Google+ trends: Andy Roddick, Clint Eastwood

Google+ users are discussing Andy Roddick's announcement that he will retire after the US Open and Clint Eastwood's standup comedy routine on Friday, August 31.?

American tennis player Andy Roddick is causing waves on the internet Friday after announcing plans to retire following the US Open. Former number one, Roddick, now aged 30, is the last North American male tennis player to win a grand slam singles event -- the 2003 US Open.

Having beaten American Rhyne Williams 6-3,6-4, 6-4 on August 28, Roddick will now take on Australian Bernard Tomic in the second round of the US Open.

Also causing buzz among Google+ users is actor and director Clint Eastwood's Thursday performance in Tampa, Florida. The legendary actor took to the stage at the Republican National Convention for a "comedy" routine -- with a chair, representing, Barack Obama. Clint Eastwood's routine can be watched on YouTube at: http://goo.gl/fMB4h?

?The top 5 most talked about topics on Google+ on August 31 at 10:45 AM GMT are: ?

01. Andy Roddick
02. Clint Eastwood
03. #FloralFriday
04. Samsung
05. Mitt Romney

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/google-trends-andy-roddick-clint-eastwood-102333195.html

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Subsea World News - BAS Scientists Involved in NASA Mission (UK)

NASA?s Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP), the first twin-spacecraft mission designed to explore the Earth?s radiation belts, launched into the predawn skies on Thursday 30 August 2012 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

As NASA?s UK Co-investigator the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is involved in the particle instrument part of the mission.

Professor Richard Horne or BAS said, ?The Earth?s radiation belts contain high energy charged particles that circulate around the Earth. They are a danger to satellites and can damage electronic components. During space weather events the number of trapped particles can change dramatically, by up to 100,000 fold over a period of a few hours. The mission is designed to help us understand what causes the variations and how these charged particles are accelerated up to such high energies.?

John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA?s Science Mission Directorate at Headquarters in Washington said, ?Scientists will learn in unprecedented detail how the radiation belts are populated with charged particles, what causes them to change and how these processes affect the upper reaches of the atmosphere around Earth. The information collected from these probes will benefit the public by allowing us to better protect our satellites and understand how space weather affects communications and technology on Earth.?

The two satellites, each weighing just less than 1,500 pounds, comprise the first dual-spacecraft mission specifically created to investigate this hazardous region of near-Earth space, known as the radiation belts. These two belts, named for their discoverer, James Van Allen, encircle the planet and are filled with highly charged particles. The belts are affected by solar storms and coronal mass ejections and sometimes swell dramatically. When this occurs, they can pose dangers to communications, GPS satellites and human spaceflight.

Professor Horne said also, ?By using two satellites we can determine whether the particles are being transported inwards towards the planet, or outwards away from the planet. Our collaboration with scientists at University of California, Los Angeles, suggests that very low frequency radio waves accelerate the particles to very high energies. These waves are generated by natural processes in space, but they are also observed at BAS?s Halley Research Station in Antarctica. We have suggested that if wave acceleration is dominant then the particles should be accelerated and then transported outwards away from the planet.

?BAS uses large computer codes to make forecasts of the Earth?s radiation belts to help protect satellites on orbit. This is done via the EU FP7 SPACECAST project which BAS leads. Data from RBSP will help us improve these forecasts so that satellite operators can take action to prevent satellite damage.?

Press Release, August 30, 2012

Source: http://subseaworldnews.com/2012/08/30/bas-scientists-involved-in-nasa-mission-uk/

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A look at tech companies with recent IPOs

This week, Pandora became the latest of the newly traded tech companies to report earnings. Here's a look at earnings reports from some tech companies that had IPOs since last year. The companies are all loosely Internet-related, though their businesses vary widely.

? July 25: Zynga Inc. says it lost money and received less revenue than anticipated in the second quarter because "CityVille," ''FarmVille" and other games are not attracting as many paying players as they should. Its stock tanked and dragged Facebook's shares as well because the social networking icon relies on Zynga for a good chunk of its revenue ? 12 percent last year. Revenue fell below Wall Street forecast, while expenses grew. The company says the number of players increased only because it got more players from its acquisition of OMGPop, the maker of the mobile game "Draw Something." Zynga began trading on Dec. 16, 2011.

Angie's List Inc. reports that its losses are still piling up as the company spends more to lure people to its online business-review service and persuade them to pay to see ratings on everything from plastic surgeons to sewer cleaners. Angie's List began trading on Nov. 17, 2011.

? July 26: Facebook Inc. says revenue grew 32 percent to $1.18 billion in the second quarter, slightly above analyst expectations. It had a net loss of 8 cents per share, mainly due to stock compensation expenses following its IPO. Adjusted earnings of 12 cents per share matched Wall Street's expectations. Investors weren't impressed and after a brief spike, Facebook's stock tumbled. It was Facebook's first quarterly earnings report since public trading began on May 18, 2012. Facebook now has 955 million users, up about 50 million during the quarter.

? Aug. 1: Online review site Yelp Inc. reports a smaller net loss and sharply higher revenue than Wall Street expected, surpassing analysts at a time when many of its fellow freshly public Internet companies are taking a beating from investors. Its outlook was also better than anticipated. Yelp began trading publicly on March 2, 2012.

? Aug. 2: LinkedIn Corp.'s net income fell in the latest quarter as the professional networking site spent more money to grow its business. But revenue grew faster than expected, and the company raised its forecast for the year. LinkedIn began trading publicly on May 19, 2011.

? Aug. 7: Jive Software Inc., which makes Facebook-type social networks for businesses, reports a smaller loss and higher revenue. But the midpoint of its full-year guidance falls below analysts' expectations. It began trading on Dec. 13, 2011.

? Aug. 13: Online deals website Groupon Inc. says its quarterly earnings beat Wall Street's profit estimates, but it underwhelmed analysts with sales growth hurt by unfavorable currency movements. A weaker euro and U.K. pound meant that sales made in Europe got converted back into fewer U.S. dollars. Groupon began trading publicly on Nov. 4, 2011.

? Aug. 14: Shares of Angie's List suffers the biggest one-day drop and closes at a new low following the expiration of a ban that had prevented some investors from dumping millions of additional shares. The price dropped, even though there was no word on whether any of the major investors had dumped their shares.

? Aug. 16: Facebook's stock hits all-time low after the expiration of a similar ban.

? Aug. 20: Facebook's stock trades below $19 ? half its IPO price ? for the first time, though it bounces back to close at $20.01. It's disclosed that Peter Thiel, one of Facebook's earliest investors and a member of its board, was among the insiders selling stock after a lockup expired a few days earlier.

? Wednesday: Pandora Media Inc. reported results that resonated well on Wall Street, even though the Internet radio service's losses widened. The setback was offset by evidence that Pandora's efforts to attract more listeners and sell more advertising on mobile devices are paying off. And Pandora's management predicted the company's performance in the current quarter will be better than analysts had expected.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/look-tech-companies-recent-ipos-214354594.html

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Invention of Mobile

Mobile telephones have altered the globe of communication. From the initial call built in 1946 on one of only a handful of moveable phones to any one of a typical millions, likely billions of calls made today, the mobile or cell phone has altered this method of communication forever and a day. The mobile telephone is either the largest invention of the twentieth century or the most demanding. It is unquestionable that your particular technology behind the cellular telephone is one of the highest quality inventions and that advances in technology keep making the cell phone progressively a wants device.

It was n't until 1973 when Dr. Martin Cooper, former general manager of the Systems division at Motorola, was credited with making the first ever call on a moveable cell phone-a prerogative he enjoyed as its chief creator. Ironically, the first call was made to the head of lab at Bell, their chief rival. Perhaps this was actually fitting since Bell was responsible inventing the crude cell that was designed to be used in prowl car in the 40s. Four years later, Bell made a prototype that was used on trial in Chicago by up to two thousand people. Two years what is going to, in a completely not related speculation, a separate operation was undertaken in Tokyo. There was considerable international buzz about the new technology as it went from being something existing only in science fiction to something that seems imminently.   In 1981 Motorola joined with American Radio Telephone to start a second U.S. cell system test in Washington and Buffalo. The movement was gathering impulse, and by 1982 the FCC finally empowered commercial cellular services for the United States. Ameritech made the first American commercial parallel cellular service available in Chicago. Still, the technology was expensive and it was far from being as accessible as phones are today. But by 1987 cellphone subscribers exceeded one million and airways were crowded together.   The 90s brought on a new wave of cell phone technology that ushered in the modern era where one is one of the average person.   Day to Day Life.   The cellphone changed all of a typical questioning. Now, mothers could call and find out if their children carry it to their destination without any misadventures. Husbands could tell their wives when they were running late.   If they weren't enquiring about someone's whereabouts they were wishing they had thought of to tell them something before they were away from their office or home phone. Maybe it was to stop and pick up the kids or to go by the bank because they loan officer called. Whatever the reason, before the invention of the cell phone, they would have to wait to see them and so send them back out to appeal to the issue.   Emergencies.   Cell phone service has been responsible saving more lives than is definitely accounted for. Were someone try and put a number thereon, it would doubtless be in the millions, simply due to being able to contact help wherever you are located. Doctors can easily stay in touch along with their answering service every single time, making them more available in the case of emergencies.   Cell phones have grown key pieces of equipment in search and rescue operations. The chances are very good that a person who gets lost will have a cell phone. The cell phone may be geographically followed using navigation tools and GPS which happens to be built into most new cell phones. There have been completely numerous cases of trampers lost in the woods who were only found due their cell phones.   Law Enforcement.   In addition to hunt for criminals, law enforcement now go through about offences faster than ever before. The hesitating citizen who doesn't want to discover involved physically involved in a happening crime will most oft call it in to the police. This pays law enforcement a start on capturing criminals.   Cell phones that include video recording can really film the offense it turns out, offering grounds that is positive in court.   Business Communication.   Gone are the days when a deal is lost come from not being at work. Nowadays, deal can be sealed while on vacation. The mobile telephone has made the office open All day every day in some cases. Being out of the office is no longer an option because most business people are tethered to their office during their cell phones.   Technology has brought the office to the cell phone with the addition of smart phones and email via the telephone. Documents can be sent, reexamined and sent back all while being on the go.   The Flip Side.   With cell phones the workday is never over and time spent with family or friends can be perpetually off and on unless the tools is powered off. There are safety issues besides with cell phones. Drivers who can't wait up to the point they are stopped to have a conversation run a much greater risk to be in an accident. Using an earpiece helps the problem but does not avoid it beeing the focus is still on the conversation.

http://mobileworldlimited.com/invention-of-mobile/

http://mobileworldlimited.com

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Source: http://www.freepressreleases.com/invention-mobile/227188

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California Wine Valley Tours

It is partly down to th e cosmopolitan, layered history of the state with no small influence from Spanish and Italian winemakers being prevalent in grape varieties used and partly to the quality of the soil and the climatic conditions in California that wine drinkers think so fondly of many Californian labels.

Source: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/127919179/California-Wine-Valley-Tours

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Shading Earth: Delivering solar geoengineering materials to combat global warming may be feasible and affordable

ScienceDaily (Aug. 29, 2012) ? A cost analysis of the technologies needed to transport materials into the stratosphere to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth and therefore reduce the effects of global climate change has shown that they are both feasible and affordable.

Published August 31, 2012, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, the study has shown that the basic technology currently exists and could be assembled and implemented in a number of different forms for less than USD $5 billion a year.

Put into context, the cost of reducing carbon dioxide emissions is currently estimated to be between 0.2 and 2.5 per cent of GDP in the year 2030, which is equivalent to roughly USD $200 to $2000 billion.

Solar radiation management (SRM) looks to induce the effects similar to those observed after volcanic eruptions; however, the authors state that it is not a preferred strategy and that such a claim could only be made after the thorough investigation of the implications, risks and costs associated with these issues.

The authors caution that reducing incident sunlight does nothing at all to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, nor the resulting increase in the acid content of the oceans. They note that other research has shown that the effects of solar radiation management are not uniform, and would cause different temperature and precipitation changes in different countries.

Co-author of the study, Professor Jay Apt, said: "As economists are beginning to explore the role of several types of geoengineering, it is important that a cost analysis of SRM is carried out. The basic feasibility of SRM with current technology is still being disputed and some political scientists and policy makers are concerned about unilateral action."

In the study, the researchers, from Aurora Flight Sciences, Harvard University and Carnegie Mellon University, performed an engineering cost analysis on six systems capable of delivering 1-5 million metric tonnes of material to altitudes of 18-30 km: existing aircraft, a new airplane designed to perform at altitudes up to 30 km, a new hybrid airship, rockets, guns and suspended pipes carrying gas or slurry to inject the particles into the atmosphere.

Based on existing research into solar radiation management, the researchers performed their cost analyses for systems that could deliver around one million tonnes of aerosols each year at an altitude between 18 and 25 km and between a latitude range of 30?N and 30?S.

The study concluded that using aircraft is easily within the current capabilities of aerospace engineering, manufacturing and operations. The development of new, specialized aircraft appeared to be the cheapest option, with costs of around $1 to $2 billion a year; existing aircraft would be more expensive as they are not optimized for high altitudes and would need considerable and expensive modifications to do so.

Guns and rockets appeared to be capable of delivering materials at high altitudes but the costs associated with these are much higher than those of airplanes and airships due to their lack of reusability.

Although completely theoretical at this point in time, a large gas pipe, rising to 20 km in the sky and suspended by helium-filled floating platforms, would offer the lowest recurring cost-per-kilogram of particles delivered but the costs of research into the materials required, the development of the pipe and the testing to ensure safety, would be high; the whole system carries a large uncertainty.

Professor Apt continued: "We hope our study will help other scientists looking at more novel methods for dispersing particles and help them to explore methods with increased efficiency and reduced environmental risk."

The researchers make it clear that they have not sought to address the science of aerosols in the stratosphere, nor issues of risk, effectiveness or governance that will add to the costs of solar radiation management geoengineering.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Institute of Physics (IOP).

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Justin McClellan, David W Keith, Jay Apt. Cost analysis of stratospheric albedo modification delivery systems. Environmental Research Letters, 2012; 7 (3): 034019 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/7/3/034019

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/f4HU3wq1cNc/120830191017.htm

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Canada: Stakeholders Approve $6 Bln Petronas ... - LNG World News

Progress Energy Resources Corp. announced that the holders of common shares of Progress? have approved the proposed acquisition of Progress by PETRONAS Carigali Canada Ltd. pursuant to a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act. Under the Arrangement, holders of common shares will receive $22.00 in cash per common share held.

The Arrangement was approved by approximately 99.85% of the votes cast by Progress shareholders present or represented by proxy at the special meeting of securityholders held today. The Arrangement was also approved by approximately 99.99% of the principal amount of the 2014 Debentures and 99.98% of the principal amount of the 2016 Debentures voted on the Arrangement resolution. Assuming an effective date of September 25 2012, the cash consideration under the Arrangement for each $1,000 principal amount of debentures, excluding accrued interest and notional interest, is approximately $1,265 for the 2014 Debentures and $1,213 for the 2016 Debentures.

Progress also announced that PETRONAS Canada and Progress have received a No-Action Letter from the Commissioner of Competition under the Competition Act with respect to the Arrangement. The No-Action Letter confirms that the Commissioner has reviewed the Arrangement and concluded that she does not, at this time, intend to make an application for a remedial order under section 92 of the Act.

LNG World News Staff, August 30, 2012

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Source: http://www.lngworldnews.com/canada-stakeholders-approve-usd-6-bln-deal-of-petronas-and-progress-energy/

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Buffett, near 82, reflects on staying in Nebraska

FILE - In this May 7, 2012, file photo Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, laughs during an interview in Omaha, Neb. Omaha won?t throw a bash for Buffett?s 82nd birthday on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, but his hometown is grateful the billionaire never considered leaving Omaha behind because he has bolstered the city?s reputation and attracted thousands of tourists. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

FILE - In this May 7, 2012, file photo Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, laughs during an interview in Omaha, Neb. Omaha won?t throw a bash for Buffett?s 82nd birthday on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, but his hometown is grateful the billionaire never considered leaving Omaha behind because he has bolstered the city?s reputation and attracted thousands of tourists. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) ? Omaha won't throw a bash for Warren Buffett's 82nd birthday on Thursday, and that's just fine with the billionaire investor.

The decidedly low-key lifestyle in Omaha, where Buffett was born and where he's lived continuously since 1956, is a key reason he chose to remain there rather than trade up to a city with a splashier skyline or new digs closer to Wall Street.

"If I had to live some other place I'd be fine doing it, but I can't think of a better place to live than Omaha," Buffett said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Buffett was born in Omaha in 1930 and spent the first 12 years of his life in Nebraska's largest city until his father was elected to Congress. After earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska, Buffett didn't return full-time to Omaha until he got his master's in economics at Columbia University and worked in New York for a few years.

He and his first wife, Susie, wanted their children to grow up in Omaha, so they returned to the Midwest city to plant roots.

Buffett didn't plan to start an investment partnership until a few family members and friends persuaded him to do so. But his success with the partnership before he liquidated it allowed Buffett to take control of Berkshire Hathaway in the 1960s and gradually transform the textile company into a conglomerate that today owns more than 80 businesses.

Buffett is known for investing in quality businesses that have fallen out of favor with the market, and he said being in Omaha helped him do that.

"In some places it's easy to lose perspective. But I think it's very easy to keep perspective in a place like Omaha," he said.

Buffett said being far from Wall Street actually helped him.

"It's very easy to think clearly here. You're undisturbed by irrelevant factors and the noise generally of business investments," Buffett said. "If you can't think clearly in Omaha, you're not going to think clearly anyplace."

In the city of 415,000, Buffett can drive the 20 blocks from his home to his office in about 5 minutes.

"I would find a long commute quite irritating even if I did it under favorable circumstances ? even if I had a driver," Buffett said. "I like being in the home and I like being in the office, and I'm not keen on in between."

Buffett said he's never been tempted to move, and that he doubts the company will ever move, either, because he said the two dozen people who work at Berkshire Hathaway's headquarters also like living in Omaha.

Previously, Buffett had said his successor should continue working wherever he or she thinks best, so it wasn't clear whether Berkshire's headquarters could move. Now, Buffett said he doesn't see any reason for his successor to move Berkshire.

"No, it won't be moved," Buffett said.

That's a relief to Omaha boosters who appreciate the people Buffett attracts to the city and the way he promotes the city outside of Nebraska.

The benefits to Omaha are most visible each spring when tens of thousands of Berkshire shareholders arrive for the company's annual meeting. No one knows exactly how much the company benefits Omaha's economy, but local business owners say it clearly does.

Diana Abbott, whose store sells books at Berkshire's annual meeting, said the event generates phenomenal sales, but the intangible ways Buffett helps Omaha may be even more important.

"You say Omaha, they think Warren Buffett," said Abbott, manager of the Bookworm. "It has really improved the reputation of Omaha, especially internationally," Abbott said.

Buffett readily lent his image to campaigns promoting Omaha, and he's featured prominently on the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce's website.

"He's kind of our iconic image for the community," said David Brown, the chamber's president and CEO. "This is a special place because he's here."

Berkshire Hathaway has made a number of people wealthy, and many of its early investors were from Omaha.

Dozens of those early Berkshire investors have become philanthropists who focused their donations on Omaha. Many of the city's biggest projects over the past decade bear the name of Berkshire shareholders.

"That's an important asset for this community," Brown said.

Former Omaha Mayor and Congressman Hal Daub agreed that generous shareholders have helped the city.

"Where would Omaha be without Berkshire Hathaway?" he said.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said the presence of Berkshire's headquarters is probably more important than the annual meeting because it helps improve the city's image nationally and boost philanthropy.

Of course, most large corporations, including Omaha-based Union Pacific and ConAgra Foods, employ hundreds or thousands of people at headquarters, not the 24 Berkshire employs. Berkshire makes up for its tiny headquarters with Buffett's visibility. When the so-called Oracle of Omaha speaks, investors listen, so financial news organizations readily travel to the city for Buffett interviews.

"It does bring greater visibility than other Fortune 500 companies," Goss said.

For Buffett, the decision to remain in Omaha seems primarily a matter of personal happiness.

"There's plenty of other places I like, but the one I love is Omaha," Buffett said. "The weather may be a little better some other place else, but that really doesn't make much difference to me in terms of how I feel about enjoying life."

___

Follow Josh Funk on Twitter at www.twitter.com/funkwrite

___

Online:

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.: www.berkshirehathaway.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-08-29-Buffett's%20Omaha/id-9df79d33b91a43c6bca2f2b7009cd29f

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CalCoastNews: Democratic Party withholds SLO mayor endorsement - http://t.co/0CVP27IE

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Source: http://twitter.com/CalCoastNews/statuses/241185836098547712

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Video: Euro on the Rise?

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/48815240/

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Jabra Solemate Review: This Fresh Looking Bluetooth Speaker Won't Party [Lightning Review]

Jabra's new Solemate looks like the fancy sneakers your favorite rappers wear. But does it sound good and more importantly can it party? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bd-9ZpRPORo/jabra-solemate-review-this-fresh-looking-bluetooth-speaker-wont-party

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Maximize Your Business Leads with Facebook and LinkedIn ...

Throughout time, businesses, especially local-based operations, depended largely on what was known once as word-of-mouth that is now, in the full impetus of the online marketing generation, is known as networking.

Online networking basically comes in two formats ? either for business to business or business to consumer. Business to business networking can mean becoming a member of a local marketing Forum who offers to meet on a weekly or even monthly basis to discuss latest trends in the local business community.

Well most of the people at these meetings may not be involved in the same business; they will use these meeting places as an informal means of gathering local information that may result in contact and sales. In some cases networking forums of this nature may become national, multiplying opportunities to harvest leads.

As far as making contacts online with the same goal of lead gathering then one of the biggest mediums these days is undoubtedly LinkedIn, whose member base is growing at a tremendous rate. LinkedIn houses trade forums for every sector of business as well as for service providers covering every trade and industry sector. For any business, large or small, having an employee of two active on LinkedIn is a very worthwhile investment.

Tremendously larger in scale but on a similar theme is Facebook. It goes without saying that the networking possibilities on this media giant are totally unlimited. Geared towards the business to consumer sector, maintaining a Facebook page can bring tremendous opportunities and will generate a tremendous number of business leads. What must be remembered when launching a Facebook page is to be ready for the massive influx of potential clientele and remember that these leads will generally be one off in nature.

For business owners who are looking for trade in the consumer sector and find the prospect of dealing with Facebook just a little daunting, a little research may help them to find local consumer marketing websites where they can establish a presence.? The obvious advantage for any marketing company that finds such a niche is that they will be a big fish in a small pool instead of being one of many hundreds of thousands reaching out for a market which will probably be less than relevant to them because of the geographical distances involved.

When it comes to setting a marketing leads harvesting policy, companies should sit down and decide exactly what they?re looking for and how to go about it with the minimum costs and maximum effect.? Being able to identify where the best opportunities lie to harvest marketing leads will save a lot of time, money and effort.

?

Tim has been assisting businesses with their promotional activities online and offline. Tim comes from a brand support background, where he helped businesses with?promotional magnets and pens. Over the last 4 years, Tim has been an active contributor in the business community.

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Source: http://blog.buyrealmarketing.com/social-media-6110/2012-08-29/maximize-your-business-leads-with-facebook-and-linkedin-networking.html

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Does Your Startup Need A Technical Co-Founder?

In today?s startup landscape, practically everything can be outsourced. But when it comes to core technical skills, more and more entrepreneurs are opting to partner with technical co-founders rather than hiring someone for an in-house position. So how do you decide what?s right for your new company?

To find the best way to integrate core technical skills into a start up, we asked eight successful young entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) whether startups need tech-oriented founders.

1. How Innovative Is Your Technology?

If you want to start a tech company, you must understand the space. You don?t need to be a developer, but at minimum you need to have the background to know what traits a superstar developer has. It also depends on how innovative your technology is - if you?re using existing platforms and delivery methods, you can definitely hire out a great team to run your company. But if the tech itself is what you?re innovating, you need to understand what is happening inside your business. - Laura Roeder, LKR

2. You Need To Know Tech Basics

I really believe that what?s most important for a founder is the ability to have a vision for the company, make sales and hire well. That being said, when you?re in the startup phase, you need to be able to get stuff done ? and that means you need to at least have some basic tech skills. It will also help you to hire better, and understand what?s possible and what?s not possible in terms of technology. - Nathalie Lussier, Nathalie Lussier Media

3. Tech Knowledge Is Cost-Effective

I may be biased - as I am a graphic designer with programming, Web and marketing skills - but to me it is highly important that a founder have some tech skills. We use technology in every business, from online sales and shipping to mobile Web. Being able to change your website on the fly based off a new analytic has been key in growing our online business. Understanding how to harness social media and being up to speed with the newest trending platforms allows us to be everywhere. This being done in-house means more revenue stays with us, compared to hiring a firm or paying a employee who requires training and possible review process, slowing down the speed of business and still adding a layer of time effort to the management team. - Jerry Piscitelli, Portopong LLC

4. You Need Basics, Hire For The Rest?

There?s a big difference between not knowing intense coding and not knowing anything at all about the space. For a founder to be able to navigate the industry, it?s important that he/she knows enough about trends in the industry and has a basic understanding of tech. One of the worst things I?ve seen are very non-technical VC?s teaming up and opening tech companies. Sometimes their idea for a company has already been done and not worked, but the founders don?t know that because they haven?t been in the field long enough. - Caitlin McCabe, Real Bullets Branding

5. Tech Skills Help, But Aren?t Necessary

As an Internet entrepreneur, tech skills are certainly helpful (at the very least so you know when you?re paying a fair fee when outsourcing), but they?re most definitely not necessary. I started TheBeautyBean.com barely knowing what WordPress was, let alone how to run a website. Sure, I?ve made mistakes (likely more with regard to technology than a founder with tech skills would have), but founders can?t be good at everything ? and I make fewer mistakes in other areas. All entrepreneurs have to outsource parts of their businesses in order to use their skills most effectively. For me, that means outsourcing tech. And so far it?s worked quite well. Knowing your weaknesses is far more essential than not having any. - Alexis Wolfer, The Beauty Bean

6. Buy It, Share It, Or Be It?

If you are unable to build your own tech product, you only have three options: 1. Pay a company to build your product, which could cost $80,000 to $100,000 for an initial app and website, and even more as you add features and improve your product in response to customer feedback. 2. Give up equity in your company. Software programmers are in extremely high demand - you?re competing with Facebook, Google and thousands of other startups. Very early-stage startups may have to give up as much as 30% of their company to bring on a rockstar programmer. 3. Learn to build the product yourself. This is the most time-consuming option, but is often the best. By doing so, you could save capital and equity, and at the very least, adopt the skill set to better oversee options #1 and #2. - Doug Bend, Bend Law Group, PC

7. Communication Skills Are Even More Important

I was a sociology major in college. When I started my social network, I didn?t have any tech skills. What I did have, however, was a lot of passion for my idea and the ability to communicate the vision that I wanted to create. What I?ve found is that you don?t necessarily need to have tech skill yourself, but you do need to be able to clearly communicate your vision to others, to excite them to join you in your journey. - Eric Bahn, Beat The GMAT

8. Develop Tech Skills As You Grow

I?ve learned most of my tech skills on the job. Currently, I?m teaching myself to program in Python. I?ve been in business for years and I?m always picking up a new skill set. You don?t need too much in the way of tech skills right out of the gate. You?ll learn a lot out of sheer self-defense as you go along, especially if you need to judge the work of technical hires or sell a technical product. That said, being an entrepreneur is easier if you?ve got at least some of the skills that you?ll need to execute your idea in place before you start. - Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting

The Young Entrepreneur Council?(YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world?s most promising young entrepreneurs. The YEC recently published?#FixYoungAmerica: How to Rebuild Our Economy and Put Young Americans Back to Work (for Good), a book of 30+ proven solutions to help end youth unemployment.

Source: http://www.readwriteweb.com/start/2012/08/does-your-startup-need-a-technical-co-founder.php

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Romano's Macaroni Grill? Will Help Connect Kids to More than 1 ...

DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --?Romano's Macaroni Grill^? announced today its campaign to ignite the nationwide community to help end childhood hunger in America.?Kicking off September 1, 2012, the company will partner with Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign to help connect kids to 1 Million Meals through a platform that includes in-restaurant promotions, social sharing activations and a blogger call-to-action.

"One in five children in America struggle with hunger?that's a staggering number," said Romano's Macaroni Grill Chief Marketing Officer, Brandon Coleman III. "No Kid Hungry has dedicated years to creating a program to help end the crisis, and we are thrilled to be a partner. Macaroni Grill's campaign to help connect children in need with 1 Million Meals will live both online and in our restaurants, rallying a nationwide community to help those who are struggling."

GIVE
	Throughout the entire month of September, Macaroni Grill diners can donate $2 to No Kid Hungry and receive $5 off their next visit.?Each donation can help connect a child in need to up to 20 meals.
SHARE
	Every time a fan shares a photo from the Mac Grill Give Facebook Gallery, Macaroni Grill will donate $1 to help connect a kid to 10 meals.?
TAG
	Fans are invited to tag a Tweet or Instagram photo of their Macaroni Grill experience with #macgrillgive.?For every tag, Macaroni Grill will donate $1 to help connect a kid to 10 meals.?

Macaroni Grill is also enlisting the food and mom blogger community to help end childhood hunger with a single post. By simply tagging #macgrillgive to a recipe, message or photo of their favorite Italian meal on their blog, Macaroni Grill will donate $50 to connect a child to up to 500 meals.??

Romano's Macaroni Grill's Share and Tag initiative is valid up to 150,000 shares, while the in-restaurant donation initiative is unlimited.

For more information, please visit: macaronigrill.com/macgrillgive, fan us: facebook.com/romanosmacaronigrill or follow us on twitter @macaronigrill

For press inquiries please contact Katy Saeger at katy@saegermediagroup.com / 310-597-2337.

About Romano's Macaroni Grill^?
Romano's Macaroni Grill is an Italian restaurant serving hand-crafted pastas and crave-able entrees in over 200 locations world-wide.?The restaurant blends 20 years of tradition, such as the honor system house wine, with progressive culinary inspiration from all regions of Italy and the U.S.? The casually-elegant atmosphere is comfortable for any occasion?from celebrating birthdays to celebrating Tuesdays. For more information, visit http://www.macaronigrill.com.

Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry^??
Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry^? is a national fundraising event that brings together thousands of restaurants and millions of consumers to help make sure no child in America grows up hungry.?Every September, participating restaurants raise funds in a variety of ways to support the No Kid Hungry^? campaign, Share Our Strength's^? national movement to end childhood hunger in America. Through Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign, $1 can help connect a child facing hunger to (10) meals. This amount is based on the individual experiences of Share Our Strength's grant recipients and is provided to illustrate how community investments can be used to help end childhood hunger. Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry is nationally sponsored by Sysco, American Express, Ecolab, ONEHOPE Wine, Food Network, Clear Channel and the National Restaurant Association. Visit DineOutForNoKidHungry.org. Share Our Strength is a non-profit 501c3 organization.

For more information, visit nokidhungry.org.

SOURCE Romano?s Macaroni Grill

Source: http://www.foodanddrinkdigital.com/press_releases/romanos-macaroni-grill-will-help-connect-kids-to-more-than-1-million-meals-through-no-kid-hungry-cam

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It's Guest Blog Wednesday featuring Michael Clark! | Scott Kelby's ...

Image by Eric Barth

?Embrace risk. That is the key to improving at anything. Without the willingness to go down the uncharted path, you will not learn, you will not improve, and you will not grow. This might sound a little preachy, but it is a life lesson I have learned again and again as a climber, a mountaineer, and a freelance photographer. Safety is an illusion. Get over it. You cannot control everything in this world. I have learned to learn from my mistakes because I learn more from my mistakes than I do from my successes. When I make a mistake I own up to it, and then plot how to avoid making that mistake again. Making a mistake is just part of the learning experience. It makes me aware of certain possibilities and outcomes. Sometimes it is only by making a mistake that you stumble onto an unexpected result, or image in this case, and by analyzing that mistake, you can create a whole new look.

Creative people need risk to ?break on through? to the next level; here I am making a reference to one of The Doors? most popular songs. The musical group creatively pushed the envelope, were unconventional (in the extreme), and took chances with their music and lyrics. I use the band as an example only to make the point that if you can?t embrace risk, your images will never be more than mediocre. And that is a sure way to underachieve.

Red Bull is a company that embraces risk and asks their photographers to do the same. I had only nine seconds total to capture the action for this B.A.S.E. jumping assignment. In this image, Jon DeVore of the Red Bull Air Force Team, is leaping off a 3,200-foot cliff in southwestern Utah in his wingsuit. I was hanging over the edge of the cliff just next to Jon as he jumped. I wore a climbing harness and was attached to three small bushes that might have held my weight but I never fully committed my weight on the rope.

As a climber, a mountaineer, and an adventurer, I implore you to get out and experience your own adventures. They might just be the best motivator for your photography. Stepping out of your comfort zone provides everyone with a chance to grow. The next step is to take the knowledge you have learned and put it into practice repeatedly and as often as possible. Dare to fail. Aim high. Dream up an image you want to create and then go out and try to create it. If you don?t get the result you want, try again and again until you do. Practice makes perfect, or at least in photography it makes your images better. Get inspired, get motivated, and get moving. That is the key to photography.?

The three paragraphs above are from my most recent book, Exposed: Inside the Life and Images of a Pro Photographer. They sum up my credo as an adventure sports photographer. Over the last sixteen years, I have pursued my craft?and my profession?with a fervent passion. I have also been fortunate to work with clients such as Nikon, Apple, Adobe, Red Bull, National Geographic, Outside, Men?s Journal, and Sports Illustrated. I have crafted an adventurous lifestyle that has allowed me to witness and document some truly remarkable feats of physical prowess.

The cover of my latest book, ?Exposed: Inside the Life and Images of a Pro Photographer?

In this blog post, I want to encourage you to ?embrace risk? and invite adventure into your life and your photography. I am not advising that anyone take huge risks physically, but a ?willingness to go down the uncharted path? and explore those things that make you uncomfortable will open up a whole new world. As an example, I will share a bit of my story and how taking on a new sport changed my life in a way I never could have imagined.

In my last year of studying physics at the University of Texas at Austin, I took a weekend rock climbing course through the outdoor recreation program. I was a shy kid. I lacked self-confidence?and I was a little afraid of the risks involved in rock climbing. But I had?and still have?an inclination to run headlong into situations I find challenging. Little did I know at the time, but that rock climbing course would be the start of a whole new career.

Over the next few years I became obsessed with climbing in all its forms: rock climbing, ice climbing and mountaineering. As I gained confidence in my skills as a climber I also gained confidence in myself. When I was a teenager I had explored photography as part of my art studies. It was climbing that brought me back to photography and it was the confidence I gained through climbing that gave me the courage to pursue a career as an adventure sports photographer. I started out shooting rock climbing, then branched out into just about every other adventure sport.

In this image, Chris Sharma is hanging from the biggest hold on this very difficult climb while ?Deep Water Soloing? in Mallorca, Spain. This image was shot early on in my career while on assignment for Men?s Journal. And yes, he is not wearing a harness or a rope. Deep Water Soloing is a form of rock climbing where you climb solo without a rope and if you fall the water catches you. I am hanging next to Sharma on a rope to get the shot.

In the beginning, I shot everything ?on spec,? meaning I went out and created the images and then licensed them to various magazines and climbing companies after the fact. This was, and still is, a risky way of doing business. I never knew where my next paycheck was coming from or when it would show up. My first big break was an assignment for Men?s Journal shooting rock climbing in Mallorca, Spain. That came to me about five years into my career. My second big break was an assignment to shoot freeriding (a cousin of mountain biking) for the first version of Adobe Lightroom. After that assignment, advertising and editorial assignments started to come more frequently and with increasing regularity.

I don?t want to give the impression that my career was a joyride on easy street?just the opposite, it was a constant struggle to make it work. Working as a freelance photographer involves an insane amount of hard work, stress and risk. For me, that risk was both physical, as an adventure photographer, and financial. Many of my early climbing trips were sponsored by VISA and MASTERCARD, both of which were stored safely in my wallet. It took me years to pay off those climbing trips and my camera gear but to this day I don?t regret it one bit. I certainly don?t recommend using your credit cards to fund your business adventure but at the time I had no other options.

Above is an image of YouTube superstar Danny MacAskill that was shot for Red Bull. Working with Danny was a supreme pleasure and his story is incredibly inspiring. His story is a perfect example of a motivated, and extremely talented individual, showing what they are capable of and reaping the benefits of being able to show that to the world, via YouTube.

Even now, sixteen years later, I can?t tell you exactly where my income will come from six or more months from now. I have to have faith that, like the last sixteen years, the assignments and the work will come to me. This certainly isn?t the job for anyone that wants some vestige of financial security in the form of a steady job. But for me, the rewards of this job are that I am able to see and create images of stupendous feats of bravery in the outdoors. My life of risk has also allowed me to follow my passions to places I never thought I would ever visit and being able to share these adventures with the world, through my clients, is a great pleasure.

It is only by pursuing risk on a continual basis that my career has grown, and blossomed into what it is today. I still seek out challenging assignments, new sports and even new genres of photography. I still long for that next adventure. If I don?t have an adventure on the horizon?something to look forward to?I start to get a little stir-crazy. I am not an adrenaline junkie, as so many ?extreme? athletes are labeled. I am just addicted to having adventures.

One of my latest passions is capturing the dynamic sport of surfing. This image of pro-surfer Dylan Longbottom surfing a barrel at Teahupo?o was shot in Tahiti specifically for my book Exposed.

When I wrote Exposed last year, I had serious doubts about the topics covered in the book and if they would be of interest to anyone at all. The idea to write about the realities of working as a professional photographer, the stories behind the images and detailing how a handful of my images were created was hashed out prior to starting the book with Ted Waitt, an editor at Peachpit. I wanted to be extremely open and honest about my experiences as a pro photographer including all of the embarrassing moments so that the reader could see how I got from A to B to C.

As an example of hard work, creating this image of professional rock climber Timy Fairfield involved lugging over 200-pounds of lighting gear and equipment up into the cave in 98-degree heat?not to mention that fact that Timy still had to climb this difficult route in very tough conditions.

When the first few reviews of Exposed came in a few months ago I was amazed. The reviews were well beyond anything I had imagined. Yet again, taking a risk paid off.

It is my hope that this blog post will at the very least make you sit up and think about how you can add some adventure to your life and inspire your photography. Embracing risk may not be easy, and it may not be pleasant, but it will certainly make life interesting?and interesting often makes for phenomenal photographs.

While shooting an assignment for Men?s Fitness with the Henry 1 Search and Rescue team in Santa Rosa, California, I saw the opportunity for this image and had only twenty minutes to create it. This image was only possible because of the digital preview available on the rear LCD of my Nikon camera, which allowed me to refine the lighting in a matter of minutes.

Thank you to Scott, Brad and the gang at Kelby Media for asking me to write a guest blog post. It is a great honor to be included among the wonderful photographers here on Scott?s blog. And thank you for taking the time to read this guest blog post.

If you would like to read more about the adventures behind my images and how they were created please check out my book, Exposed: Inside the Life and Images of a Pro Photographer.

You can see more of Michael?s work at MichaelClarkPhoto.com, keep up with him on his blog, and find him on Facebook and Twitter. Michael also produces a quarterly newsletter, which is a mini PDF-magazine that details his latest adventures, and includes news updates, equipment reviews and other articles on various topics related to the photo industry. If you would like to sign up to receive the newsletter send him an email. You can check out back issues of the Newsletter on his website here.

You can also get 35% off Michael?s book by using the code KMCLARK at the Peachpit Store!

Source: http://scottkelby.com/2012/its-guest-blog-wednesday-featuring-michael-clark/

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NM court rules for oil companies in dispute

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) ? New Mexico's highest court has ruled in favor of the oil industry in a dispute over whether two companies owed the state nearly $25 million in royalties for natural gas and oil produced on state land.

The court's unanimous ruling last week was a setback for the State Land Office, which contended that producers have shortchanged New Mexico in what they pay for producing gas and oil on land owned by the state.

The decision could affect several other pending royalty lawsuits potentially involving tens of millions of dollars.

Wally Drangmeister, a spokesman for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, said Monday the court's ruling "reaffirms the common sense interpretation and application of lease provisions that the industry has employed for decades."

The Land Office manages leases for oil and gas production as well as livestock grazing on state lands. The agency earned a record-setting $652 million last year, with 97 percent of that from oil and gas.

In the case before the court, audits by the Land Office in 2005 and 2006 claimed that ConocoPhillips Co. owed the state $18.9 million for the underpayment of royalties and Burlington Resources Oil and Gas Co. owed $5.6 million.

The companies challenged the assessments and a district court in Lovington ruled in their favor in 2007. The Land Office appealed but the Supreme Court agreed with the district court over how royalty payments should be calculated under lease arrangements that in some instances date to the 1930s and 1940s.

One of the central issues is whether companies should be allowed to continue to deduct certain expenses for making natural gas marketable after it's produced at well sites. Those so-called post-production costs include removing water and other impurities from the gas, and then transporting the gas to plants for additional processing before it's shipped in pipelines for commercial distribution.

Royalties are paid on "net proceeds" and the Land Office sought to limit costs that can be deducted by producers. Some gas is produced from oil wells and the ruling also involves royalties paid on that.

Land Commissioner Ray Powell said his agency, the attorney general's office and contract attorneys for the state were assessing the effect of the court's ruling and the next step the state will take in other lawsuits. The legal dispute over royalty payments began under Powell's predecessor, former Land Commissioner Pat Lyons.

"I want to work in a reasonable manner with the oil and gas companies because they are so important to the beneficiaries. I just expect them to pay their fair share and take care of the health of the land in the process," said Powell.

Public schools, universities and state hospitals benefit from revenues collected on oil and gas production on state trust lands managed by the Land Office.

___

Follow Barry Massey on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bmasseyAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nm-court-rules-oil-companies-dispute-145813951--finance.html

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Tiffany lowers outlook as shoppers remain cautious

NEW YORK (AP) ? Upscale jewelry chain Tiffany & Co. lowered its outlook for the year on Monday as the wealthy cut back on buying baubles in an uncertain economy.

Company shares rose more than 7 percent Monday, however, as revenue in established stores, a key measure for retailers, declined less than analysts had expected in the second quarter. Investors may also have been encouraged that Tiffany is planning stores in new cities despite its challenges.

The affluent had been spending more since the Great Recession ended in mid-2009, recovering faster than other people. But starting late last year, Tiffany's customers trimmed their spending on jewelry amid stock market volatility and growing worry about the debt crisis in Europe.

"Not surprisingly, sales growth has been affected by economic weakness in a number of markets," said CEO Michael J. Kowalski. "We think it is only prudent to maintain a cautious near-term outlook about global economic conditions and the effects on customer spending."

Tiffany, known for its blue boxes, earned $91.8 million, or 72 cents per share, for the period ended July 31, up 2 percent from $90 million, or 69 cents per share, a year earlier.

Analysts expected earnings of 74 cents per share.

Revenue for the New York company rose 2 percent to $886.6 million from $872.7 million. Wall Street forecast $891.1 million.

Sales in the Americas edged down 1 percent to $434 million. Sales in the New York flagship stores fell 9 percent, after a 41 percent increase a year ago, because U.S. customers are spending less, said Tiffany spokesman Mark Aaron. Sales in U.S. stores to foreign tourists were roughly unchanged from the prior year as more Chinese visitors helped offset a decline in spending by European tourists in the U.S.

Japan's sales increased 11 percent to $159 million, while sales in the Asia-Pacific region, a once hot area, rose just 1 percent $174 million. European sales fell 1 percent to $100 million.

Overall, revenue at stores opened at least a year fell 1 percent. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected a 4 percent drop.

The company also continues to grapple with high costs for silver and gold, which have eroded its profitability. However, those costs have moderated a bit.

Still, Tiffany is determined to fortify its competitive edge.

It now plans to open 28 company-operated stores this year compared with the previously planned 24. In the second half, Tiffany plans a store in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood, a second store in San Francisco, a shop in La Jolla, Calif., a store in Rio de Janeiro and a third store in Toronto.

Tiffany said that it now expects 2012 earnings of $3.55 to $3.70 per share, down from $3.70 to $3.80 per share. Analysts predict $3.65 per share.

It also trimmed its revenue forecast to growth of 6 to 7 percent for the year, or about $3.86 billion to $3.89 billion. Its prior guidance was for a 7 to 8 percent increase. Analysts expect revenue of $3.87 billion.

Tiffany's stock gained $4.33, or 7.4 percent, to $62.83 in midday trading Monday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tiffany-lowers-outlook-shoppers-remain-cautious-164439293--finance.html

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The 'Avengers' Alternate Opening You Never Saw

A new featurette from the upcoming 'Avengers' Blu-ray shows how Joss Whedon's superhero epic almost began.
By Josh Wigler

Cobie Smulders in "The Avengers"
Photo: Walt Disney

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1692705/avengers-alternate-opening.jhtml

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Ski Chalets France- Vacation Amidst The Nature

Everyone wishes to spend their vacation in an exotic place. Vacation is the only time when people get out of their busy schedule and try to spend some pleasurable moments with their family or friends. During the vacation we want to spend our days in the most luxurious way possible. Today in this 21st century nothing seems to be impossible. We can spend our vacation in any corner of the world we wish to. The various tourism agencies help us in spending a memorable vacation in the most exotic places over the planet.

Ski Chalet:

Chalets are usually a type of building or a hut made of wood, sloping roofs and which gives us a perfect scenario of spending our holidays amidst the nature. Ski Chalet Francehelps us spend our in time in the most efficient and lavish way. Ski Chalets Frankrijk is the chalets that are found in Netherlands which too provides a very wonderful shelter for a perfect vacation.

Facilities:

They have the wonderful facility of booking their chalets in advance so that people do not have to hustle and bustle before their vacation starts. The chalets today are built in the alpine style. Besides staying in a chalet we can also play games and sports as there is a lot of free space around it.

Hotels:

Hotels are most beneficial for the tourists. They want a place where they can spend time in perfect peace after travelling around throughout the entire day. Alpe Dhuez is a very dynamic group of traders who deals with apartments, hotels, resorts and many more all across the globe. They are well known for the comfort they provide and the well maintained infrastructure. We can experience a perfect example of luxury in this place. Alpe Dhuezhotels are designed in a much modernised way; this place gives us everything we need to make our trip memorable. From children to grandparents everyone has their own sector of enjoyment.

About the Author:
The author is an experienced writer, at present he is writing on different topics for specific Keyword like as bed and breakfast frankrijk,Ski Chalets Frankrijk.Smallwonder provides Luxury services for Accomodation.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Ski-Chalets-France--Vacation-Amidst-The-Nature-/4122578

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Craigslist adds maps to Portland, Bay Area listings

8 hrs.

Devin Coldewey

Craigslist?has just started integrating maps into some of its listings, but instead of going with Google or Microsoft, the site?went with the crowdsourced OpenStreetMap. The changes are live right now if you're in Portland, Oregon or the San Francisco Bay Area.

Craigslist is famous for never updating its look and feel, meaning things are quick and clean if?a bit stark. But with apartment listings especially, mapping the location is such a standard action that people looking for a new place would be opening dozens of browser?tabs for Google Maps.

In fact, the process of looking at Craigslist ads by location became both so popular and so difficult that a site called PadMapper started up as a way to let people do it more easily. Craigslist actually asked them to stop in June, but clearly they also took the point that maps are now critical information for apartment searches.

But using something like Google Maps institutionally (as opposed to individually) would come with significant cost ? so Craigslist decided to use OpenStreetMap, a system that, like Wikipedia, is created from publicly available information and the?contributions of users.

The good news is that it's free. The bad news is that unlike Google and Microsoft, OpenStreetMap doesn't have millions of dollars to spend on mapping small towns and rural areas, or for checking the accuracy of existing maps. Their community is constantly revising and adding to the database, but their information simply isn't as complete as the bigger, more well-funded services.

That doesn't mean it isn't a perfectly good map of much of the world ? but it doesn't have bells and whistles like driving directions or Street View. It's certainly good enough for Craigslist's purposes, but for now the company is only rolling it out to Portland and the Bay Area, since those areas are well-mapped and have plenty of housing?listings with which?to test the service.

There's no indication of when the integrated maps will come to other areas (or perhaps be rolled out universally), but if they're well-received it seems likely they'll soon be activated for any areas Craigslist feels are represented accurately by the maps. If you're in a big, tech-savvy city like New York or Los Angeles, that will likely be soon, but for smaller towns, it could be a while. In the meantime, you can test it out by browsing housing in either of the areas currently covered.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/craigslist-adds-maps-portland-bay-area-listings-968638

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Manipulating the microbiome could help manage weight

Monday, August 27, 2012

Vaccines and antibiotics may someday join caloric restriction or bariatric surgery as a way to regulate weight gain, according to a new study focused on the interactions between diet, the bacteria that live in the bowel, and the immune system.

Bacteria in the intestine play a crucial role in digestion. They provide enzymes necessary for the uptake of many nutrients, synthesize certain vitamins and boost absorption of energy from food. Fifty years ago, farmers learned that by tweaking the microbial mix in their livestock with low-dose oral antibiotics, they could accelerate weight gain. More recently, scientists found that mice raised in a germ-free environment, and thus lacking gut microbes, do not put on extra weight, even on a high-fat diet.

In a study, published Aug. 26 in the journal Nature Immunology, a research team based at the University of Chicago was able to unravel some of the mechanisms that regulate this weight gain. They focused on the relationship between the immune system, gut bacteria, digestion and obesity. They showed how weight gain requires not just caloric overload but also a delicate, adjustable ? and transmissible ? interplay between intestinal microbes and the immune response.

"Diet-induced obesity depends not just on calories ingested but also on the host's microbiome," said the study's senior author Yang-Xin Fu, MD, PhD, professor of pathology at the University of Chicago Medicine. For most people, he said, "host digestion is not completely efficient, but changes in the gut flora can raise or lower digestive efficiency."

So the old adage "you are what you eat" needs to be modified, Fu suggested, to include, "as processed by the microbial community of the distal gut and as regulated by the immune system."

To measure the effects of microbes and immunity, the researchers compared normal mice with mice that have a genetic defect that renders them unable to produce lymphotoxin, a molecule that helps to regulate interactions between the immune system and bacteria in the bowel. Mice lacking lymphotoxin, they found, do not gain extra weight, even after prolonged consumption of a high-fat diet.

On a standard diet, both groups of mice maintained a steady weight. But after nine weeks on a high-fat diet, the normal mice increased their weight by one-third, most of it fat. Mice lacking lymphotoxin ate just as much, but did not gain weight.

The high-fat diet triggered changes in gut microbes for both groups. The normal mice had a substantial increase in a class of bacteria (Erysopelotrichi) previously associated with obesity and related health problems. Mice that lacked lymphotoxin were unable to clear segmented filamentous bacteria, which has previously been found to induce certain immune responses in the gut.

The role of gut microbes was confirmed when the researchers transplanted bowel contents from the study mice to normal mice raised in a germ-free environment ? and thus lacking their own microbiome. Mice who received commensal bacteria from donors that made lymphotoxin gained weight rapidly. Those that got the bacteria from mice lacking lymphotoxin gained much less weight for about three weeks, until their own intact immune system began to normalize their bacterial mix.

When housed together, the mice performed their own microbial transplants. Mice are coprophagic; they eat each other's droppings. In this way, the authors note, mice housed together "colonize one another with their own microbial communities." After weeks together, even mice with the immune defect began to gain weight. They also were able to reduce the presence of segmented filamentous bacteria in their stool.

Moving from normal chow to the high-fat diet initiated a series of related changes, the authors found. First, it altered the balance of microbes in the digestive system. These changes in the microbiome altered the immune response, which then introduced further changes to the intestinal microbial community.

These changes "provide inertia for the obese state," the authors said, facilitating more efficient use of scarce food resources.

"Our results suggest that it may be possible to learn how to regulate these microbes in ways that could help prevent diseases associated with obesity," said Vaibhav Upadhyay, first author of the study and an MD/PhD student working in Fu's laboratory. "We now think we could inhibit the negative side effects of obesity by regulating the microbiota and perhaps manipulating the immune response."

Or, 20 years from now, "when there are 10 billion people living on earth and competing for food, we may want to tilt digestive efficiency in the other direction," Fu added.

The authors cautioned, however, that with more than 500 different strains of bacteria present in the gut, "the precise microbes that promote such weight gain and the specific host responses that foster their growth need to be better established."

###

University of Chicago Medical Center: http://www.uchospitals.edu

Thanks to University of Chicago Medical Center for this article.

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Benefits of circumcision outweigh risks, U.S. pediatrics group says

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines saying the health benefits of infant circumcision outweigh the risks of the surgery, but the influential physician's group has fallen short of a universal recommendation of the procedure for all infants, saying that parents should make the final call.

The change was prompted by scientific evidence that suggests circumcision can reduce the risk of urinary tract infections in infants and cut the risk of penile cancer and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and the human papillomavirus or HPV, which causes cervical and other cancers.

Although the AAP's 1999 statement was fairly neutral, the new statement, published on Monday in the journal Pediatrics, comes down in favor of the procedure, saying the health benefits of newborn male circumcision "justify access to this procedure for families who choose it."

"We're not saying you have to have it," said Dr. Andrew Freedman, a pediatric urologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles who chaired the AAP's circumcision task force.

"We're saying if a family thinks it is in the child's best interests, the benefits are enough to help them do that," he said.

Based on a review of more than 1,000 scientific articles, the task force said male circumcision does not appear to adversely affect penile sexual function, sensitivity of the penis or sexual satisfaction.

The AAP said parents should be given unbiased information about the procedure and be allowed to make the call on their own.

But the group did say it is imperative that those performing circumcision are adequately trained, that they use sterile techniques and offer effective pain management.

GROWING DEBATE

Circumcision, the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis, is a ritual obligation for infant Jewish boys, and is also a common rite among Muslims, who account for the largest share of circumcised men worldwide.

The wider U.S. population adopted the practice due to potential health benefits, but those advantages have become the subject of debate, including recent efforts to ban circumcision in San Francisco and Germany.

In Germany, the debate over circumcision has landed in the courts. Last week, an unnamed doctor in Germany filed charges against a rabbi for performing ritual circumcisions on infant boys, two months after a court in Cologne angered Jews and Muslims by banning the practice.

In the United States, the new guidelines may begin to turn the tide on infant circumcision, which has begun to fall in recent years as insurers have balked at paying for a procedure without a strong medical justification.

In as many as 18 U.S. states, the Medicaid program for the poor has stopped paying for the procedure, a trend some doctors fear could significantly increase U.S. health costs because of increased cases of urinary tract and HIV infections.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics had formerly been on the discouraging side," said Dr. Peter Richel, chief of pediatrics, at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York.

"If, indeed, we can cut down on a greater incidence statically of HIV or HPV, then I am certainly all for that."

'SHORT SHRIFT'

In a statement issued on Friday in anticipation of the guidelines, the anti-circumcision group Intact America said most of the studies underlying the new guidelines are based on research done on adult men in Africa.

"The task force has failed to consider the large body of evidence from the developed world that shows no medical benefits for the practice, and has given short shrift, if not dismissed out of hand, the serious ethical problems inherent in doctors removing healthy body parts from children who cannot consent," said Georganne Chapin, the group's executive director.

Dr. Douglas Diekema, a pediatric bioethicist from the Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington who served on the task force, said the group considered a wide range of ethical issues, including pain experienced by the child and whether parents have the right to make the decision without the child's consent.

"There is no decision you can make that doesn't potentially put a child at risk. If you choose to circumcise, there is a risk he'll grow up to be a man who wishes he wasn't circumcised," Diekema said.

Diekema said waiting until the child is older to make the choice about circumcision would lose much of these early benefits, and because the foreskin is thicker in a teen than in an adolescent, the procedure carries more risks.

"I really don't think there is an easy answer," he said.

What was clear, Diekema said, was the issue of pain.

"We were unanimously agreed that it's inappropriate to do this procedure without adequate pain control. That, in many ways, is one of the biggest ethical issues," he said.

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin of the Ahavath Torah congregation in Englewood, New Jersey, and president of the Rabbinical Council of America, said circumcisions done for religious purposes do not typically involve pain medication, but he noted that the procedure is quick and has a long tradition of success.

"We've performed it for centuries with no adverse effects to our children."

Even so, he worries about the lawsuits in Germany trying to ban circumcision.

"For us, it is such a critical component of our religious life that an attempt to eradicate it is an attempt to eradicate our religion. To have this happening in Germany, given our history, is particularly saddening to us."

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/benefits-circumcision-outweigh-risks-u-pediatrics-group-says-040643791.html

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