The Government Response to the Previous School Massacre – Part 1 in The Right Response?

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The 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook, Connecticut has disturbing similarities to the 1999 Columbine High School mass shooting where two angry young men slaughtered a teacher and twelve students.

Since all actions have both seen and unseen consequences, an effective response to reduce the incidence as well as mitigate the effects of such massacres needs careful consideration. Unseen repercussions can often make a situation drastically worse. Economists now know lots about moral hazard, for example.

The Response to such Massacres

Many people have emotional responses that ignore such consequences. Brian Giattina, a school board member in Birmingham, Alabama, is reported as saying guns send the wrong message. “It tells them we have to have a gun to protect them. It is a complex problem that needs to involve mental health, education, law enforcement and the community.”

Yet over the last fifty years, with just one single exception (the Gabby Giffords attempted assassination), every single mass shooting with more than four casualties has taken place in a supposedly gun free zone.

Your Right to Protect Yourself

Unfortunately, Giattina is himself giving the wrong message. His second sentence is indisputable yet encouraging learned helplessness is morally corrupt.

Improvement is definitely needed in all these areas, but that does not mean that responsible adults should stop protecting themselves. If the school’s teachers had been armed, how much lower would the death toll have been?

Brian Rohrbough, whose 15-year-old son was killed in the Columbine shooting, has a more thoughtful rather than emotional response. He recognized that “It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have someone who is armed – even a teacher – who has the courage to protect the children at schools.”

As Larry Correia, Utah Concealed Weapons instructor, military and law enforcement master trainer, competition shooter, expert witness for the Utah State Legislature, Title 7 SOT gun store owner, elite firearms expert explains:

“The average number of people shot in a mass shooting event when the shooter is stopped by law enforcement: 14. The average number of people shot in a mass shooting event when the shooter is stopped by civilians: 2.5. The reason is simple. The armed civilians are there when it started.”

So what was the government’s response? They set up a enquiry which instead muddied the waters and missed the real causes of the problem: The inability of responsible adults to protect themselves and their children. Government failure at that most fundamental of government tasks: protecting their citizens and students.

The Government Hid their Failure to Act

In this particular case, the government had had plenty of warning, yet not only failed to act, but tried to hide their failure for many years.

Former Rocky Mountain News reporter Jeff Kass, author of the book, Columbine: A True Crime Story, found that police ignored complaints and explains what actually happened.

A year earlier, the mother of one of Harrris’s friends had laid a formal complaint: Harris, one of the shooters, had threatened her son on his website and bragged that he had been building bombs. The police did create an affidavit for a search warrant on Harris’ home, but took it no further.

County officials took five long years even to acknowledge that they had met after the attacks to discuss the ignored 1998 affidavit for a search warrant. Yet the police had also found a small bomb near Harris’ home – but no one had bothered to present the affidavit to a judge. The search did eventually took place, but only after the shooting spree.

Defensive Gun Uses

In this shooting spree, as in countless others, the massacre of innocents by deranged individuals was exacerbated by the legal gun ban. Laws designed to stop the law-abiding having guns inexorably lead to responsible citizens being unarmed.

Yet guns in law-abiding hands stop a lot of murders and criminal mayhem. A study by Kleck and Gertz found between 830,000 and 2.45 million defensive gun uses per year in the United States. The National Survey of Private Ownership of Firearms study found approximately 1.5 million defensive gun uses per annum.

Mass Shootings Drastically Increase

The Wall Street Journal reported there were 18 random mass shootings in the 1980s, 54 in the 1990s, and 87 in the 2000s. In just one year, 2012, rather than a whole decade, the Washington Post lists 14 cases of mass shootings.

This increase in the number and severity of massacres suggests that the increasingly stringent gun laws already on the books are having an understandably negative effect. Would further restrictions on gun ownership by the law-abiding and responsible make matters better, or worse?

It seems that those wishing to strengthen gun restrictions just ignore the consequences of the previous actions. What’s the most effective way to discourage any criminal activity? Is it really to disempower the law-abiding?

Food for Thought

“Bad guys with guns – bad, and good guys with guns – good!”

Harrold School District Superintendent, David Thweatt, and many others

© Copyright worldwide Cris Baker, LifeStrategies.net. Republishing welcomed under Creative Commons noncommercial no derivatives license preserving all links intact. All rights reserved.

Top 5 Myths About The Music Business

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If you are involved in the entertainment business then you’ve probably heard a few tall tales. The following is a list of some of the top myths about the music business.

1. People in the music business will help you out of the kindness of their hearts.

Facts:

The music business is called the music business for a reason. It is a business that just so happens to sell music. Businesses are in business to make money. They are not in business to make ART, however they will sell it. You may find a handful of good Samaritans willing to help for free but generally speaking if helping does not benefit the other party, they won’t help.

“People (not counting loved ones) will help you if they think your art will make them money. They will not help you if they think your art will not make them money.” -David Naggar, Esq. from  The Music Business Explained In Plain English-

2. Since the economic decline people aren’t buying music anymore

Facts:

People are buying music, but they aren’t buying it in the same way they used to. Sales of CDs may be down but the sale of single tracks is up! If you are still an unbeliever just check iTunes sales records. Reportedly, Apple has sold 10 billion and counting!

3. Music superstars have and are making tons of money.

This is one of the biggest myths in the entertainment business. When you see a Sean Kingston or Lady Gaga on television you may think that they are living the good life, but really the amount of money he/she brings home is really dependent on the terms of their contractual obligations as well as their money management skills. Simply put, if you spend more than you make you are bound to go broke sooner or later.

Need examples:

MC Hammer

Marvin Gaye

Michael Jackson

Willie Nelson

Toni Braxton

Billy Joel

George Clinton

Isaac Hayes

Jerry Lee Lewis

Ron Isley

Need anymore? The list goes on.

The fact of the matter is that all of these artists have seen the highs and lows of the music business. Micheal Jackson, the “King of Pop”, even had his money woes. No “superstar” is exempt. Good money management skills are needed in order to maintain a “superstar” lifestyle.

4. You can become an overnight celebrity in the music business.

This is one of the most common myths about the music business. People believe that you can sign a record deal and then all of sudden you are magically on magazine covers and receiving Grammy awards. All of this talk is nonsense. At the end of the day it takes a decent amount of leg work, dedication, passion, perseverance, and strong networking relationships to achieve “success” in the music business. NO ONE HAS BECOME SUCCESSFUL OVERNIGHT however, some people have achieved their goals faster than others. Artists such as Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West, and Eminem spent years building their reputation and brands to become the people they are today. This is why working smarter and not harder is essential in the music business.

5. Talent Trumps Work Ethic

In today’s music business, talent still counts but work ethic counts for more. An extraordinarily talented person with average work ethic will generally not do as well as someone with extraordinary work ethic and average talent.

A strong work ethic, more often than not, means that you can be consistent which is of the utmost importance in the music business.

Why?

One word. Marketing. Being able to consistently deliver high quality to the consumer is paramount.  This is where work ethic trumps talent. A person that is able to consistently deliver a satisfactory product to the consumer is, in the words of Charlie Sheen, WINNING! Because of our increasingly shortened attention spans, having someone or something consistently in our faces helps in branding the product, service, or person. Ultimately, this results in people getting paid!

Boho Is Back, Conscious, Holistic Fashion!

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Funky and chill, free spirited Bohemian fashion, conscious design that is holistic and now more necessary than ever. Patchwork gypsy skirts and hippy yoga pants, embroidered caftans, colorful tribal, paisley prints and chunky bead jewelry are totally in style. With a resurgence of design styles and fashion icons ramping up its popularity, bohemian hippy chic fashion is known for its earthy wanderlust roots and relaxed vibe.

Travelers of the old world “Banjara” were gypsy wanderers, who wanted to be different and lived life on their choice set of rules, creating trends and not following a social dictum.The boho lifestyle and clothing is based on the diverse gamut of cultures and patterns with the archetype of mixing and layering clothes, prints and colors. Earthy conscious designs, upcycled vintage fabrics, traditional handloom prints and weaves, the choices are endless. Mix and match Indian chikankari tunics with cutout ragged jeans! Georgette tunic dresses as beach cover ups, or use the white shift dresses for yoga and meditation, adding on accessories like the earthing malabeads and copper bracelets, seeking nature and connecting to mother earth.

The boho style sees Priyanka Chopra donning a cute cutout midi dress in tie dye at the country festivals, the Boho vibe is casually chic and elegant. Mylie Cyrus wears the colorful bohemian sari mini skirt with a white blouse tucked in at the waist.

The newer side of this trend has moved onto a “hippie-luxury” style with fashion designers creating earthing luxury style collections overflowing with old style fabrics full of passion and tranquil colors. The dreamy bohemian fashionista plays with long maxi skirts, soft flirty tunic caftans, embroidered dresses and earthy stonewashed fabrics.

The ultra modern Bohemian grounds herself to Mother Earth, rejoicing in her love and radiates confidence through her choice of earthy colors. The style manifests in the romance of original tribal art with pure cotton and ethical fabrics. Upcycled saris made into skirts and dresses, the fun and playful look is easy to accessorize and you create a fashion statement like no other as these are so unique and one of a kind.

Street style bohemian can be funky or chic, the gauzy printed maxidress is good for all seasons. Sandals and a hat for the summer or add a light jacket and booties for cooler days. The authentic tribal patchwork design skirts and boho vintage pants contrasts with the bold black tank, mixing bohemian with city chic. Be a glamorous fashionista, create your own style – conscious, holistic, earth friendly and in tune with nature, using clothing artisan created and unique.

Be a Boldly Mogul Bohemian Fashionista!

Collect Shopping Carts Safely and Efficiently – How to Keep Your Parking Lot Clean

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Scattered shopping carts create quite the inconvenience for not only store owners but for customers as well. When carts are not put away in the proper location they are not available for customer use and are often scattered in the parking lot requiring store personnel to run around and collect them. Lost carts found throughout the city are a public nuisance that ordinances are being put into effect requiring stores to manage their shopping carts or they will be fined. Each collection solution has advantages and disadvantages which are detailed further below.

There are a number of effective ways stores can retrieve their carts. Stores can use equipment called a cart pusher, puller, retriever, or cart manager. Stores can also hire additional personnel to physically retrieve the shopping carts scattered throughout the parking lot. Award systems are also used to provide customers with incentives to bring them back to the appropriate destination once they are done using them. Corrals and search teams can also be used to help control wandering carts. Lastly, a pull rope can help employees retrieve shopping carts more efficiently than collecting them individually or just a few at a time.

A motorized cart pusher, also known as a puller, retriever, or cart manager makes retrieving shopping carts safe, fast and easy! Here is how one type of retriever available works: first you place the cart’s back wheels effortlessly into the cart-cradle nesting cups. Some systems require bolting the cart onto the pusher but the nesting cup option protects the grocery-cart from damage that can occur when bolted on as well as gives you availability to use all of your fleet at any time. Next, the rest of the fleet is collected and nested onto the first one that is sitting in the cart-cradle nesting cups. A safety strap is placed over the entire row and attached to the first which is in the nesting cups so they all can be pushed safely to their destination. Some of these pushers utilize a remote control to push the row in the designated direction. Many motorized retrievers are built with a strobe light and brake light to provide greater visibility to those surrounding cars and pedestrians. These retrievers can retrieve a high volume of carts and only one person is needed to operate one. Motorized pushers can retrieve 3 to 4 times more shopping carts than a single person can, thus reducing the store’s labor costs. Retrievers also reduce liabilities from injury as employees can effortlessly retrieve the carts with the use of this type of equipment. No straining comes from pushing or pulling an entire row. The upfront cost to purchase a machine is quickly recouped from the reduced labor and liability costs.

Another method to collect shopping carts is to hire additional personnel to go around the parking lot to retrieve the shopping carts by hand and bring them back to the appropriate location so that they may be available for customer use. This method does however, consume more time due to the fact that the store attendant cannot retrieve a large amount at one time. Having less control over the shopping carts can also lead to potential damages to the carts themselves or surrounding vehicles. This method increases liabilities and can be physically exhausting for the person given the task to collect and unclutter the parking lot. The additional personnel collecting in the parking lot is also not available for customer needs in the store while they are out retrieving carts.

An additional option to retrieve shopping carts is to provide stores’ customers with an incentive to return the carts. Award systems can be used which include a counter and a target. The counter is used to keep track of the number brought back to a destination. The target is the number of carts the store desires the count to reach when returned to a designated area. On each of the grocery-carts is a sensor. The sensor detects the return of it to the designated area. When the return count reaches a predetermined amount an alarm goes off indicating that a prize is to be awarded to the person who brought the count to the designated target number. Although, this system does provide an incentive, many customers are unaware the system even exists and the customer who brings the count to the target number is rewarded solely based on chance.

Cart-corrals provide customers with a more convenient direction as to where the shopping carts should go once they are done using them. Oftentimes customers bring the shopping cart to their cars to easily transport their merchandise. After they transport their goods, they tend to leave the carts in the parking lot near where their car is located instead of hassling with pushing them all the way back to the store and then walking all the way back. Placing cart-corrals around the parking lot provides customers with an effortless, convenient alternative. Cart-corrals provide a solution to help keep parking lots clutter-free. Cart-corrals still require additional store personnel or a cart puller, pusher, or retrieval equipment to transport the shopping carts from the cart-corrals back to the store.

Shopping carts can be expensive to replace. Individuals who take carts off stores’ property create the need for stores to purchase more or they must hire a search team or retrieval company to go around the city to retrieve shopping carts that have been taken off of their property. While hiring a company to retrieve the lost items is effective, the cost can add up quickly since costs are often based per cart retrieved. Stores may also be responsible for any impound fees placed by the city if the city has already found and collected them. The risk, there is also no way to guarantee as to what type of condition each will be returned in as they often end up in waterways or have been used by the homeless population.

Lastly, pull ropes can help employees collect more carts at once. One end of the rope is attached to the last cart while the employee stands at the other end of the row using the rope to help pull the rope. More shopping carts can be collected at once, however, the physical nature of this method lends to increase injury and liability to stores.

Abandoned carts left by shoppers lead to cluttered parking lots, resulting in less parking spaces available for customer use as well as an increase in vehicle and shopping cart damages. Cluttered parking lots also increase liability issues for retailers. It is extremely important for stores to come up with an effective method to retrieve carts to provide clutter-free parking lots, decrease liability, and increase the number of shopping carts available for customer use. A cart pusher, puller, retriever, or cart manager seems to be the most effective solution by providing the fastest, easiest, and most cost effective way to keep store both customers and retailers happy!

How To Win On Halo 3 Guardian Lone Wolves!

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Guardian Slayer

Power up and weapon spawn times OvS: 3:00 Camo: 3: 00 Sniper : 3:00 Needler: 2:00 Carbine: 0:35 Shotgun: 3:00 Hammer: 3:00 Assault Rifle: 0:20

Normally in guardian almost everyone spawns somewhat close to either a power weapon shotgun or sniper for example or powerup. Make it your primary goal to locate the one on nearest you on spawn moment you spawn. In the event that you spawn bottom elbow the vast majority of time someone has spawned closer to the over shield than you have and from much experience I’ve found it unwise to proceed toward it since you’ll no doubt encounter the player who did so while he’s invincible.

On guardian the majority of fights occur on either the sniper side of the map or the yellow lift side. Typically not much goes on in bottom green or bottom blue near the man cannon. So the idea is to be on one of those hot spots of the map without engaging every player you see on sight, its better to wait until you see a third or fourth player approaching and by means of taking cover and or running around corners do you best to have the other players start fighting first and the second they do begin to jump in and try to grab a double kill. The best place on the map use this strategy is around S1 or S2.For example say your down in S1 and you see a player above you and are aware that he has a power weapon of some sort do your best to keep him above you until someone else lifts over to S3 and when he turns his attention to deal with said player come up and attack. Your best bet as far as holding a position in order to clean up kills on this map would be to hold down sniper tower effectively by grabbing the carbine that spawns in S2 and look toward yellow and camo spawn for kills to pick off or towards green for players who you may be able to snipe on spawn should you have that weapon. keep in mind that it’s incredibly important to constantly check S1 and elbow for people coming who you’ve already killed from that position and are aware that you are holding there. If you see on radar someone approaching S1 move down the ramp and bank all of your grenades off the wall then rush if you know they’ve been hit by one, however if possible before fully charging try to know if they have a shotgun or hammer first.

Throwing grenades in anticipation of a player being around the corner you throw it or “Pre nading” as it is called is a big part of this map and the game itself since there are so many corners. If you are running from under glass towards s1 make sure to toss one to two grenades as you approach the corner in case of a camper. If someone is there who is hit by one of your nades, he will pose much less of a threat. Generally being anywhere in the middle is a very bad idea except for the occasional quick sprint from one side of the map to the other. If you spawn down close to the man cannon always lift up chances are that you’ll catch someone at S2 weak. As you lift throw both of you grenades whether you know someone is there or not. If you spawn underneath yellow lift and are for sure that someone is above you do not lift up, instead use the blue jump up or go up the blue ramp toward top blue. Never just lift up top yellow because you are much more vulnerable to grenades from players waiting for you. However if you know that two players above are fighting or just about to engage one another go ahead and lift. Also always check for the BR that spawns near the entrance of top yellow.

If you are running up the hallway leading towards blue room make sure to shoot the explosives on the wall and if you are in the blue room itself be sure to shoot the barrels inside. It’s generally a bad idea to run from top blue toward sniper or toward top yellow simply because you become so exposed. It’s far better to jump off the side and lift to sniper if you want to head there or to run through blue and jump in yellow if that’s the room you see people fighting in. Ultimately you’ll do best on guardian if you stay on either yellow side or snipe side of the map and avoid wasting time running around the lower levels.

Music in Ancient Sumeria – History and Importance

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The Sumerians lived in what ancient Mesopotamia, where modern Iraq and part of Iran are located, from 5300BC to1940BC. They were the first in many different areas. They had schools, a strong mathematical system, geometry, astronomy, cuneiform writing, calendars, credited with the invention of the wheel, and many other signs of a strong civilization. Not only were they first in these, but also appear to be the first to establish music that would be recognizable to people modernly. Musicians were educated in Mesopotamian schools and they played an important part in ancient sumerian Life. Lyres were very popular and reflected the sumerians love for music.

Music Instruments discovered in burial sites and art include the Lyre, clappers and later even drums and wind instruments. Specifically, reed pipes, vertical flutes, lyres, harps, kitharas, drums, clappers, sistrum made for a wide array of instruments. Songs were often devotionals to the goddess Innanna. They were incorporated into religious and daily life. Another interesting discovery appears to be notation. A numeric system found on many hymnal texts seems to be a form of notation.

Music appears to have its roots in the temples, but soon became part of daily life. Musicians would purify their hands before playing stringed instruments such as the Lyre.

The music centered around the heptatonic-diatonic scale which is currently used in western music today. It had been believed that western music got its origin in later period Greek music, but scholars are now taking a closer look at Sumerian origins as a distinct possibility.

One must keep in mind that what could be attributed as musical Sumerian firsts could have very well been inherited from previous civilizations. We have little to no record of these prior civilizations, therefore, are unable to conclude concretely as to the origins of Sumerian instruments and scales. It is just simply fascinating though, to contemplate music from a civilization so incredibly ancient, yet so reflective of our very own modern civilization.

After the collapse of sumerian civilization around 2000 BC, you might think that all this knowledge had been lost. The Babylonians, however, used the knowledge gained from the Sumerians and continued the musical momentum.

To understand the role of musical theory in modeling the cosmos, one must realize that it involves: “the definition of intervals, the distance between pitches, by ratios of integers or counting numbers.” For the ancient Sumerians music was a tool that helped them describe the cosmos.(McClain, Ernest G.; “Musical Theory and Ancient Cosmology,” The World and I, p. 371,February 1994. Cr. L. Ellenberger)

Fashion Or Comfort – Which Is More Important?

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It’s all over the magazines, frequently featured on television, and even some newspapers are in on the game. Advice on what to wear and what not to wear. The people we surround ourselves with tend to be all too happy to share their thoughts on our outfits. It’s hard to avoid, because the message is everywhere, and if we don’t follow the trend, we’re told we’ve “let ourselves go”.

But does it really matter? After all, the main purpose of clothing is to keep us warm and safe from the environment that surrounds us. Clothes are meant to be functional. Without fur or feathers to keep us comfortable, we rely on different materials to do the job for us. It certainly is nice when clothes look attractive, but no matter how appealing something is, if it doesn’t feel pleasant against the skin and if it is a pain to wear, why should we subject ourselves to it simply because it’s fashion?

One fashion statement has divided women’s opinions for decades – the high heeled shoe. Some women wear them because it’s generally thought that they make legs look good. Some wear them because they make you look taller. Some actually find them comfortable to wear, whilst others can’t manage to walk more than a few steps in them without twisting an ankle. They can cause foot problems, leg and back pain, all in the name of fashion. Is it worth it?

The answer is not as straightforward as it seems. Generally speaking, the older we get, the less we care about what’s in and what’s out. We’ve decided on what we like to wear and what we feel comfortable in, so when we go on a shopping spree, we’re likely to get more of the same or similar. We may get the occasional “fancy” item for special occasions, but if we like our jeans and trainers, that’s what we will return to on a day to day basis.

Like any industry, fashion is about money. The constant change in trends that makes people change the content of their wardrobes throughout the year is designed to keep us spending our cash. If fashion magazines told us that the latest must-have is, in fact, the same must-have as last year, and the year before that, people would only replace that item if it were damaged or if it didn’t fit anymore. To keep customers on their toes, and to keep people in the industry in work, fashion must keep evolving.

That doesn’t mean that we have to follow along. Not unless we want to. There’s no point in purchasing clothes just because they’re trendy if we cannot afford or long to do so. Yes, pretty clothes can help when we want to attract a partner, but unless that partner is part of the fashion industry or someone who follows the latest trends to the dot, they’re unlikely to care all that much.

My advice is to go for what you like, regardless of what the media tell you to wear. If you want to look good, just about anything will work if it’s suitable for your body type and skintone. If you like to dress to impress, go for it. If you like your high heels, go for it (though I wouldn’t wear them all the time – give your feet the break they deserve). If you like your clothes made for comfort, feel free. Don’t let anyone tell you you’ve let yourself go just because you like your hooded tops. They don’t have to wear them.

Everyone should be free to dress how they like. If you like what you wear, it helps you feel confident, and that’s far more attractive than the latest designer dress.

Do The Best Book Ideas Originate In The Marketplace Or In the Heart of the Author?

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Introduction

Do the best book ideas originate in the marketplace OR in the heart of the author? This is the first big questions would-be authors ask when they first decide that they want to write their first book. The answer is not as elusive as many might believe. The best book ideas can be developed by looking at what is currently selling well on Amazon, AND matching that with what your heart desires to write about. Choosing your book idea based completely on one way or the other is certain to make your book a failure. But choosing your book’s subject matter based on a combination of both (marketplace needs and your heart’s needs) is certain to make your book a financial and critical success.

Marketplace Or Heart?

When it comes to picking an idea for a new book, some authors will base their entire decision on what they think will be popular in the market place. Maybe they believe that this will be the easiest way to make a quick buck. But if their choice of topics is based solely on what other people are buying on Amazon, then there won’t be enough personal conviction and authority behind the book – and they will lose credibility with readers. This will almost certainly guarantee that the book will be a dud.

Alternatively, some will completely ignore what books the marketplace is buying, and solely base their decision to write their book about a topic of interest to themselves only. This is unfortunate, because they will miss out on the most rewarding part about authoring a book, which is the sharing of information with readers that might benefit from your experiences. But this will also guarantee that the book will be a financial loser, and read by almost no one.

What Is The Answer?

As you might have already surmised, the answer is somewhere in the middle. This is the place where the readers’ needs and what your heart’s desires meet. This is an important intersection because this is where financially successful books are made – where your expertise, and the need in the marketplace, meet each other. So, if you are really passionate about an idea, but no one else cares about it, then your book will not be a financial success. Therefore, to become a financial success, AND to make sure that as many people as possible read your book, your idea (subject matter) for your book must line up with what the readers need to solve their problems. Up until this point, it is all hoping and guessing, and a lot of wasted conviction on your part.

Where To Start?

Your blog is the first place to start. This is where you have been writing about your subject. This is also where you have been developing your writing voice, and showing your audience that you have a passion for your subject matter. As the writer of your blog, you will know which blog posts resonate with your readers. These are clues as to what will sell. This is a very big reason to blog. Because blogging is like a giant research project that gets feedback from the market – also known as your audience. With your blog you are not only building a platform, but also doing market research for the kind of content that is going to resonate with your audience.

Conclusion

Once you understand that a book’s success (financial, personal, creative) lies somewhere between what the marketplace is willing to pay for, and what you desire to write about, you will be able to quickly whittle down your idea for a book into something great.

History of Rifle Scopes

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Our rifle scopes are most directly related to refracting telescopes of which the first practical versions were seen in about 1608 in the Netherlands. These first refracting telescopes are credited to Hans Lippershey and Zacharias Janssen, spectacle-makers and Jacob Metius. We are probably more familiar with the name Galileo Galilei who heard of the invention in 1609 and proceeded make his own version. The first experiments to give shooters a telescopic sight go back to the early 17th century but all the early attempts had practical or performance limitations.

The first documented telescopic rifle sight was invented shortly after 1835 by Morgan James of Utica, NY. John R. Chapman, a civil engineer, worked with James on some of the concepts and design, and they produced the Chapman-James sight. In 1855, William Malcolm of Syracuse, NY began producing his own sight. Malcolm incorporated achromatic lenses like those used in telescopes. He also improved the windage and elevation adjustments. Malcolm’s sights and those made by Mr. L.M. Amidon of Vermont were the standard during the Civil War.

Telescopic sights were used to good effect by both sides during the Civil War. There were a number of noteworthy shots and some rumors of hits from 1000 yards or more. At Spotsylvania the Union General Sedgwick was reportedly killed by a sniper from a distance of 1000 yards. The actual measured distance is about 550 yards which is still very impressive for a black powder rifle in combat conditions, (the shooter fired from a tree).

Variable power rifle scopes were not developed until the late 1940s and it was several years before they were reliable products both in performance and longevity. They frequently did not return to zero after adjusting for elevation or windage and would fog up in wet conditions or just from altitude changes. Waterproof scopes appeared about 1960.

The introduction of variable power rifle scopes also introduced the issue of mounting the reticle at the first or second focal plane. In general a scope with a first focal plane reticle will cost more than a one with a second focal plane reticle. In first focal plane optics the reticle cell is located at the front of the lenses that control the magnification level so as the magnification level changes the reticle will appear to get bigger and smaller from the shooter’s perspective. The reticle is actually maintaining its size in relation to the target which means range estimation, trajectory compensation, and leads can be done at any available magnification level.

The more common arrangement for a variable powered rifle scope is to have the reticle in the second focal plane. This arrangement is cheaper to design and produce compared to a first focal plane reticle. The second focal plane reticle cell is installed at the end of the erector tube so as the magnification level changes the reticle will appear to stay the same size. This means that accurate ranging, hold-overs, and leads can only be done on one magnification setting without some sort of conversion.

The basics of scope design have remained much the same since the 1960s with some added details such as multi-coated lenses in the 1970s and parallax adjustment (only needed above 8x magnification), and illuminated reticles which can extend morning and evening shooting times. The basic crosshair has been enhanced in a multitude of varieties including adaptations of the military Mil-Dot range finding system. Each manufacturer has also created proprietary range finding reticles.

The most significant and recent change to rifle scope design is the incorporation of laser range finders into the scope itself. In 1997 Swarovski Optik introduced the LRS series telescopic sight, the first rifle scope on the civilian market with an integrated laser rangefinder. The LRS could measure ranges up to 600 meters (660 yard). The LRS sights are out of production, but scopes with similar but superior features are commercially available from Burris and Bushnell. There are scopes available in every price range and with a huge variety of options. Carefully consider your needs and evaluate the available options and you will find a rifle scope that is perfect for you. If you find yourself in need of laser range finding scope or other rangefinder scope please visit http://www.rangefinderriflescopes.com

Top 20 Rolling Stones Hits

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In April 1962, The Rolling Stones was formed with members Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. This British R&B influenced rock group got their name from a Muddy Waters song.

Former Beatles publicist, Andrew Loog Oldham, signed “The Stones” to a management deal in 1963 and began promoting them as “the bad boys of rock and roll”, compared to the Beatles’ squeaky clean image. Oldham also produced their first albums between 1964 and 1967.

The Rolling Stones’ first UK tour took place in 1964, along with the Ronettes.

Their first American Top 40 hit came in 1964 with “Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)” followed by “It’s All Over Now.” They finally reached the Top Ten with “Time Is On My Side.”

Shortly after leaving the group in 1969, guitarist Brian Jones drowned in his swimming pool in Sussex, England. Mick Taylor replaced Jones as guitarist and Ron Wood replaced Taylor in 1975. Wood had previously played in the bands, The Jeff Beck Group and Faces with Rod Stewart.

The Rolling Stones were never without controversy. That includes the film, “Gimme Shelter,” a documentary of their controversial Altamont concert in 1969, where someone in the audience was murdered by a member of the Hell’s Angels.

Chart wise, The Rolling Stones had forty-one Top 40 hits between 1964 and 1989 and, according to the Billboard’s weekly charts, they went to #1 eight times. Their last Top 40 hit was “Rock And A Hard Place” in 1989.

Lead vocalist, Mick Jagger, tried recording solo and managed to crack the Top 40 four times, with his biggest hit being a cover version of the Martha and the Vandellas “Dancing In The Street.” He teamed up with David Bowie on this tune, which was recorded at the Live-Aid benefit concert in 1985 and it went Top 10. Jagger even made it to #3 in 1984 as a guest vocalist on The Jacksons’ hit “State Of Shock.”

Here are The Rolling Stones twenty biggest hits, according to the Billboard charts.

1. Honky Tonk Women – 1969

2. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – 1965 – Otis Redding took a cover version of this song Top 40 in 1966.

3. Brown Sugar – 1971

4. Get Off My Cloud – 1965

5. Paint It, Black – 1966

6. Miss You – 1978

7. Angie – 1973

8. Ruby Tuesday – 1967

9. Start Me Up – 1981

10. 19th Nervous Breakdown – 1966

11. Emotional Rescue – 1980

12. Jumpin’ Jack Flash – 1968 – In 1986, Aretha Franklin took a cover version of this hit to #21 on the weekly charts.

13. Harlem Shuffle – 1986

14. Mixed Emotions – 1989

15. Time Is On My Side – 1964

16. As Tears Go By – 1966 – Marianne Faithfull went Top 40 with this hit in 1965.

17. Tumbling Dice – 1972 – Linda Ronstadt went Top 40 with a cover version of this Stones hit in 1978.

18. Beast Of Burden – 1978

19. Mothers Little Helper – 1966 – The “B” side of this single, “Lady Jane” went to #24 on the weekly charts in 1966.

20. Undercover Of The Night – 1983

The Rolling Stones won a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 1986 and they were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1989. Still going strong, The Rolling Stones continue to tour and record, 46 years, after cracking the U.S. charts for the first time.