Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The End of The Road For Analog: Savings.com Blog Post 5/12/09

http://www.savings.com/blog/post/The-End-of-the-Road-for-Analog.html

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Murad.com Articles on Acne and Acne Related Products (Examples of assignment.)

Acne
Acne is a condition that afflicts millions of people, to varying degrees, worldwide. There are several conditions that lead to acne, but there is no one, definitive cause for this skincare problem. Leading dermatologists and skincare specialists long ago dispelled many myths surrounding the causes of acne, some even dating back to the seventeenth century. Acne is the result of an excess of oil and bacteria becoming trapped in the pores of the skin. Acne is not caused by intercourse and is neither cured by overexposure to the sun nor excessive, aggressive washing of the irritated area. If anything, applying the false acne solutions of these last two myths will only lead to further acne outbreaks and skin inflammations.

The physical blemishes resulting from severe acne can sometimes cause both teens and adults to feel as though outbreaks are a debilitating occurrence that has both psychological and social effects for them personally. Being ostracized due to extreme skin discoloration and pimple outbreaks is sadly a reality for most people suffering from more extreme types of acne outbreaks. Acne products, like those produced by Murad, invigorate healthy skin and offer a sense of relief for these frustrated individuals.

Acne Treatments
While there is no cure for acne, there do exist certain treatments that have proven quite effective over the years. Acne treatments, like the Murad Acne Complex for example, heal and replenish dry, irritated skin. To combat the buildup of oil in the hair follicles this acne treatment offers a skincare solution that consists of a clarifying cleanser, an exfoliating acne treatment gel, and a hydrating skin perfecting lotion. The most effective acne treatments, the Murad acne treatment in particular, focus on significantly reducing surface bacteria by utilizing acne cleansers that clear skin and reduce the chances for outbreaks at a later date. Irritated skin is cooled through the use of acne gel treatments that deeply penetrate and exfoliate the affected areas. Once the acne treatment is absorbed into the skin it attacks the acne by healing, calming, and reducing the natural oil production in the irritated areas of the skin.
Picking at or popping zits or pimples only results in preventing most acne treatments from working successfully. Many of these treatments for acne suggest thoroughly rinsing the face or other affected zone in a gentle wash of warm water. This will open up the pores with little to no irritation involved. Proper skin moisturizing helps to smooth skin and soften spots where heavy concentrations of acne pimples have formed. Moisturizing the skin at the spot of acne buildup counteracts the dryness that can occur when the skin lacks proper hydration.

Acne Solutions
Acne breakouts can occur at anytime. There are many types of acne that require immediate and diligent acne solutions. Non-inflammatory acne can reveal itself in the form of whiteheads or blackheads. Inflammatory acne solutions are meant to eliminate the presence of papules, pustules, unsightly bumps, and painful cysts.
While more common to the head area, acne is not just a facial issue. Inflammatory acne solutions are also designed specifically to combat outbreaks occurring on the back, chest, and other sensitive areas of the body. In some rare forms of acne, bacterial infection may also occur. To combat these inopportune outbreaks, board certified dermatologists such as Dr. Howard Murad, often suggest an adherence to a very specific acne-fighting regimen. This course of therapy includes washing the problem spots in gentle water, exfoliating the area with a soothing gel, applying a sensitive skin rejuvenating lotion, and spot treating certain acne blemish areas with an acne treatment designed to diminish the appearance of these unwanted marks.
Many acne treatment specialists differ on whether or not to use benzoyl peroxide in oxygenizing the skin during the process of unclogging the pores. Moderation and selecting the right version of the compound are keys to perfect application of the acne removal agent. As it can dry out and irritate the skin in many cases, adding the right amount of moisturizer can aid in eliminating the negative buildup of flaky, rough skin. Acne solutions that shy away from the use of benzoyl peroxide do so to avoid this very emergence of dry, flaky, and irritated skin. Instead, as is the case with the available Murad acne solution products, they incorporate into their acne fighting arsenal natural fruit-based oils that act as antioxidants protecting the skin from flare-ups that might be brought on through contact with the surrounding environment. Using any of these spot treatment acne solutions in moderation, no more than say twice daily, will go a long way to ensuring the effectiveness of the acne treatment in allowing the skin to breathe.

Articles for a Sex Addiction Website

Save Marriage From Porn Addiction
For people looking to save their marriage from porn addiction, the first steps towards recovery begin with admitting that they indeed have a problem. Before sex addiction treatment can begin, there first needs to be an understanding of the disease as a whole.
Similar to the families of narcotic and alcohol addicted personalities, the people close to the porn addict are forced to suffer through a series of excuses, deceptions, and denials. Breaking through this wall of lies is key in saving a marriage from porn addiction. Seeking help either separately or together through marriage counseling can go a long way towards breaking the cycle of addiction and enabling, which can if the porn addiction is allowed to continue unchecked over a long period of time.
Treatment centers such as LifeSTAR, an Orange County California sex addiction therapy center, work with couples to eliminate the porn addicted individuals need to rely on abhorrent behaviors that can eventually lead to the painful dissolution of the marriage.

Porn Addiction Help
Addiction to pornography, as a by-product result of an overall sexual addiction is very common. Porn addiction can lead to deviant, abnormal behavior that adversely affects both personal and business relationships. Many people seeking help from porn addiction often turn to sexual addiction treatment centers such as LifeSTAR. Located in southern California, this positive pornography therapy group has a network of sexual addiction programs located in San Diego, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and the greater Los Angeles area.
Many sex addict treatment groups similar to the LifeSTAR Network focus on identifying the source of the porn addict problem and creating ways to counter the harmful effects of this detrimental obsession. Porn addiction therapy and group counseling are specific tools used to separate the sexual addict from their obsessive fixation on illicit sexual gratification. The inclusion of sex addicts in a support group setting, similar to the type of twelve-step programs usually associated with drug and alcohol addiction, affords them an opportunity to share their experiences and overcome their harmful urges in the presence of fellow sufferers.

Sex Addiction Treatment
Successful sex addiction treatment seeks to turn people away from the negative acts linked to sexual addiction. These acts can include, but are not limited to, flashing one’s genitals in a public place, compulsive reliance on pornographic images for sexual release, entering the world of prostitution, or engaging in unprotected sex with multiple partners leading to the contraction of one or more sexually transmitted diseases.
Sex addiction therapy can help to heal severed relationships. Sex addiction treatment centers in California, for example, have grown in recent years as the general public has been made more aware of this growing problem. Institutes in the vein of LifeSTAR have aided many sexual addicts over the years in successfully overcoming their personal guilt and shame resulting from their behavior while in the throes of their pornographic addictions. While treatment can, in many cases, just include various types of therapy, there are some instances when the sexual obsessions have led to obsessive-compulsive behavior and medication is required to treat the resulting disorder.

California Marriage Counseling
Programs like LifeSTAR of Southern California, which treat pornography addictions and compulsive sexual behavior, offer marriage counseling for couples suffering through one spouses sexual addiction. In some cases both parties admit to being addicted to sex and seek counseling for their shared sexual addiction. The possibility of losing their marriage can be a profound catalyst in getting the sexual addict to realize the severity of their problem.
California marriage counselors have seen instances of couples needing therapy due to one or more of the parties sexual addictions increase at a rapid rate over the last few years. As a consequence, many California sexual addiction experts have grown a vast network of sexual addiction counselors, porn addiction therapists, and pornographic treatment specialists ready to assist in treating the influx of patients suffering from this disease. Education about healthier sexual practices has grown to combat the negative thoughts and behaviors of the sexually addicted personality.

California Sexual Addiction Counseling
Compulsive sexual addiction has become a more widespread phenomenon in recent years. The California sexual addiction counseling industry has grown proportionately to meet the needs of those afflicted by and those victimized by sexual addicts. LifeSTAR Network for example, offers assistance in dealing with the daily struggles of porn addiction recovery. They provide the therapeutic tools necessary to taking the first steps toward a healthy recovery. Workshops and accompanying workbooks are provided that help to uplift and cleanse the mind of deviant tendencies and thoughts.
LifeSTAR is connected to a teeming network of California sexual addiction counselors, therapists, Twelve-step programs and support groups specializing in helping people to overcome their predilections toward a pornographically addictive lifestyle. Sexual addiction programs such as these are designed to coach suffers in a friendly, supportive environment. Coaching can even be done via the telephone for those still wary of exposing their addiction to others in person.

Overcoming Pornography Addiction
Without proper intervention, the addictive porn personality will begin to treat friends and family members with increasing disrespect as they become more and more immersed into an internet world of porn chat rooms, adult sexual dating sites, and streaming porn movie sites. Overcoming pornography addiction means moving away from the practice of dangerous unsafe sex, losing the compulsion for risky sexual exhibitionism, ending the overuse of pornography as a sexual release outlet, and not giving into the seedy need to sexually harass others. Sometimes, but not always, if the porn addiction is left unchecked, the sexual addict might cross the line from stalker and voyeur to molester or rapist. This is why sex addiction treatment centers such as LifeSTAR of Southern California are essential resources in the battle to overcome pornography addiction. Treatment of pornography addiction involves the individual learning to control their addiction. They are then taught, through therapy and counseling, how to engage in healthy sexual activity. They are exposed to educational resources focusing on eliminating the dependency on pornography and overactive sexual escapism. Therapies are available in many forms from marriage counseling to individual counseling, to classes built on the premise of reestablishing the emotional bonds lost during the cycle of obsessive pornography addiction.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

More CelebStaff Work (2nd Sample)





CelebStaff Magazine Work (2 Samples)

-I have also edited several articles for many issues of the magazine.-

Full Article

























NFLRush.com Content

(3 Samples)
Facemasks
Facemasks, designed to protect a players face while they are in the game, are structured differently depending on a player’s position. Many people wonder why some facemasks have two bars, while others have three or more. Quarterbacks in the NFL usually wear helmets that have two bars. Defensive backs and wide receivers also use this design, known as a box cage. Kickers, who very rarely are involved in hits on the field, usually wear helmets that only have two bars. They can also see their target better without too many bars getting in the way and blocking their view. Up until 2004, most punters and kickers wore one-bar facemasks. For safety reasons the NFL decided to ban these. Outside of kickers, most position players, from linebackers to running backs wear facemasks that have four bars laid along the basic “U” shape design. Over the “U” are bars that offer players different forms of protection. Three bars across with a fourth down the middle is perfect for protecting the nose, jaw and mouth and is generally worn by players looking for more protection when hitting and blocking up close. A different helmet facemask, worn by linemen on the defensive and offensive sides of the ball, is the six bar design. It has a “U” bar at the top and protects players against injuries to the mouth and jaw. It offers ultimate protection but can limit vision. It is also called a full mask.

Coffin Corner
A Coffin Kick or Coffin Corner Kick is the most important weapon in a punters arsenal. Punters are key in giving their team a field position advantage after an offense has failed to score any points or get a needed first down on their drive. The best way for a punter to help his team is to pin the other team’s offense deep in their own territory. A Coffin kick is only possible for most punters if they are not too far away from the target. Somewhere on or before the fifty yard line is best. The name comes from that area of the field known as a Coffin Corner located within ten yards of the receiving teams goal. Kicking into the corner in such a way that the ball bounces first inbounds then out, is what every punter is trying to do. The new offense is then forced to start their drive anywhere from the 1-yard line to the 10-yard line. It is a strategy that gives the defense a great chance to stop the opposing team’s offense from really moving the ball up the field. Once the defense stops them they will have to punt from deep within their own territory setting up great field position when their offense retakes the field. This is all thanks to the punters’ first kick into the Coffin Corner.

The First Super Bowl
The first Super Bowl was played on January 15th, 1967. It took place in historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum not far from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. It featured the first world championship matchup between an AFL and an NFL team. Legendary Coach Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers defeated the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. Some 61,946 people attended the game live and millions more watched at home as the game was shown by both ABC and CBS television stations. The game was part of the merger between the rival American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). That first Super Bowl led to the full merger between the two leagues into one incredibly successful professional football league. In 1970 the old AFL teams, plus three NFL teams would form the American Football Conference or AFC. The remaining NFL teams became the National Football Conference, or NFC. Following the attention and success of that first Super Bowl matchup, the game has gone on to become a worldwide sports phenomenon like no other. What was once just a game, has become a week, sometimes two weeks long celebration of the best two teams in the NFL. The name “Super Bowl” comes from the college football tradition of naming big games “bowls.”

Boulevards.com: Web Content Writer

General City Website Content (3 Samples)
Santa Monica
Living in Santa Monica puts one in the heart of a bustling hub of activity, beautiful beaches, beautiful people and hip entertainment.
A romantic stroll along the moonlit boardwalk of Santa Monica Pier serves as the perfect compliment to any young lover’s evening by the beach.
During the day, the shops and walkways of the Third Street Promenade are teeming with visitors looking to indulge themselves in everything this particular part of the city has to offer. The Promenade and surrounding streets tender delights for the eyes, wallets, and senses to consume. The restaurants one will encounter along the way offer delicacies and feasts for the palate arguably unrivaled throughout the coastal region of Southern California. From sushi to Thai, Italian cuisine to pizza or crepes on the go, there are a plethora of different dining choices available to suit each individual taste. Street performers also offer a different form of entertainment for the passerby as they ply their crafts. From musicians to magicians, balloon blowers to balladeers, peace activists to environmentalists there is never a dull moment under the Santa Monica sun. In fact this sort of kitschy entertainment adds flair of unpredictability to the atmosphere that defines this slice of Southern California life.
If films are more your thing, art-house independent theaters and general movie houses are generously located throughout the city.

Venice
As eclectic as it is scenic, Venice Beach has a personality unlike any other city in southern California. Still home to artists, musicians and hipsters galore, Venice seems to attract both the odd and adventurous to its shores. An almost daily ritual consists of walking along the extensive boardwalk and partaking in the sights and sounds of the many people that visit it daily. From dozens of tattoo parlors, sunglass and clothing huts, to get-it-on-the-go food joints, the bustle of activity is always evident. There is never a dull moment as one walks past snake charmers and gold-plated mimes or stops to take in the superhero-like proportions of the weightlifters pumping iron at Muscle Beach.
Basketball games on the local beachfront courts always seam to draw a large crowd especially on Saturday afternoons. Another favorite are the musical performers who bravely get up to share their music on the beach’s main stage. You can often also run into the very same musicians, artists and their friends hawking their latest CD or painting as you stroll along the scenic route by the water.
Further away from the sand lies a part of town replete with cool restaurants and after-dinner lounges. The local pizza is of the mouth-watering variety and some of the more established haunts even let customers bring in their own bottles of wine, corked by the house for a small fee of course. Around each corner are streets filled with stylish houses jutting out from beyond walls of ivy and flowery bushes dressed in the deepest green. Grass lined streets turn into dog parks and recreational areas for skaters and families alike. Apartments in then area are at a premium as many seek to live in the thriving jungle of activity and eccentricity that is Venice Beach.

Toluca Lake
Scenically located in the San Fernando Valley region of southern California, exclusive Toluca Lake resides in close proximity to similarly affluent Burbank. Visitors with stars in their eyes can try to gain entrance into one of the two major movie studios located nearby. Once the home to A-list Hollywood comedians such as W.C. Fields and Bob Hope, the city has maintained a rich tradition of attracting the crème-de-la-crème of the Hollywood set. Taking up residence in this idyllic community, they have contributed to its becoming the upscale haven that it is today. It is not rare to see a film crew or two setting up shop around town. The pristine charm and small town-in-a-big-city scenery of Toluca Lake has been used to depict the serenity of suburban lakefront life on film for decades.
Whether one is seeking a picturesque weekend getaway or are in the midst of a lifetime of residence, Toluca Lake can be the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of big city life. With the Santa Monica Mountains serving as the perfect backdrop, many residents and visitors alike take advantage of the various activities the city is best known for. Mountain climbing here is a particular must for those in the know. Some of the best swimming spots, boating areas, and fishing locations can be found along the lake. After spending a day among nature, many take a trip to one of several high-quality restaurants or bistros to indulge themselves in the catch of the day or other, less sea-faring meals.
Real estate is, of course, at a premium here. With exclusive pricing designed to match the exclusive home seeker, the houses in the area are often truly a work of art. The area is also known for having some of the best lodging in the region.

Torrance
Part of Los Angeles County’s South Bay area, the city of Torrance was founded on May 31st, 1911 by the noted real estate developer one Jared Sidney Torrance. Today, Torrance is one of the largest cities in the county and home to one of the United State’s largest mall complexes in the form of the Del Amo Fashion Center. This massive structure houses over three hundred retail options to satiate any consumer fancy. It has opened it’s doors for films such as Jackie Brown and the increasingly popular cult favorite Bad Santa to be set within its’ walls. Of note to nineties teen drama fans is Torrance High School, whose frontage served as the celluloid representative for West Beverly High in Beverly Hills 90210. It has also been shot to represent various other fictional American high schools in other television shows and films as well.
Close to Redondo, Manhattan and Hermosa beaches, Torrance boasts hundreds of acres of prime park and recreational facilities. Apartment and home seekers alike duke it out for the best spots available here in the home of “Rat Beach”, a stretch of beachfront shared with neighboring Redondo Beach. Serving as the U.S. corporate headquarters of Honda and Toyota, the area is also well known as a significant oil-producing region.
Torrance also gains considerable distinction in that it contains one of the nation’s few remaining urban wetlands in Madrona Marsh now a natural reserve. It is also the home to annual ethnic festivals and an Armed Forces Parade. Couple that with its many museums and art centers, and diverse citizenry, and you have a community that lives up to its stated goal of being a balanced city. Many restaurants in the area are also noted for their diversity of choices and taste-bud-pleasing dishes.

Denver Mortgage articles (1 Sample)
Denver Mortgage
Young or old, just starting out or starting over again, the story is the same wherever you go. Many people with bad credit are seeking to purchase homes in Denver by the thousands every year. The first thing they want to know is whether or not their poor credit history will even allow them to secure, refinance or get approved for a loan. Several banks specializing in Denver home loans offer programs that make both financing and refinancing as painless as possible.
A good Denver mortgage company will make available to its customers options that will allow even those with the most questionable of credit scores eligible for a loan. Most institutions in and around the area will sit the prospective home seekers down, setting them up with a personal Denver mortgage broker whose goal will be to ease them through the pre-approval process and explain to them the range of financing options available to them. These are all of course based on the prospects’ budget, as well as past credit challenges.
Often referred to as bad credit loans, these aids to the homebuyer are offered by many Denver mortgage lenders at a fixed rate and with built in benefits particularly for those who are already pre-existing customers. Home equity loans including little to no down payment fees, the extension of quality credit lines, and even incentives such as reduced initial rates for new patrons are available through several home consultants. An experienced, full-service lending center will prepare a package that best suits the individual customer whether they are a first-time buyer or a family seeking Denver refinance choices for an existing property. Bad credit or not, there is no reason that anyone in the area should be left out in the cold when it comes to securing homeownership.

City Restaurant Content (2 Samples)
Bel Air Restaurants
Posh, upper crust Bel Air is known for the elegant dining found most particularly in its many excellent restaurants. The restaurants of Bel Air range in size as well as in the diversity of their menus. If your palate has a particular craving for a dinner with a touch of class, then Bel Air is the destination for you. Boasting cuisines from all over the world, prepared by some of the best chefs the upper echelon of Southern California society can attract, the restaurants here are on par with many of the best dining houses in the world.
Many a resident and visitor to Bel Air expects a touch of panache to enhance their dining experience. It is not uncommon to find yourself sharing space in your favorite restaurant with A-list Hollywood celebrities or an heiress out for a quick bite before taking the town by storm. Reservations are key of course as they allow you to move to the head of the line and avoid being shut out. If you just show up and expect to get a seat, most often than not you will find yourself out of luck. Calling at least a couple of hours ahead, a day or two earlier if possible, will more likely guarantee you a chance to woo your true love without pause at the romantic restaurant of your dreams.
Beautiful arrangements and place settings, complimented by the perfect mood lighting and congenial ambiance make Bel Air restaurants the perfect draw for your dining dollars.

Beverly Hills Restaurants
The restaurants of Beverly Hills, similar to those of its nearby cousin Bel Air, cater to the rich and famous as well as those of us simply looking for a night out in the company of Hollywood royalty. Beverly Hills restaurants welcome those fresh from the shops of swank Rodeo Drive. After a day of high-end buying
Ideally situated near several Beverly Hills landmarks, restaurants abound to satisfy you whether you are craving a particular dish or dying to try the latest, much-heralded chef’s cuisines. Perhaps you’ve just attended a wedding in the adjacent park of historic Greystone Mansion and just can’t wait for the hours to pass between ceremony and reception. There are dozens of doors just waiting for you to pass through and begin your midday meal. From the couches, chairs, drapes and table settings, everything about the majority of Beverly Hills restaurants screams class. Also located here is the Museum of Television and Radio. So, after a day of shopping, sight seeing, and living the glamorous life, go for a bite at a place that values style as much as it does the quality of the food served. Even the hotels in Beverly hills are well known for the meals prepared with sophistication in the kitchens of their in-house restaurants. In the comfort of elegance you can also find some semblance of practicality as well. While Beverly Hills is not known for discounts and bargains, restaurants providing good deals for your pocketbook are out there. Amidst the glamour and glitz there are Beverly Hills restaurants that have filled a particular niche for generations. Grilled sandwich shops that have been around since the days of Marylin Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and the Rat Pack still bring in the popular crowds. Chic locations like these are often the prime gathering spots for locals, even more so than the expensive brethren they share the same streets with.

City Hotel Content (2 Samples)
Long Beach Hotels
Overnight or longer-term stays in Long Beach hotels places visitors in the center of one of America’s most ethnically diverse cities. Thousands of visitors flock to Long Beach each year. What they find there are hotels that have become landmarks, lodging houses that have become as much a sight to behold as the other major attractions of the city. Downtown Long Beach hotels are situated in the heart of a bustling city well known for its nightlife. Clubs, restaurants, and bars doubling as lounges, dot the landscape of the city and are a short walk or scenic drive from the area hotels.
The luxury hotels of Long Beach have a dedicated staff payroll. All rooms are elegantly fashioned and are designed with ultimate comfort in mind. Beds are of the highest quality, with daily maid and cleaning service provided to maintain their spotless charm. More boutique size hotels in Long Beach pride themselves on making guests feel as though they have come to stay with friends. Neither cold nor impersonal, these establishments they are class residences whose orientation is focused on customer satisfaction.
Very close to the Long Beach airport, these hotels provide a convenient stopover for cross-country travelers. Long Beach hotel buses travel to and from the airport with some frequency and are just a quick desk call away once passengers have successfully exited baggage claim.

Malibu Hotels
Malibu is home to a accumulation of five star lodging establishments offering the finest beachfront views on the west coast. What exactly should a top-of-the-line hotel have to offer? While there are a myriad of possible answers to this question, the ultimate answer is a simple one. The perfect Malibu hotel, whether it is a Malibu beachfront hotel, a luxury Malibu inn, or a boutique dwelling located along the mountainside, should be exactly what you, the client, need it to be. It should be staffed with individuals who are expert at servicing the requests of guests whether they happen to be celebrated in film or as the head of their household. Movie stars and soccer moms on holiday for the weekend should be treated with equal care and awarded like service during their stay. There should be no task too complex or impossible to meet, no request considered too out of the ordinary.
Quite a good number of these Malibu hotels are a part of larger chains. With that association comes a need to uphold the reputation of the parent corporation. Many pride themselves on their dedication to making their guests stay a more than memorable one. To that end, they employ professionals skilled in the art of going beyond mere room cleaning and valet parking. Need tickets for a sold out show set to take place in when you arrive? Should be no problem. Left home before you could iron your best suit for the meeting? Again, no problem as rooms come equipped to help solve your dilemma. Daily tailoring and laundry services are also at your disposal in the best hotels Malibu has to offer.