Saturday, 31 March 2012

'Bachelor' Bliss? Ben & Courtney Are "Very Much" in Love

When Bachelor Ben Flajnik popped the question to controversial contestant Courtney Robertson on the show's big finale, fans everywhere were shocked. The manipulative model had been dubbed the season's villain, and many viewers speculated whether they're love was real. But now the couple is trying to convince the world that they're ready to go the distance.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/ben-flajnik-courtney-robertson-are-happy-no-wedding-date/1-a-440088?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aben-flajnik-courtney-robertson-are-happy-no-wedding-date-440088

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Frugal Family Tree: Attending In Store Decorating Seminars

We are currently working on redecorating our home. The Spring cleaning buzz has me wanting to re-arrange organize and buy some new items. For me one of the biggest challeneges is picking colors that I will want to see everyday. I am a commitment phobe when it comes to decorating.

Last week when we were shopping for furniture at RC Willey we read about a In Store Decorating Seminar about Color. I knew I wanted to attend this one. Spending money to decorate your home is a investment in your happiness, I wanted to make sure I was making good decisions. I enjoy looking at the room set ups on display on the showroom floor, its always great for ideas. We learned about color theory and many aspects of interior decorating. It was presented in a simple and understandable way. They did a great job.



When we arrived 10 minutes early to the Decorating Seminar we were surprised to see the huge line of people and an already filled room. Even the store employees were surprised by the turn out. They had to get more seating, more flyers and get out a microphone system. The event started much later than they had planned. My son was doing a great job trying to behave. He colored, had cookies and rolled around on the floor. Thankfully our seating was a nice plush couch! There were many families there with their kids. The man next to us had his little girl who was playing a hand held video game that my son was trying to get a peek at. Towards the end of the 1 hour seminar my son began to grab things and tried to drink out of a candle lol. But he did great and nothing was broken in the store.? RC Willey was nice enough to hand out $25 gift cards for everyone who attended and a giveaway of 5 $50 giftcards, I am sure thats why the crowd was so big.


My favorite thing we learned was about the 60-30-10 rule of decorating. They explained how its like a mans suit where there is 60% one color, the pants and dress coat, 30%? an accent color, the dress shirt, and 10% the accessories color, the tie. In relation to room decorating its the wall paint, the furniture color and the room accessories like lamps, vases, pillows. We had a fun time, learned some new stuff, found some color inspiration and will be going back later in the week to shop with our gift cards.

Source: http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/03/attending-in-store-decorating-seminars.html

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Friday, 30 March 2012

Ebay - Work From Home - Internet Community, Perfect Story ...

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Home / Internet And Businesses Online / Ebay - Work From Home - Internet Community, Perfect Story, Profitable Businesses, Rags To Riches, Support Factors Internet And Businesses Online

The first Ebay merchants saw the writing on the wall. They understood the future business opportunities that were available on the small innocuous auction website. Today these entrepreneurs with the basic tools that Ebay provides have shaped and built a multi-million dollar giant that is
second to one.

Ebay challenged some prevailing assumptions about get rich quick
opportunities. The idea that ordinary people could create large incomes from a small investment of time and money seemed ludicrous. The idea sounded like an over hyped business ad in a sleazy business opportunity magazine. Today it is clear that the idea of Ebay as a business is lucrative.

As with any other business new business idea, people thought it could not done. But Ebay created an Internet community that has also created many profitable businesses for millions of entrepreneurs.
Ebay created a new generation of cottage industry merchants who now play a key role in generating new options, choices and opportunities for people around the world.

The level of success of some of the Ebay merchants is absolutely astounding. In fact the whole story of Ebay is rather amazing. The simple facts of how Ebay became Ebay reads like the perfect story of rags to riches. Of course the central character is the everyman who is just like you or me.

The hero of the story is Pierre Omidyar, an entrepreneur who had a vision and
followed it through to the ultimate business success model

One of the key components to the success of Ebay is the simplicity of use.
Using Ebay requires some basic typing skills and an item to sell. The simple day to day set up and delivery of products makes Ebay the perfect solution for a would be entrepreneur.

Ebay is a pioneer of the auction online business model. Ebay pioneered legitimate get rich quick opportunities. Ebay makes millions by giving entrepreneurs what they need to be successful. Providing a global market to business owners is one of the support factors that greatly improves the potential for profit

Ebay provides a way for ordinary business owners to become superstar sellers or power sellers if we use the Ebay vernacular. Ebay provides all the best tools that include a simple approach to business ownership. Ebay makes the mundane extraordinary. The Ebay model makes is easy for entrepreneurs to undertake complex tasks that help them succeed online.

The routine and mundane aspects of selling an item can be automated and the profits can be realized very quickly. Using Ebay tools, an entrepreneur is able to create seamless transactions . This activity could be very expensive for a new business owner to the tune of over 800 per hour and as cheap as .50 per transaction.

There are some key lessons to be learned from the Ebay model. The difference between winning and losing is in the details. Other factors include the attitude of the winner. The end results must always be the same, completion, follow through, fail then try again.

By: Ken Shorey

About the Author:

Ken Shorey is owner/webmaster of Ez-Work-At-Home.net. For more information about starting an eBay business visit Make Money On eBay.

Source: http://www.onlineofflinemarketing.info/ebay-work-from-home

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Dragon Boat Racing ? A Common Company Team-building Event

It really is true that cash issues a whole lot to retain very best workers and also to create quality output from them. Even so, there are actually some other factors too, which can increase overall productivity of a corporate house. Inspiration and Integration ? both of these words perform vital roles to construct a team of effective workforce, and also to realize the aim of an organisation. Company activities like Dragon boat racing aid in this regard.

Dragon boat racing isnt any more a Chinese drinking water sport ? it can be now rather preferred within the corporate arena like a team constructing company occasion. Dragon boat racing in Kent can be an thrilling saturday and sunday company event, specially for all those who hail from Kent and its environment.

We can under no circumstances ignore the growing value of corporate activities, which actually aid to improve the official atmosphere at the same time as enhance individuals efficiency degree. It really is noticed that a pool of proficient workers, if offered adequate leisure and supportive environment to retain their power degree, their productivity increases dramatically. Considering on this line Chillisause offer you a wide array of dragon boat racing events for company individuals in distinct United kingdom locations. Chillisauce presents this amazing water sport experience amidst the eye catching all-natural splendor of Kent.

The dragon boat racing

The boats are created of bamboo and suitably created to hold about the charm of this ancient Chinese custom. Depending on the duration, each and every boat can have 10 or 16 individuals. Due to the fact all of the participants have to have to row together on this corporate event, a group building mindset is constructed up between all the individuals.

Dragon boat racing can help to
? Improve individual achievement degree
? Maintain group spirit
? Synchronise with whole group
? Achieve the target with result-oriented teamwork

The dragon boat racing provides vital safety measurements throughout the racing session. In case you are with Chillisauce you and your teammates are under the care of well-trained and expert employees.

This dragon boat racing includes some optional functions like conventional a Lion Dance and eye-dotting ceremony from China. You can also take pleasure in mouth watering Chinese foods through the session and online video modifying facility to capture some exciting moments in the occasion.

A saturday and sunday corporate event like dragon boat racing in Kent will give a break from the monotony of growing corporate operate pressure. This type of occasion offers ample rest of mind and build corporate folks to reshape their attitude to obtain organisational objective ? enhance their energy level to generate best output.

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Source: http://officerelocationmagazine.com/dragon-boat-racing-a-common-company-team-building-event/

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Video: Did the media already try Zimmerman?



>>> the marches and rally calling for trayvon martin are not letting up. what is being called a hoodie march in harrisburg, pennsylvania, and the naacp is holding a march in front of the sanford police department tomorrow morning. joining me now, contributor toure. ron allen brought up in his live shot, it is not until april 10th that the grand jury will convene. there is a worry that this could die down in those days.

>> i see the opposite happening. this is bubbling hotter and hotter. we have both seen black people 's rage about this is only growing. but the other side is being emboldened by the stories that are coming out that are trying to support george zimmerman . things like the robert zimmerman interview last night where he is allowed to say multiple prevarications unchecked, unchallenged, uncontested. things that are obviously made, clearly untrue by this videotape of george into the police department . clearly uninjured. there is no broken nose there.

>> you're referring to robert zimmerman , for the folks who don't know, robert zimmerman is the brother of george zimmerman . he gave this interview saying he claims his brother told him. however, following the interview, the attorney for george zimmerman says the two have not spoken in years and that he was just trying to get on television.

>> so there is that. that they haven't spoken in years. even if the story might be true, even if he got it from george . he is repeating george zimmerman 's story.

>> we think. again, the attorney representing george zimmerman said they have not spoken. and that is guy who is in contact with the china every day.

>> if george zimmerman himself is trying to say, we were in a fight. the person who walks into the sanford police department in that video clearly was not in a fight. he clearly did not get his nose broken. he did not have his head bashed against the concrete. we're spreading this as misinformation as people who want to believe george zimmerman for some reason or want to believe against trayvon for some reason are believing. and we're seeing more and more of them feel emboldened to challenge the narrative we're trying to assert. an unarmed innocent black boy was murdered. we're having this powder keg rise over this boiling pot, rise up. and it's getting meaner and meaner and more of a fevered pitch on both sides. i haven't seen anything like this in america in terms of a racialized battle start dividing line, since owning. that was a comedy compared to this.

>> it is interesting. you say this. we both participated in the rock center special where we were asked our thoughts on racial profiling and life as an african-american. i never usually read anything people say about me. that's just a good habit. i made that mistake and a couple people said, why are you whining? outside of wanting to say choice words. i was stymied in a way that anyone would see it as whining that you present what happens in your life. it is a fact of my life. i don't care if you believe it or not. it is a fact of my life. to indicate that we were whining for talking about race and the question of race in this case to be determined, hopefully in a court of law. and that is seen as whining.

>> and also the idea, the fact that we are talking about race is forwarding racism. that is make have the racial divisions worse. we're not trying to race bait, whatever that means. we're talking about our lives and the difficulties that we have going through our lives and situations that are sort of a cousin or a molecule of trayvon martin went through. somebody targeting him. we go into a store. you know, those are related incidents. no such thing as an isolated incident.

>> you talk about how this is being played out in the media. the other interesting thing is for african- american journalists , the perception that because you are black, you are unable to be fair and look at both sides of the story. and there are two sides to this story. whether you accept one version or not. and you pointed out that the anger for african-americans boiling. i get tweets from white viewers, hispanic viewers all day long who are also outraged. the person who started this movement online was a white person . so the anger is on both sides. but to believe that you can't be fair because you are black.

>> and that is a racist perception. obviously we can be fair. if the george zimmerman team was presenting a consistent case, as kendall coffey pointed out, they are not presenting it. then maybe we would have more of an argument. we need more he can wantiment. they are not presenting a credible case. ooze especially when you see george zimmerman walking into the police department clearly uninjured. clearly unbloodied. how can we believe that he was in a fight?

>> his attorney says that video is not clear. he says it is grainy. many have pointed out, which we see on tape, the officer looking at the back of george zimmerman 's head there. but what we also know is, if nothing else, this entire situation was botched and the question is why was it handled in this way.

>> it is dangerous for america, the way we're doing this as a trial in the media with the whole nation as the jury, and sort of having this evidence come up piece by piece .

>> that would be the fault of the police department and the investigators. these were why these leaks have happened. including the leak about trayvon being suspended. that was a leak from a source within the police department which adds to the fuel.

>> irrelevant information.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/46907550/

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Poor Credit History Financing For Spring Valley Plastic Surgical ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://betterwholeness.com/optimize-your-health/poor-credit-history-financing-for-spring-valley-plastic-surgical-procedure-toning-your-financial-loan

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Wednesday, 28 March 2012

White Paper: The Business Case for Social Customer Service | The ...

social customer services quote

As we?ve highlighted in our recent social customer service posts, while most brands have now grasped the value of social media marketing, very few are investing properly in genuine social customer service.?It?s timely, then, that with The Social Customer 2012?(London) just days away, immediate future?have published a free white paper highlighting the costs and benefits of implementing social customer service.

Adam Lewis, Managing Consultant at the London social media agency, put it this way:??There?s often a fear that social will open up Pandora?s Box for customer service teams - an unquantifiable wave of hard-to-handle customer interactions?.

While there are lots of reasons why organisations haven?t adopted social customer services, scalability, or the feared lack of it, may well be the #1 reason why ? as?Frank Eliason?is quoted as saying in the Holmes Report today ? ?social customer service has been a complete failure?.

So is this fear well-founded?

At my?Monitoring Social Media Boot-camp in 2010 Giles Palmer, MD of the UK monitoring company,Brandwatch, explained how, out of 100,000 mentions that they monitored for a client over 6 months, they highlighted about 4,500 and the client ended up responding to less than 2,000. Anyone who understands social media listening will echo this finding. If you?ve got smart analysts, you don?t need to deal with noise.

I suspect, though, the fear is more about attracting, or even generating, thousands more social media queries simply by offering a social media customer service channel. Yet this smacks of brands putting their head in the sand. As immediate future point out ?In this multichannel world [customers] expect more support through channels that are convenient to them, not you?. And to hammer this message home, they add ?The fastest growing age group of social media users between now and 2015 will be 65-75 year olds?.

You can download a free copy of immediate future?s white paper here.


immediate future?s managing director, Katy Howell, will be speaking at The Social Customer 2012 in London this Thursday. Our impressive speaker line-up features Frank Eliason (Citibank), plus senior executives from Spotify, BT, British Gas, First Direct, Expedia, Everything Everywhere, Telefonica and ACCA. Follow the Tweet stream @ #scrm12.

?

Source: http://thesocialcustomer.com/lbrynleyjones/48024/exclusive-white-paper-business-case-social-customer-service

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Rookie cop goes undercover to bust students

On his second trip through high school, former C-student Alex Salinas got a lot of A's.

He was 22, however, and an undercover narcotics officer going by the name Johnny Ramirez. When his first semester progress report showed a 3.25 average, the baby-faced police rookie made a mental note: Stop turning in homework assignments.

Eight months later, the ruse was up, and Exeter, a bucolic citrus-growing community in California's Central Valley, was turned on its ear after a school-day police sweep ended with a dozen Exeter High students in custody on drug charges.

Some people wondered how the deception by Salinas could have gone on for so long in the small town of just 10,000 people. Others lamented that the problems of the big city had come to the quaint community of antique shops and historic murals set amid a stunning backdrop of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada.

"It's amazing we were able to keep a secret in this little town for that long," said Police Chief Cliff Bush, who had been searching for years for just the right officer to pull off the undercover ploy. "People in little towns tend to know everything about everybody."

Leading the campus sweep this month was the tall, lanky Salinas, dressed in the crisp black uniform and combat boots of the Exeter Police Department instead of the T-shirts and sneakers he had worn as Johnny Ramirez.

Still, there was no mistaking the boyish face and the wide smile gleaming with braces.

"A lot of jaws dropped when they saw me," Salinas said. "They knew me as that kid at school that they hung around with, and then the next thing they're in handcuffs and I'm in a uniform."

The sting got more attention from the media than a drug bust of 12 students normally would because of something the chief now laments: It happened the same week as the debut of the Hollywood comedy "21 Jump Street," which features ? you got it ? undercover cops fighting crime at a high school.

Chief Bush insisted it was not a case of life imitating art.

"A day or two later I became aware of the movie," Bush said. "The last thing I would do is check movie premieres. This just happened to coincide with the movie's release."

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Sending a message
There had been no major complaints about drug dealing at the 1,000-student school that sits within sight of the police station, but Bush said he had been thinking for years about doing an undercover sting to send a message.

One day last summer, he ran into Salinas, who was weeks away from graduating from the police academy. Salinas had ridden along with Bush years earlier when the chief was still a patrolman.

Bush eventually approached Salinas with the plan. With it came a full-time job on the city's 17-member Police Department ? an offer Salinas wouldn't refuse.

As Johnny Ramirez, Salinas attended Monarch football games and pep rallies. He purposely landed himself in detention so he could meet people outside of the four classes he attended before reporting each afternoon to the county drug task force headquarters for briefings and homework assignments. He made a Facebook page and forged friendships, which made the deception hard for him to bear.

"There were a few students I got to know who are good kids, and I did feel kind of bad for being their friend and then being something different," he said.

Only the principal, vice principal and Johnny's guidance counselor knew about the operation, school Superintendent Renee Whitson said.

"Even I didn't know the name he'd go by," she said.

Still, a moment of panic erupted on the first day of school last fall when a teacher pointed to the new kid and joked, "We've got a new narc on campus. They tell me he's wearing a green shirt." Johnny Ramirez's shirt was green.

Eventually students sold the new kid marijuana and cocaine, the prescription painkiller hydrocodone and the muscle relaxant Soma.

"There was certainly no celebration on the day of conclusion. It was a very sad day," Whitson said. "These are our students. We hope this is the necessary wakeup call to make this positive for their lives."

As the school year winds down, the arrested students are in the midst of review board hearings. Only three are older than 18, and one student's parents were also arrested for investigation of methamphetamine possession.

In the end, large quantities of drugs were not confiscated and none of the arrests involved trafficking significant quantities, though many purchases were for amounts that exceeded "personal use," Salinas said.

Was it worth keeping an officer off Exeter's streets and on a school campus for eight months?

Yes, Chief Bush said. But he is almost embarrassed that the undercover operation has garnered so much publicity, mostly because of his own bad timing regarding the release of "21 Jump Street."

"This is what I was trying to avoid, that we busted the local Scarface at the high school," Bush said, making reference to another Hollywood movie, this one about a drug kingpin. "Turns out they were just tiny amounts, but if you've got just one kid dealing drugs at school, that's too many."

The chief hopes the arrests have a lasting impact on all students, though he does realize he might have created a problem of another kind in Exeter.

"I'd hate to be the new kid at school next year," he said. "They won't make very many friends."

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46881674/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

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Monday, 26 March 2012

Obama squeezes N. Korea to change, China to help

U.S. President Barack Obama, left, looks at South Korean President Lee Myung-bak during their joint news conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

U.S. President Barack Obama, left, looks at South Korean President Lee Myung-bak during their joint news conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak during their joint news conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

U.S. President Barack Obama visits with South Korean troops at Observation Post Ouellette in the Demilitarized Zone, the tense military border between the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, Sunday, March 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Barack Obama speaks during a news conference with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak at the Blue House, the official presidential house, in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak walk out together after their joint news conference at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, March, 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

(AP) ? President Barack Obama is broadening a squeeze play on North Korea from the heart of this tensely divided peninsula, pressuring China to show more influence and warning the unpredictable North that it is headed toward a crippling "dead end" of isolation.

Obama sought for a second day Monday to contrast the success of the South to the impoverished North, whose nuclear and missile tests have kept its neighbor on edge and itself on the wrong side of the world community. Already, he said, looking into the North from near the border was like witnessing a "time warp" of despair.

In a speech at Hankuk University, Obama will campaign against the spread of nuclear material and weaponry with North Korea's shadow figuring large. The North plans to launch a satellite with a long-range rocket next month against fierce objections from world powers, as the same technology could be used to fire a missile.

Obama will tell students that he is confident the United States and Russia can jointly reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons, building on the successful extension of arms control agreements known as START, the White House said Monday. The White House said nuclear weapons reduction continues to be a priority in U.S. relations with Russia, and that Obama will raise it with President-elect Vladimir Putin when they meet in May.

Obama will see outgoing Russian president Dmitry Medvedev later Monday, on the sidelines of a major Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul. With Medvedev, he signed the current START treaty two years ago.

Obama will also try to build diplomatic force by turning to China, North Korea's main ally, when he meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao. That conversation is among a flurry of engagements for Obama, including the final meeting with Medvedev.

Obama has called nuclear terrorism the gravest threat the United States and the world may face. North Korea is a prime suspect in the proliferation of some nuclear know-how, along with missiles that could be used to deliver weapons of mass destruction.

In a news conference here Sunday, Obama challenged North Korea's pride and its plans, questioning whether its new, young leader, Kim Jong Un, was even truly in charge. Obama's trip comes as North Korean marks the end of the 100-day mourning period for longtime leader Kim Jong Il, who died of a heart attack in December.

"It's not clear exactly who's calling the shots and what their long-term objectives are," Obama said. "But regardless of the North Korean leadership, what is clear is that they have not yet made that strategic pivot where they say to themselves, 'What we're doing isn't working. It's leading our country and our people down a dead end.'"

Obama then set some blunt expectations for China, questioning how much it was helping to ease tensions with North Korea by turning a "blind eye to deliberate provocations."

"That's obviously not working," Obama said. He said he did not doubt China shares the goal of a nuclear-weapons-free North Korea, but that it had to act on that.

The president's three-day trip here amounts to a reminder of the international struggles in his lap in the midst of a re-election year driven more by economic woes. He came to solidify pressure on North Korea, seek help with crises in Syria and Iran and advance a global effort he spearheaded to keep nuclear material from getting into terrorists' hands.

Obama wore a tired look after a 17-hour flight from Washington, a helicopter ride to the border zone, two sets of diplomatic talks, the news conference and an official dinner. But he succeeded in showing solidarity with his diplomatic friend, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, and in cementing a lasting presidential image from inside no-man's land.

The Demilitarized Zone is a Cold War anachronism, a legacy of the uncertain armistice that ended the Korean War nearly 60 years ago. Hundreds of thousands of troops stand ready on both sides of the border zone, which is littered with land mines and encased in razor wire.

From a lookout point with binoculars is hand, Obama peered North, then South, within a football-field's length of the demarcation line.

He also shook hands and spoke briefly in the dining hall at a U.S. military camp just outside the 2.5-mile-zone, saying the troops were working at "freedom's frontier."

The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea, a deterrent force and a symbol of the military might Obama wants to keep in Asia.

The planned rocket launch by North Korea is yet another setback for the U.S. in years of on-again, off-again attempts to launch real negotiations.

North Korea walked away from international disarmament talks in 2009. Years of fitful negotiations had succeeded in ending part of North Korea's nuclear program but failed in stopping it from building and testing nuclear devices and long-range missiles that might be able to carry bombs.

Obama said the launch would jeopardize a new deal for the U.S. to resume food aid to North Korea, and the world community would likely respond with another round of sanctions.

The big consequence for North Korea, he said, would be one big blown opportunity.

"If a country can't feed its people effectively, if it can't make anything of any use to anybody, if it has no exports other than weapons, and even those aren't ones that in any way would be considered state-of-the-art ... then you'd think you'd want to try something different."

For his part, Lee said: "There is no difference of opinion between the U.S. and South Korea. We'll remain very calm and rational and we will be wise in dealing with the North Koreans if in fact they do go ahead with their announcement."

___

AP National Security writer Anne Gearan and AP writers Jean H. Lee and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-03-25-Obama/id-35590215888a4b80a8f43c3349a179f0

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Sunday, 25 March 2012

Mobile Learning On The Interwebs ? Virtual School Meanderings

Beginning with the ASCD SmartBrief.

Teachers say iPads benefit students in Mass. district
Students in a Massachusetts school district are testing the use of iPad tablet computers in the classroom for about 20 to 25 minutes each day. The program, which primarily is for kindergarten students, includes using the iPads to enhance lessons in math, spelling and phonics. Educators say the program has helped engage students in lessons and allows students to move at their own pace using the technology. Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Mass.) (3/18)

More students own tablet computers, survey shows
A growing number of high-school and college students own tablet computers, according to a recent survey by the Pearson Foundation. About 17% of high-school seniors enrolling in college said they own tablets ? more than four times the year before. Many high-school (69%) and college (63%) students surveyed also said they believe that, within five years, tablet computers will replace paper textbooks. Education Week/Digital Education blog (3/17)

Also, the SmartBrief on EdTech.

Top educational apps to use in the classroom
Several applications are available to help teachers and students in the classroom. Among them on this list are Educreations, a free app that turns iPad devices into interactive whiteboards; Class Dojo, which helps teachers manage and improve students? behavior; and Star Walk, which allows students to see the location of stars on their iPads. The app MathBoard offers tools to improve math teaching and learning, and Evernote allows users to write lesson plans and upload them to mobile devices. RedOrbit (3/16)

Teachers say iPads benefit students in Mass. district
Students in a Massachusetts school district are testing the use of iPad tablet computers in the classroom for about 20 to 25 minutes each day. The program, which primarily is for kindergarten students, includes using the iPads to enhance lessons in math, spelling and phonics. Educators say the program has helped engage students in lessons and allows students to move at their own pace using the technology. Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Mass.) (3/18)

Tablets have not distracted from popularity of PCs, report finds
Researchers expect worldwide shipments of PCs to increase nearly 50% between 2012 and 2016, despite growth in mobile hand-held devices and tablet computers. The prediction comes as Windows prepares to launch its new OS later this year. According to the International Data Corp., projections are positive for the growth of both desktop computers and portable devices through 2016. T.H.E. Journal (3/20)

Ky. educators report gains after iPad adoption
Student engagement has increased since a Kentucky elementary school adopted a one-to-one iPad tablet computer program, educators there say. Principal Cheri Smith said the devices, which allow students to submit answers anonymously, also have helped increase their confidence and teach them about responsibility. ?Technology doesn?t increase achievement, but technology increases engagement and engagement in turn increases achievement,? said teacher Jonathan Stovall. Daily News (Bowling Green, Ky.) (3/20)

Ga. district cuts costs by purchasing older version of iPad
A Georgia school district will use federal Title I funds to purchase 30 Apple iPad 2 tablets. Officials say they saved about $3,600 by waiting for the release of the new iPad and purchasing the older versions for $22,618. ?We said, ?Now that you have the new one, are you going to give us a break in the price??? Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck explained. The Marietta Daily Journal (Ga.) (3/21)

Student creates app to view school menu
An Iowa high-school student has created a mobile application that allows students and others to view the school lunch menu and daily announcements. It took Anthony Rea about three months to create the app, which has been downloaded about four dozen times. ?I?ll have kids already looking at breakfast and looking up events? before classes begin, business-education teacher Denise Hoag said. The Daily Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, Iowa) (3/16)

Teacher observation app works without Wi-Fi
T.H.E. Journal (3/21)

Back to the regular Google News alert for mobile learning.

Win a Prius By Saving Water
Patch.com
Activities for children and families include water quality testing, mural painting, a life-size maze about water conservation and a massive water exhibit on wheels called the Clean Water Mobile Learning Experience. Since 2008, the Mobile Learning ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Pastiche by Xyleme wins Brandon Hall Gold for Best Advance in Mobile Learning ?
CisionWire (press release)
Boulder, CO (March 18, 2012) ? Xyleme, Inc., the leader in standards-based learning solutions, won the prestigious Brandon Hall Gold award for best advance in mobile learning technology. Xyleme submitted the winning entry Pastiche?, an early leader in ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Next step in 21st century education for students in Africa
Reuters
? a cloud-computing solution that provides schools with a low-maintenance, easy-to-use model that is optimized for mobile broadband networks. The deployment is part of Connect To Learn?s initiative in the Millennium Village clusters in Ghana, Kenya, ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Over 40 Industry Vendors Make Major News at UBM TechWeb?s Enterprise Connect
MarketWatch (press release)
Booth 517 to learn more! Aastra continues its history of innovation, introducing mobile collaboration solutions at Enterprise Connect. LIVE in Booth #617, the super hero crew from Marvellous Comics, dubbed the ?Aastra Revengers,? demonstrates how ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Ruckus Wireless Selected for High-Speed Public Access Networks at Universities ?
MarketWatch (press release)
?China has been accelerating its investments in higher education through the use of new wireless technology to improve the quality of learning,? said Louis Au, VP of APAC at Ruckus Wireless. ?The nation sees education essential to increasing its ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Major e-Learning Conference Announces Intuition as Platinum Sponsor of Annual ?
Albany Times Union
Intuition (http://www.intuition.com) will showcase their award-winning Mobile Learning and Mobile Knowledge Platform to connect successful mobile learning technologies with e-Learning professionals at the annual industry event.
See all stories on this topic ?

Saba Announces Availability of Industry?s Most Advanced Enterprise Learning ?
MarketWatch (press release)
The new offering seamlessly unifies learning management, social learning, virtual classroom, content authoring and management, testing and assessment, and mobile learning. The Saba Learning Management Suite is accessible anywhere, anytime on mobile ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Digital learning trailblazer at New Orleans tech summit
PR Web (press release)
As experts gather in New Orleans Thursday for a summit on the new frontiers in technology, one of America?s top authorities on mobile learning will share how schools are blazing the path toward digital classrooms in a bold effort to help the YouTube ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Now available ?Squishy-Licious? Smash Your Food? Educational Game Serves Up a ?
Seattle Post Intelligencer
This fun and exciting mobile game encourages families to smash real foods ? burgers, cola, French Fries and entire meals ? to learn about nutrition, inspiring healthier food choices while providing parents with personalized emails filled with ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Surveyed Doctors Want Patients To Track Health Using Mobile Devices
iHealthBeat
Nearly 90% of surveyed physicians would like their patients to use mobile devices to monitor or track certain health indicators at home, according to a report from Float Mobile Learning, a mobile technology consulting firm, FierceMobileHealthcare ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Mobile Lab Puts Fun Into Science Learning
WCTI12.com
It?s on two mobile science labs, one called Destiny and the other Discovery, that middle school students are exposed to scientific lab procedures and experiments in an effort to make science fun. The labs are provided through UNC-Chapel Hill?s Morehead ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Bretford EDU 2.0 Furniture Designed for Learning Technology
Interior Design
Because there?s more than one-way to learn: Tactile, visual, auditory, verbal, experiential, logical, social. Students have more tools than ever to connect-to teachers, to lessons, to each other, to mobile devices, to more. This is more than a table.
See all stories on this topic ?

Eriez Mobile Training & Education Center Announces 2012 Schedule
ForConstructionPros.com
The Orange University mobile training and education center will bring hands-on learning to those who step aboard. Eriez? Orange University mobile training and education center will travel throughout the United States and Canada in 2012, ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Reading Made Social with ReadSocial API Integration by Float Mobile Learning
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Morton, Ill. (PRWEB) March 21, 2012 Float Mobile Learning announced today that the company has developed ReadSocial?s iOS library, allowing any iOS app to instantly become a social reading application. The ReadSocial API creates a backchannel through ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Mobile Marketing Hot New Trend for Business
Sussex Sun
WAUKESHA- University of Wisconsin-Waukesha Continuing Education is offering a new online course, Advanced Mobile Marketing through their partnership with the Learning Education Resources Network (LERN). The online course is relevant for people in any ?
See all stories on this topic ?

An Interactive MRI App for the iPad
The Atlantic
By medGadget The first of what Elsevier promises will be a line of educational software titles for various mobile devices, NeuroApps: MRI Atlas of Human White Matter makes learning anatomy of the brain fun. Elsevier has released its NeuroApps: MRI ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Office Depot To Begin Sales Of T-Mobile Prepaid Devices Inside Their Retail ?
TmoNews
By David Beren March 21, 2012 9:08 am EST Comments (22) Thanks to a partially leaked deck of slides we?re learning that Office Depot is set to launch T-Mobile?s Monthly 4G rate plans and partial device selection inside their retail locations in the ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Cerion Adopts Sophisticated Optimization and Machine Learning Algorithms in ?
Albany Times Union
With its advanced optimization and machine learning algorithms, Cerion?s optimization solution has helped mobile broadband operators to improve their network performance by more than 10%, and reduce expenditures by 30%. The algorithms reduce the ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Rockland High School building project is 60 percent complete
The Patriot Ledger
The new wing offers lecture space, fully equipped classrooms containing mobile work stations with chemically resistant counters, sinks and soon-to-arrive interactive learning boards and HD projectors. The chemistry and physiology/biology labs boast a ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Global Knowledge Students Learn to Administer and Deploy Microsoft System ?
SYS-CON Media (press release)
Students will learn to manage the Configuration Manager client, application deployment and software updates, inventory and software metering, mobile devices, and compliance settings on devices. They will learn to organize resources, query and report ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Odessa College?s OC Global Program Improves Access with ReadSpeaker
MarketWatch (press release)
This approach improves access for students with learning disabilities and gives all students the option to listen to OC Global coursework via their computers, mobile phones or tablets. ?By integrating ReadSpeaker text-to-speech capabilities into OC ?
See all stories on this topic ?

The Solution To The Wireless Spectrum Shortage: More Wires
Forbes
? provide cost-effective connections in rural areas, increase productivity, improve public safety, and allow for the development of mobile telemedicine, telework, distance learning, and other new applications that will transform Americans? lives.
See all stories on this topic ?

Growing opportunities that stem from mobile learning
HRmagazine.co.uk
Our mobile phones have become an integral part of our existence. Where would we be without one? But they?ve become far more than a tool to talk or text and are now an adjunct for our work, our research and as a useful aid when it comes to L&D ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Tabber LED Light Sleeve to Change How We Learn Guitar
Mobile Magazine
PCs and mobile devices allow you to run business and entertainment apps that put information at your finger times, TVs have new technologies like DVRs that allow you to record your shows for later, and ? well I could go on but you probably get the ?
See all stories on this topic ?

New GardenMinder(TM) App Guides You From Planting to Harvesting
MarketWatch (press release)
Carry your entire garden plan and an extensive vegetable gardening reference guide on your smart mobile device. The GardenMinder App helps both new and experienced gardeners learn how to plan, maintain, and record the progress of their kitchen ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Mobile Health News Weekly ? Week of March 19, 2012
SYS-CON Media (press release) (blog)
Float Mobile Learning has prepared a terrific infographic showing the prospects of mHealth services. This industry is set for a rapid growth, with all parties looking to cut costs and increase efficiencies. Read Original Content Mobihealth predicts ?
See all stories on this topic ?

How the developing world is using cellphone technology to change lives
Toronto Star
In Senegal, election monitors sent updates on polling stations through their mobile phones, revising an online map in real time with details about late openings or worse. Projects like Learning about Living in Nigeria, MercyCorps in Haiti and ?
See all stories on this topic ?

DigitalMarketer.com Article Says Marketers Worldwide are Learning How to ?
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
? learning how to publish a podcast and position themselves within the world?s most valuable brand. Apple and iTunes? demanding share of the digital and mobile markets should compel anyone to take advantage of every beneficial opportunity granted.
See all stories on this topic ?

Companies aim to help schools create digital learning environments
eSchool News (registration)
A number of companies introduced new mobile learning products at recent ed-tech trade shows. As more schools make the shift to a digital-based teaching and learning environment, a number of new products and services have emerged to help ease this ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Start-up Developing a Siri on Steroids
Inc.com
Silicon Valley start-up Alohar Mobile is developing what CEO and founder Sam Liang calls ?the Siri after Siri,? reports Forbes. This mobile personal assistant on steroids could do things like detect when you?re sick and make an appointment with a ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Next the Google Blog alert for mobile learning.

The University of Salzburg Launches Blackboard Mobile Learn |
By Susanne Roelle
With the start of the spring semester on 1 March 2012, the University of Salzburg is going mobile! The University of Salzburg was already using Blackboard Learn? for more than ten years and now selected Blackboard Mobile Learn to give ?
Blackboard blogs

Digital learning trailblazer at New Orleans tech summit: ?Turn ?
By admin
New Orleans, LA (March 20, 2012) ? As experts gather in New Orleans Thursday for a summit on the new frontiers in technology, one of America?s top authorities on mobile learning will share how schools are blazing the path toward digital ?
Pearson ? Always Learning

Reading Made Social with ReadSocial API ? ? Float Mobile Learning
By The Float Team
Morton, Ill. ? March 21, 2012 ? Float Mobile Learning announced today that the company has developed ReadSocial?s iOS library, allowing any iOS app to instantly become a social reading application. The?
Float Mobile Learning

Finally, the Google Web alert for mobile learning.

Share Your Favorite Mobile Learning Resources, Links, and Apps ?
Do you have a great website, resource, or app you?d like to share with Mobile Learning Experience 2012 participants? We?re making mini posters to place ?
mobile2012.org/?/share-your-favorite-mobile-learning-resour?

The State of Rapid Development Tools for Mobile Learning: Webinar ?
If you were not able to attend our Webinar yesterday on mLearning and the state of rapid development tools for mobile learning, the recording is now available.
rjacquez.com/the-state-of-rapid-development-tools-for-mobile?

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
Free resource of web tools and mobile apps reviews for teachers, students, educators.
www.educatorstechnology.com/

Intuition Mobile Learning Solutions: LUC Sponsor Showcase
If you?re interested in integrating a mobile learning strategy into your online training curriculum, make sure you attend the 2012 Lectora? User Conference.
www.trivantis.com/?/lectora-user-conference-sponsor-showca?

What will Mobile-learning be like in the future? ? Yahoo! UK ?
?What will Mobile-learning be like in the future?? ? Find the answer to this question and millions more on Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers.
uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid?

Interview with Neil Ballantyne, Mobile Learning Manager | Glasgow ?
Neil shares the British Council developments for mobile learning ranging from a project using life players (wind up radios) in Sub-Saharan Africa to android and ?
iatefl.britishcouncil.org/?/interview-neil-ballantyne-mobile-le?

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Source: http://virtualschooling.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/mobile-learning-on-the-interwebs-62/

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CA woman gets life term for murder of cancer-stricken husband to collect insurance

SANTA ANA, Calif. - On the night his cancer-stricken brother was stabbed to death, David Jessee knew his sister-in-law was somehow behind it.

A few years earlier, Jessee said, his brother Jack told him over a glass of wine before bowling that if anything ever happened to him, she would be to blame.

More than a decade later, a gray-haired Sandra Jessee was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for having Jack Jessee, her third husband, killed in their Orange County home in 1998.

Prosecutors said she wanted to avoid paying for his cancer treatment and to collect his insurance and other benefits. Jessee, now 61, and her son Thomas Aehlert hired a hit man to commit the killing then received more than $650,000 from the sale of the couple's Placentia home along with 401(k) death benefits and insurance, prosecutors said.

"She's just one of the most twisted defendants I've come across who would engage her own biological son in the murder of a man she's been married to for 15 years at probably the most vulnerable time in his life," Senior Deputy District Attorney Mike Murray said. "To see her finally get justice is very gratifying."

Defense attorney Derek Bercher said his client would appeal her conviction last year for murder for financial gain and conspiracy.

Authorities said Jessee recruited her son and his friend Brett Schrauben to kill Jack Jessee for $50,000. Both men testified against her after taking plea deals.

During Friday's sentencing, Jack Jessee's daughters and brother pleaded with Orange County Superior Court Judge James A. Stotler to impose a life sentence, which was required by her conviction.

"At first I wanted the death penalty, but I think it would be much better for her to sit and rot in jail," Chere Williams, one of the victim's daughters, told the court.

The case dates back to 1998, when Jack Jessee, then 56, was diagnosed with colon cancer. Described as tender and trusting by family, Jessee underwent surgery and was recovering when he returned to the hospital for an emergency surgery due to an infection, Murray said.

When a nurse tried to show Sandra Jessee how to help her husband with a colostomy bag that he would need to use temporarily, she refused to listen, Murray said.

"She was sickened by that," Murray said.

By then, the prosecutor said, Sandra Jessee had already enlisted help from her son and his friend to kill her ailing husband so she could move to Arizona, where Aehlert lived. Schrauben in turn recruited his friend Thomas Garrick, to help him carry out the job, prosecutors said.

On Aug. 13, 1998, Sandra Jesse told her husband she was going out to buy chicken nuggets and ice and stop at the bank. After more than an hour passed, Jack Jessee grew worried about her and called his daughter, Cheryl Deanda, who lived nearby, and asked for her help.

Deanda said she drove to the couple's house, but Sandra wasn't back yet. So she took a spin around a nearby shopping center to see if she could find her.

When she returned to her father's home 15 minutes later, she found him stabbed to death on the living room floor.

"They say I'm lucky to be alive," Deanda said. "They think the guy was still there when I came back."

Jessee's wife was a suspect from the beginning. But Placentia police didn't have enough evidence to charge her and the case went cold.

In 2005, Orange County sheriff's investigators began reviewing the evidence, particularly a strip of paper retrieved from Jessee's purse during a police interview after the murder. The name on the paper was Schrauben, which investigators matched to a tip received a few years earlier, Murray said.

In 2007, Sandra Jessee and Aehlert were arrested in Arizona and brought to stand trial in Orange County. They were both put on trial, and a jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of their conviction in 2009.

Last year, Aehlert struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He testified during his mother's retrial last year, along with Schrauben, who pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter in a deal with the district attorney's office in 2008.

A jury deliberated only four hours in December before convicting Sandra Jessee. The conviction carries a required life sentence, but Judge Stotler on Friday told the woman wearing thick glasses and a jail jumpsuit that he would not have granted her probation even if the law had allowed it.

The sentence was welcomed by Jack Jessee's family, who lamented how he has missed seeing his grandchildren grow up and attend college, and his daughter get married.

A hearing is scheduled for May 4 to discuss restitution for the victim's family.

Aehlert is set to be sentenced in September. Schrauben, who has been released from jail, is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

Garrick has pleaded not guilty and has yet to stand trial.

The case has not ended for Jack Jessee's family, but on Friday his relatives said they were relieved at the prospect of no longer having to see Sandra Jessee in court.

"This is like a 14-year ordeal that has come almost to completion," David Jessee told reporters. "This was my sister-in-law who put this whole thing together and she is going to spend the rest of her life where she belongs, thinking about this."

Source: http://www.startribune.com/nation/144011016.html

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Brain insulin resistance contributes to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Insulin resistance in the brain precedes and contributes to cognitive decline above and beyond other known causes of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Insulin is an important hormone in many bodily functions, including the health of brain cells. The team identified extensive abnormalities in the activity of two major signaling pathways for insulin and insulin-like growth factor in non-diabetic people with Alzheimer's disease. These pathways could be targeted with new or existing medicines to potentially help resensitize the brain to insulin and possibly slow down or even improve cognitive decline.

This is the first study to directly demonstrate that insulin resistance occurs in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. The study is now online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

"Our research clearly shows that the brain's ability to respond to insulin, which is important for normal brain function, is going offline at some point. Insulin in the brain not only modulates glucose uptake, but also promotes the health of brain cells ? their growth, survival, remodeling, and normal functioning. We believe that brain insulin resistance may be an important contributor to the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease," said senior author, Steven E. Arnold, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Neurology. Arnold is also the director of the Penn Memory Center, a National Institute on Aging-designated Alzheimer's Disease Core Center. "If we can prevent brain insulin resistance from occurring, or re-sensitize brain cells to insulin with any of the currently available insulin-sensitizing diabetes medicines, we may be able to slow down, prevent, or perhaps even improve cognitive decline.

The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is increased by 50 percent in people with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is due to insulin resistance and accounts for 90 percent of all diabetes. The defining clinical feature of Type 2 diabetes (and Type 1 "juvenile" diabetes) is hyperglycemia - high levels of sugar in the blood ? but there is no evidence that the brain in Alzheimer's is hyperglycemic. Insulin acts differently in the brain than in the rest of the body. Researchers found that insulin resistance of the brain occurs in Alzheimer's disease independent of whether someone has diabetes, by excluding people with a history of diabetes from this study.

The investigators used samples of postmortem brain tissue from non-diabetics who had died with Alzheimer's disease, stimulated the tissue with insulin, and measured how much the insulin activated various proteins in the insulin-signaling pathways. There was less insulin activation in Alzheimer's cases than in tissue from people who had died without brain disease. Other proteins linked to insulin action in the brain were abnormal in Alzheimer's disease samples. These abnormalities were highly correlated with episodic memory and other cognitive disabilities in the Alzheimer's disease patients.

In tissue from people with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), researchers found that changes to a protein called insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1 pS636/639 and pS616) in brain cells were linked to the severity of memory impairments regardless of age, sex, diabetes history, or apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene status. Levels of IRS-1 were also significantly associated with, but not likely to affect, the presence of amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the signature markers of Alzheimer's disease. This suggests that insulin resistance contributes to cognitive decline independent of the classical pathology of Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers noted that three insulin-sensitizing medicines are already approved by the FDA for treatment of diabetes. These drugs readily cross the blood-brain barrier and may have therapeutic potential to correct insulin resistance in Alzheimer's disease and MCI. "Clinical trials would need to be conducted to determine the impact the drugs have on Alzheimer's disease and MCI in non-diabetic patients," said Dr. Arnold.

###

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/

Thanks to University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 48 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/118694/Brain_insulin_resistance_contributes_to_cognitive_decline_in_Alzheimer_s_disease

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Humans began walking upright to carry scarce resources, chimp study suggests

ScienceDaily (Mar. 23, 2012) ? Most of us walk and carry items in our hands every day. These are seemingly simple activities that the majority of us don't question. But an international team of researchers, including Brian Richmond at the George Washington University, have discovered that human bipedalism, or walking upright, may have originated millions of years ago as an adaptation to carrying scarce, high-quality resources. This latest research was published in this month's Current Biology.

The team of researchers from the U.S., England, Japan and Portugal investigated the behavior of modern-day chimpanzees as they competed for food resources, in an effort to understand what ecological settings would lead a large ape -- one that resembles the 6 million-year old ancestor we shared in common with living chimpanzees -- to walk on two legs.

"These chimpanzees provide a model of the ecological conditions under which our earliest ancestors might have begun walking on two legs," said Dr. Richmond, an author of the study and associate professor of anthropology at GW's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. "Something as simple as carrying -- an activity we engage in every day -- may have, under the right conditions, led to upright walking and set our ancestors on a path apart from other apes that ultimately led to the origin of our kind."

The research findings suggest that chimpanzees switch to moving on two limbs instead of four in situations where they need to monopolize a resource, usually because it may not occur in plentiful supply in their habitat, making it hard for them to predict when they will see it again. Standing on two legs allows them to carry much more at one time because it frees up their hands. Over time, intense bursts of bipedal activity may have led to anatomical changes that in turn became the subject of natural selection where competition for food or other resources was strong.

Two studies were conducted by the team in Guinea. The first study was in Kyoto University's "outdoor laboratory" in a natural clearing in Bossou Forest. Researchers allowed the wild chimpanzees access to different combinations of two different types of nut -- the oil palm nut, which is naturally widely available, and the coula nut, which is not. The chimpanzees' behavior was monitored in three situations: (a) when only oil palm nuts were available, (b) when a small number of coula nuts was available, and (c) when coula nuts were the majority available resource.

When the rare coula nuts were available only in small numbers, the chimpanzees transported more at one time. Similarly, when coula nuts were the majority resource, the chimpanzees ignored the oil palm nuts altogether. The chimpanzees regarded the coula nuts as a more highly-prized resource and competed for them more intensely.

In such high-competition settings, the frequency of cases in which the chimpanzees started moving on two legs increased by a factor of four. Not only was it obvious that bipedal movement allowed them to carry more of this precious resource, but also that they were actively trying to move as much as they could in one go by using everything available -- even their mouths.

The second study, by Kimberley Hockings of Oxford Brookes University was a 14-month study of Bossou chimpanzees crop-raiding, a situation in which they have to compete for rare and unpredictable resources. Here, 35 percent of the chimpanzees' activity involved some sort of bipedal movement, and once again, this behavior appeared to be linked to a clear attempt to carry as much as possible at one time.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by George Washington University, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal References:

  1. Susana Carvalho, Dora Biro, Eug?nia Cunha, Kimberley Hockings, William C. McGrew, Brian G. Richmond, Tetsuro Matsuzawa. Chimpanzee carrying behaviour and the origins of human bipedality. Current Biology, 2012; 22 (6): R180 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.01.052
  2. Susana Carvalho, Dora Biro, Eug?nia Cunha, Kimberley Hockings, William C. McGrew, Brian G. Richmond, Tetsuro Matsuzawa. Chimpanzee carrying behaviour and the origins of human bipedality. Current Biology, 2012; 22 (6): R180 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.01.052

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120323134409.htm

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Mini DVD R | Computers and Technology

DVD-R or the digital versatile disk recorders can be ideally used for storing still pictures, digital audios, graphics, and data sharing. The mini DVD-R is the perfect option for sharing data, and comes in handy at business presentations and conventions. The compact disc size of 3 1/8 inches has a storing capacity of about 1.46 G B. This roughly translates to 30 minutes of audio or video recording.

These write-once discs are highly popular with consumers and have high compatibility with all major DVD-R brands of recorders, DVD Rom drives, DVD players and DVD-R camcorders. Downloads from the Internet can also be stored.

These mini DVD-Rs are easy to transport and are ideal for archiving. They have a shelf capacity ranging from 30 to 100 years and are a trusted way of storing valuable data. This feature gains all the more importance once you realize no matter how efficient the computer, there is always a risk of things going awry. If your system crashes, you will end up

losing all precious data and records. Therefore, it is always best to keep DVD-Rs handy because of their large storage capacity, their compactness, easy mobility and high shelf life. Using a high quality organic dye, the mini DVD-R ensures highly reliable audio and video quality and is readily available in the market.

If you are interested in buying a mini DVD-R, the best place to start searching is the web. You will come across innumerable companies offering attractive discounts and bargains.

Do remember to check out the quality of the DVD-Rs, especially in terms of their resistance to heat and ultra-violet rays. Most DVD-Rs have a high shelf life and come with a limited lifetime warranty.

Do a comparative study of a few websites and see what they are offering. This way you will be able to buy a mini DVD-R at a competitive rate.

DVDR provides detailed information about DVD Rs, DVDRs, DVD R discs, and more. DVDR is affiliated with Mini DV Tapes.

Source: http://www.mwstm.com/2012/03/24/Mini-DVD-R/

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Saturday, 24 March 2012

Dutch Catholic Church Castrated Abused Children for 'Homosexual Behavior' (Little green footballs)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/214745799?client_source=feed&format=rss

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thatched roof - Adding Island Ambience to the Back Yard with ...











Gazebos and pergolas have been popular outdoor structures for centuries, enjoyed for the architectural interest that they add to back yards and gardens, as well as for the setting that they can provide for outdoor living areas. Whether ordered as a do-it-yourself kit or custom installed, they are an effective way to bring style into the garden. When the open frame of these structures isn't enough to offer shade from hot sun and relief from hot weather, however, homeowners may find themselves longing for some type of roofing. A thatched roof can be a good option. For back yards planted and decorated in an island style, it is the ideal solution.

Tropical themes are becoming an increasingly popular design style for homes and gardens. The world's recent economic challenges have homeowners rethinking taking expensive vacations. Instead, many of them are choosing to invest in home improvements that will enhance the quality of their life at home. Decorating with an eye to establishing the right mood and atmosphere has become as important as purchasing furnishing and landscaping products. Particularly outdoors, island decor gives households the ambience of a tropical vacation, at a fraction of the expense.

Thatch is most often made from cured palm leaves. The palm leaves are harvested, boiled and laid out in the sun to dry. They are then braided together into rolls that can be easily applied in overlapping layers to either covered or framed structures. Some thatch is available in panels that can be applied in the same manner as the rolls. For a long-lasting thatched roof, synthetic thatch is another alternative.

A thatched roof structure in the back yard calls for other design elements that will enhance the island style. Climbing vines with tropical-looking flowers, such as clematis or bougainvillea, will frame a gazebo or pergola with living color. Large-leafed plants like rhododendrons or palms can be planted either in the ground or in large containers. A structure made with bamboo poles instantly establishes a tropical look. Applying bamboo slats or poles to an existing gazebo or pergola is another option.

A thatched canopy provides the ideal setting for an outdoor seating or dining area. Patio furniture made from natural materials like wood, bamboo, rattan or wicker complement the island style. Cushions covered in fabrics with tropical prints enhance the look. A bamboo mat, pendant lighting and a tiki statue add to the tropical theme. Accessories like outdoor heaters allows the family to enjoy their new island paradise throughout the year.

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Friday, 23 March 2012

Garden Equipment ? What Do You Really Need | Gardening Tools ...

By? Piper Cox

If you go to a home improvement store you will see rows and rows of power equipment made specifically for the garden. There are mowers and blowers and edgers and trimmers. You would have to build a very large shed to house all this equipment! But you don?t need it all, even though the salesman may tell you that you do. Most gardeners can get by with just a few basic tools when it comes to power equipment for the yard.

Lawn Mower
Every home owner needs some type of lawn mower. That is if you have grass to maintain! There are many different types of mowers to choose from. Do you want a gas mower or one that is powered by electricity? Riding or push? Bagging or Mulch? There is a lot to think about when it comes to choosing the perfect mower for your yard. Here are a few things to consider:

* Size of yard. If you have a small yard you can get an electric or cordless mower. These mowers are quiet and inexpensive to run and maintain. However, if you have a corded mower the cord length will restrict your movement so they are best for very small yards. Cordless mowers usually will allow you to mow about 1/3 acre before they lose their charge. Small yards are usually best for push mowers since you don?t really have the room to turn a riding mower.
* Bagging or mulching. If you have green waste pick up in your area you may want to consider a bagging mower. You can then send the clippings to your community composting site. If you don?t have a community site, you can start your own compost pile and add your grass clippings to it. If isn?t an option, consider a mulching mower. These mowers cut the clippings into small pieces so they will fall back into the grass and decompose.

Tiller
A garden tiller is one of those pieces of garden equipment that you either really need or you can do without. If you have a small yard or mostly grass, you won?t have much need for a tiller. However, if you have a large garden or flower beds a tiller will help make short work of breaking up the soil and preparing it for planting.

Garden tillers, like mowers, come in a variety of sizes and styles. If you have a large yard or garden you will probably want a large, gas powered tiller. These tillers are large enough to cut through tough soil in a large area. You will need to make sure you have gas on hand so you can finish a job! A gas tiller will need regular maintenance to keep the motor running properly.

If your yard is small or you want to work around shrubs and trees, a mini tiller is a good choice. These tillers generally have only two small tines and are light weight and easy to maneuver. You can find small tillers in both gas and electric models. The electric tillers are quieter to run and are virtually maintenance free.

There are other types of power garden equipment such as leaf blowers, edgers, hedge trimmers, etc. Most of this equipment is only necessary if your yard requires it. For instance, if your property is surrounded by a beautiful boxwood hedge, you will need a hedge trimmer. However, the average gardener would not have a need for that tool.

Powered garden equipment can help make your yard work easier and more efficient. Do your research and decide which type of equipment you must have for your yard. Yard work will be a joy with any of these great tools!

Piper is a freelance writer who enjoys fitness, good nutrition, and the outdoors. She loves to work in the yard and using her lawn mower to make the lawn look great! She enjoys nature, reading and most of all gardening! She loves to tell others about the advantages of a small garden tiller to make working in the garden a breeze!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Piper_Cox

Source: http://www.pahcollective.com/garden-equipment-what-do-you-really-need.html

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Relationships: in Movies | Weddingbee

I?m a member of the Facebook group, ?Everything I Know About Relationships I Learned from Romantic Comedies.? Sadly, that statement is probably more true than I would like to admit and it actually caused some problems early on in the Pin Cushion relationship. Expectations were not always fair, or based on reality.

But can you blame me? (yes, you can.) Relationships in most movies, not just romantic comedies, hardly ever resemble relationships in real life. For example, take the last three movies I?ve seen: *Please Note: Spoiler Alert*

1) Drive. Ryan Gosling will do anything to keep his love, Carey Mulligan, safe. Including killing people and smashing a man?s skull in with his foot. That is extreme love.

2) No Strings Attached. A movie about people having casual sex that amazingly turns into true love.

3) The Princess Bride. Buttercup is cruel to farm boy, Westley, but he loves her regardless. Also, their love endures years of separation. And he comes back from the dead for her.

Pretty unrealistic portrayals of love, right? But occasionally, a movie comes around that feels so real.

The Story of Us

Relationships: in Movies :  wedding oakland 482 003

[From Cinema.com]

Such an amazing movie. When I watched this with my dad, he cried. And later, when I watched it with Mr. Pin Cushion, after we?d been together for a while, we both cried. It?s hard to watch because the movie does such an amazing job of showing the difficulties of relationships.

500 Days of Summer

Relationships: in Movies :  wedding oakland 1203356

[From Flixster.com]

Ugh. The sequences in this movie that show expectations versus reality are brilliant. Brilliant because I have had the same thoughts go through my head a thousand times. You hope and expect a situation to go a certain way, and reality never quite matches that expectation.

The Break-Up

Relationships: in Movies :  wedding oakland The2bb

[From ProdigalFilmStudent.wordpress.com]

Though this movie is definitely an extreme, it shows how hard and difficult and ridiculous relationship fighting can be. When watching this, I so clearly identified with Jennifer Aniston?s character and could not see how anyone could side with Vince Vaughn. And though Mr. PC thought that Mr. Vaughn was ?kind of an a-hole? he also was completely disgusted by how Ms. Aniston acts throughout the movie as well.

I think the division in this movie comes down to one interaction between the two main characters, when Brooke is angry that Gary didn?t wash the dishes after a dinner party:

Brooke: ?I don?t want you to wash the dishes, I want you to want to do the dishes!?
Gary: ?Why would I want to wash the dishes??

Right there. I understand Brooke completely. And Mr. PC understands Gary completely. Genius.

What relationship movies are your favorite? Which do you connect with the most??I?d love to add your recommendations to my Netflix queue!

(Also, have you seen The Break-Up? Who did you side with in the movie?)

Source: http://www.weddingbee.com/2012/03/22/relationships-in-movies/

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