Shih Tzu dogs rescued in Allegan County 'have opened people's eyes about puppy mills'

ALLEGAN, MI – The more than 380 dogs rescued from a Cheshire Township puppy mill on April 9 have come a long way from the un-groomed and urine-soaked state they were in on that day.
Some of the Shih Tzus have already learned their new names and were running around playing with each other outside at the Allegan County Animal Shelter on Tuesday, waiting to be adopted and taken home.
Around 36 dogs and six puppies rescued from the puppy mill remain at the shelter in Allegan, Julie Kowal, office administrator of the Allegan County Animal Shelter, said. A few of the dogs have found new homes and the rest have been taken in by other area shelters.
The shelter has received more than 1,300 applications to adopt the dogs and have narrowed the candidates down to 70 or 80. The people who are chosen to take home a dog will be required to attend a puppy mill seminar on April 30 to learn how to care for the dogs.

Nicole Cappello, 16, volunteered at the Allegan County Animal Shelter to help socialize with the rescued dogs and make them more adoptable.

None of the dogs needed to be euthanized, but many are in need of some emotional re-habilitation, Kowal said.
"Some of them aren't used to the attention and are a little stand-offish," she said.
Kowal said the attention the dogs have brought to the shelter have helped increase the number of adoptions at the shelter by 50 percent in the past couple of weeks because people have come in and seen other pets in need, Kowal said.
"This has opened people's eyes about puppy mills. It highlights the importance of spay, neuter and adopt," she said. "You don't have to go to a breeder to find a good pet."
Kowal said potential owners will be coming to the shelter to meet the dogs so that the dogs will go home with the best fit possible. While the majority of the applicants will be disappointed to learn they won't be getting one of the rescued dogs, she hopes they will look for other dogs already in shelters to adopt.
A "thank you party" will be held on May 20 at the Silo in Allegan from 1 to 7 p.m. to show the shelter's appreciation to all of the vets, groomers, volunteers and people who donated money or other goods. Don Brown has helped organize the event that will feature six bands, food, a cash bar and more activities that will be announced later.



Two of the dogs rescued from the Allegan County puppy mill play outside of the Allegan County Animal Shelter.

Final Fantasy 13-2 characters model Prada              

           It is perhaps the most bizarre video game/real life cross-over we've ever seen.
Square Enix and Prada - yes, Prada - have teamed up to promote the fashion giant's 2012 men's spring/summer collection. How? By producing a CGI photoshoot, starring JRPG Final Fantasy 13-2's finest.

The images, below - apart from being bonkers - appear in the latest issue of Arena Homme+ as part of the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Final Fantasy series. FF13-2 characters Lightning, Noel, Snow, Sazh and Hope are all wearing Prada gear.

They were created by Square Enix's Visual Works studio in Japan, working alongside the Final Fantasy character designers. The magazine page feature includes "key looks" from Prada's S/S12 men's collection, "regarded by many as one the best of the season, with key pieces including printed silk shirts and sharp modern suiting".

Max Pearmain, Editor of Arena Homme+, said: "Our Spring issue focuses on a world of direction and escapism, and having a visually stunning video game franchise such as Final Fantasy work alongside us and a leading fashion brand like Prada to create something so unique is incredible.
"I've always been interested by the power of video games and their place in society, and the amount of work that's gone into this project blows my mind. We're incredibly pleased with the result."

There's even a quote from FF head honcho Yoshinori Kitase: "The Final Fantasy series is known for its creativity and innovation; so working with Prada, a renowned fashion house with such beautiful clothing, was a very exciting opportunity. The images we have been able to create together are vibrant and unique."

Work it, baby.     

Going vegetarian poses own set of potential health risks

Thinking of giving up meat from your diet? The potential health benefits of a green diet are well established, but a story by the Mother Nature Network (MNN) says there are also some potential side effects and health risks associated with a vegetarian lifestyle.

Could low cholesterol kill you? A study by the Honolulu Heart Program found that elderly people with a "low cholesterol concentration" had a "significant association with mortality." In addition, a 2009 review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that while vegetarians have an overall lower rate of cancer compared with meat eaters, vegetarians do have a 39 percent higher rate of colorectal cancer.

Other health concerns associated with vegetarianism cited by MNN included lower bone mineral density and lower levels of vitamin B12. However, the publishers of the bone density study said the "magnitude of the association is clinically insignificant," at just around 5 percent.

Going vegetarian appears to have gained popularity in recent years. A recent Yahoo Sports article even examined the diet of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Jake Shields. Though much of the media's focus has been on a worldwide trend toward bigger diets, whether that's Pizza Hut offering strange fast food mashups or yet another customer at the Heart Attack Grill proving that there is truth in advertising.

The lesson in these potential risk-factors seems to be that if you're going to become a vegan or vegetarian, you'll need to spend more time planning your nutritional choices to help ensure a balanced intake of vitamins and other nutrients. Though if you don't have the time or inclination for such efforts, there may be another option. University of Idaho nutritionist Katie Minor says that a "flexitarian" diet may be a viable third way.

"Flexitarians are people who are vegetarian most of the time, but once in a while will consume an animal protein," Minor told MNN. "The more restrictive you are with your diet, the more you'll have to closely monitor what you're consuming and the more likely your need will be to supplement. Work with a registered dietician to make sure you're not at risk for dietary deficiencies."

13-year-old finds mistake in Metropolitan Museum of Art map

New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) is one of the world's premier destinations for artistic and historical exhibitions. But this epicenter of worldly culture is not above admitting the occasional mistake. Even when the correction comes from one curious 13-year-old boy.
The Hartford Courant reports that 13-year-old Benjamin Lerman Coady found an error in the Met's Byzantine Gallery during a recent visit. The seventh-grader is a fledgling history buff who recently studied the Byzantine Empire in school.
While checking some of the dates on the map, Coady noticed that sections featuring Spain and Africa were missing.
Before leaving the museum, Coady attempted to inform the museum that the map was inaccurate. "The front desk didn't believe me," he told the paper. "I'm only a kid."

However, Coady received an email from the museum's senior vice president for external affairs, notifying him that his request was being forwarded to the museum's medieval affairs department for further review.
A few months later, Helen Evans, the Met's curator for Byzantine art, sent Coady an email: "You are, of course, correct about the boundaries of the Byzantine Empire under Justinian," she wrote.
Evans even invited Coady back to the museum to meet with her in person. She says the Met is working on updating the map but isn't sure when a new, more accurate rendition can be put on display.

So, what lesson did Coady take from his experience? "If you have a question, always ask it," he told the paper. "Always take chances."

Million Dollar Rides

Mercedes Benz SL600 Total Covered with Diamonds

The luxury car covered with diamonds. You may probably heard of it’s hard getting to purchase even a sport car, but what revealed here are already the sports luxury car, but covered with thousands of diamonds. This is car modification attempt made to be the 38th car for Prince Waleed from the Saudi Arabia.
It’s a Mercedes Benz SL600 with 5.5L of V12 turbochargers engine. Assisted by DOHC and 3 valves per cylinder valve train, the engine provides 493 bhp at 5,000 RPM and maximum torque of 590 lbs.ft at 1,800 to 3,600 RPM. The car is equipped with multi link suspension for both front and rear one, rack and pinion are well designed with the sensitiv assist for better handling.With the provided engine, the Mercedes SL600 are able to reach up to 155.3 MPH or 250 KPH with such acceleration at 4 seconds only from 0 to 60 MPH.
Wonder will you ever see this car on the road? The simple answer is, “No”. Priced at $1,000 only for touching this car, the car worth $4.8 Millions. Continue reading for more pictures.

Tata Nano car worth Rs 22 crore!

MUMBAI: The Tata Group on Monday unveiled a Nano car - made with gold and silver, and studded with precious stones - worth an astronomical over Rs 22 crore.

But, it's not for sale - the valuable and fully functional car is a unique branding and promotional initiative by Goldplus Jewellery, part of Titan Industries, a Tata Group company, an official said.

The mega-value Goldplus Nano Car was unveiled on Monday evening by Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata.

The Goldplus Nano Car pales the average Rs.1.40 lakh Nano, which started with a Rs.1 lakh price tag at its launch.

The Goldplus Nano Car is billed as the world's first ever gold jewellery car and celebrates the 5,000 years of jewellery making industry in India.

The car's body is made with 80 kg 22 carat solid gold, 15 kg silver, precious stones - including diamonds, rubies - and other expensive gemstones, the official said.

"As many as 14 techniques of jewellery making have gone behind the effort -- from the intricate filigree work to the delicate and colourful meenakari work, the stunning kundan to the traditional naqashi...marking the convergence of diverse and culturally distinct jewellery making techniques from around India," the official told IANS.

Titan Industries managing director Bhaskar Bhat said that since eternity, jewellery made with gold and precious stones has been an integral part of the Indian woman's life.

"Indian jewellery has been an epitome of innovation and creativity, and carved a niche worldwide for itself for the intricacy of the designs crafted out of the precious metals and stones," said C.K. Venkataraman, COO, jewellery division.

After its glittering launch in Mumbai on Monday evening, the Goldplus Nano Car will travel to all the Goldplus showrooms at 29 locations around the country.

The car incorporates beautiful designs, made with the precious stones of different colours, set on the gold and silver body of the car.

Egyptian Legends

Sekhmet the Goddess of Vengence and Hathor the Goddess of Love

When Ra rose from the mists, he created night and day, and Apophis, the Dragon of Evil formed in the darkness of the night vapours and tried to spoil all that was bright and good. Apophis was the enemy of the good rule of Ra as Pharaoh, and as Ra grew old, Apophis reached into the hearts of the people of Egypt and many followed his false promises of power and rebelled against Ra.

Ra called a counsel of his children, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut and Hapi. He also called on Nun who ruled the spirit of the primeval waters. And he asked them all what he should do about the evil among the people of Egypt.

"They gather in Upper Egypt to go greater evil even as we meet here," he said. "Should I strike them all down with a burning glance of my all-seeing Eye?"

Nun, the eldest, spoke first. "Pharaoh do not turn your eye upon Egypt, for you will destroy every being and every thing. Destroy only the evil men and women and spare the good."

Ra nodded and spoke the word Sekhmet and a mighty lioness sprang into the counsel circle. She circled the floor and finally stopped in front of the throne of Ra. For many moments Sekhmet looked at the face of Ra, then she twitched her tail and turned and leapt out of the circle and sped to Upper Egypt.

The mighty jaws and claws of Sekhmet slaughtered the evil doers in Upper Egypt until the Nile ran red with their blood. Her hunger was endless and every day she stalked the men and women of Upper Egypt, and hid by night licking her paws and dreaming of new prey in the coming morning.

But Ra did not want to destroy mankind, only the evildoers. He decided to trick Sekhmet to stop her slaughter, but said, "I will not humble her for she has done what I asked, but I will give her a far greater power over men so that she will not be dishonoured." But first he had to catch her.

So to trap Sekhmet he sent messengers to Elephantine Island at the First Cataract of the Nile, telling them to bring red ochre.

He sent the ochre to Heliopolis to the priest of the Temple of the Sun, Ra's temple. He commanded the priests and all the royal court to make beer and to mingle it with the red ochre so that it was red as blood.

"Quickly, carry the blood red beer to Upper Egypt and spread it on the land to trap Sekhmet," commanded Ra.

When Sekhmet came out in the morning to feast on the wicked, she saw no men, but instead saw what looked like pools of blood spread over the land.

She found she was thirsty and she drank the blood until she was drunk and helpless. And Ra called to her, "Come my pretty one," and she staggered down the Nile to Heliopolis.

Ra met her and lay his hand on her head, "Sekhmet, you have come in peace, so peace be with you, and a new name.You will no longer be Sekhmet the Slayer; you will be Hathor the Lady of Love. You will no longer rule man by terror, but will rule them by the passion of love. For Love is stronger than Hate and Terror, and all men will grow weak with love and be in your power."

"And I decree that on the first day of every year that the priestesses of love will mix the ochre of Elephantine with the beer of Heliopolis at a great festival to Hathor."

And the evil of Apophis was stopped and the bittersweet gift of love was bestowed on mankind.

The Secret Power of Ra

Ra the Shining One rose out of the mists that covered the waters. Nun the spirit of the waters floated above him.

Ra was all powerful and his power came from his Secret Name. This gave him the power to create a thing just by calling its name.

He said "I am Khepera at the dawn, Ra at noon and Tum in the evening." And the sun rose in the east and traveled across the sky to set in the west.

Thus he created the first day.

He then named Shu the keeper of the wind, and Tefnut the spitter of rain. "Geb" he spoke, and the earth rose up from the sea. Nut was named and she stretched her body across the sky from one horizon to the other to form the arch that held the stars and path for the sun and moon. Hapi he named last and the River Nile flowed through Egypt bringing life to the land.

He named all things on earth and lastly named Man and Woman, and they multipied to live in prosperity on the banks of the Nile.

How Ra Ascended to the Heavens

Osiris and Isis married when they grew up, as did Set and Nephthys. But Ra was still Pharaoh, though he had grown older and older and his hand shook with old age and the spittle dribbled from his lips.

Isis, who was the greatest magician that Egypt had ever known, devised a plan to trick Ra to leave his throne so that Osiris might become Pharaoh. Thoth told her that she could not succeed unless she learned Ra's secret name. Only with his hidden name could she gain power over Ra.

While only Ra could create living things, Isis used her magic to steal some of this power from Ra and create a cobra of clay. Each day Ra passed by Isis on his way to Upper Egypt. As he passed on the road, the spittle from his lips fell into the dust. Isis gathered this spittle and dust and with her magic made the first cobra and lay it beside the path of Ra, for it had form but was lifeless.

When Ra next passed along the road his eye fell on the lifeless cobra and it came into being. It reared out of the grass and bit Ra on the heel as he passed and then the cobra slithered away.

Ra sat down beside the road holding his heel and soon a great pain shot through him and he cried aloud. All the gods came swiftly to help him in his anguish, and Isis was among them.

Isis cradled Ra's heel in her hand and asked him how they could help him in his agony. Ra replied that all those who knew magic and had wisdom must be called to help him. So one by one they came, and none could help.

The last who came was Isis.

Ra's pain had grown greater, he shivered and his eyes grew dim. "Help me Isis for you are the greatest magician in Egypt. I do not know what poison attacks me, or what snake bit me, for I did not make it."

Isis bowed before Ra and whispered that she had great magic, but she must have extra power to cast out this strange poison that came from no snake that Ra had made; a snake that no one in Egypt had known existed. "I must have the power of your secret name, Divine Father."

Ra was cautious and told her many of his names of power, but Isis shook her head and told him he must tell her his secret name. Finally the pain burned more powerfully and Ra relented. But before he told her his secret name he made her promise that she would tell no one but the son that she and Osiris would bear.

She must tell no one the secret name but Horus their son who would rule after Osiris.

Isis swore this oath and Ra whispered his secret name. With that name Isis chanted a spell of extraordinary power that drove the poison out of Ra's body.

Ra's pain ended, but he was tired and felt very old. He knew that Osiris was destined to reign after him, and his grandson Horus would follow as the third God-Pharaoh. So Ra left the earth and took his place in the heavens as the Burning Eye. He crossed the sky daily and passed under the earth in the twelve regions of the Duat nightly.

Osiris became Pharaoh of Egypt and Isis was his Queen. They built their capital at Thebes and ruled wisely.

The Black Dahlia

The story of the Black Dahlia is one of Hollywood's most famous unsolved mysteries. The gruesome murder of an aspiring actress in Los Angeles has sparked much speculation and rumor about both the life and death of the young girl. Even the origin of the name Black Dahlia is disputed by some. Tangled up in the dark side of Hollywood's glamour, the mystique of the Black Dahlia has inspired several books and a 2006 film, but the crime remains unsolved.

 

Identification

• The term Black Dahlia refers to Elizabeth Short. Her body was found cut in half at the waist on January 15, 1947, in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, by a passerby. Evidence at the scene suggested she'd been beaten and sexually molested. The grisly details of her death captured public attention, and a clever newspaper reporter dubbed the unfortunate girl after "The Blue Dahlia", a popular movie at the time about a murdered young girl. Some speculate that Beth Short was actually called Black Dahlia.

History

• Elizabeth Short was born in Massachusetts in 1924 and raised by a single mother. Even from a young age, she was troubled and frequently moving. Because of poor health she lived in Florida during the winter months and worked as a waitress. In 1943, at age 19, she moved to California to live with her father. The two eventually settled in Los Angeles, but Elizabeth soon moved out. She was arrested that same year for underage drinking and sent back to Massachusetts by the authorities.

Features

• Short moved back to Florida that winter and socialized with a long line of men, including at least a few U.S. servicemen. She met and was briefly engaged to a pilot named Maj. Matthew M. Gordon Jr. She also became reacquainted with an old boyfriend. When Maj. Gordon died in a plane crash in 1945, Short moved back to Los Angeles, where her old beau was stationed. She continued to work odd jobs, mostly waiting tables, and living in a variety of inexpensive hotels, rooming houses and hotels. She went missing on January 9, 1947, having been last seen at the Biltmore hotel in San Diego, and was found dead nearly a week later.

Considerations

• The existing information about Elizabeth Short is mostly speculation. A childhood friend with whom she corresponded claimed Short hoped her move to California would lead to a life as an actress, but it's not certain she ever seriously pursued a career in the movies. What is clear is that her striking beauty led her to live on the charity of her many male admirers, most of whom bought her gifts, took her to dinner and gave her cash. It's said she crossed paths with some legitimate Hollywood stars, even Marilyn Monroe, but there is no evidence supporting this assertion. The grisly details of her murder, plus the fact that dozens of attention-seekers confessed to the crime, only fueled the sensational press coverage of the Elizabeth Short/Black Dahlia case.

Significance

• Hundreds of individuals were considered suspects and thousands were questioned by police, but the murderer of Elizabeth Short was never identified. Some believe she might have fallen victim to a serial killer, others speculate a Hollywood mogul was involved, but neither claim has been substantiated. The legend of the Black Dahlia eventually moved from the newspaper headlines to works of popular art, straying ever farther from the facts of the case because most were highly fictionalized. References to Elizabeth Short abound in novels set in 1940s Hollywood and the autobiographies of those tangentially related to the investigation. In 2002, pop icon Marilyn Manson released a series of paintings based on the murder. The 2006 film titled "The Black Dahlia" and directed by Brian DePalma was very loosely based on the actual life and death of Elizabeth Short.

Gothic Lolita

Gothic Lolita - Gothic Lolita is a distinctive Japanese fashion style. Gothic Lolita is often seen in places like Harajuku. Gothic Lolita pictures.

Gothic Lolita or "GothLoli" (ゴスロリ, gosurori; sometimes alternatively "Loli-Goth") is a youth fashion among Japanese teenagers and young women. It emphasizes Victorian-style girl's clothing and often aims to imitate the look of Victorian porcelain dolls. Gothloli's name and origin is a combination of lolita fashion�appearing deliberately cute to the point of looking childish�and certain styles found within gothic fashion. The style started as a youth subculture sometime around 1997-98 and became a well-established genre available in various boutiques and some major department stores by around 2001. Some observers consider it a reaction to the "Kogal" aesthetic.

Gothic Lolita is one of the subcategories of the Lolita look. Other categories include "Classic Lolita" (more traditional, light-coloured, also more mature-looking) and "Sweet Lolita" (childish pastel-coloured clothes, lots of lace and ribbons).

Gothic Lolita was influenced and popularised by the imagery of more feminine Visual Kei (or "visual rock") bands. Visual Kei is a Japanese form of rock music defined by bands featuring performers in elaborate costumes but whose musical style varies. Mana, the cross dressing former leader and guitarist of the Visual Kei band Malice Mizer is widely credited for having helped popularise Gothic Lolita. He coined the terms "Elegant Gothic Lolita" (EGL) and "Elegant Gothic Aristocrat" (EGA) to describe the style of his own fashion label Moi-m�me-Moiti�, which was founded in 1999 and quickly established itself as one of the most coveted brands of the Gothic Lolita scene

Gothic Lolita - The style

Gothic Lolita style is usually a combination of black and white, often black with white lace and typically decorated with ribbons and lace trims. Skirts are knee length and may have a crinoline or petticoat to add volume. As in mainstream Japanese fashion, over-knee socks or stockings are extremely popular. Black fishnet stockings and white or black tights are also common. Shoes or boots with high heels - though not usually stiletto heels - such as Mary Janes, complete the look. Frilly, ruffled or lace-trimmed Victorian blouses are also popular especially with "EGL" types, who may also favour long skirts and jackets rather than the overtly "childish" designs of typical gothloli's. Apart from the occasional shortness of skirts, designs are usually modest, sometimes with long lace-capped sleeves.

Some additions may include an Alice in Wonderland-style apron, tiny top hats, parasols, lace gloves, and lace headpieces. Mostly black or white, headgear might consist of a headband with ruffles, ribbons, lace or bows. Sometimes even bonnets are worn. Hair may be curled to complete the porcelain doll look. The naturally dark Japanese hair color may be lightened to blonde or kept black. Some may choose to wear wigs as well.

Makeup is used sparingly and is seen more often with EGL styles than with other gothloli styles. Black eyeliner is typical. A pale complexion is preferred, so white foundation might be used. Red or black lipstick is seen but lighter makeup is the rule.

Goken Lolita outfits may be accessorized with other props like conspicuous pocketbooks, hatboxes, handbags and other bags, sometimes in the shape of bats, coffins, and crucifixes. Teddy bears and other stuffed animals are also common, and some brands make special "goken" teddy bears out of black leather or PVC. Also, many Goken Lolita own Super Dollfies and carry them around.

"Lolita"

Although "Lolita" is a reference to Vladimir Nabokov's famous novel, and GothLoli is often worn by teens, most followers of the style do not consider it overtly sexual. Adherents present themselves as Victorian children or baby dolls and prefer to look "cute" rather than "sexy". Many Lolitas claim that the term 'lolita' doesn't necessarily have anything to do with sex at all. The usage of the word may also be considered wasei-eigo.

Japanese culture places a higher value upon extremely youthful appearance and behaviour than Western, and some adult women buy large amounts of products, such as Hello Kitty goods, that are typically marketed only to children in the West. GothLoli is perhaps a more visible extension of this phenomenon.

Goth Loli culture

In Japan it is mass-marketed and has wide visibility particularly in the streets of Tokyo and Osaka, on television, in manga (see Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa for an example of gothloli inspired manga) and computer games. Outside of Japan it is still a fringe fashion although it has slowly begun to spread to other countries. Gothic Lolita, along with Cosplay and other Japanese cultural phenomena, can sometimes be seen at concerts and anime conventions throughout Europe and the United States. The style has not yet been mass marketed outside of Japan. However, there are plenty of dedicated fans filling the gap. Gothic Lolita magazines are widely available for purchase on the internet and at Japanese bookstores, which also deal in anime and manga. Adherents in Europe and the United States often sew their own homemade Gothic Lolita outfits, sometimes offering them for sale to make up for the difficulty of acquiring them from Japan.

Gothic Lolita in the West

Many Goth girls in the west, have borrowed from the Japanese goth loli style, and have created a market for this style of clothing (particulary in online auctions). Americas Tokyopop recently comissioned, along with performer Courtney Love (who is not goth/goth loli herself, but is a former Japanese resident) an original manga in the goth loli style, called Princess Ai. This was the first (at least publicised) Japan/West goth loli collaboration.

Gothic & Lolita Bible

One magazine in particular, the irregularly published Gothic & Lolita Bible, has played an instrumental role in promoting and standardizing the style. The 100+ page magazine includes fashion tips, photos, sewing patterns, catalog descriptions, decorating ideas, and even recipes.

Gothic Lolita - Shopping

Currently the heart of the Gothic Lolita subculture, at least commercially, is the Marui Young department store in Shinjuku, after its predecessor Marui One closed at the end of August 2004. This large youth-fashion oriented department store has 4 floors entirely devoted to Gothloli and related fashions.

Crossover with Goth

"Gothloli" as a fashion is not as strongly associated with a particular style of music or outside interests as goth, and individual followers of Gothloli fashion may listen to a wide variety of music including regular Japanese pop.

In Japan, Goth is a very minor subculture with few followers, partly because the emphasis upon visual identity in Japanese youth culture makes other factors such as music and literature less important signifiers and perhaps partly because Christianity and Germanic culture are not integral parts of society. In Japan, people who have heard the term "Goth" usually assume that it refers to "Gothic Lolita", except for the Goths themselves, who strongly emphasize the differences. (Likewise, some western observers incorrectly assume that "Gothloli" is the Japanese version of "Goth".)

However, due to the popularity of Gothloli from around 2001�2004 and its continued acceptance by many young girls, Goth nightclubs and events increasingly include Gothic Lolita elements in order to attract more customers. Thus many Japanese "Goth Clubs" will also feature a guest DJ playing J-pop and Visual Kei music, tea and cakes in the chill-out room, doll decorations, and other items designed to appeal to the Gothloli sense of European nostalgia.

Anime and Manga
Due to the popularity of this cute style with many fans of Japanese animation and comics, characters dressed in the "Gothloli" style may be found in numerous anime and manga. Some of the most prominent are Paradise Kiss, Le Portrait de Petit Cossette, Rozen Maiden, Tsukuyomi - Moon Phase, Othello, Chobits, xxxHOLiC, and Pitaten. Most of these titles appeal primarily to male fans rather than the gothlolis themselves. However, large numbers of gothloli girls are visible at manga events such as comiket. They often buy doujinshi based upon their favourite bands, dolls and movie characters; and some are interested in other kinds of cosplay apart from goth loli style.

Movies
The main character in Shimotsuma Monogatari (or Kamikaze Girls as it is known in the English language release) dressed in the "Gothloli" style.

Voices Of The Damned

[Please Note: There has been much debate whether this is real or not. We are not saying it is real or not but we feel it is important enough to post it and let you the reader decide.]

These details are from the translation of an article in a Finnish newspaper named 'Ammennusatia'.

A geological group who drilled a hole about 14.4 kilometers deep in the crust of the earth are saying that they heard human screams. Screams have been heard from the condemned souls from earth's deepest hole. Terrified scientists are afraid they have let loose the evil powers of hell up to the earth's surface.

'The information we are gathering is so surprising, that we are sincerely afraid of what we might find down there,' stated Dr Azzacov, the manager of the project in remote Siberia.

'The second surprise was the high temperature they discovered in the earth's center. 'The calculations indicate the given temperature was about 1,100 degrees Celsius, or over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit,' Azzacov pointed out. 'This is far more then we expected. It seems almost like an inferno of fire is brutally going on in the center of the earth.

'The last discovery was nevertheless the most shocking to our ears, so much so that the scientists are afraid to continue the project. We tried to listen to the earth's movements at certain intervals with supersensitive microphones, which were let down through the hole. What we heard turned those logically thinking scientists into a trembling ruins. It was a sometimes a weak, but high pitched sound which we thought to be coming from our own equipment,' explained Dr Azzacov.

'But after some adjustments we comprehended that indeed the sound came from the earth's interior. We could hardly believe our own ears. We heard a human voice, screaming in pain. Even though one voice was discernible, we could hear thousands, perhaps millions, in the background, of suffering souls screaming. After this ghastly discovery, about half of the scientists quit because of fear. Hopefully, that which is down there will stay there,' Dr Azzacov added.

'What really unnerved the Soviets, apart from the voice recordings, was the appearance that same night of a fountainhead of luminous gas shooting up from the drill site, and out of the midst of this incandescent cloud pillar a brilliant being with bat wings revealed itself with the words (in Russian): 'I have conquered,' emblazoned against the dark Siberian sky.

'The incident was absolutely unreal; the Soviets cried out in terror,' says Mr. Nummedal. Later that night, he saw ambulance crews circulating in the community. A driver he knew told him that they had been told to sedate everybody with a medication known to erase short term memory. The Soviets use this drug in the treatment of shock victims.

* * * * * * *

"As a communist I don’t believe in heaven or the Bible but as a scientist I now believe in hell," said Dr. Azzacove. "Needless to say we were shocked to make such a discovery. But we know what we saw and we know what we heard. And we are absolutely convinced that we drilled through the gates of Hell!"

Dr. Azzacove continued, ". . .the drill suddenly began to rotate wildly, indicating that we had reached a large empty pocket or cavern. Temperature sensors showed a dramatic increase in heat to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit."

"We lowered a microphone, designed to detect the sounds of plate movements down the shaft. But instead of plate movements we heard a human voice screaming in pain! At first we thought the sound was coming from our own equipment."

"But when we made adjustments our worst suspicions were confirmed. The screams weren’t those of a single human, they were the screams of millions of humans!

* * * * * * *

Do you know why Jacques Costeau, the famous underwater explorer, quit deep sea diving sometime before he died? It is said that he stopped because he had heard in one of the underwater caves he was exploring, the sounds of people screaming.

There was also another time, when one of his men, who was in a diving bell in the deepest trench at the Bermuda Triangle, also had a similar experience. He signaled to be brought up immediately. After being revived from his shock, he told others of his frightening experience of hearing "Screams of people in pain".

Boo Dog - Cutest Dog In The World

Boo Dog - He has nearly two million fans in Facebook and a book deal. But Boo isn't a reality TV star, actor or a pop singer - he's a pet dog.

The five-year-old Pomeranian has the fame most celebrities dream of after amassing 1.79million fans on social networking site Facebook.

And Boo is also a hit with the ladies. He attracted the attention of Hollywood stars including Khloe Kardashian, who posted a picture of the dog on her blog last year and singer Ke$ha, who Tweeted that Boo was 'her new boyfriend.'

Since then, Boo's Facebook page, launched in 2009, has gone viral, receiving thousands of new fans a day.

His owner, who has concealed her identity and location in the U.S. and uses the pseudonym J.H Lee told Time:'My friends loved looking at pictures of him.

'We started the first Facebook page as a joke.'

Boo shot to fame when he realised the key to looking so good in photographs is a great haircut.

The canine's unique look is down to an happy accident - his long hair was so knotted, it had to be shaved off.

Lee said: 'The groomer said they wouldn't even be able to get a brush through him.

'I was really upset when I heard that. But when I picked him up, I found he was actually really cute that way.'

Boo has been busy promoting his new book, a collection of photographs entitled 'Boo, the life of the world's cutest dog.'

The £8.99 book features exclusive photographs of Boo 'doing all his favorite things, lounging around, playing with friends, exploring the whole wide world, and making those famous puppy-dog eyes.'

And judging by his success so far, it's sure to be a bestseller.

Haunted Places In Malaysia

Ever been to anywhere in Malaysia and experienced paranormal hauntings? Curious to know where are the places that you can visit to experience one yourself? The below are lists of Malaysia’s top haunted places that you can, may or even experience ghosts.

1. Georgetown, Penang – A T-junction better known as The Deadly Junction is located beside the Union High School. It is said that if you ever drive through this lonely road late at night, your care will go out of control and crash due to the too many accidents that happened there. It is also said that there is a tiny unknown tree beside the road which looks like a lady carrying a child. The story was known by some old folks saying that this lady was once a bomoh (witch doctor) who kidnapped her sister’s son. Somehow, they never again appeared anywhere except other than being seen beside this road
2. St Michael’s Institution, Ipoh – A group of Catholics missionaries arrived here in 1912 and began building a school next to the famous Kinta River. It did not take long for the missionary brothers who ran the school to have enough funds to erect a huge school building with unique French structural design. When the WW2 broke out, the school was used bu Japanese secret police as their headquarters. Needless to say, there were lots of torturing carried out. The buidling itself had many tunnels which had been sealed off and the tunnels were said to be used by the Japanese to torture prisoners and to store food. Most of the sightings occurs in the Chapel on the fourth floor of the bluiding where a Brother was seen dressed in a black robe holding praying beands in a sitting position facing towards the door (which leads to the brothers quarters) in the very early morning without a head. Those who had witnessed it were asked to keep it a secret
3. Malay College Kuala Kangsar, Kuala Kangsar, Perak – This school is said to be a former site of Japanese occupation camp during WW2. Students would sometimes be awakened by something that stares down directly at them. A marching platoon can be heard in the field and sounds of dragging chains can be heard through the campus corridors. A tree on the campus, which is located right beside a lampost where the light shines down on it, reflects a shadow of a man hanging from the tree! A few other old colonial admin buildings that were used by the Japanese during the Occupation in the 1940s where executions are taken place are buildings like Victoria Institution and Bukit Bintang Girls School
4. MARA Junior Science College, Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor – A white flying apparition can be seen in various parts of the building
5. Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur – A boys school was tured into a Japanese base during the Occupation. Many British soldiers and locals were brutally tortured to death in the basement and some older buildings on the campus. It is said that not only are apparitions common in the day as well as in the night, there had also been many cases of spirits possessing students. The possessed boys would behave strangely and even violently harming other students and teachers, forcing the stronger teachers and students to restrain him. The possesed boy would only snap out of it a few hours later and remembering nothing
6. Tambun, Ipoh, Perak – Singtings of an old lady on the roadside while driving
7. Tambun Inn, Ipoh, Perak – Lights were reported to turn on and off by itself and sounds of whispering could be heard where no one was around
8. Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur – A spooky place to be even when it is actually one of the most elite residential areas in Kuala Lumpur. This place with its many big and tall trees and very winding roads, has an eerie feeling about it even at broad daylight. It is said that a few years ago two youth embarked on a high speed motorcycle chase around the curvy roads of the area. One of the youth crashed at a dark stretch of the road, which is actually a very sharp corner. There have been claims about sightings of a young man riding a motorcycle at high speed, who mysteriously vanished in the dark
9. Poliklinik Cheras, Kuala Lumpur – Used to be a government hospital but it is being abandoned with no reason. There were rumors that say there are still some dead patients that loiters around the area
10. Genting Highlands Resort, Pahang – A famous hill top resort and casino, many people incurred gambling debts and committed suicide there. Some visitors leaving the hotel lobby reported seeing a man in red jump from the rooftop, just to disappear before he hits the ground. Certain rooms are not available for rent no matter how full the hotel was. Those who have seen the inside reported that it was filled with old Chinese ghost wards. They would subsequently fall sick for days afterwards
11. Highland Towers, Kuala Lumpur – A tragic event where one of the 3 blocks of apartment at this place fell apart due to landslide and heavy downpour prior to that fateful day. Since then, the Highland Towers have become famous for claims of being a very haunted place. Voices of the dead can be heard at night and ghostly figures are said to have appeared at the scene. There are also a story about a taxi driver who picked up a woman passenger at the middle of the night and being asked to drop her at the place.She left a bag and the poor taxi driver found it to be full of blood!
12. Police Station in Tras, Pahang – During the 1950’s, a police corporal and his wife were found in a state of shock and terror after opening their door to an unknown figure. Many police personnel were terrorized by this entity that other policemen would rather resign than being transferred to this remote station
13. Kellies Castle, Perak -Sometimes door are opened themselves and lots of scary screaming voices can be heard.
14. Puchong House, Kuala Lumpur – Evil drawings on the walls. Some say the ghost of a woman who used to stay there haunts the place. Other than that, just stepping into the house is enough to keep you awake for months.
15. S.K (1) Kuala Ampang, Selangor – Could hear taps in the toilet running by itself and sightings of a lady in white walking behind the school compound.

Hearing Impairment

Hearing impairment is something that you have to recognize. You will find that hearing impairment not only suffered by old people. This can also be suffered by people in all ages. In order to give you the knowledge about this thing, the lists in the following are interesting facts about hearing impairment that you might not know before.

Fact # 1
There are over 90 percent of deaf children born from parents with normal hearing. This means that although you and your couple have normal hearing, this does not guarantee that your children will also have normal hearing.

Fact # 2
Approximately 30 to 40 percent of people aged over 65 suffer from some type of hearing loss. It is common that old people have this hearing disorder. This is because the ability of the ears to hear the sound decreases as the improving age. In this case, one in three people over the age of 65 experience some degree of hearing loss. Also, there are 14 percent of those aged 45 to 64 suffer from some type of hearing loss. This means that the older the age, the bigger chance of someone will get this hearing disorder.

Fact # 3
Approximately 15 percent of children ages six to 19 have hearing loss that can be measured, at least in one ear. In this case, this hearing disorder occurred in five out of 1000 newborns.

Fact # 4
Noise exposure underground railway (subway), just 15 minutes a day but it occurs sustainable can cause permanent hearing loss. This will make those who are work in this area have big chance of hearing anything unclear because of the hearing disorder that they have.

Fact # 5
Hearing aids offer a dramatic improvement in most people with hearing loss. With the improvement of these aids, people who suffered from this hearing disorder will be confident because they have the aids that will help them hear the sound.

Fact # 6
Mild hearing loss can cause children to miss 50 percent of the discussion in class. This is very bad for them since they might not catch the material in their classes. As parent you should pay attention to this in order to decrease the hearing impairment that your children have.

Fact # 7
Listening to MP3 player with high volume can cause permanent hearing loss over time. For you who have this hobby should be careful. In this case, you can turn the volume down to decrease the risk of getting hearing loss.

Fact # 8
With appropriate early detection and care, children who are deaf can be elaborated communication skills at the same rate as their peers with normal hearing.

Fact # 9
Noise is one of the main causes of hearing loss. The source of noise can be everything. The sound of plane, train and other sound that disturb your ears can be the source of noise.

Fact # 10
Hearing tests should be performed as a baby. This is done in order to know the solution for this matter. If the hearing loss is detected since baby, the prevention or solution toward this problem can be done since in the beginning.

Fact # 11
People with hearing loss wait an average of seven years before seeking help. Most of them do not know what to do to solve the problem that they face. When this hearing disorder becomes severe, they might be too late for seeking the solution.

Those are some interesting facts that you might not know. This will give you the addition knowledge about the hearing and hearing impairment so that you will be more aware of this hearing disorder.

There are many things that you can do take care of your ears. If you want to block the sound, you can wear ear protector. In this case, there are many types of this protector that you can choose. You can choose ear plugs for snoring will be the perfect option when you do not want to be disturbed by the snoring.

Facts and Truth about Hearing Aids

Myth: Hearing aids restore hearing to normal just as an eyeglass prescription can restore vision to 20/20.

Fact: Hearing aids do not restore hearing to “normal.” Hearing aids do not “cure” your hearing loss, but they provide benefit and improvement in communication. They can improve your hearing and listening abilities, and they can substantially improve your quality of life.

Myth: You can save time and money by buying hearing aids online or by mail order.

Fact: By working with an audiologist, you are purchasing professional care and services to ensure that the correct hearing aid is selected and that proper programming of the hearing aid is completed Other professional care includes:

• Hearing evaluation
• Referral for medical treatment (if needed)
• Hearing aid evaluation
• Verification of fit of hearing aid
• Instruction in how to properly use and maintain the hearing aid
• Follow-up care and support
• Repair services
• Rehabilitation services

Myth: A hearing aid will damage your hearing.

Fact: A properly fitted and maintained hearing aid will not damage your hearing.

Myth: A milder hearing loss is not bad enough for a hearing aid.

Fact: Everyone's hearing loss and listening needs are different. By working with your audiologist, you can determine if a hearing aid is needed and how much it will improve your hearing.

Myth: Wearing two hearing aids is not necessary.

Fact: We normally hear with two ears. Binaural (two-eared) hearing helps us localize sounds, assists us in noisy settings, and provides natural sound quality. Most people with hearing loss in both ears can understand better with two aids than with one.

Myth: The invisible hearing aids worn in the ear are the best hearing aids to purchase.

Fact: There are several styles of hearing aids, and all are “state of the art.” What is most important is that you purchase a hearing aid that accommodates your hearing loss and your listening needs. Just because your friend uses a particular hearing aid style does not mean you have to (or should) use that style. Your friend's style of hearing aid may be a totally inappropriate prescription for your needs.

Listen More , Speak Less

From this experience, I have found that hearing is easy and listening is hard. 

A quick review of some statistics about listening, compiled by the International Listening Association (www.listen.org), yields some insight into why listening is so hard:

• Most of us are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful about 75% of the time we should be listening.

• We listen at 125-250 words per minute, but think at 1000-3000 words per minute. 

As hard as it is to listen effectively, it is still vitally important. Take a look at these additional statistics from the International Listening Association: 

• Immediately after we listen to someone, we only recall about 50% of what they said.

• Long-term, we only remember 20% of what we hear.

• More than 35 business studies indicate that listening is a top skill needed for success in business.

My first thought as I began this article was: “I’m about to communicate an idea that everyone has heard before.” However, my experience as a “professional listener” tells me that the topic carries enough importance to justify the reminder. More importantly, I’ll share five tips to help you improve your skill in this vital leadership competence. 

1. Listen to understand, not to respond

Effective listening goes beyond hearing someone’s words. Effective listening creates an environment where the other person feels that you understand them.

This tip applies to attitude more than it does to behavior. Many people view dialogue like a tennis match where the two parties square off and hit the ball back-and-forth. In this approach to conversation, both parties are adversaries trying to “score the point.”

To listen effectively, I suggest that you view dialogue more like a pitcher and catcher in a baseball game. The pitcher (speaker) throws the ball for the catcher (you) to receive it. The catcher only throws the ball back after he has it firmly in his grasp. 
In other words, listen to receive the meaning. Once you understand, then you can respond.

2. Be quiet

Being quiet gives you the opportunity to hear the words, the tone, and the meaning behind the words. It gives you the chance to observe the speaker’s body language. 

To help you remember this tip, I’ll share two quick statements with you:

• “When your mouth is open, your ears are closed.” 
• “LISTEN and SILENT have the same letters.”

3. Let them finish their thoughts

In other words, don’t interrupt the speaker. From the previous tip, this idea seems obvious. However, I have seen many arguments and misunderstandings that stemmed from interruptions. It’s hard to remain silent. It’s even harder to remain silent until someone has completely expressed their idea. 

4. Maintain eye contact

Effective listening means observing everything about the speaker’s message. People communicate at least as much with their body language as they do with their words. Good listeners learn to “listen” with their eyes as well as with their ears.

If you choose to work on something else (answer e-mail, fill out paperwork, etc.) while someone is speaking to you, they will not “feel” that they were heard.

5. Ask questions to ensure that you understand

Just because you heard the words and observed the body language, don’t assume that you understand. If a particular point is unclear to you, ask a question to clarify it before you respond. 

Even if you think you understand the message, make sure you do by clarifying it with the speaker. You might say something like:

• “Just to be sure I understand you, let me repeat back to you what I thought you said…”

• “I heard you say… Is that correct?”

• “If I understand correctly, your concern is…”

When you clarify, remember to let them correct your understanding. You don’t have to agree with their perspective. You do have to make sure that you understand it.

Good leaders are good listeners. Effective listening helps to resolve conflicts, build trust, inspire people, and strengthen teams. It often requires you to “bite your tongue,” and, from my personal experience, I know that it can be hard work. I also know that the results are worth the effort.