Associated Content Contributors Stand Out on Yahoo! Sites

Whether it's sports, news, music, parenting, health, finance or even celebrity gossip, Associated Content Contributors know all about it and are showing what they know on the Yahoo! family of websites. Here are some of our favorite recent Yahoo! features. Congratulations to our Contributors who've appeared on one or more Yahoo! sites!

Delicious cake by Sabah Karimi.

Go Back to School with Lyn Lomasi

Featured Parenting and Education Contributor Lyn Lomasi knows a thing or two about back to school time. She's currently homeschooling her own children, making her both a mom and a teacher every morning. Read all about easing your kids' morning back to school routine on Yahoo! Shine. Oh, and check out this pic--Lyn and her kids stopped by our Denver offices for a visit recently, wearing Yahoo! purple!

Lyn visits AC Denver with four cute kids decked out in purple!

Meet Great Quarterbacks Who Never Won a Super Bowl with George N. Root III

There's something about winning football's biggest game that guarantees a QB will get his place in sporting history. But what about the great quarterbacks who never quite reached that pinnacle? Did you know that the longest Super Bowl touchdown pass of all time was thrown by a QB whose team ultimately lost the game? George N. Root III rounds up the best forgotten quarterbacks in NFL history on Yahoo! Sports.

Bizarre Medical Mysteries Showcased on TV's "Royal Pains," by Pamela Gifford

Can't get enough of medical shows, but you also enjoy a good sitcom with plenty of laughs and drama? Then you might like "Royal Pains," one of Pamela Gifford's TV favorites. She rounds up the quirky show's strangest medical cases on Yahoo! TV. You'll have to read the full article to find out exactly where a tiny plastic sword ended up, causing health problems for a patient for years before its discovery.

Relationship Doomed by Doom Addiction, from Contel Bradford

Missing a concert date with your first love because you're too busy playing the classic FPS (First Person Shooter) game Doom? That's a low blow. For Justin Copeland's girlfriend, it was the last straw. She's now his ex, citing infrequent bathing and missed work as symptoms of a video game addiction that led her to break things off. Contel Bradford boldly interviews Copeland on Yahoo! Games's blog, Plugged In. If you've got a teenage gamer in the house, you might want to leave this cautionary tale open on his or her computer screen.

Five Most Devastating Hurricanes in United States History, by Pam Gaulin

Did you know that Hurricane Katrina wasn't the deadliest hurricane ever to strike the United States? Though the cost of rebuilding after Katrina was immense, when it comes to the human cost of these natural disasters, Katrina's barely in the top five. As we remember, five years later, the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, spare a thought for the victims of each of the most destructive hurricanes in US history, presented on Yahoo! News by Pam Gaulin.

Please join us in congratulating these Contributors on their skills and success!

Associated Content Contributors Star on Yahoo! News, Finance and Lifestyle Sites

In the two weeks since we first showcased a roundup of articles by Associated Content Contributors on the Yahoo! family of sites, our Contributors have stood out on Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance and more. Check out these great pieces published recently!

Amazing Yahoo! cake by Sabah Karimi

Joseph Lizio, a Featured Business and Finance Contributor, schooled Yahoo! Finance readers on how to gauge the well-being of a small business during an economic downturn. Joseph's experience as founder of Business Money Today and in commercial lending helped him give some excellent tips to entrepreneurs.

On Yahoo! News, Kimberly Eddy touched readers with a first person story of an absent "economic recovery" In Detroit. Her husband's prolonged underemployment has meant budget cuts and difficulty with mortgage payments for Kimberly's family.

Carol Bengle Gilbert also published a poignant first person story about the recession on Yahoo! News, in which she discusses her husband's battle with cancer and her unsuccessful job hunt despite experience as a government attorney.

Also on Yahoo! News, Tommy Acosta sounds off about Arizona's strict new immigration law, SB 1070. As the editor of the Sedona Times, he's seen his neighbors and readers struggle with local impacts of this legislation.

On Shine, Jan Corn shared her frightening discovery of a Vitamin D deficiency that might put her at a heightened risk for Parkinson's Disease and other serious ailments. Jan explains her symptoms and what the doctor ordered in order to reverse the deficiency.

Meanwhile, back on Yahoo! News, Ted Rood is mad as heck and he's not going to take it anymore. As a loan officer with ten years of experience, he sees new lending regulations as an insult to his profession and his customers, as well as an added cost to homebuyers who can least afford it.

Anthony Ventre, on the other hand, fears not for a single profession but for the survival of the American middle class. Anthony's chopping wood and shopping at the dollar store to get by, and a drop in the value of his home made him feel burglarized as the economy crashed.

Audrey Sivasothy lightens the mood--and her hair--on Shine with expert advice on repair for sun-damaged hair. As a Featured Beauty Contributor and a future hair care author, she's got the scoop on how to look your best this summer.

If you're thinking of going back to school for training or a second degree, Meg Grant has some tips on important considerations, including your budget, the length of the program, and more.

Finally, Marie-Luise Blue is watching your back--literally--with a post chock full of exercises less likely to cause bone stress fractures. These painful injuries are common in women who prefer very physically demanding workouts.

We love what Contributors are doing to share their expertise and experiences with the world through Yahoo!'s network! If you've had a piece published on Yahoo!, share your experiences in a comment.

How Will Health Care Reform Really Impact Americans? Find Out Here!

Special Health Care Hub on Associated Content Features Compelling First-Person Stories

The Associated Content community is one of the largest and most diverse groups of content creators on the web. When landmark health care reform legislation was signed into law next week, we knew that our Contributors would know better than anyone else how this bill might impact ordinary Americans. We asked you to research the legislation and tell us about how it may affect you and your families, and the response was incredible. In fact, the content we received was so amazing that we've created a special section of Associated Content in which to showcase our most compelling pieces!
In the new health care hub you'll find a wide range of opinions on H.R. 4872, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. One woman fears that her coverage choices under the new legislation are, "get rich or get on welfare." But a young and growing family in Colorado expects to save a few thousand dollars every year thanks to health care reform.

Where do you stand? Take a moment to view our featured pieces--each one is personal, unique and captivating--and then take the poll found on the right side of the hub page. At the time of this posting, most Associated Content Contributors and viewers have voted in favor of health care reform.

Martin Luther King Day and the Inauguration on Associated Content

Happy Martin Luther King Day, AC blog readers.
Whether you're at the office or enjoying a day off, today feels like an especially poignant MLK holiday. There is a plethora of amazing content about today and tomorrow on AC right now and I've gathered a few highlights here for you to check out.

• Carol Rucker recalls sitting in on a peaceful protest as a 15-year old in Cincinnati on the day Dr. King was shot.
• Veralidaine wrote a year ago on Dr. King's legacy for Americans with disabilities.
• Traci Freeman has excellent suggestions for volunteer activities and children's crafts to teach them about MLK, such as writing their own "I have a dream" speech, creating a timeline of his life and even a Martin Luther King, Jr. scavenger hunt.

Inauguration will be dominating the news cycles for the next 24 hours (at least) and every possible angle is covered on AC by our Content Producers.

• The News Team has gathered much of the Inauguration into a single list here.
• Dr. Frank Czarny offers a scholarly take on trends in Inaugural speeches as part of his "Transformational Leadership Times" article series.
• AL Horan shares some thoughts on race and history on the eve of Inauguration from Marietta, GA.
• If you don't have access to a TV but will be in front of a computer, here are a few places that you can watch coverage of the events online.

It's an exciting time to be participating in the proliferation of new media, and all of these contributions are building a resource for the public record. If in 6 months or 6 years we need a reminder of the hopeful tone of the beginning of 2009, Associated Content will be a place to find a variety of authentic, sincere voices from all over the U.S. and the world.

Starting the New Year with Associated Content

Welcome to 2009! This time of year is always thick with talk of New Year's Resolutions aimed at self-improvement that is mental, economical and physical (ever notice how the crowd at the gym increases exponentially in January?) . Content Producers on AC have written a great deal of articles with practical and creative suggestions about New Year's Resolutions. If you haven't settled on yours yet--as if you don't know what you need to work on--why don't you consider reading these articles for some ideas?

Dirk McFergus explores the psychology behind the resolution phenomenon. Why is it that this time of year makes us want to change for the better?

First is 6 New Year's Resolutions for Freelance Writers by Jane Rutherford. If you're looking to increase your earnings from your online writing, this article offers some challenges that are sure to be beneficial such as "Build a Website/Blog" and "Stop Procrastinating." I'd add "Write more for Associated Content."

Gamers, listen up. Eric Gustafson suggests 10, 2009 New Year's Resolutions for Hardcore Gamers. He's funny but serious when he tells you to get off the couch and walk, think carefully before buying that new game and to stop quoting Family Guy.

Linda Settles is determined to "Give Rather than Consume" this coming year and her five-point plan reads like a roadmap to success. Her resolutions are behaviors that everyone would be better off doing more of, like "be a more generous person."

Emma Gin has easy ways to go green, Heather Mark lists suggestions for getting out of debt or, if you're feeling contrary like Stoneskin, try some indulgent Non-Resolutions.

Now that you've made all of these resolutions (or have broken them already), learn how to stick to them.

Are You Ready for Thanksgiving?

Programming Director AC_TimK pulled together some pre-Turkey Day articles on Associated Content to help you save time and money this week.

Our CPs are always a fantastic source of info around the holidays, and with a couple days until Thanksgiving we've got plenty of great articles to get you through all the cooking and shopping worries popping up.

It's easy for Thanksgiving groceries to add up in a hurry--especially once you start getting everyone's favorite side dish or dessert. Suzzette Parchman, one of our newer CPs, presents her Ten Ways to Save on Thanksgiving Groceries, which is full of fantastic advice for those of us looking to keep a few extra bucks in our wallets at the grocery store.

Speaking of saving, Black Friday is up right after Thanksgiving, and it's best to be totally prepared before heading to the mall to do battle for the best bargains. Thanks to Carolyn Foster, there's a ready-made "Plan of Attack" with over 30 great tips to make sure you don't get beaten out for the best deals.

And for those who don't want to fight the crowds, Elizabeth Eng rounds up some of the best online shopping sites for this year's season to help with getting around Black Friday.

Audio Producers You Should be Listening to

With so many talented people writing text articles for AC it is easy to get caught up in reading. But remember, there are people posting great photo slideshows and videos and, for today's feature, audio content on Associated Content. The three CPs below are posting excellent original audio work on AC, so stop by and listen to what they're talking and singing about.

On the musical front, VA resident Barth Wooster has published songs from unreleased albums by the band Benvolio. They're lovely, wistful songs that feature excellent piano work and would be a thrill to hear live.

Singer-songwriter Linda Knutson is another VA resident with great musical content on Associated Content. In addition to her poetry, she's published 6 songs where the sensitive (and sometimes funny) lyrics are accompanied by an acoustic guitar.

Dangerous Lee is the host of a humorous talk radio show based in MI. A woman of many talents, Dangerous Lee does interviews, reviews, thought pieces and on-location segments. She's also a humor advice columnist, author, actress and activist. Its a wonder she has time to sleep at night.

Friday's Featured Content: A Scary Halloween Story

Today we announced the winner of Associated Content's 2008 Halloween Scary Story Contest.

There were so many good (and by good, I mean eerie and disturbing) entries, but the creepiest and most classically Halloween-feeling of them all was The Visitor, by Eloah James.

The judges felt that The Visitor was everything a scary Halloween story should be. Best told in a dark room or around a campfire, you'll have fun scaring your friends and family on Halloween night with this creepy and suspenseful tale.

If you're still in the mood for fright, check out the winner of an Honorable Mention, Anti-redemption by Theresa Scheiderer. You can practically see the film adaptation as you read along.

Check out all of the entries in the contest here, if you dare. And have a great weekend!

Friday's Featured Content: Funny Political Videos

Happy Friday!
To whet your appetite for this weekend's Saturday Night Live, should Gov. Palin make her much-rumored appearance on the show are two videos about McCain's running mate.

The first is from funny man Matt Cohen, a new CP with a big crush on S.P. Pay close attention to the lyrics.

The second is another Greg Reese from Cincinnati installation. He's still building political bridges with this positive rap called "Sarah Palin Rap Song."

Think it'll be funny if Sarah Palin mocks Tina Fey this weekend?

Friday's Featured Content: You'll Wish You Were There

You might be envious of today's Featured Content creator. James Johnson is a new Content Producer at AC. He has three degrees from Clemson and worked as a vaccine researcher until he joined the Peace Corps. In what has to be one of the most blessed Peace Corps assignments I've ever heard of, James was sent to Nevis.

Nevis is a tiny little Caribbean island next to St. Kitts, just slightly to the northwest of Antigua. View a map of Nevis here. On Nevis, James works as a nature guide and an environmental consultant and he takes beautiful photos to accompany articles about the history, industry, and ecosystems of island life in the Caribbean.

Read about Caribbean gardens and view his gorgeous photos of lush local plant life. Be seduced by the sexy nighttime sounds of the islands while you check out images of local wildlife. Finally, and this is important for travelers, familiarize yourself with the difference between "Business Time" and "Social Time" in the Caribbean.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

Friday's Featured Content: McCain Has a Goldfish

Looks like the debate is on for tonight! As an appetizer, I thought you might enjoy this funny bit from wbva3fan (aka Gustevson Gornadi), resident of Harrisburg, PA, called "McCain Has a Goldfish."

In a style similar to George Saunders's humor for the New Yorker, wbva3fan writes facts about Senator McCain that you probably already know, like how he is "part of the government" and "wears a suit."But he adds details that you may not be so well acquainted with, such as how McCain has three pet goldfish that he sings to but has not named. Head to wbva3fan's CP page for other articles including "Hillary Clinton is Nice" and "Bush and Cheney are Nice."

It wouldn't be fair to laugh at only one presidential candidate so check out Angela Coleman's roundup of "Best Video Political Parodies of Barack Obama."

Friday's Featured Content: Palin Mania on Associated Content

Last night, ABC broadcast Sarah Palin's first post-VP nomination interview with Charlie Gibson. The Alaska governor has been at the center of a media frenzy since McCain selected her as his running mate and public interest shows no signs of waning.

In the two weeks the national spotlight focused on Palin at the RNC, at least 371 pieces of content have been published about her on Associated Content.

A wide range of topics are addressed: Saul Relative explores the phenomenon of Palintology and his editorial on hypothetical scandalous photos has been racking up page views. Jeffrey Moats discusses her looks; Nancy Tracy rounds up her many nicknames; Steven West penned a satirical poem about her; and Norm Schneider critiques her eyeglasses.

Serious pieces about Palin's candidacy from every side of the political spectrum abound. Check out "How Sarah Palin Saved the Republican Party" by Bruno Somerset, "The Business and Celebrity of American Politics" by Charles Dickey and Jon Hopwood's summary of her background in "What College Did Sarah Palin Graduate From...."

Several CPs with a taste for intrigue have outlined their conspiracy theories for AC readers. AC_Darnell, Shonda Delmage and Timothy Sexton think there's more to Palin's nomination than appears on the surface.

A few especially prescient CPs wrote about Sarah Palin days (or months) before the nomination, when she appeared to be little more than a long shot for VP. Sophia Levis wrote "Sarah Palin and John McCain?" in February. Darvio Morrow recommended her for the spot in May and Mark Whittington echoed those sentiments a mere 10 days before it became official.

Sarah Palin will undoubtedly continue to be a hot topic on AC for a while. The only question is whether it'll last for months or years.

Friday's Featured Content

Happy Fall Friday! School has started, political conferences have ended (though pre-election madness is only heating up), fall television shows have resumed and things here at Associated Content are moving along at a steady clip.

This week's featured content is an interview that CP Dr. Jamie Y Marable recently conducted with CP Valerie Michele Oliver. Click here for the full interview.

This year Valerie Michele Oliver won a "Superior Scribing Silver Medal" in web magazine PopMatters for her January 2007 AC article, "CD Sales Based on Album Artwork, Cover Design." Her article was listed alongside pieces by music legends like David Byrne and Patti Smith and venerable institutions like the LA Times, Wired and the NY Times.

You probably know that Valerie is a talented writer from the interviews, poems and song lyrics she publishes on AC. In Dr. Marable's interview you'll learn that she has also worn the hats of radio producer and host, HIV/AIDS activist, art director and educator. A creative and spiritual woman, Valerie is a to boon the AC community. Dr. Jamie Marable is also a font of productivity. She publishes many interviews with AC Content Producers as well as memoirs, inspirational articles, poems and how-to pieces.

Click here to see Valerie Oliver listed alongside the other recipients of PopMatters Superior Scribing Awards. The article, written by Jason Gross, also contains some interesting commentary on the future of published content on the internet, "With less traditional venues or less writers remaining standing, new publications and blogs will have to pick up the slack, while citizen journalism has potential even though it's in its infancy. As long as readers still care and writers are jazzed enough about their work to say something interesting, there's always hope....That means treating blogs as a boon and not a threat and taking advantage of new innovations in mobile technology and using burgeoning social networks to also spread the word."

Words to live by, CPs--Get excited and get out there to spread the word!

Friday's Featured Content

Fridays on the AC Blog will feature content from the site that is exceptional in some way. It won't be easy to pick each week since we have so much great stuff but we'll try our best.

Without further ado, here is Friday's Featured Content: A catchy and clever hip-hop testimonial about Associated Content by "Greg Reese from Cincinnati." Click here to go to the video. As fellow lovers of AC you'll absolutely get where he is coming from. Be sure to watch some of Greg's other videos while you're there.
Delight and joy abounded yesterday when we watched this video, and the hook was stuck in our heads for hours.