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	<title>rycz</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.rycz.com/blog/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog</link>
	<description>The Blog of Jennifer Gryczkowski</description>
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		<title>It&#8217;s Always Sunny in Fillydelphia</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/its-always-sunny-in-fillydelphia/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/its-always-sunny-in-fillydelphia/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:26:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fan art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[My Little Pony]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[television]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=709</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<div class="content-image big"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/always-sunny-fillydelphia.gif" width="435" height="563" alt="It's Always Sunny in Fillydelphia" /></div>

I'm not usually one to do fan art, but after "Fillydelphia" was mentioned in the <em>My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic</em> episode "Swarm of the Century," I really wanted to create this poster.

The design is based on the promo and packaging material for <em>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</em>&#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="content-image big"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/always-sunny-fillydelphia.gif" width="435" height="563" alt="It's Always Sunny in Fillydelphia" /></div>
<p>I'm not usually one to do fan art, but after "Fillydelphia" was mentioned in the <em>My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic</em> episode "Swarm of the Century," I really wanted to create this poster.</p>
<p>The design is based on the promo and packaging material for <em>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</em> (Season 3). I had to compensate for the shows' different numbers of main characters while designing my poster, but it wasn't a problem. The most difficult part was choosing the pony heads to use, because human jaws and cartoon-pony jaws are very different: the <em>My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic</em> characters don't really have chins.</p>
<div class="content-image"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/always-sunny-philadelphia.gif" width="200" height="281" alt="It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 3" /><br />
The packaging for the Season 3 <acronym title="Digital Video Disc">DVD</acronym> set of <em>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</em></div>
<p>Instead of mentioning Danny DeVito, I included a picture of a parasprite. I chose the parasprite because, in "Swarm of the Century," it's mentioned that Fillydelphia is struggling with a parasprite infestation.</p>
<p>I did <em>not</em> draw the ponies or the parasprite. The vector tracings were created by artists on deviantART (see "Credits and Copyrights" at the end of this post for details).</p>
<p>I did the majority of the design work in Adobe Illustrator. I used Adobe Photoshop for the finishing touches.</p>
<p>I'm very happy with the way my <em>My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic</em> "It's Always Sunny in Fillydelphia" poster turned out. It captures the feel of the original <em>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</em> work, but it's still cute and silly like the <em>My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic</em> cartoon.</p>
<p>With a little retooling, this design would make a really fun T-shirt!</p>
<h2>Share This on the Web</h2>
<ul class="entrylist">
<li><a href="http://rycz.deviantart.com/art/It-s-Always-Sunny-in-Fillydelphia-273779260" rel="external">deviantART</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rycz/6546231071/" rel="external">Flickr</a></li>
<li><a href="http://rycz.tumblr.com/post/14175383401/its-always-sunny-in-fillydelphia-by-rycz" rel="external">Tumblr</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Credits and Copyrights</h2>
<ul class="entrylist">
<li>Fluttershy: <a href="http://supermatt314.deviantart.com/art/I-AM-weak-and-helpless-259035782" rel="external">I AM weak and helpless.</a> by supermatt314</li>
<li>Twilight Sparkle: <a href="http://orangel8989.deviantart.com/art/Fastest-Vector-in-the-West-Kinky-Twilight-273397431" rel="external">Fastest Vector in the West: Kinky Twilight</a> by orangel8989</li>
<li>Applejack: <a href="http://sirspikensons.deviantart.com/art/HopingJack-272117164" rel="external">HopingJack</a> by SirSpikensons</li>
<li>Pinkie Pie: <a href="http://metalbeersolid.deviantart.com/art/The-hell-is-this-255351668" rel="external">The hell is this?</a> by MetalBeerSolid</li>
<li>Rainbow Dash: <a href="http://nictendo.deviantart.com/art/Happy-Dashie-216847082" rel="external">Happy Dashie</a> by Nictendo</li>
<li>Rarity: <a href="http://sirspikensons.deviantart.com/art/Rarity-Shocked-272642667" rel="external">Rarity Shocked</a> by SirSpikensons</li>
<li>Parasprite: <a href="http://kopachris.deviantart.com/art/Parasprite-vector-259010729" rel="external">Parasprite vector</a> by Kopachris</li>
<li><em>My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic</em> is &copy; Hasbro</li>
<li><em>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</em> is &copy; FX Networks</li>
</ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Pritt Double Stick Permanent Adhesive is the Old Duck Brand Stuff</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/pritt-permanent-adhesive-duck-brand/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/pritt-permanent-adhesive-duck-brand/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:30:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Crafts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adhesive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tape runner]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=622</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Pritt Double Stick Adhesive Roller is the same product as the original Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Roller. Duck and Pritt used to be owned by the same company, but Duck was sold and, since Pritt owns the product, Duck had to come up with something new&#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of the reviews on the Jo-Ann website mentions that the <a href="http://www.prittworld.com/na-e/products/adhesives/glue-roller/compact-roller.html" title="Pritt World: Compact Roller">Pritt Double Stick Adhesive Roller</a> is the same product as the original Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Roller. From what I can tell, it's true.</p>
<p>Pritt created the world's first glue stick in 1969. The Double Stick Adhesive Roller is probably theirs.</p>
<p>Duck used to be owned by Henkel, the same company that owns Pritt. In 2009, Henkel sold Duck. Around that time, Duck released its "New &#038; Improved" tape runner.</p>
<p>My guess is that, for one reason or another, Duck no longer has access to Pritt's patents.</p>
<p>I looked but I cannot find the Pritt Permanent Adhesive Roller in Office Max (where it's supposed to be sold). I can find it online, but the price if I were to buy it in a store is already pushing it; buying it online is stupid expensive.</p>
<p>If anyone knows of a similar product, please leave a comment and let everyone know!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Adhesive Review: New Duck Easy Stick Roller</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/adhesive-review-new-duck-easy-stick-roller/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/adhesive-review-new-duck-easy-stick-roller/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:30:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Crafts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adhesive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[product reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tape runner]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=602</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The original Duck Brand Easy Stick is my favorite adhesive. It was permanent, acid free, and perfect for taping stuff into my journal. The "New &#038; Improved" Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Roller isn't new or improved; it's a completely different product and the adhesive is <em>awful</em>&#8230;]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The original Duck Brand Easy Stick Roller is my favorite tape runner. The adhesive was permanent, acid free, and perfect for taping stuff into my journal. It never gave me any problems.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago, I ran out of Duck Easy Stick Adhesive. So, I went to the nearby Jo-Ann Craft Store and bought a new 4-pack of Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Rollers at 40% off (I paid $8.99 + tax).</p>
<p>I busted out the new tape and... it's "New &#038; Improved!" (see: <a href="http://www.duckbrand.com/Products/craft-mounting-products/glue-sticks-adhesive-rollers/adhesive-rollers.aspx">Adhesive Rollers from Duck® brand</a>). Except, I didn't know that. The package I bought isn't marked as such at all.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-01.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="New Duck Brand Easy Stick Double Stick Adhesive Roller Package" /></p>
<p>It turns out "new &#038; improved" is code for "completely different product that no one will like!"</p>
<p>So, here is my review for the <strong>New &#038; Improved Duck Brand Easy Stick Adhesive Roller</strong>.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-02.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="New Duck Brand Easy Stick Double Stick Adhesive Roller" /></p>
<h2>Quick Comparison Between New and Old</h2>
<p>Both products are permanent and acid free. The tape runners and packaging look the same, except the new stuff comes with a cap to protect the adhesive while in storage.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-03.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="New Duck Brand Easy Stick Double Stick Adhesive Roller with Cap Off" /></p>
<p>The old adhesive was a gummy substance that was dispensed in a strip across every surface I tried.</p>
<p>The new adhesive is more like double-sided tape; the strip is made up of a series of tabs. It dispenses onto some&mdash;but not all&mdash;surfaces.</p>
<p>Because the old stuff was a gummy adhesive, I could roll my finger across it and it would ball up, allowing me to remove small (or large) amounts if I needed to. I can't do that with the new tape.</p>
<p>Both the old and new tape runners can apply adhesive over a previously laid down strip of adhesive without pulling up the adhesive or getting stuck.</p>
<p>I never had a problem with the old tape runner getting jammed. The new tape runner has a design flaw that causes the used-up wax strip to get stuck to the unused adhesive. This happens often.</p>
<div class="highlight">The only similarity between the two products is the applicator. Otherwise, they are completely different. <strong>Selling the new version in the same packaging with the same name deceives the customer.</strong></div>
<h2>Application</h2>
<p>The New Duck Easy Stick can easily be applied in a straight or curved line. However, when I applied it in a curve, not all of the tabs were flat. Some of the tabs were wrinkled (like they had an air bubble under them), meaning that the paper will not lie flat against whatever surface it's adhered to: it will be bumpy.</p>
<div class="content-image"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-04.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Tape in a Straight Line and a Curved Line" /><br />
I show a close-up of the largest bump in the curved tape strip</div>
<p>I tried applying the adhesive to a Hershey's Bliss candy wrapper. The tape applied fine on the front side, but it would not adhere to the more aluminum-foil-like backside. I tried three times before giving up.</p>
<div class="content-image"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-05.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Tape on the Hershey's Bliss Candy Wrapper" /><br />
You can see the strip of tabs if you look closely</div>
<p>I also tried applying adhesive to a page from a book (published in 1994). The adhesive remained on its waxy backing and pulled up part of the page. If the paper had been more fragile, it would have ripped.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-06.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Tearing Up a Page from a Book" /></p>
<h2>Adhesion</h2>
<p>I folded the white paper in half and used a lot of pressure to make sure the two sides would stick together well. Then I slowly pulled the sheet back open.</p>
<p>A couple tabs stuck to the opposite side, and a little bit of the paper tore, but otherwise nothing was affected.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-07.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="The Aftermath of Separating Paper That Was Taped Together with Duck Easy Stick Adhesive" /></p>
<p>This could be good or bad, depending on what you're looking for. Personally, this leaves me wondering if Duck's double-stick adhesive will hold up to the "permanent" claims.</p>
<h2>Corners and Edges</h2>
<div class="highlight" style="margin-top: 10px;">First off, you should know my personal preference: All corners must have adhesive on them. When corners aren't glued down, they end up all bent and everything gets messed up. If you don't agree with me, this little section won't matter as much to you.</div>
<p>If I go over the edge of the paper, the adhesive acts like what it is: solid tabs of tape. It hangs off over the edge, and it has to be fixed or it'll get other things stuck to it.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-08.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Tape Sticking Out Over the Corners of the Paper" /></p>
<p>One option is to cut it off, but this method is imperfect and bad for the cutting instrument.</p>
<p>The other option is to remove the tabs individually, but this can tear the paper and leaves no adhesive on the areas from which the tabs are removed.</p>
<div class="content-image"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-09.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Tabs on My Finger and the Paper" /><br />
I removed a few of the tabs that were over the edge</div>
<p>If you want adhesive on the very edge of the paper, especially in the corners, you'll have to be very precise or use a different adhesive.</p>
<h2>Overlap</h2>
<p>I can easily apply a strip of tape and then apply another strip of tape that crosses over the first. The applicator doesn't pull up the first strip of tape, nor does it get stuck.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-10.jpg" width="360" height="270" alt="Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Tape Strips Overlapping" /></p>
<h2>Defects</h2>
<p>After using the tape runner a couple times, the used-up wax paper starts coming out of the applicator's opening. This prevents any new tape from being applied and has to be fixed before continuing.</p>
<p><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/duck-new-esdsar-11.jpg" width="360" height="814" alt="New Duck Brand Easy Stick Adhesive Roller Jammed Up" /></p>
<p>The tape runner has to be opened up and the "used" wheel has to be manually wound. This can be a little difficult because the roll of wax paper is pressed firmly against the roll of sticky unused tape.</p>
<p>The tape runner doesn't stay fixed for very long. After a couple uses, the used-up wax paper is once again sticking out of the applicator.</p>
<p>I used the tape intermittently, making this defect an annoyance. For someone using Duck Easy Stick Adhesive to glue a lot of stuff down at once, this defect would be <em>unacceptable</em> and render the tape runner virtually useless.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>The New &#038; Improved product only has one improvement: It comes with a cap to keep the adhesive safe during storage. That's really cool.</p>
<div class="highlight">The new version only does one thing as well as the old version, and that's being able to apply one tape strip over another. It doesn't do anything better than the original but does a lot of stuff much, much worse.</div>
<p><strong>I cannot recommend the New &#038; Improved Duck Brand Easy Stick Adhesive Roller.</strong> The tabs can apply bumpy and cause wrinkles and bubbles in the paper. It doesn't adhere to all surfaces. The solid tape-like nature of the adhesive makes precision gluing of corners difficult. Any one of these problems would make me unhappy with the product. All three of them together mean I will never use this adhesive.</p>
<p>However, those problems may not bother everyone. What <em>will</em> bother everyone is the defect: after laying down a couple strips of tape, the wax paper comes out and the tape runner <em>cannot</em> be used until it is opened up and rewound.</p>
<p>I am not the only person who loves the original product and abhors the new version. The reviews on the Jo-Ann website were glowing up until the new product was released: <a href="http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/reviews.jsp?_DARGS=/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp.1_A&#038;CATID=cat2901&#038;PRODID=prd23480&#038;product=true" title="Reviews of the Duck Easy-Stick Double Stick Adhesive Dispenser on Joann.com">Reviews on Joann.com</a>. Users on Splitcoaststampers.com seem to feel the same way: <a href="http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/tool-product-talk-f128/new-duck-brand-adhesive-love-hate-t442377.html" title="Splitcoaststampers.com Forum: New Duck Brand Adhesive - Love it or Hate it?">New Duck Brand Adhesive - Love it or Hate it?</a></p>
<p>Even though I received 4 tape runners for $10, I am very unhappy with my purchase. Any money spent on a product I <em>can't use</em> is too much.</p>
<p>Instead of getting the Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Roller, I would suggest buying double-stick tape in a normal dispenser. Until I find an acceptable replacement, I'll be using an Elmer's glue stick.</p>
<p><strong>UPDATE 03-09-2011</strong><br />
I returned the Duck Easy Stick Adhesive Rollers to Jo-Ann and got my money back. They took the pack back no problems. I hope everyone who doesn't like the new Duck Brand Rollers has been returning them; it gets the message across quicker than just not buying them again.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>It&#8217;s Not Just a Card, It&#8217;s a Toy!</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/interactive-valentine-card-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/interactive-valentine-card-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:30:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Crafts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[handmade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[illustration]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=554</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<div class="content-image big"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/valentine-2011.jpg" width="435" height="290" alt="Interactive Valentine's Day Card" /></div>

This year I created my first handmade Valentine's Day card. I wanted it to be as not boring as possible, so I made it as toy-like as I could.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="content-image big"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/valentine-2011.jpg" width="435" height="290" alt="Interactive Valentine's Day Card" /></div>
<p>This year I created <a href="http://www.rycz.com/gallery/v/illustrations/valentine-2011-card.html" title="Interactive Valentine's Day Card 2011">my first handmade Valentine's Day card</a>. I wanted it to be as not boring as possible, so I made it as toy-like as I could.</p>
<p>All the illustrations were done in Illustrator. It really simplified designing the wheel. The background was done with red watercolor paint. Everything is on card stock.</p>
<p>The card opens and has a "Happy Valentine's Day" message inside.</p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="370" height="225" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/joN55DVj-qU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>I  uploaded a video to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joN55DVj-qU" rel="external" title="Interactive Valentine's Day Card on YouTube">YouTube</a> so people can see the card at its best: in action. The card is meant to be played with; a stationary photograph doesn't convey the interactivity.</p>
<p>The wheel is easy to spin but is firm enough to stay in position. It's not wobbly or loose; it doesn't move on its own.</p>
<p>I used an eyelet for the wheel. I prefer eyelets to brads for a couple reasons. First off, brads are huge. Second, while their heads are round, the prongs that fasten everything together are flat. Eyelets seem more spin-friendly. Eyelets are also easier to hide and look more professional when they're visible.</p>
<div class="content-image"><a href="http://www.rycz.com/gallery/v/illustrations/valentine-2011-emotes.html" title="Valentine's Day Card 2011 Emotes"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/valentine-2011-emotes.png" width="376" height="141" alt="The Emotes for my Valentine's Day Card" /></a></div>
<p>There are <a href="http://www.rycz.com/gallery/v/illustrations/valentine-2011-emotes.html" title="Valentine's Day Card 2011 Emotes">nine illustrations on the wheel</a>. The heart is the default reciprocal image, followed by hungry, happy, dead, love, quiet/sad, horror/shock, annoyed (aka the dirty look), and Boo.</p>
<p>I tried to make the illustrations silly while still being representational. Well, Boo isn't really representational; he was just meant to be random.</p>
<p>Because this is a personal project and not for profit or promotional purposes, I traced Boo from an image so that it looks exactly like the one in <i>Super Mario World</i>. I did not draw it, it is not mine, Boo and <i>Super Mario World</i> are copyright &copy; Nintendo.</p>
<p>In order to prevent any of the emotes from being dull or filler-ish, I doodled a bunch of illustrations and whittled them down based on how humorous they are and whether the images could have multiple meanings. Some of the ideas that didn't make it are spacey/dazed, sleeping, crying, and zombified.</p>
<p>For example, the quiet/sad kitten emote makes a crying emote redundant while also representing pleading and "be quiet"/gagged. The dead kitten emote looks similar to a Voodoo doll. It could also represent sleeping, tired, and zombified. </p>
<div class="content-image"><a href="http://www.rycz.com/gallery/v/illustrations/valentine-2011-chars.html" title="Valentine's Day Card 2011 Characters"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/valentine-2011-chars.png" width="300" height="243" alt="The Puppy and Kitty on my Valentine's Day Card" /></a></div>
<p>Aren't the <a href="http://www.rycz.com/gallery/v/illustrations/valentine-2011-chars.html" title="Valentine's Day Card 2011 Characters">puppy and kitty</a> adorable? The puppy was inspired by a similar dog in a recent series of commercials. Do you recognize him?</p>
<p>I like having the cat's back to the viewer, that way it makes sense when little kitten emotes appear in the speech bubble. It'd be poor presentation to show a static expression on the kitty's face while showing a changing expression in the speech bubble.</p>
<p>I'm very happy with how the card turned out. I was able to do everything I wanted without having to compromise. It's cute and fun while still being personal.</p>
<p>The most important thing about the card, though, is that the recipient loves it.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Customer Service Isn&#8217;t a Priority</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/customer-service-isnt-a-priority/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/customer-service-isnt-a-priority/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[case study]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[usability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[website]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=532</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[That's actually a troubling trend. Good customer service should be a top priority, but many companies treat it like an afterthought.

Last week, I talked about the unpleasant shopping experience I had on the <a href="http://www.papayaclothing.com/shop/index.php" title="Papaya Clothing Online" rel="external">Papaya Clothing</a> website.

I haven't been impressed with their customer service in the past, but their customer service this time is really unhelpful.

Never provide customer service like this if you want to keep your customers.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>That's actually a troubling trend. Good customer service should be a top priority, but many companies treat it like an afterthought.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rycz.com/blog/being-user-friendly-isnt-a-priority/" title="Being User-Friendly Isn’t a Priority">Last week</a>, I talked about the unpleasant shopping experience I had on the <a href="http://www.papayaclothing.com/shop/index.php" title="Papaya Clothing Online" rel="external">Papaya Clothing</a> website.</p>
<p>I haven't been impressed with their customer service in the past, but their customer service this time is really unhelpful.</p>
<h2>Customer Service at Papaya: He Said, She Said</h2>
<p>I asked why my order didn't go through, then updated the question to say that using a different credit card worked:</p>
<blockquote><p>
I tried placing an order on Papaya. It's for 7 items, $77.93, with free shipping. I'm paying with an American Express card.</p>
<p>Every time I tried to place the order, I got an error telling me the transaction has been declined. I tried doing it in Firefox and Internet Explorer and encountered the same problem in both browsers.</p>
<p>I'd really like to place this order before any of the items go out of stock.</p>
<p>Thank you for your help. </p>
<blockquote><p>I finally placed the order. It worked when I used a different credit card.</p>
<p>For some reason, your system returned Error 2:2 transaction denied when I tried to pay with an American Express card.</p>
<p>One, that needs to be fixed. Two, when it denied my order because of the American Express card, the website should have told me that was the reason my order didn't go through or it should have asked me for a different credit card. Not being told what the problem was is unacceptable. The Papaya clothing website's shopping cart and checkout system is not user friendly.</p></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<p>Papaya answered:</p>
<blockquote><p>Thank you for contacting Papaya Clothing. Our records indicate that your first transaction was declined. The charge you see on your statement is a PENDING charge. Please allow up to 7 business days for the pending charge to drop. Once it drops, the funds will be released back into your account.</p>
<p>Thank you for shopping with Papaya Clothing.</p></blockquote>
<h2>Customer Service at Papaya: The Negative</h2>
<p>I don't want this to read like a rant. I want this post to show companies how <em>not</em> to deal with customers. I'm going to list, matter-of-factly, what went wrong here.</p>
<p>Their response doesn't</p>
<ul class="brieflist">
<li>answer any of the customer's questions.</li>
<li>tell the customer why the credit card didn't work.
<ul>
<li>Is it a problem on the store's part?</li>
<li>Is there something wrong with the credit card?</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>explain how to avoid this problem in the future.</li>
<li>address the fact that there were about ten declined transactions.</li>
<li>say that they will work to fix the problems the customer encountered.</li>
<li>apologize for the customer's frustrating experience with the store.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Customer Service at Papaya: The Positive</h2>
<p>I do appreciate that they preempted a future question about the PENDING charge, but their response makes it sound like that's what I asked about and it's not. I haven't seen my credit card statement yet, so I don't know if that PENDING charge is actually there or not.</p>
<p>I also appreciate that they responded to my question the same day I asked it. Unfortunately, since their response doesn't <em>answer</em> my question, it really doesn't do me any good.</p>
<h2>The Bottom Line</h2>
<p>A <em>fast</em> response does not replace a <em>quality</em> response. It's better to take a little bit longer to supply the user with a truly helpful answer.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Being User-Friendly Isn&#8217;t a Priority</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/being-user-friendly-isnt-a-priority/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/being-user-friendly-isnt-a-priority/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:19:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[case study]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shopping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[usability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[website]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=511</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8230; At least, it's not for some websites.

I placed my first order at <a href="http://www.papayaclothing.com/shop/index.php" title="Papaya Clothing Online" rel="external">Papaya Clothing</a>. It was a nightmare.

A designer (or programmer) can really learn what <em>not</em> to do from a website like this.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&hellip; At least, it's not for some websites.</p>
<p>I placed my first order at <a href="http://www.papayaclothing.com/shop/index.php" title="Papaya Clothing Online" rel="external">Papaya Clothing</a>. It was a nightmare.</p>
<h2>Shopping at Papaya: The Negative</h2>
<ol class="storylist">
<li>
<p>Their search function doesn't always work properly. If I search for "suede ankle," it only returns the product "Simple Suede Ankle Boots." But if I only search for "suede," the products returned include "Suede Buckle Detail Ankle Boots."</p>
<p>So, if a user wants to search for something, only one word should be entered into the search field. If more than one word is entered, those words better be in that exact order in the product name, otherwise the search function won't return the desired results.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Even if the user is signed in, the shopping basket isn't saved. I can't access a shopping basket I put together in Firefox in Internet Explorer; I have to put the shopping basket together all over again.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The shopping basket only stays live for a short amount of time. After that it empties, even if the customer is signed in.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If the user is shopping without being signed in, the basket will empty when the customer goes to check out. That's right: hit the "Check Out" button, the site asks the customer to log in, and then the shopping basket empties. <em><strong>That is bad.</strong></em></p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Most of the links on Papaya are javascript. That means I can't right-click on a link to open it in a new tab.</p>
<p>This is especially a problem in the shopping basket. If I keep the basket open because I can't place the order yet, and I come back, open a new tab, and discover the basket has emptied, I can't easily use the open basket to re-add everything.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Checking out isn't even user-friendly. A shopping site <em>wants</em> customers to spend money there, right? Well, some don't seem to consider that a priority, and Papaya is one of them.</p>
<p>When I tried to check out, after I entered all my information and clicked the final submit button, I got a little pop-up: <b>"Error 2:2. This transaction has been declined."</b></p>
<p>What?! Is that a problem on their end or my end? What didn't their system like? I waited and tried again. I tried not using my points. After about ten different tries, I gave up, went to bed, and tried again the next morning. It gave me the same error.</p>
<p>Even though I didn't want to, I tried using a different credit card. This time the order went through.</p>
<p>So, instead of asking me for a different credit card, it just canceled the transaction and sent me back to step one of the process. Instead of telling me "Transaction declined because of credit card error," or even better telling me <em>what that error is</em>, it told me "Error 2:2."</p>
<p><em><strong>Never leave the user to wonder what the problem is.</strong></em></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>I am <em>so</em> not happy with my experience at Papaya's website. Their physical stores aren't much better. It's more organized than Forever 21, but Papaya only carries shoes at a few of the stores, not all of them, and that isn't mentioned anywhere.</p>
<h2>Shopping at Papaya: The Positive</h2>
<p>I like Papaya's item photographs. They have some very nice photographs and the system for looking at those photos (and saving them so I can look for the item in stores) is convenient.</p>
<p><b>UPDATE:</b> I received an email saying that my order already shipped. They get major points for shipping my order same-day (though that doesn't change the fact that their website and customer service are seriously lacking).</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Resume Updated</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/resume-updated-2010-feb/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/resume-updated-2010-feb/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:12:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Projects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CrystalAcids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resume]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=503</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I updated my resume!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I updated <a href="http://www.rycz.com/resume/" title="rycz Resume" >my resume</a>! It now correctly displays the status of the <a href="http://www.crystalacids.com" title="CrystalAcids.com">CrystalAcids</a> project. The <acronym title="Portable Document Format">PDF</acronym> and Word Doc files are updated, as well as my LinkedIn profile.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Friendly Neighborhood Malware</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/friendly-neighborhood-malware/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/friendly-neighborhood-malware/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:58:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Projects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anti-virus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[computer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[malware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[software]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=477</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I got to remove malware from my friend's computer recently. It was one of those evil infections that pretends to be an official anti-virus program notification. He didn't even know how he got it at first.

To keep my computer virus-free and running smoothly, I use...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I got to remove malware from my friend's computer recently. It was one of those evil infections that pretends to be an official anti-virus program notification. Yuck.</p>
<p>He didn't even know how he got it at first. Turned out, a website he visits daily got hacked. He didn't download anything, didn't approve anything, it just silently installed itself.</p>
<p>This is just a friendly reminder to be careful on the internet (like you really need to hear that, right?). But it's not like it was a few years ago, when you had to actually download or install something. Now, there's so much that happens behind-the-scenes that infections have all kinds of holes they can slip through.</p>
<div class="highlight">
<p><strong>WARNING:</strong> Don't alter anything on your computer unless you know what you're doing. Take precautions to secure any sensitive information and keep current backups of all important files.</p>
<p>I do not endorse any programs mentioned in this article, nor do I make any guarantees that the programs will perform as expected. Download and install any programs at your own risk. <em>Always</em> scan all downloaded files for viruses.</p>
</div>
<h2>Precautions: Wash Hands to Avoid Infection</h2>
<p>This is why I use <a href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html" rel="external" title="Mozilla Firefox">Firefox</a> with <a href="http://noscript.net/" rel="external" title="NoScript JavaScript/Java/Flash blocker Firefox Add-on">NoScript</a> and <a href="http://www.requestpolicy.com/" rel="external" title="RequestPolicy Firefox Add-on for control over cross-site requests">RequestPolicy</a>. It can be a bit of a pain, having to approve new sites and stuff, but it's so much more secure.</p>
<p>What else do I use to keep my laptop running smoothly (as smoothly as Vista can run, anyway)? First off, all the programs I use are free.</p>
<p>For my main anti-virus, I used to use <a href="http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage" rel="external" title="AVG Free Anti-Virus">AVG Free</a> (and my friend, with Windows XP, still does). I switched to <a href="http://www.avast.com/" rel="external" title="avast! antivirus protection">avast!</a> hoping that my laptop would run faster. I'm not sure if it runs faster, but AVG was still getting pretty bloated.</p>
<p>For spyware and malware, I use <a href="http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html" rel="external" title="Javacool SpywareBlaster">SpywareBlaster</a> and <a href="http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php" rel="external" title="Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware">Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware</a>. <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx" rel="external" title="Microsoft Windows Defender">Windows Defender</a> is automatically installed on my machine, and I let it do its thing.</p>
<p>I also use <a href="http://www.threatfire.com/" rel="external" title="ThreatFire AntiVirus - Behavioral Virus and Spyware Protection">ThreatFire</a>. It runs constantly and provides behavior-based threat protection, so if a brand new baddie pops up that anti-virus programs aren't yet updated to detect, ThreatFire will hopefully catch it.</p>
<h2>Backups: For When Things Go Wrong, Anyway</h2>
<p>I used to leave Windows System Restore on, but it took up 30 <acronym title="Gigabyte">GB</acronym> of hard drive space with its restore points, and when I tried to use it (after disabling and even uninstalling my anti-virus programs) all I got were errors. So, I disabled it, got my hard drive space back, and now I use <a href="http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/" rel="external" title="The Emergency Recovery Utility NT">ERUNT</a>. I just have to remember to run it regularly.</p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/faq.htm"><p><strong>Should I disable Windows XP’s System Restore function when using ERUNT?</strong></p>
<p>Yes! Though System Restore backs up more than just the registry, the registry is essentially all you need to revert your system to a previous state. Advantages of ERUNT over System Restore are that each restore folder is standalone and independent of the others, minimizing the risk of restore failures, and that a restore can easily be done from outside Windows. Also, ERUNT backups usually take up less hard drive space than System Restore’s restore points and may be individually deleted at any time.</p>
<address><a href="http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/faq.htm" title="ERUNT Frequently Asked Questions" rel="external">ERUNT Frequently Asked Questions</a></address>
</blockquote>
<p>An instructor once told me that if a file doesn't exist on at least three different storage devices, at least two of which are in different physical locations, then it doesn't exist. For example, if you have a file on your computer that's backed up on a <acronym title="Compact Disc">CD</acronym>-<acronym title="Read-Only Memory">ROM</acronym> and a flash drive, but the computer, <acronym title="Compact Disc">CD</acronym>, and flash drive are all in your house, then you risk losing those files if anything should happen to your house.</p>
<p>That's just something to keep in mind. No one likes spending the money or taking the time to back up data, but at some point something bad <em>will</em> happen and those backups will be all that stand between you and Cerberus.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>14 Keys to Make Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Fantastic Movies</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/make-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-fantastic-movies/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/make-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-fantastic-movies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:30:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fantasy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harry Potter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[J.K. Rowling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[movies]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.rycz.com/blog/?p=332</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After all the problems with the last Harry Potter film, I worry about where <em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em> will end up. There are some scenes and details that aren't necessary to further the plot but I think are important enough or interesting enough to warrant inclusion in the films.

If the movies contain these 14 key moments, the films will be that much closer to perfection.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I think it's great that <em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em> is being split into two movies.</p>
<p>There are some scenes and details that aren't necessary to further the plot but I think are important enough or interesting enough to warrant inclusion in the films. Most of the events I mention resonate emotionally.</p>
<div class="highlight"><strong>This article is loaded with spoilers. If you haven't read <em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em>, stop reading now.</strong></div>
<h2>What the Deathly Hallows Needs</h2>
<p>The book got a lot of things right. Hopefully the films will follow suit.</p>
<h3>1. The Dursleys show their true colours to more wizards.</h3>
<p><em>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</em> didn't start with the Dursleys. I hope that isn't the case here. Dudley lets his humanity show and thanks Harry for saving his life (kind of). Plus, we see the Dursleys' treatment of Harry disgust two new wizards.</p>
<h3>2. Kingsley Shacklebolt's words make me shiver.</h3>
<p>Kingsley Shacklebolt's Patronus warns the Weasley family and their guests:</p>
<p>"<em>The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming.</em>"</p>
<p>Ten simple words, but full of such foreboding it's chilling.</p>
<h3>3. Kreacher was loved.</h3>
<p>Kreacher, the house elf, tells Harry, Hermione, and Ron the story of how Regulus Black took him to Voldemort's cave. Regulus Black doesn't force Kreacher to drink the potion, but instead drinks it himself. Regulus dies while Kreacher lives on.</p>
<h3>4. Remus Lupin lets his fear and anger show. He yells and gets violent.</h3>
<p>Remus Lupin offers to help Harry, Hermione, and Ron in their task. He also mentions that his wife, Tonks, is pregnant. Harry yells at Remus for abandoning his wife and child. Remus repels Harry and storms out.</p>
<h3>5. Harry and Ron have one of their more amusing conversations.</h3>
<p>A silver doe leads Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor. Ron uses the sword to destroy the Horcrux locket. Harry and Ron talk:</p>
<blockquote><p>
<strong>Ron:</strong> "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left. I'm a — a —"<br />
<strong>Harry:</strong> "You've sort of made up for it tonight. Getting the sword. Finishing off the Horcrux. Saving my life."<br />
<strong>Ron:</strong> "That makes me sound a lot cooler than I was."<br />
<strong>Harry:</strong> "Stuff like that always sounds cooler than it really was. I've been trying to tell you that for years."</p>
<address><em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em>,<br />J.K. Rowling</address>
</blockquote>
<h3>6. Hermione doesn't get blubbery when Ron returns; she gets wonderfully violent.</h3>
<p>When Hermione sees that Ron has returned, she yells at him and pounds on him with her fists.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Ron:</strong> "It could've been worse. Remember those birds she set on me?"<br />
<strong>Hermione:</strong> "I still haven't ruled it out."</p>
<address><em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em>,<br />J.K. Rowling</address>
</blockquote>
<h3>7. Excruciating pain is inflicted upon Hermione (and we know how they liked sugar coating things in <em>The Half-Blood Prince</em> film).</h3>
<p>While Harry, Hermione, and Ron are held captive at the Malfoy residence, Hermione is tortured. Repeatedly.</p>
<h3>8. Yay, a dragon! It's just so cool, I have to see it.</h3>
<p>Harry, Hermione, and Ron break into Gringotts Wizarding Bank. They escape on a dragon.</p>
<h3>9. Harry tortures a Death Eater and <em>means</em> it.</h3>
<p>Harry uses the Cruciatus Curse on Amycus Carrow when he spits in Professor McGonagall's face. Harry says, "I see what Bellatrix meant; you need to really mean it."</p>
<h3>10. McGonagall becomes more than just a teacher.</h3>
<p>McGonagall binds the Carrows and helps Harry.</p>
<p>Pansy Parkinson wants to hand Harry over to Voldemort. Professor McGonagall responds, "Thank you, Miss Parkinson. You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch."</p>
<h3>11. Ron and Hermione finally have 'their moment'… at the most inopportune time, of course.</h3>
<p>Ron wants to warn the house elves at Hogwarts so they don't die like Dobby did. Hermione is so moved by this she flings her arms around Ron and they kiss. Harry, standing next to them with a war about to break out, asks weakly, "Is this the moment?"</p>
<h3>12. Everything since the first word of the first book has led up to this moment… Severus Snape's story.</h3>
<p>The second <em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em> film should contain each and every one of Severus Snape's memories. It felt like the entire series led up to that revelation. It's my favorite part; I've gone back numerous times since finishing the book just to reread "The Prince's Tale." If the film leaves out a single punctuation mark, it will be doing a disservice to Snape.</p>
<h3>13. Alan Rickman is Severus Snape; don't mess up the most important moments of all eight films by neglecting this.</h3>
<p>During Snape's memories, I want to see Alan Rickman playing his character from the scene where he begs Dumbledore to protect Lily onward. This is also the memory where J.K. Rowling refers to him as "the adult Snape" (page 676). It's like a note to the filmmakers: 'insert Alan Rickman here.'</p>
<p>I love Alan Rickman as Severus Snape. More than just a perfect fit for the role, he's also an amazing actor and no kid has Alan's years of experience. If he is not the one asking Dumbledore for help, not the one lamenting Lily's death, then we never get to truly see Snape at his best, at his most vulnerable, because Alan Rickman <em>is</em> Severus Snape.</p>
<h3>14. Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy are parents, not Death Eaters.</h3>
<p>Narcissa Malfoy lies about Harry's death to Voldemort because she wants to find her son, Draco. Inside Hogwarts, Lucius and Narcissa race through the battling crowd, screaming for their son.</p>
<h2>Welcome Unfaithfulness to the Deathly Hallows </h2>
<p>Plenty of details have been changed in the films. Sometimes entire scenes are fabricated just for the movies. So here are a couple changes I think would be worth making.</p>
<h3>I. Dobby deserves a better death.</h3>
<p>While Dobby is fleeing with Harry, Disapparating, Bellatrix kills him with a knife. It'd be nice to see Dobby receive the killing blow in a more meaningful manner (stabbed while actually helping Harry or something).</p>
<h3>II. The final battle needs more emotion… starting with Voldemort's howling rage.</h3>
<p>While Harry and Voldemort are getting ready for their last duel, they have a long, drawn out conversation. It would be much more dramatic if, during this exchange, Harry shows Voldemort the destroyed Horcruxes instead of just mentioning them. I want to see Voldemort's fury as he looks upon the ruined remains of his hard work.</p>
<p>When I read this scene in the book, I was disappointed that this was missing. Showing is always better than telling. After all, does Harry saying &quot;There are no more Horcruxes&quot; (page 737) really do justice to all the time and effort spent destroying them?</p>
<h2>Divining the Deathly Hallows</h2>
<p>There's a lot of stuff I'd like to see in the movies. But, more than anything else, I want to see Alan Rickman bring Severus Snape to life.</p>
<p>Every single one of Snape's memories needs to be in the film.</p>
<p>Severus Snape needs to be portrayed by Alan Rickman from the memory in which he's first referred to as "the adult Snape" (where he pleads with Dumbledore to protect Lily) onward.</p>
<p>My other 13 points are still important, and I think the <em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</em> films will suffer if any are left out.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>How to Celebrate Shark Week Every Week</title>
		<link>http://www.rycz.com/blog/shark-week-2009/</link>
		<comments>http://www.rycz.com/blog/shark-week-2009/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:48:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>rycz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Discovery Channel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[illustration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petitions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shark Week]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sharks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[television]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[<div class="content-image big"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/shark-chef.png" width="435" height="582" alt="Poor Shark is About to be Eaten" /></div>

<div class="highlight">Please sign the <a href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&#038;id=12982" title="Ocean Conservancy: End Finning - Save the Sharks Petition" rel="external">Ocean Conservancy's <strong>petition to end shark finning</strong></a>.</div>

Shark Week on the Discovery Channel is almost at an end. But that doesn't mean we should just forget about sharks until this time next year...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="content-image big"><img src="http://media.rycz.com/posts/shark-chef.png" width="435" height="582" alt="Poor Shark is About to be Eaten" /></div>
<p>Shark Week on the Discovery Channel (it's really more like Shark Attack Week) is almost at an end. But that doesn't mean we should just forget about sharks until this time next year.</p>
<div class="highlight">Please sign the <a href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&#038;id=12982" title="Ocean Conservancy: End Finning - Save the Sharks Petition" rel="external">Ocean Conservancy's <strong>petition to end shark finning</strong></a>.</div>
<p>I love sharks. It's distressing to know that, in the last 25 years, many shark species have declined in population by over 90%. If something isn't done soon, they'll go extinct.</p>
<p>On average, 3.9 people a year are killed by sharks (<a href="http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/statsw.htm" title="ISAF Statistics for Shark Attacks Since 1990" rel="external">Source</a>). In contrast, some studies estimate <strong>humans kill over 100 million sharks a year</strong> for their fins.</p>
<p>At the end of this article are links with petitions and information on what <em>you</em> can do to help protect our oceans.</p>
<p>I've included a couple quotes from websites. It's ironic that, while shark cartilage is touted as being a miracle drug, it's actually full of unsafe levels of a toxic substance.</p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.sharksavers.org/en/education/shark-biology-behavior/183-quick-shark-facts.html"><p>The legal limit for consumption of methyl-mercury, set by the EPA, is 0.1 microgram per kilogram of body weight. Studies have shown shark meat contains as much as 1,400 micrograms of methyl-mercury in one kilogram. A person weighing 155 lbs would therefore get 50 times the legal amount in one single portion of shark steak.</p>
<address><a href="http://www.sharksavers.org/en/education/shark-biology-behavior/183-quick-shark-facts.html" title="Shark Savers: Quick Shark Facts" rel="external">Shark Savers: Quick Shark Facts</a></address>
</blockquote>
<p>This finding leads to...</p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.fathom.com/course/21701777/session4.html"><p>Shark fin soup is said to be an aphrodisiac, and many people consume it specifically for this supposed property, yet the Hong Kong researchers also revealed that, because of the high mercury content, eating shark fin soup could render men sterile&mdash;the opposite of the intended effect.</p>
<address><a href="http://www.fathom.com/course/21701777/session4.html" title="Jaws: The Natural History of Sharks - Threats to Sharks and Conservation" rel="external">Jaws: The Natural History of Sharks<br />(Threats to Sharks and Conservation)</a></address>
</blockquote>
<h2>More About Sharks</h2>
<h3>Take Action to Save Sharks</h3>
<ul class="entrylist">
<li><a href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fw_sharks" title="Ocean Conservancy: Sharks" rel="external">Ocean Conservancy: Sharks</a> - lots of information; don't forget to <a href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&#038;id=12982" title="Ocean Conservancy: End Finning - Save the Sharks Petition" rel="external">sign the petition</a> and <a href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ta_actionalerts" title="Ocean Conservancy: Take Action" rel="external">contact your local representatives</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sharksavers.org/" title="Shark Savers" rel="external">Shark Savers</a> - has ways you can help save sharks and <a href="http://www.sharksavers.org/get-involved/sign-these-petitions.html" title="Shark Savers petitions" rel="external">petitions</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.wildaid.org/" title="WildAid" rel="external">WildAid</a> -works to increase public awareness; sign their <a href="http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/345265363" title="Establish a Global Ban on Shark Finning" rel="external">shark finning petition</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Shark Information and Shark Fin Soup</h3>
<ul class="entrylist">
<li><a href="http://www.discovery.com/sharkweek/" title="Discovery Channel: Shark Week" rel="external">Discovery Channel's Shark Week</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/shark-finning.html" title="Discovery Channel: Shark Finning" rel="external">Shark Finning: Human Shark Cravings and the Price We Pay to Satisfy Them</a></li>
<li><a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/sharkweek/more/more.html" title="Discovery Channel: Shark Week - Web Links" rel="external">Web Links</a> - Shark and Marine Conservation, General Shark Sites</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/10/pip.shark.finning/index.html" title="CNN Planet in Peril: Shark fin soup alters an ecosystem" rel="external">CNN: Shark fin soup alters an ecosystem</a> - you should <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/?JSONLINK=/video/tech/2008/07/15/pip.shark.finning.cnn" title="CNN Planet in Peril: Shark finning" rel="external">watch this corresponding video</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fathom.com/course/21701777/sessions.html" title="Oceana's Finning: A Cruel Practice Video" rel="external">Oceana's Finning: A Cruel Practice Video</a> - on Vimeo</li>
<li><a href="http://www.fathom.com/course/21701777/sessions.html" title="Jaws: The Natural History of Sharks" rel="external">Jaws: The Natural History of Sharks</a> - Shark Biology, Shark Behaviour, Shark Evolution, Threats to Sharks and Conservation</li>
</ul>]]></content:encoded>
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