wright.

Laura Sinclair, Thorpe Parks Entertainments Manager said: ‘We want SAW Alive to be as authentic and terrifying as possible.’

Alongside the reenactments, the attraction will feature a shock-emitting electric corridor and lighting and audio effects which simulate gun fire and create the fear of being decapitated by a swinging razor sharp pendulum. The attraction will also incorporate vibrating floors, strobe lighting and most controversially, putrid, nerve-wrenching stenches of urine, burnt hair, rotting meat and embalming fluid throughout, said a spokesperson for the park.

Brendan Walker who studies the changing physiology of a person during high-adrenaline forms of entertainment, added: ‘Smell is a very powerful sensory stimulant that can elicit unexpected emotions, and violently change human experiences and will, therefore, play a crucial role in an attraction like SAW Alive.'

As with any attraction, it’s up to the individual as to whether or not they choose to participate. In this instance, if all the hype is to be believed, this attraction should only be suitable for adults. On the other hand, if the age restrictions are merely advisory, how realistic can it be? There’s only one way to find out…