10 facebook Status Updates After Being Turned Into a Vampire

Social networking sites have us in the habit of sharing every facet of our lives, from the menial to the monumental. When something happens in our lives, we just need to post it, don’t we? So after watching the Twilight series the other night, we wondered: what would our updates look like if someone were to put the bite on us and we became vampires? Surely that would have some impact on our social networking, we reasoned. We came up with ten Facebook status updates we might use after being turned into vampires:

1. Well that’s the last time I date anyone I meet online. Creepy, pasty-faced loser freaked out on me when I ordered the garlic shrimp. I told him to bite me. Funny, I don’t remember much after that.
2. Got tagged in a photo, but no one can see me in it. WTF? – One day your friends are posting comments about your Halloween pic, and the next …well, you’re just not there anymore.
3. A like, and a link, to my favorite cause: the American Red Cross Blood Drive. – Suddenly, you’re a fan of stocking up on that red stuff. You used to faint at the sight of a needle. Go figure.
4. Dentist appointment this morning for my monthly cleaning. I think I might need crowns … and sunglasses. Anyone know a good 24-hour dental clinic?
5. Good news from my doctor. Blood pressure is excellent and iron levels are up. Yay me!
6. My ex gave me a gift membership to Express Tan for my birthday. What a d-bag. – Some people just have no sympathy for your delicate condition.
7. Man, what a Christmas party last night. I must be getting old. Can’t handle that kind of drinking anymore. One Coors Light Silver Bullet, and it was lights out for me.
8. On the plus side, I guess I was rockin’ some serious beer muscles before I passed out. Friends tell me I tossed a sofa into the swimming pool – with four people sitting on it. RAWR!
9. Twilight marathon and sleepover at my place tonight at 8. BYOB, for all you AB negative types.
10. Switching to the graveyard shift. I figure I can be more productive that time of day, and really sink my teeth into my work.

Taken From Internet Service

10 Ways to Win Every Fight With Your Boyfriend

As the saying goes, all’s fair in love and war, which is worth keeping in mind during a spat with your beau. It may not be important that you to win every time; but it pays to know in the heat of battle that you can. Allow us, young grasshopper, to train you in the art of war, lover’s quarrel style. Read on, and discover 10 ways that you can win every fight with your boyfriend:

1. Keep Good Notes – As with any good pupil, you would do well to maintain a solid record file to which you can refer when needed. There’s no substitute for the ability to recall every instance in the past 5 years when he has failed to keep a promise.
2. Exhibit A: Bachelor Party Photos – Facebook is a wonderful thing, especially that photo tagging thing they do. You can also thank his newlywed buddy, for posting this handy little addition to your arsenal.
3. “If you love me, you’ll …” – This one is old school manipulation all the way, but in a pinch it’s pure gold. Pick your spots wisely and be judicious in its application, however, as it has a tendency to lose its effect through overuse.
4. Momma’s Girl – Winning over his mother is like gaining “god mode” in a video game. You are invincible. When you’ve got his Mom on your side, he’ll fold like a cheap suit.
5. Keep Him Busy – If you have a bone to pick with your boyfriend, your best bet is to choose a time when he’s distracted with something else, like a sporting event.
6. Stack the Deck – The strategic objective is simple: pick only fights that you know you can win, resulting in a formidable winning streak that will render him less willing to engage you in the future. After you’ve notched a nice winning streak for yourself, your opponent boyfriend will eventually lose his will to fight.
7. The Oprah Gambit – This tactic requires some experience to pull off successfully, but it’s a highly effective strategy when properly employed. The idea is to broach the general subject of your argument, in the company of some of your girlfriends, and with him present. The key is to be conversational, not confrontational. The effect should be to illustrate a consensus that will make him less likely to challenge you later when you’re alone together.
8. Coitus Interruptus – AKA the carrot-and-stick maneuver, it’s basically a question of timing and an opportunistic exploitation of conflicting priorities. Need we say more?
9. Killing with Kindness – If you preface your fights with flattery and lavish attention, you will have fattened him up for the verbal slaughter that ensues, ladies.
10. Cry – When all else fails, reach for the waterworks, and let those tears flow. It’s a time-honored move that will assure you victory in short order.

Taken From Best Dating Sites

20 Innovative Ways Schools Are Combating Bullying

Bullying always has been a terrible problem plaguing schools in America and beyond, but it took a tragic epidemic of high-profile victim suicides for anyone to actually care about curbing the issue. Now that people are finally beginning to realize that treating one another like garbage over petty details might not be the best thing for students, parents and school districts alike are formulating various strategies to put an end to the madness. Some are actually incredibly innovative, although some of the more traditional methods boast their own benefits as well.

1. Incorporating babies into the classroom

   Infants, come to find out, can be useful for reasons other than producing poo and barf seemingly on command. Toronto-based Roots of Empathy and similar organizations have started introducing babies into classroom settings with the hopes of encouraging students to build compassion. And so far, it's actually yielded results — participants tend to loosen up and pay closer attention to lessons and each other, lessening bullying instances in the process.

2. Comic books

   The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Stop Bullying initiative printed up comic books to distribute to kids with the hopes of shedding light on a serious issue. Other schools have run with the concept by asking students to write and draw scenes or stories of their own. Visualizing the realities makes it easier for younger kids to recognize the problem and either intervene or fetch a caring adult.

3. Film

   Similar to the comic book example, some schools have opted to show movies such as The Bullying Project and foster discussions between students, faculty, staff, and parents about the roots and solutions. More resourceful institutions might want to challenge kids — especially teens — to shoot short films of their own. Doing so will not only help bring forward real experiences and perceptions, but offer a sort of creative solace to bullying victims as well.

4. Have students teach one another

   If babies are unavailable, try establishing (monitored!) programs where students sit down with one another and simply talk. Areas with very diverse demographics could especially benefit from such exchanges, because cultural misunderstandings and stereotypes do often feed into bullying situations. In addition, this structure can also be adapted into a peer counseling service, nurturing a sense of connection and community dissuading brutality.

5. Bulletin boards

   Younger children with a preference for bright colors and engaging visuals might benefit greatly from learning about the bullying problem via bulletin boards. Kits are available through various vendors, or teachers can put their design skills to good use with something more original. Involving the students themselves in the creation process will only add to the education factor, encouraging them to speak up while speaking out.

6. Apps

   iPhone users suffering beneath a bully's grip now have the free A Thin Line app at their disposal — and those who do not own the smartphone enjoy the same perks on the accompanying website. MTV sponsors this digital discussion by allowing kids and teens to share their own experiences with unwanted advances and harassment. For the adults, they post numerous resources and questions to help them combat the serious issue at the authority level.

7. Puppet shows

   Pacer's KIDS AGAINST BULLYING program hosts puppet shows in schools as a means of teaching the younger set why bullying is unacceptable. Schools without the funding or resources to bring the initiative to their students can stage their very own performances using what's on hand — or task students with writing their own. Beyond puppetry, the same concept also works when presented as a skit or short play.

8. Peer intervention

   Training students to serve as peer counselors and advocates bridges gaps with the faculty and promotes greater understanding in the classroom. Pacer and other anti-bullying organizations burst with excellent suggestions about the best ways to nurture leadership and empathy skills needed to reach out the bullies and the bullied alike. After all, as the next innovation reveals, sometimes the perpetrators need intervention for more than just their behavior problems.

9. Therapy

   Many — not all — bullies lash out at their peers because of issues at home or within themselves, and the most effective schools realize they need as much (if not more) counseling than their victims. In Charleston, a partnership between Alice Birney Middle School and Medical University of South Carolina has started providing various psychological services for ill-behaved kids. When combined with a rigorous education regimen, their bullying rate decreased as more and more students received the mental help needed to be a more productive citizen.

10. Coordinating with sexual assault awareness, prevention, and crisis organizations

    Another fruitful partnership that quelled the bullying issue understandably involves anti-violence shelters and schools themselves. In Austin, SafePlace, which serves as a shelter for victims of rape, sexual assault, and domestic abuse, and a half-dozen public elementary schools teamed up for a CDC- and University of Texas-sponsored program dubbed Expect Respect. Unlike many other initiatives, it focuses on bullying in its myriad forms, comparing and contrasting instances on and off campus.

11. Adult intervention

    No matter how many peers end up with counseling and advocacy training, it's up to adults to properly discipline kids who bully. Any school hoping to curb instances of harassment, even assault, must absolutely ensure that parents, faculty, and staff all understand the signs of a perpetrator and a victim as well as proper intervention techniques. They also must make sure to always be available when witnesses and the bullied both need immediate assistance.

12. Involve students in policymaking

    In order to ensure the best possible peer and adult intervention strategies, the best place to turn for advice is the student body itself. Not only will this foster a closer school community by making kids feel appreciated and important, it also means updated information regarding their most pressing concerns. Adults are always inevitably a step or two behind youth culture; putting forth the effort to "get it" will make a world of difference.

13. "Character education"

    The best educations blend the usual academic subjects with lessons in displaying a strong ethical fiber. Unfortunately, that's not found in many schools. Your Environment Inc., one of many programs addressing this disparity, succeeded by incorporating parents and the surrounding community into the mix. Bullying impacts far, far more than just the kids involved, so making sure the neighborhood understands the details ensures a safer space.

14. Encouraging journal keeping

    Asking students to regularly journal their thoughts and experiences will not make bullying disappear, but it can supplement other activities quite adroitly. Ones not meant for peer editing or sharing will especially grant them a relatively comfortable venue through which they can channel their anxieties. Accomplishing this, however, requires a comfortable classroom where students know they might express themselves without negative repercussions.

15. Partnering with popular entertainment

    Since so many education experts and parents point their fingers at violence on television as one of the many pop culture phenomena responsible for bullying, it seems almost counterintuitive that they'd voluntarily pair off with an organization they often decry. Creative Coalition, National Education Association, and Health Information hooked up with World Wrestling Entertainment for the Be a STAR program, meant to encourage positivity in the classroom and beyond. Developers believe that delineating between the real and the staged will provide a better point of reference for students hoping to use fists over discussions when solving differences.

16. Implementing arts programs

    Not only are creative pursuits excellent strategies for preventing bullying from the top down, it also empowers students to feel more confident and expressive — tools needed to combat verbal, physical, and sexual violence. In Montgomery County, Maryland, in-school and after-school arts programs are intended to nurture positive traits and, in turn, healthier, happier campuses. Because they launched in the 2011-2012 school year, the actual results have yet to start trickling their way through.

17. Assemblies

    Old-fashioned, yes, but still an effective strategy for facilitating discussions about bullying and other serious campus issues. Depending on their needs and resources, schools can either bring in outside presenters or stage their own addressing specific student needs. Just make sure programming doesn't talk down to kids or focus more on "edginess" over education.

18. Mentoring younger students

    Middle schoolers, for better or worse, do look up to high schoolers for advice and insight about trends and attitudes. Some districts have taken advantage of this natural phenomenon by asking older kids to either mentor or produce materials (such as PSAs) for their eventual successors. Instead of turning toward outside sources, they reinforce their own communities by addressing specific problems and channeling any unique cultural quirks.

19. Music

    Start teaching students about the dangers of bullying earlier through catchy tunes, such as this Pacer Center album with contributions by Blue October and other musicians and poets. Music serves as an excellent mnemonic when learning about the alphabet, shapes, numbers, and other subjects, so it makes perfect sense that elementary school students could soak up social lessons the exact same way. Consider this or other compilations or stoke creativity by challenging kids to pen their own jaunty songs about how to not be horrible to one another.

20. Empathy education

    The whole "babies in the classroom" strategy is only one element in a broader movement toward "empathy education." Similar to character education, these lessons emphasize compassion with the goal of lessening bullying through love and mutual understanding. Such teachings either happen in the classroom, through special sessions, or via after-school programs.

Taken From Online College Courses

10 Big Companies that Promote Employee Meditation

Work can be a stressful place, and with companies trying to keep an eye on the bottom line while simultaneously improving productivity, many workers may find themselves with more responsibilities than ever before. While there is no way to totally eliminate stress from the workplace, some companies are doing what they can to help employees relax, and many, like those that we feature here, are doing that through on-site meditation.

Meditation has been shown to produce a wide range of mental benefits when practiced on a daily basis. Studies have shown that it can actually change how the brain processes information and manages the effects of stress, depression, and anxiety. Those who practice meditation, research has demonstrated, are happier and calmer than their counterparts who don’t, so it’s no surprise that many high-stress businesses are catching on and making meditation a part of their corporate mission. Read on to learn about some of the companies that are leading the way in promoting on-the-job meditation.

1. Apple

   It should come as no surprise to those who know a bit about the life of Steve Jobs that meditation has long been promoted at Apple. Jobs often took part in meditation retreats, was married in a Zen ceremony, and maintained lifelong friendships with many monks. Some speculate that the mental control he gained from meditation was what helped him become so successful in creating new, innovative products for Apple. Whatever it was, Jobs wanted to pass on his love of meditation to others in the workplace, allowing employees of the tech giant to take 30 minutes each day to meditate at work, providing classes on meditation and yoga on-site, and offering the use of a meditation room.

2. Prentice Hall Publishing

   The publishing world can be a tough place to make a living, but this publishing company is trying to give workers a chance to shake off their stress and refocus while at work through meditation. Prentice Hall has created a meditation space in their corporate headquarters, which they call the “Quiet Room.” Employees can take a break and slip into the space for meditation, prayer, or just a moment of quiet reflection when they’re feeling particularly stressed out.

3. Google

   Even when you’re working at a company that offers unbelievable benefits like Google, things can get a bit stressful on the job. One of Google’s original software engineers and now head of personal growth (how cool is that job?), Chade-Meng Tan, has been working hard to bring meditation into the workplace. Tan spearheaded a program at Google in 2007 called “Search Inside Yourself” which helped more than 500 employees learn how to breathe mindfully, listen to their coworkers, and even improve their emotional intelligence. On a regular basis, the company also offers meditation space and meditation courses, believing that meditation can help improve not only employee mental health and well-being but the company’s bottom line as well.

4. Nike

   Nike’s motto “just do it” applies to meditation as well, it seems. The company is one of many big businesses incorporating meditation practice into their workplace. Employees of the athletic apparel giant have access to relaxation rooms, which they can use to take a nap, pray, or of course meditate. In addition to these quiet rooms, employees can also take part in meditation and yoga classes without ever having to leave the office.

5. AOL Time Warner

   In 2000, AOL Time Warner reduced its sales and marketing staff from 850 to just 500 people, leaving employees to shoulder a lot more work with a lot less help. In order to help employees deal with the stress of their new longer and busier days, the corporation added meditation classes into the work day. Workers could slip away from what, at the time, were 12 hour days into a class or a quiet room to help refocus, relax, and refresh themselves before getting back to their long days.

6. McKinsey & Co.

   Management and consulting firm McKinsey & Co. might be a strange place to find meditation happening, but the company is embracing meditation as part of a new HR strategy aimed at keeping employees happy and healthy. McKinsey partner and meditation aficionado Michael Rennie says, “What’s good for the spirit is good for the bottom line,” and the company is taking that to heart, developing meditation and self-analysis programs not only for their own employees but for other multi-million dollar corporations as well. In one case, a meditation program developed by McKinsey for an Australian client saved the business more than $20 million.

7. Yahoo!

   Yahoo! is another tech company that is doing what it can to reduce employee stress while at work. Employees of Yahoo! can take advantage of meditation rooms or engage with others who share their interests in a more mindful work day by taking free classes offered on-site.

8. Deutsche Bank

   A global banking and financial services company, Deutsche Bank has undoubtedly had a few rough years due to the global economic crisis, but employees may be getting a bit of stress relief just by walking through the doors of their workplace. Deutsche Bank is yet another multinational business getting behind the meditation-in-the-workplace trend. Despite the fact that the company may seem too traditional to embrace such a progressive policy, they’ve been offering meditation classes and quiet spaces on site for several years, hoping that it will help to reduce worker stress and lead to more level-headed thinking.

9. Procter & Gamble

   P&G’s CEO A.G. Lafley is dedicated to his own meditation practice and thinks it has a lot to offer employees as well. He has said, “You can not out-work a problem, you have to out-meditation it.” The company offers a wealth of health and fitness programs that include meditation classes and spaces in their major corporate buildings.

10. HBO

    While the programs HBO produces might turn viewers into couch potatoes, it doesn’t promote the same attitude in its employees. Instead, it offers a wealth of resources to help them stay healthy both mentally and physically, with gyms, free yoga classes, and meditation classes offered in the workplace. Perhaps the promotion of forms of mindful exercise and meditation helped inspire their new hit show Enlightened.

Taken From Online MBA

10 Best Motorcycle Moments in Movie History

Over the course of film history, the motorcycle, be it a souped-up chopper or humble scooter, has become much more than a symbol of rebellion, sexual prowess, and freedom. Well, maybe the two-wheeled ride is still all of that. But, as you’ll see below, great motorcycle moments have appeared in movies other than so-called biker films. Brothers on wheels, Rumble Fish (1983) Based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, Francis Ford Coppola’s black-and-white film Rumble Fish stars a young Matt Dillon as gang leader Rusty James and an almost unrecognizable Mickey Rourke as his older, smarter, and weirder brother, The Motorcycle Boy. The motorcycle is a recurring symbol throughout the film, signifying violence, temporality, and transcendence. When, close to the tragic conclusion of the film, The Motorcycle Boy takes Rusty for an impromptu ride on a stolen bike through the dark, quiet streets of Tulsa, their mode of transportation solidifies their bond as blood brothers. Drummer Stewart Copelandof the rock band The Police composed the score. Brando’s gang arrives, The Wild One (1953) This film may seem dated and kind of tame, but Marlon Brando’s iconic performance as biker Johnny Strabler defined the visual image of the ’50s-era rebel, influencing fellow actor James Dean and even Elvis Presley in his look for the movie Jailhouse Rock. At the start of the film Brando, riding 1950 Triumph Thunderbird 6T, leads the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club into a small town to check out their motorcycle competition. Soon, all hell breaks loose. When someone asks the leather-jacketed Strabler what he’s rebelling against, he coolly responds, “Whad’ya got?” Bike crash, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985) Like The Wild One, this too is the story of a rebel and his bike. The rebel in this case is a man-child named Pee-Wee Herman, played by comedian Paul Reubens. While on a road trip to recover his beloved stolen bicycle, Pee-Wee wanders into a biker bar — the private club for a gang called The Satan’s Helpers — and, after inadvertently knocking over all of the gangs’ motorcycles, saves his butt by dancing on the bar to the song “Tequila”. The bikers give Pee-Wee a motorcycle which he promptly crashes into a billboard. “Born to be Wild,” Easy Rider (1969) The quintessential ’60s road movie. The film begins with Peter Fonda, dressed in stars and stripes, and Dennis Hopper, dressed in Native American fringe, hitting the road on two loud-as-hell choppers to find America. Both bikes were designed and built specifically for the film by chopper builders Cliff Vaughs and Ben Hardy, following ideas of Peter Fonda. Steppenwolf’s snarling, heavy metal anthem “Born to be Wild” is the soundtrack for this opening scene, and it will forever rock. Che’s life-changing journey, The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) January 4, 1952, a young medical student named Ernesto Guevara de la Serna hopped on a beat-up motorcycle with his buddy Alberto Granada and began an eight-month road trip through South America. This humble and unreliable mode of transportation brings Guevara, played in the film by Gael García Bernal, in close contact with poverty and suffering throughout a country he had yet to discover. Steve McQueen motorcycle jump, The Great Escape (1963) Steve McQueen’s character in the World War II prisoner-of-war drama The Great Escape spends most of the film causing headaches for and attempting to escape from his captors. In the final climatic break-out, McQueen nearly rides a motorcycle to freedom. The final pat he gives to the wrecked bike while hopelessly tangled in barbed wire is one of those gestures that made McQueen a star. Every single scene in which Marianne Faithfull rides a motorcycle, The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) “It’s only people who allow themselves to be treated as machines!” In this psychedelic French flick, Marianne Faithfull’s character leaves her newlywed husband, takes off on a Harley-Davidson dressed only in a leather jumpsuit, and goes on a reckless trip in search of love. The movie’s poster image of that suit’s half undone zipper may have inspired Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying. In 1968, with the women’s liberation movement just beginning to gather its momentum, Faithfull’s performance shows that there was definitely something in the air. Jimmy’s cliffside ride, Quadrophenia (1979) This powerful film is loosely based on The Who’s classic rock opera Quadrophenia. Phil Daniels plays Jimmy, a teenaged Mod experiencing a serious personality crisis while gangs of Mods and Rockers mindlessly beat each other senseless on the beaches of Brighton. Fancy, Italian-made scooters are all the rage among Jimmy’s Mod brethren, and in the final stages of an emotional breakdown, Jimmy rides a particularly fancy one along the cliffs of Beachy Head. The clue as to whether or not he has sailed over the cliff with the scooter appears in the very beginning of the film, when we see Jimmy at sunset, turning and walking away from the edge of the very same cliff. Buster Keaton’s motorcycle ride, Sherlock Jr. (1924) Okay, so there are a few camera tricks here and there, but for most of this crazy montage, it’s just Buster Keaton riding, block after block, street after street, on the front handle bars of a policeman’s motorcycle with nobody in the driver’s seat. Keaton’s stunts prove that today’s CGI is for sissies. The final crash through the wall of the hideout probably put Keaton in the hospital. That said, it’s still incredibly funny. The soundtrack you hear in this clip is a new one created by The Clubfoot Orchestra. Zed’s dead, baby!, Pulp Fiction (1994) “It’s not a motorcycle, baby. It’s a chopper.” There’s nothing more stressful, after you’ve just escaped the dungeon of two sadists and narrowly avoided getting killed by the local crime boss, than trying to hurry up your wife so you both don’t miss a train. It’s enough to tear a couple apart and tears are inevitable. But a gentle word with a big hug goes a long way when two people love each other. Having a tricked out chopper ready to go doesn’t hurt either. No doubt these two will make that train. But what will they do with the chopper?

Taken From Motorcycle Insurance

10 Great Excuses for Why the Babysitter Was Late/

When the babysitter is late, it can spoil your entire evening. There are, however, times when your babysitter’s tardiness is excusable. Here are some of the justifiable reasons for arriving to a babysitting job late.

1. Short Notice – Sometimes you simply can’t avoid calling a babysitter on short notice, but you should be understanding if she’s a bit late as a result. She may not have been prepared to work when you called.
2. School Obligations – The first priority of a teenage babysitter should always be her schoolwork. If a school obligation ran longer than expected and she’s slightly late for work, you shouldn’t fault her.
3. Family Illness – An extended or serious illness in the family can put a strain on every member. If your regular sitter has an illness in the family and didn’t quite make it to your house on time because she was helping out, try to be understanding of the pressure she’s under.
4. Your Sitter Can Not Drive – Without a driver’s license, your sitter is at the mercy of the person who agrees to drive her. You should especially be lenient with her if the person driving is a resentful older sibling, who may have made her late deliberately.
5. It’s a Holiday – During the holiday season, family engagements can run later than expected. If your sitter was considerate of your needs enough to take a holiday babysitting job, it’s a good idea to cut her some slack if she’s a little behind schedule.
6. Inclement Weather – Teenagers with limited driving experience can become easily flustered by inclement weather. In potentially hazardous weather conditions, you should assume that your sitter will be late.
7. Car Accident – A sitter who is responsible enough to show up for a shift after a car accident should definitely be excuse for any resulting tardiness.
8. Running an Errand for You – If your sitter is a family member or close family friend, you probably feel comfortable enough to ask them to run a small errand or pick something up on their way to your home. If they agree and aren’t entirely punctual as a result, it’s best to let it slide.
9. She Has Younger Siblings – Most teenage girls start babysitting for friends and neighbors after years of experience with younger siblings. If both of her parents work and she’s responsible for those siblings until one of her parents arrives, the situation might be beyond her control.
10. She’s Just Late – A great sitter who loves your children and is almost always punctual should be cut a little bit of slack if she’s running late and it’s a rare occurrence. Everyone gets behind schedule on occasion; if she’s never made a habit of it, don’t give her too hard of a time.

Being forced to rearrange your schedule to accommodate a childcare provider who isn’t on time can be incredibly frustrating, but if it’s not a regularly occurring problem, it’s not worth losing a great sitter over. Finding someone who makes your children happy and is trustworthy is difficult; replacing her will be much more difficult than swallowing the urge to deliver a lecture on punctuality.

Taken From Find a Babysitter

10 Biggest Nerd Gatherings in the World

For the majority of the year, the most serious nerds among us are shut away in dark rooms or basements in front of computer screens and games of Dungeons and Dragons. But every once in a while, the mothership seems to call them all home, at least for the length of a convention or other kind of meet-up. You'll see Star Wars characters and gamers in a trance, flocking to event sites. Now, we're not going to delve into the differences between geek and nerd culture. If you want to argue about it, we can probably assume that you fall into one of those two categories and will find a gathering you'll love below.

1. Comic-Con International

   This famous meet-up in San Diego typically draws in more than 125,000 lovers of comic books, sci-fi, and basically anything that might get you beat up in high school. Welcoming nerds since 1970, Comic-Con has grown into a huge cultural phenomenon, attracting the media, comedians, and curious members of the public, as well as fans of the many pop culture elements the convention caters to. Apparently these nerds and nerd-watchers aren't sparing any expense; the convention has an annual impact of around $160 million on the regional economy. If you're going, buy tickets early as they tend to sell out, plan which workshops you want to attend, and don't forget your camera.

2. Tokyo International Anime Fair

   As a trade fair for the anime industry that takes place in the home country of anime, you know this event lures in the best and most famous anime companies and creators in the world. Though it's only been around since 2002, the support of Japan's government and powerful politicians have helped its attendance skyrocket to the 130,000 people it has seen in recent years. Prestigious industry prizes, known as the Tokyo Anime Awards, are given out during the convention. While anime and manga may not be considered nerdy in Japan (and many American fans would contend that it's not nerdy anywhere), it's hard to deny that there's a specific demographic of people that follow the Japanese animation trend.

3. Dragon Con

   Each year crowds pushing 50,000 converge on Atlanta to consume as much about the sci-fi, fantasy, and comic book industries as their little (or big, as the case may be) brains can hold. With a long list of prominent guests and performers, contests for everything from different types of costumes to robot battles, and an independent film festival, this event is perfect for those who really enjoy any of the categories covered here and want to mingle with other fanboys. Been looking for the chance to enter a Star Trek pageant or show off your comic book sketching skills? This is your arena.

4. Assembly demo party

   If you don't know what a demo party is, well, you're in good company. The demoscene is a computer programming subculture where participants create audio-visual presentations to show off their skills and creativity. Don't even try to act like that's not nerdy. A demoparty is normally a several-days-long event where programmers get together to compete against each other by creating the best "demo" in several different categories. The Assembly is one of the largest demoparties and takes place in Finland. Thousands of the most demoscene-obsessed from around the world gather to compete and hang out for three or four days.

5. DreamHack

   Computer lovers and multiplayer gamers should put DreamHack in Sweden on their list of events to attend sometime in their life. The gathering, which is considered the world's largest computer festival, actually holds world records for being the largest LAN (or local area network for you non-gamers) party with 12,754 connected computer systems and for having the world's fastest Internet connection. The event is held twice a year, lasting 72 hours each time with activities scheduled around the clock. The fun includes the festival where attendees can plug their computers into the system, several gaming and digital arts competitions, concerts, and an expo for the latest technologies.

6. International Consumer Electronics Show

   While most people head to Vegas to have a scandalous good time with scantily clad showgirls and high-stakes poker tables, a large segment of the nerd population go there for the annual technology trade show. Since major products like the VCR, Nintendo, and 3D HDTV have been introduced at the event in years past, it has become a haven for technophiles around the world. The most recent gathering boasted 153,000 attendees and demonstrated some improved technologies, like an accelerated processing unit that you would probably only understand if you're a huge computer nerd yourself. Don't feel bad if you are; at least a computer nerd is one of the more profitable breeds of nerd.

7. Anthrocon

   It's hard to say that anthropomorphic fans fit in with traditional nerds, but it's definitely not a mainstream interest. Furry fans or furries, as they're often called, love fictional human-like animal characters. This includes any animal that walks, talks, dresses, or otherwise acts like a human. While this might be normal for children considering how many books and cartoons involve talking animals, this conference is for the obsessed adults, many of whom dress up as their favorite anthropomorphic fantasies, costumes that they call fursuits. You might think you were walking into a sports team mascot convention if you didn't know where you were. While there are other furry conferences around the country, Anthrocon is one of the largest, with more than 4,200 members.

8. Comiket

   Possibly the largest gathering of comic-book nerds on the planet, with more than 500,000 participants each year, Comiket is a huge market for selling self-published comic books, particularly Japanese ones. It takes place in Tokyo twice each year and crowds get so thick that people who arrive in the morning normally wait between one and five hours in line just to enter. Unlike many other nerd gatherings, the audience at this event has traditionally been mostly female, though the tides seem to be turning in the past two years. Whether it's men or women buying these unique comic books, they can expect to resell them for much more than they purchased them for since reprintings are few and far between.

9. Gamescom

   Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, is widely recognized as the world's largest games event. More than 275,000 nerds and 5,000 journalists (who might also be nerds for all we know) show up each year, and companies show up from 39 countries to show off their gamer gear. Since the world's biggest video game fans and industry experts are all together in one place, many game developers, including Nintendo, Sega, and EA, use the opportunity to show off and test their newest toys. And you can't deny the hilarity of the eager attendees rushing into the event space when the doors open, which has been affectionately named "The Running of the Nerds."

10. World Joyland

    What do nerds do in the time between their favorite conventions? They plan vacations to video game-themed amusement parks. China's World Joyland is a 600-acre theme park based around the works of the company that created World of Warcraft and Starcraft. The park definitely attracts large numbers of geeks. The day before the park's grand opening, it arranged to break the world record for most people dressed up as comic book characters. They succeeded, with 1,530 nerds showing up for the task. Another 201 people were disqualified for dressing as characters from video games or other forms of entertainment. It must be depressing to be disqualified from being a part of the comic-book nerd community.

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