Cancer is a horrible disease that continues to claim the lives so many so suddenly, and it?s no uncommon for family members of those stricken with the fatal illness to do all they can to grant their love one last wishes once it?s determined that nothing else can be done. But the last wish of this 23-year-old has got to be a first?.
via Fox News
It seems like the stuff of science fiction, a dying young woman decides she wants to be frozen after her death until a cure is found for brain cancer. But for the family of Kim Suozzi, 23, it?s not fiction.
?I worked real hard on reconciling it with my personal faith and trying to be okay with it, and I am okay with it,? said Jane Suozzi, Kim?s mother, who lives in Ballwin. For the final two years of her life, Kim knew she was dying of an aggressive brain cancer called Glioblastoma multiforme. But even before the diagnosis, she considered the idea of being cryopreserved someday.
Kim?s decision to be frozen after death is based on the hope science will someday find a way to bring her back to life after finding a cure for cancer.
Kim spent the final two weeks of her life at a hospice in Scottsdale, Arizona, so she could die in the same city as Alcor Life Extension, the cryopreservation facility she chose. She passed away peacefully on January 17.
Kim?s friends and family also came together and raised $700,000 to help pay to have her remains preserved as she?d asked. ?This story is crazy hell and remarkable all at once.
Would you be able to grant this wish for your close friend or family member?
Learn the latest strategies in e-commerce and social media at Social Commerce Summit on February 6, 2013, in New York. Speakers include Walmart, Rue La La, TripAdvisor and other major brands, startups and VCs. Reserve your ticket now.
Amazon makes a lot of brick-and-mortar retailers nervous.?
"They're increasingly pushing in-store sales online, where they're almost inevitably cheaper," Karl Heiselman, the CEO of Wolff Olins, told us. "Even retailers like Best Buy and Target have created Amazon price-matching policies.?
Heiselman, whose consulting company helps build brands, told us five ways that major retailers are outsmarting Amazon.?
By bringing the best of Amazon into their own stores
"Walmart recently began offering a service that lets people pay online and pick up in stores," Heiselman said. "Since implemented, more than half the sales from Walmart's website are picked up from stores." Walmart took the convenience of Amazon and found a way to implement it in its stores.?
Making shopping an experience
"Retailers need an engaging offline strategy to get customers in stores and keep them coming back," Heiselman said.?
Having better merchandise than Amazon
Target achieved this through its Missoni collection, an exclusive collection of designer-branded merchandise that quickly sold out. Heiselman also cited Target's "Everyday Collection" campaign, which "transformed a dull, yet necessary, retail experience into an energetic and memorable one."?
Creating communities that provide editorial content?
This could exist through consumer reviews and more. The retailers could also include professional editorial reviews, along with a way for customers to easily buy the product, Heiselman said.?
Make employees happy?
"Costco is known for nailing this," Heiselman said. "The average employee earns twice that of Walmart, and as a result they see lower turnover and better-trained staff." Great customer service is a key way for retailers to beat Amazon, so keeping employees happy is important.?
Scientists find cancer-causing virus in the brain, potential connection to epilepsy
Friday, January 25, 2013
Researchers at Shriner's Hospital Pediatric Research Center at the Temple University School of Medicine, and the University of Pennsylvania have evidence linking the human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) ? the most common cause of cervical cancer ? to a common form of childhood epilepsy. They have shown for the first time that HPV16 may be present in the human brain, and found that when they added a viral protein to the brains of fetal mice, the mice all demonstrated the same developmental problems in the cerebral cortex associated with this type of epilepsy, called focal cortical dysplasia type IIB (FCDIIB). The findings suggest that the virus could play a role in the development of epilepsy.
The results also mean that doctors may have to re-think their approach to treating this type of epilepsy, and perhaps consider other therapeutic options related to HPV, an infectious disease.
"This is a novel mechanism, and it fills a gap in our understanding about the development of congenital brain malformations," said Peter Crino, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology at Temple University School of Medicine, and a member of Shriner's Hospital Pediatric Research Center, and the senior author of a recent report in the Annals of Neurology.
"If our data are correct, future treatment of cortical dysplasia could include targeted therapy against HPV16 infection, with the goal of halting seizures. Identifying an infectious agent as part of the pathogenesis of brain malformations could open up an array of new therapeutic approaches against various forms of epilepsy."
FCDIIB is a developmental malformation in the cerebral cortex, the area of the brain that plays key roles in thought, perception and memory. It is a common cause of both pediatric and adult epilepsy ? especially difficult-to-treat forms of epilepsy ? and it is thought to occur in the womb during early brain development. The condition is characterized by a disorganized cellular structure and enlarged, "balloon cells." Current treatments include surgery and medication.
Balloon cells contain a signaling cascade called the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTOR1), which is important for cellular growth, proliferation and division, particularly in brain development. Other scientists have recently found the mTOR pathway is activated by the HPV16 E6 oncoprotein.
While there had never been any studies indicating that HPV16 could infect the brain, Dr. Crino saw a potential connection. "This is a sporadic, congenital brain malformation associated with mTOR signaling with no genetic predisposition," he said. "Based on various cellular and cell signaling similarities between cervical dysplasia and focal cortical dysplasia, this led me to a hypothesis that the HPV protein could be detected in FCDIIB."
To find out, the investigators first examined FCDIIB tissue samples from 50 patients for evidence of the HPV16 E6 protein. They found that all of the samples were positive for the protein in the balloon cells, but not in regions without balloon cells or in 36 control samples from healthy individuals.
They next examined the samples' genetic material by several sophisticated molecular techniques to look for evidence of HPV16 E6, and compared the findings to tissue from healthy controls and tissue from patients with different types of brain malformations and epilepsy. Again, every sample of FCDIIB was found to contain HPV16 E6 protein, whereas the control specimens and tissue from other types of dysplasia and conditions did not.
Finally, in a series of experiments, the scientists painstakingly delivered the E6 protein into the brains of fetal mice. "If E6 is the causative element for HPV cervical dysplasia and focal cortical dysplasia, putting the protein into a fetal mouse brain should disrupt the cortical development," Dr. Crino explained. When the scientists did this, they found that the fetal mouse brains did indeed develop brain malformations.
Dr. Crino plans to investigate other forms of cortical dysplasia to see if HPV or related viral proteins can be found. He and his team aren't sure how the virus gets into the brain, but their results suggest that an HPV infection in the placenta could be one possible path. The exact mechanism by which HPV16 might cause a malformation and epilepsy remains to be determined. He acknowledged several potential implications from the findings.
"We are going to have to think about this epidemiologically as an infectious disease, not a genetic disorder. In terms of prevention, with current HPV vaccination, we have a potentially modifiable disease," he said. "In addition, if in fact this type of epilepsy represents a disorder of mTOR signaling, then one strategy could be, rather than treating the patients with anti-epileptic drugs, is to perhaps use mTOR inhibitors.
"The million dollar result would be to show it is possible to induce a brain malformation with an E6 infection, and the animal develops epilepsy," Dr. Crino said. "It would be even better if we showed that it is preventable."
###
Temple University Health System: http://www.templehealth.org/
Thanks to Temple University Health System 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.
ASA Addresses Proposed Employer Regulations Under Health Care Reform
On Dec. 28, the Obama administration released proposed regulations under the Affordable Care Act detailing obligations of employers under the law. ASA has published an issue paper for its member companies that focuses on the key provisions of the proposed regulations of particular interest to staffing firms.
ASA members are also invited to participate in an ASAPro webinar scheduled for Feb. 14 that will focus on the latest issues regarding health care reform and its affect on the staffing industry. Join ASA and start tapping into these critical member benefits today. Visit americanstaffing.net/join or call 703-253-2020.
Headline News
ASA for You
Is Your Company Ready for Health Care Reform?
Scranton-Based Illegal Alien Employment Biz Operator Pleads Guilty
Release of New Form I-9 Reportedly Imminent
OSHA?s Plan for 2013 Includes at Least 1,260 Workplace Inspections
50% Say Networking Is Key to Getting Job
Employed Starting to Look for New Jobs
Tech Salaries Rise to Highest Levels in a Decade
What Is More Important for Recent Grads: Salary or Benefits
Headline News
Legalpeople and the Partners Group Announce Merger Law Firm Newswire (01/23/2013)
Legalpeople LLC and the Partners Group LLC, two legal placement, staffing, and document review companies, announced on Jan. 23 the completion of their merger. The management team intends to maintain both the Legalpeople and the Partners Group brands with no changes to operations in existing markets.
Georgia Staffing Firm, Workers Scammed by Subcontractor Associated Press (01/23/13)
The staffing firm Everything Staffing plans to sue Black Sparta LLC after dozens of construction workers looking for jobs say they were scammed by the subcontractor. WSB-TV in Atlanta reports the workers responded to a Craigslist posting promising two-year job openings across the country. Everything Staffing assembled a group of workers for Black Sparta, which agreed to provide food, gas, money, and lodging for workers in Columbia, MO. Would-be contractors arrived in Missouri only to be told their services were not needed and were stranded at a hotel when no one paid for the workers? hotel rooms.
Jobless Claims Drop to Five-Year Low of 330,000 Associated Press (01/24/13) Christopher Rugaber
Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits fell by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 330,000 in the week ended Jan. 19, marking the lowest level since January 2008. Today?s report from the U.S. Department of Labor may be evidence that employers are cutting fewer jobs and may step up hiring, although the decline could reflect the government?s difficulty adjusting its numbers to account for layoffs after the holiday shopping season. The average of new claims over the past month, meanwhile, fell by 8,250 to 351,750, the lowest level since March 2008.
Organized Labor Loses Members Wall Street Journal (01/23/13) Melanie Trottman; Kris Maher
The percentage of employees who belong to unions declined in 2012 to the lowest level since World War II, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some 11.3% of the work force was in a union last year, down from 11.8% in 2011. Most of the decline took place in the public sector, which accounts for the majority of union members. Manufacturing was particularly hard hit. Union membership fell despite an increase in manufacturing employment. Construction, steel plants, and food manufacturing also were hit by union membership declines, says the Center for Economic and Policy Research. However, unions are adding Latino members and employees in fast-growing sectors of the economy, such as some components of the health care industry.
Economic Slowdown Likely in Early 2013, Followed by Better Growth Bloomberg BNA (01/22/13)
Bloomberg BNA?s annual Economic Outlook, a forecast of economists at 21 top financial, consulting, and academic organizations, predicts that the U.S. unemployment rate will slip to 7.5% from 7.8% in the second half of this year. Although the payroll tax increase and federal spending cuts will put a damper on growth early in the year, business investment, job creation, the housing recovery, and consumer spending will help the economy pick up steam in the latter half of 2013. The report predicts modest job growth during the first half, but 176,000 jobs per month will be added during the last six months of the year. It also forecasts a 2.6% increase in total hourly compensation for private-sector employees, compared to a 2% gain through the third quarter of 2012.
ASA for You
Is Your Company Ready for Health Care Reform?
As the leader in staffing industry advocacy, ASA has been hard at work to mitigate the effects of the Affordable Care Act on staffing companies. The 2013 ASA Staffing Law Conference, May 7?8 in Washington, DC, will deliver the latest information, strategies, tools, resources, and expertise on all the most pressing legal and legislative issues affecting the staffing industry?including health care reform.
The ASA Staffing Law Conference will feature a special session, ?Health Care Reform Panel Discussion?What Are Staffing Firms Doing to Prepare?? This discussion will be led by ASA senior counsel Ed Lenz, the industry?s leading expert on the new law.
Learn more and register today at americanstaffing.net.
Firmology?s SMB Startup Watch?profiles newly launched or emerging startups in the SMB (small and medium-sized business) technology space.
Each week,?Firmology?scours the web for the latest tech startups that can help you grow and innovate your small business. From a website creation tool for restaurants to a small business accounting platform, the six startups previewed below should be on your radar as they hone and bring their product to market.
Appetas Website creation tool for restaurants
Go Wedding Pro Booking and project management tool for wedding photographers
inDinero Small business accounting
Keebitz Automate referrals for small businesses
Noknoker Loyalty & social platform for Latin-American small businesses
StrikeBase Centralized team collaboration tool
Startups featured on?Firmology?s SMB Startup Watch?are in continuous development, so they?re eager to get feedback about their product from small businesses. We encourage you to leave a comment for them below, join their invite list or try out the service if it?s already live.
To contact the writer on this story: Philip Nowak in Chicago at philip.nowak@firmology.com. Please?contact us?if you?d like your small business tech startup to be featured on?SMB Startup Watch.
Written by Philip Nowak
Philip Nowak is the founder of Firmology, a news and information media company focused on helping small business owners grow their business through?small business technology?and innovation. You can find Philip on?Google+,?Twitter,?Quora, and?LinkedIn.
Online marketing is a tough thing to get a grasp on if you aren?t well versed with it. The benefits of online marketing are well known and if you are successful at marketing your business online, you?ll see incredible results.
Unfortunately, it works the other way too. If you are unsuccessful at marketing your business online, you not only lose the time and money you invested into it but you may also damage your business.
While it may be a tough thing to learn, once you have a grasp of online marketing you?ll no doubt be successful. If you simply don?t have the time for online marketing yourself, opt to find an outside company to do it for you. Check out Yodle reviews on Facebook?to see if they?d be a good fit.
Just make sure you don?t make mistakes, and you?ll be fine. Check out these common online marketing mistakes that beginners make, and make sure you avoid making them in order to be the most successful!
Overdoing It
It?s a known fact that an Internet browser?s attention span is small. That means you have to make sure your online marketing strategy is to stay simple. Elaborate web pages with tons of text only turns people off, and might drive people away from your site. This goes for much more than your web site too. Don?t pay for keywords, when working on search engine optimization and make sure you?re grabbing people?s attention without overdoing it.
Many people who are just getting in to online marketing think that it?s a ?the more the merrier? type thing. This is the complete opposite of how you should think, when it comes to your online marketing strategy. Bombarding people, whether it?s on social media or through emails, does nothing but turn people off. Keep everything in moderation and you should be fine.
Being Irrelevant
Simply getting your name or message out there isn?t enough, to succeed with online marketing you need to be relevant. Many online marketing newbies think that simply maintaining an online presence is enough to grow business and that may have been the case, when the Internet first started. But it?s not the case now. Make sure that everything you do when it comes to marketing your business online is relevant, including relevant social media posts and blog articles.
Irrelevancy will mean people ignoring your site, which in turn means you?re wasting time and money on online marketing.
Ignoring Analytics
The Internet has provided marketers information that was never previously available before the invention of the web. People who are just getting their business marketed online might think that they already know their target client base, and can therefore ignore all the proven Analytics. You should always, no matter what, take Analytics into account when developing an online marketing strategy.
It?s absolutely crucial to hitting your target market, because the online market might be different than your offline market. Take Analytics data into account and you?ll have a much better shot at being successful.
NEW YORK (AP) ? The price of oil dropped Friday but remained close to four-month highs after new data showed China's economy rebounded in the final quarter of the year.
Benchmark oil for February delivery fell 44 cents to $95.05 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at midday.
Crude finished at $95.49 a barrel Thursday, the highest since Sept. 17, on more evidence that the housing and jobs market are recovering.
Prices have remained steady at the pump, however, with the average price for a gallon of regular drifting down from $3.31 a week ago to $3.29 on Friday. That right about where it started the year.
On Friday the global economy took center stage for energy traders. The economy of China, the second largest energy consumer in the world behind the U.S., grew by 7.9 percent in the fourth quarter, up from the previous quarter's 7.4 percent, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics.
The prospect of more oil demand from China helped push up an oil consumption forecast from the International Energy Agency. Global oil demand is expected to rise to 90.8 million barrels a day this year, according to the IEA in Paris, which released its monthly report Friday. That's 930,000 daily barrels more than in 2012 and 240,000 more than the agency's previous forecast released in December.
Lingering concerns about the U.S. economy may be weighing on crude prices Friday, with lawmakers wrangling over spending cuts and the nation's debt ceiling. After a week in which the S&P 500 index repeatedly set new five-year highs, investors on Wall Street pulled back as well. Major indexes fell slightly in midday trading.
Independent analyst Jim Ritterbusch said the current price for a barrel of oil may be unsustainable.
"The market appears to be sending off signals that some assistance from continued stock market gains and a weakening US dollar will be needed if this advance is to continue."
Natural gas futures rose, however. The price is up about 6 percent in the past week with a chillier forecast pointing to heavier use of the thermostat in many parts of the country.
Energy analyst Addison Armstrong points out that below-normal temperatures are expected in February across the Midwest and Chicago, the nation's largest gas-consuming region.
Natural gas rose 2 cents on Friday to $3.51 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Meanwhile, Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, fell 32 cents to $110.78 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
In other energy futures trading on Nymex:
? Wholesale gasoline was unchanged at $2.77 a gallon.
? Heating oil was flat at $3.02 a gallon.
___
Pamela Sampson in Bangkok AND Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.
Sorry, American Internet service providers: Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski is still not impressed. In a guest editorial written for Forbes, Genachowski implored ISPs in the United States to set their horizons higher and to start investing in building out broadband networks capable of moving data at gigabit speeds. At the same time,?Genachowski scolded ISPs that have called gigabit networks unnecessary, and particularly singled out?National Cable & Telecommunications Association CEO Michael Powell, who recently described achieving gigabit speeds as an ?irrelevant exercise in bragging rights.?
[More from BGR: Nintendo?s Wii U problems turn into a crisis]
?Gigabit networks can enable genetic sequencing to treat cancer patients, immersive and creative software to support lifelong learning from home, and ways for small businesses to take advantage of Big Data,? Genachowski wrote. ?Greater network speeds will certainly lead to unexpected new inventions. That?s been consistently true since the Internet began.?
[More from BGR: Samsung?s latest monster smartphone will reportedly have a 5.8-inch screen]
American ISPs have recently come under fire from a wide variety of critics, including?Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Cay Johnston and?Cardozo School of Law professor Susan Crawford, for allegedly stifling competition by sectioning off regions of the United States where they simply do not compete with one another.?Crawford, in particular, recently said that most major ISPs are very similar to the railroad and steel monopolies of the 19th century, in that the providers face minimal competition in areas where they operate and benefit from high barriers to entry for prospective new providers.
When mom is the CEO at home, workplace ambitions take a back seatPublic release date: 18-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Yasmin Anwar yanwar@berkeley.edu 510-643-7944 University of California - Berkeley
UC Berkeley study finds women prioritize domestic power
It's often said that women can have it all motherhood and a successful career. But a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that women who rule the household have less energy for or interest in being a rising star in the workplace.
While household decision-making power was highly valued by both men and women who participated in the UC Berkeley study, women reported that running the home made them less likely to pursue promotions and other career advancement steps at the office. This was not the case for men, whose work goals were unchanged by their domestic role, according to the study.
"It appears that being in charge of household decisions may bring a semblance of power to women's traditional role, to the point where women may have less desire to push against the obstacles to achieving additional power outside the home," said UC Berkeley psychologist Serena Chen, a co-author of the study.
Despite the feminist movement and other gender equity efforts, women largely retain authority over child-rearing and household chores and finances, with men deferring to their expertise in these matters, researchers point out. This paradigm has had an impact on women's career choices, the study implies.
"As a result, women may make decisions such as not going after a high-status promotion at work, or not seeking to work full time, without realizing why," said Melissa Williams an assistant professor of business at Emory University and lead author of the study. She will present the findings this Friday, Jan. 18, at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology in New Orleans.
In the first experiment, 136 participants ranging in age from 18 to 30 were surveyed on whether being in control of household decisions is desirable and empowering. Both men and women agreed that household control is advantageous.
In another experiment, each of the 166 female participants was asked to imagine two scenarios: That she was married with a child and made most of the household decisions, or that she made most decisions with her husband. The women then rated their life goals in order of importance. Those who envisioned exercising control over domestic decisions rated the perks of workplace power, such as earning a high salary, lower than participants who imagined sharing household decision-making with their husbands.
In the final experiment, 644 male and female participants were again presented with the scenario of being married with a child and the choice of wielding household power or sharing it with their spouses. But this time, there was another option: The participants had to imagine doing most domestic chores without the distinction of having control of the household.
Again, women who wielded household power expressed less interest in workplace power than women who imagined making household decisions equally with their husbands. Meanwhile, men's interest in workplace power did not vary across the household power conditions. Thus, the dampening effect of household power on workplace goals is specific to women, researchers said.
Unlike the female participants who controlled the household, women presented with the "chores-only" scenario did not show a dampened interest in workplace power compared to those who shared domestic power with their spouse.
"This suggests that it is the power aspect of household control that reduces women's interest in power outside of the home," Chen said.
"To realize true gender equality in both the private and public spheres, our results suggest that women may need to at least partially abdicate their role of ultimate household deciders, and men must agree to share such decision making," she concluded.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
When mom is the CEO at home, workplace ambitions take a back seatPublic release date: 18-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Yasmin Anwar yanwar@berkeley.edu 510-643-7944 University of California - Berkeley
UC Berkeley study finds women prioritize domestic power
It's often said that women can have it all motherhood and a successful career. But a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that women who rule the household have less energy for or interest in being a rising star in the workplace.
While household decision-making power was highly valued by both men and women who participated in the UC Berkeley study, women reported that running the home made them less likely to pursue promotions and other career advancement steps at the office. This was not the case for men, whose work goals were unchanged by their domestic role, according to the study.
"It appears that being in charge of household decisions may bring a semblance of power to women's traditional role, to the point where women may have less desire to push against the obstacles to achieving additional power outside the home," said UC Berkeley psychologist Serena Chen, a co-author of the study.
Despite the feminist movement and other gender equity efforts, women largely retain authority over child-rearing and household chores and finances, with men deferring to their expertise in these matters, researchers point out. This paradigm has had an impact on women's career choices, the study implies.
"As a result, women may make decisions such as not going after a high-status promotion at work, or not seeking to work full time, without realizing why," said Melissa Williams an assistant professor of business at Emory University and lead author of the study. She will present the findings this Friday, Jan. 18, at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology in New Orleans.
In the first experiment, 136 participants ranging in age from 18 to 30 were surveyed on whether being in control of household decisions is desirable and empowering. Both men and women agreed that household control is advantageous.
In another experiment, each of the 166 female participants was asked to imagine two scenarios: That she was married with a child and made most of the household decisions, or that she made most decisions with her husband. The women then rated their life goals in order of importance. Those who envisioned exercising control over domestic decisions rated the perks of workplace power, such as earning a high salary, lower than participants who imagined sharing household decision-making with their husbands.
In the final experiment, 644 male and female participants were again presented with the scenario of being married with a child and the choice of wielding household power or sharing it with their spouses. But this time, there was another option: The participants had to imagine doing most domestic chores without the distinction of having control of the household.
Again, women who wielded household power expressed less interest in workplace power than women who imagined making household decisions equally with their husbands. Meanwhile, men's interest in workplace power did not vary across the household power conditions. Thus, the dampening effect of household power on workplace goals is specific to women, researchers said.
Unlike the female participants who controlled the household, women presented with the "chores-only" scenario did not show a dampened interest in workplace power compared to those who shared domestic power with their spouse.
"This suggests that it is the power aspect of household control that reduces women's interest in power outside of the home," Chen said.
"To realize true gender equality in both the private and public spheres, our results suggest that women may need to at least partially abdicate their role of ultimate household deciders, and men must agree to share such decision making," she concluded.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
this is a copy of a post from Dp and I don't know the poster, if you want to borrow the text of their petition and send it directly to your national committeewoman and national committeeman that would work too. Here is a whole site on Mark Willis and the campaign: http://stepdownnow.com/
Your help is needed and time is running out. Liberty supporter Mark Willis, a Maine Republican National Committeeman is challenging Reince Priebus for the Chairmanship of the Republican National Committee.
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN HELP:
We need everyone to go to this site: http://www.macallfromhome.com/callcrusade/
Click the petition button and fill out the petition!
Then SHARE ON FACEBOOK!
THIS MUST BE DONE BY FRIDAY!
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/MarkWillisRNC
this is a cross post from a post at dailypaul: http://www.dailypaul.com/270674/acti...omment-2914094
Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has received $36 million in orders from a NATO member for Falcon III? handheld tactical radios and accessories. The radios will provide the country?s armed forces with high-performance handheld tactical communications for both line-of-sight and beyond line-of-sight satellite applications. The orders include a $14 million order received in the first quarter and a $22 million order received in the second quarter of fiscal 2013.
Harris will provide the country with Falcon III? AN/PRC-152(C) tactical radios, related accessories and support services. This solution, upgradeable to emerging requirements, will allow soldiers to maintain communications in rapidly changing tactical environments.
?The Harris AN/PRC-152 is the world?s leading solution in secure, handheld military communications, with more than 160,000 radios deployed,?? said Brendan O?Connell, president, international business, Harris RF Communications. ?This radio will enable personnel to maintain voice and data connectivity throughout their missions, even when operating in remote areas with limited line-of-sight.??
The AN/PRC-152(C) is the most widely fielded NSA Type-1 and Software Communications Architecture certified handheld radio. The radio has been widely deployed by NATO as well as other members of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. The radio provides capabilities such as SINCGARS interoperability, ultra high-frequency ground-to-ground line-of-sight communications, close-air support and programmable encryption.
Harris? Falcon III AN/PRC-152 line of radios includes both the AN/PRC-152(C) and the new AN/PRC-152A wideband handheld system.
Harris RF Communications is the leading global supplier of secure radio communications and embedded high-grade encryption solutions for military, government and commercial organizations. The company's Falcon? family of software-defined tactical radio systems encompasses manpack, handheld and vehicular applications. Falcon III is the next generation of radios supporting the U.S. military's Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) requirements, as well as network-centric operations worldwide. Harris RF Communications is also a leading supplier of assured communications? systems and equipment for public safety, utility and transportation markets ? with products ranging from the most advanced IP voice and data networks to portable and mobile single- and multiband radios.
Did Taylor Swift have a boob job? It kind looks like it! Check out these photos and see what you think! PR Photos So Taylor Swift showed up at the People’s Choice awards wearing a gorgeous white dress with a plunging neck line. She always looks beautiful, but this time she looked busty and beautiful. It is not a huge change, I mean she is no Pamela Anderson (thank God) but there may be something to the rumors. Or she may have used a nice push up bra or boob tape. There are so many tricks these days it is hard to say. Plastic surgeon Dr Michael Fiorillo, who has not treated the star, was asked t assess some pictures of the starlet. He says that she went from an A cup to a B cup and that “You can see the implants.” Either way it is not a big deal. IMO, they do see a bit perky, high and hard, which would all be conducive to having surgery. But again, there are so many tricks, it is just hard to tell. On the other hand, as a woman, I just dont see the point in going [...]
*Eye on the Economy is an NAHB newsletter that is published every two weeks and takes a larger view of recent economic and housing policy news.
The year 2012 was a promising one for housing. With consistent improvements in housing construction and prices, home building is once again contributing to economic growth. And the December housing starts report capped off the year with confirmation of these trends.
Per Census data, solid gains in both single-family and multifamily production resulted in nationwide housing starts rising 12.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 954,000 units: the highest level of new home production since June 2008. Single-family starts rose 8.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 616,000 units in December, while multifamily production jumped 23.1%, to 338,000 units.
Combined single-family and multifamily starts activity was up across all regions in December. The Northeast posted a gain of 21.4%, the Midwest was up 24.7%, the South posted a 3.8% increase and the West was up 18.7%.
Permit issuance, which can be a harbinger of future building activity, held virtually steady at a 903,000-unit rate in December. Single-family permits rose for a fourth consecutive month, by 1.8% to 578,000 units while multifamily permits declined 2.1% to 325,000 units.
As an aside, according to data from the Census Bureau, the market share of single-family homes built for rent stands at 5.1% for the third quarter of 2012. This is only slightly lower than the recent peak of 5.35% set at the beginning of 2011, and is considerably higher than the 20-year average of 2.7%. Clearly there has been an increase in single-family development with an eye toward rental demand.
The December increase in starts is consistent with the upward path of builder confidence over the last few months, as measured by the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). The index held steady at a level of 47 in January, after increasing from 25 to its current level over the course of 2012. The January reading represents a pause in the rise of builder confidence and is perhaps related to policy uncertainty in the wake of the fiscal cliff debate and the impending decisions regarding big-picture issues like tax reform and the future of the housing finance system.
Nonetheless, the economic improvements witnessed in 2012 ? at least compared to the terrible years that preceded it ? manifested themselves in ongoing good news for housing. For the January reading, the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) increased to 242, adding a net 41 more markets to the 201 in December. The total represents two-thirds of all the eligible metropolitan areas. All but two states have at least one metro on the list (Wyoming and New Mexico). A metropolitan area makes the IMI list if three indicators of economic and housing health improve for at least six months: single-family housing permits, employment and home prices.
The improvement in home building in 2012 has boosted construction spending. Spending on private residential construction activity ticked 0.4% higher on a month-to-month basis during November 2012 per Census data. Spending has increased in each of the last eight months (and 15 of the last 16), rising to a 4-year high and nearly 33% above the trough during the third quarter of 2010.
New single-family home construction led the way in terms of spending growth among the private residential categories during November, posting a 1.3% increase versus October. Spending has climbed more than 29% above its nominal level of a year ago and stands 57% higher compared to the trough in mid-2009.
The multifamily construction sector registered its slowest rate of month-to-month growth in nearly a year, but November?s 0.5% still marked the 14th month in a row spending activity has increased. In the past year, nominal spending on multifamily projects has jumped 46% and stands nearly 83% higher than the low posted in August 2010.
Spending on home improvements dipped 0.7% in November, adding to the 1.9% contraction (revised downward from a 1.8% gain) reported for October. Expressed as a 3-month average, nominal spending on remodeling activity has hovered around a 5-year high for the past few months. Going forward, as part of the fiscal cliff deal, the tax code section 25C retrofit tax credit was extended for 2013, which may help boost remodeling spending in the near-term.
The overall improvement?for house prices may also be partly responsible for an uptick in property tax receipts for state and local governments. According to the latest data from the Census Bureau, over a one-year period spanning the fourth quarter of 2011 to the?third quarter of 2012, approximately $475 billion of tax was paid by property owners, a slight increase.
As state/local income and corporate tax receipts recovered in recent years, the share of local tax collections due to property taxes fell from recession highs. However, according to the most recent data, the share has stabilized and is on the rise again. The average share of total state and local tax receipts for property taxes since 2000 is 32.3%, while the current share stands at 34.3%. Consequently, housing and other real estate owners are still paying a higher-than-average percentage of state and local taxes.
Despite the improvements for housing, there has not yet been a surge in residential construction employment. For the construction sector, Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicate that hiring levels picked up in November after a slight slowing in the fall. November hiring for the construction sector totaled 351,000, marking the seventh month in a row of hiring in the construction sector above a 300,000 level. The significant month-over-month gain in hiring was consistent with the October data, which showed an increase in job openings for the sector. But recent gains in housing have led, for the most part, in fuller employment of existing workers, rather than gains to total employment.
Job openings in construction remain elevated despite a downward revision for October?s spike in openings. The number of open positions?for October (99,000) and November (93,000) marks the highest two-month total in a year and a half. These data lend evidence of increased demand for construction workers and future growth in construction sector employment.
The lack of significant uptick in construction hiring matches the overall job market picture. The BLS establishment survey indicated payroll employment increased by only 155,000, with private sector payrolls increasing by 168,000 and of the government sector losing 13,000. The household survey indicated the unemployment rate held steady at 7.8% in December after revising the November figure up to 7.8% from 7.7%. A more robust recovery would have job creation at twice this pace.
Like this:
Be the first to like this.
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 17th, 2013 at 5:44 pm and is filed under Data, Issues, Policy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) ? With Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods struggling, unheralded Jamie Donaldson took the spotlight at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship on Thursday, shooting an opening-round 5-under 67 for an early one-shot lead.
McIlroy, playing with new clubs following his multimillion dollar sponsorship deal with Nike, finished with a 3-over 75 and risks missing the cut. He repeatedly missed fairways including a shot on his 12th that hit a tree and ended up in a parking lot, leading to one of his two double bogeys. His other double bogey came when he muffed a chip in thick rough on his par-3 6th. He also putted poorly, missing a par putt on his 17th and a birdie putt on the 18th.
Mclroy insisted his difficulties had more to do with rusty strokes than the new equipment. While he repeatedly slumped after a bad shot or frowned following a missed putt, the 2012 European Tour and U.S. PGA Tour money winner seemed resigned to the fact that it would take time for him to adjust to the new Nike clubs.
"When you go out and you've got new stuff, you are going to be a little anxious and hopefully you play well," McIlroy said. "But I guess I can learn from it and move on and go into tomorrow and try and play a bit better. It's about playing yourself into the weekend."
Woods, meanwhile, finished a rollercoaster round at even par after "grinding it out." The 14-time major winner had four birdies to go along with four bogeys and ended his round by three-putting his 18th for a bogey when he hit the second putt too hard.
"I'm still right there," said Woods, who was five shots behind Donaldson. "You know, if I two-putt that last hole I'm in I think 12th or 13th or something like that. There's not a lot of guys going low out there. These fairways are tiny to begin with, but there are a lot of crosswinds."
Woods can thank his short game and putter for salvaging the round, saving par on several occasions and sinking several long birdie putts. He made three birdies on the last four holes of his front nine. But he lost that momentum on the back nine, when he mishit a tee shot that led to a bogey on 10, and couldn't hole a short par putt on his 11th.
"I put something up there and lost it," Woods said of his bogeys on the back. "I had another chance at 3 to make another bogey in row and made a good save there. That kind of got it going a little bit. But it was tough out there. I didn't hit it that well. On top of that, this wind just magnifies it. You really have to control your ball today."
It was left to the 47th-ranked Donaldson to show how to overcome the wind and master the narrow fairways. He had six birdies ? including holing a bunker shot on his 12th ? to go along with a bogey. The Welshman is one shot clear of Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark and Pablo Larrazabal of Spain. Three others including Henrik Stenson of Sweden are a further shot back in fourth.
"Solid start, played some pretty good golf out there," said Donaldson, who was looking for his second European Tour victory. "Obviously 5 under is a great start. I played pretty good in most of the round but there were times when it wasn't quite on, we made some good up and downs. It was a matter of scoring well and keeping the momentum going."
It may be an exciting year, especially if you?re planning to sell your home. If you?re like most home sellers, you?ve got some work to do to prepare your home before it goes on the market. So, let?s get to it?
One of the most important things to do before you list your home is to declutter. Decluttering can be an overwhelming endeavor because of a commonly held misconception that the goal is to make your home immaculate. Rather, the underlying principle to decluttering is to remove items from rooms to give a more spacious feel; you decide what items get thrown out, donated, or kept in storage. So as not to get overwhelmed, plan the decluttering; rather than trying to complete the activity in one weekend, try decluttering one room (or even one part of a room) per day.
After the decluttering, you?re often left with items that need to be thrown out. However, some items require precautions and/or special disposal: some items may need to be recycled; some may need special handling; while some may need to be hauled to a processing facility. The county or municipality may offer special pick up for some items that cannot be disposed of by the regular trash collection. If you?re unsure about the disposal of certain items, call your local ?Department of Waste Services,? (like my local Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services) which can offer guidance and information for local disposal/recycle procedures, facility locations and hours.
?Neutralize? your home to provide a vision to home buyers how they can live in the home. Although you?ve spent years giving your home a personal touch; items such as trophies, awards, diplomas, family and personal photos should be removed because they can distract home buyers? attention from the home itself.
Home buyers should feel at ease when viewing your home. Having too much and/or over-sized furniture can make an otherwise large room feel cramped. Eclectic furniture collections and furniture that is wrongly placed can not only make a room look awkward, but can also give people an unsettling feeling.
Does your home need staging? Home staging is a way to create a ?vision? for home buyers by adding a modern flair. Some home sellers stage every room, while some only stage featured rooms to be focal points of the home. Although home staging can be expensive, it doesn?t have to be. Sometimes having an extra lamp or removing a painting from a wall can make the difference between shabby and chic. If your furniture is out of date or in poor condition, consider a short term furniture rental for that featured room.
Although we?ve talked about your home?s interior ? don?t neglect the exterior of your home. Home buyers? initial opinions are created as they approach your home; no matter how nice your home looks on the inside, it may not matter if home buyers never make it inside. Simple landscaping can make a lawn appear ?manicured.? Make sure that the home?s siding is clean and in good condition.
Your real estate agent should be able to provide guidance to prepare your home for sale. If home staging is a goal, many agents either work with a home stager or have been certified for home staging. You can also research home staging by visiting The International Association of Home Staging Professionals website (IAHSP.com).
More news and articles on ?the Blog? This article is not intended to provide nor should it be relied upon for legal and financial advice. This article was originally published in the Montgomery County Sentinel the week of January 14, 2013. Using this article without permission is a violation of copyright laws. Copyright ? 2013 Dan Krell.
Bolthouse Farms, a US-based producer of juices, smoothies, protein shakes and cafe beverages, has opened a $5m Innovation Center at the company's headquarters in Bakersfield, California on 16 January 2013.
The Innovation Center is expected to accelerate new product development and enhance the company's portfolio of beverages, salad dressings and fresh carrots.
The 17,900ft? facility, which houses several test kitchens and a sensory center, is currently staffed with 40 employees.
Product developers will use the advanced technologies at the center for their research on food and beverage ingredients and products.
Bolthouse Farms CEO Jeff Dunn said, "The Innovation Center is a fitting next step toward Inspiring the Fresh Revolution? as it enables us to further enhance how healthier foods, beverages and snacks are developed and marketed."
MELBOURNE, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic was well aware of up and coming American Ryan Harrison, even stating that he knew how to beat the 20-year-old, but his second round Australian Open opponent is sure he may be able to give the world number one a surprise on Wednesday. Two-time defending champion Djokovic will meet Harrison, for the third time in their careers, on Rod Laver Arena, and said after his first round victory over Paul-Henri Mathieu that he felt he knew the American's game and how to beat him. ...
Inside Lacrosse is kicking off the season by previewing the top 40 teams. Here's Five Things to Know About Albany, ranked No. 39 in the Face-Off Yearbook.
Though they were knocked out of the 2012 NCAA Tournament hunt in the America East title game by Stony Brook, the University at Albany Great Danes had one of the hottest offenses in the land heading into that matchup. Fifteen goals per game in the team's final eight games is a good sign for this coming season; returning 23 players from that team gives the Danes even more to be excited about.
One of college lacrosse's most intriguing rosters, with a trio of the top Iroquois players in the game, Albany's staff has hopes this Danes squad could be the most balanced the program has seen since the memorable 2007 run to the NCAA Tournament.
1. Lyle Thompson Moves to Attack
In what could turn out to be one of the most notable player moves of the season, Lyle Thompson will move to attack after putting up 38 points as a freshman midfielder last season.
When discussing the switch, Albany head coach Scott Marr referred to Peter Baum, who played midfield in his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Colgate, putting up 30 and 49 points in those two seasons before making the move to attack and dropping 97 in 2012.
"You look at Lyle, and he put up 38 points for us as a freshman midfielder being on the field, what, maybe 40% of the time?" Marr said. "So for us, it's a matter of let's get him on the field and leave him on the field so he has as many touches as possible."
Marr said the star from LaFayette in Central New York has a year of college experience under his belt, along with his tremendous run at the U-19 World Championships (where he impressed and was named the top middie of the tourney). That confidence should help the youngest of all the Thompson brothers in shouldering more of the load offensively for the Danes.
"A lot is going to run through him, but Miles still as well," Marr said. "I've always prided myself on the fact we like to push the tempo, and the new rules play into how we want to play. We want Lyle involved in every transition situation in the game. We're hoping that him being on the field will produce more opportunities for us to score. Just looking at the continuity between him, Miles and Ty, in transition especially, they can be pretty deadly."
2. The Blaze Riorden Era
In freshman netmider Blaze Riorden, Marr and his staff could very well have found the piece of the puzzle they've missed since current pro star Brett Queener played his last game for Albany in 2007.
Riorden, Inside Lacrosse's 74th-ranked incoming freshman, was a high school All-American at Fairport and multi-year standout who has already shown the Danes coaching staff he's got what it takes to lead the way from the backend. This team had one of the worst defenses statistically speaking in 2012 (allowing 12.94 goals per game) but yet suffered a pair of one-goal losses (along with a two-goal and a three-goal loss). A significant boost in goalie play could prove to be the difference in similarly close games in 2012.
"Blaze certainly proved himself to be a starter in the fall," Marr said. "Blaze is going to play a lot like Brett in the sense that he comes out of the goal, maybe not as quick, but when he has the opportunity to carry the ball up the field, he's very elusive for a big guy. He can get the ball out and carry up the field, and I think his IQ is off the chart."
If his play in goal doesn't mirror Queener's, his dexterity on offense will. Blaze will very likely slide down to play man-up for the Danes when they are on extra-man offense.
"Blaze certainly brings a lot to the table," Marr says, adding that sophomore Max Huber, last year's eventual starter, also has the experience and grit to step into the cage when needed.
3. Important Senior Leaders
While the Danes senior class doesn't have any bonafide stars that other teams will put at the center of their game plans, Marr says he does have a solid group of seniors who will help the team do what has to be done to bring Albany back into the upper echelon of the Division I ranks.
"A lot of these guys are good solid players, good team chemistry type guys," Marr said. "None of our seniors are afraid to step up, and they've been like that since their freshman season."
Players like Dwayne Stewart, Mike Woods, Matt Mackenzie and Kevin Glueckert ??all midfielders ? are guys Marr says could help push the team a long way toward its goal of returning to the NCAA tournament. The leadership of those players will be essential, especially as the bulk of midfield on offense resides in experienced but younger players.
4. Players More Accountable
Players are being held more in check at Albany, something Marr feels will help boost the team's performance in 2013.
"As a staff, we're always looking for ways to hold guys more accountable," Marr said. "So we're doing more things at practice, like posting depth charts, grading individual practices and each individual player and being more in tune with each kid. And we're trying to grow each player as individuals, getting them to compete against their own practice performance from the day before. That spurs the kids to get better at competing against each other and to get better on the field."
By taking these steps, Marr says, the coaching staff actually is holding itself more accountable, too, as the coaches are spending time focusing on each player and developing a deeper understanding of what they expect out of their players.
"It opens the door to us as a staff to really investigate what we're looking for in our players, and that's exciting."
5. More Cohesive Unit
While Albany has had talent on its roster in recent seasons, the coaching staff feels cohesion hasn't been the Danes' strongest point.
But this season, he sees a team that is more of a brotherhood and a family than ever before with this particular collection of players. A part of that stems from players holding themselves to a higher standard on and off the field.
Marr pointed to Miles Thompson, who he said is 30-some pounds lighter than he was during the 2012 season, praising his dedication and seemingly renewed work ethic, which has seen him in the weight room more than ever.
By holding themselves more accountable, Marr said, the team's key players are sending a positive message to the rest of the team, which has in turn produced a tighter unit at practice and away from the field.
"When our top players are going above and beyond, that spreads throughout the team. Guys are going to dinner at each other's houses more. Guys are spending more time together, bonding. It feels like the whole team is starting to come together."?
Best Bet: Blaze Riorden, freshman, goalie It might sound crazy to call a freshman a "best bet" in any situation, let alone a goalie. But Blaze has already cemented himself as the starter for the Danes. And he's in a position to do big things as a netminder in the same mold as his fellow Upstater Brett Queener. Riorden is a safe bet to have as meaningful of an impact on his team as any freshman out there. He's inherited a lot of responsibility already, but he's also already earned the respect of his coaches and teammates.?
Sleeper Pick: Ty Thompson, junior, attack It's tough when you're a Thompson to try to slide under the radar. But with so much attention likely to be placed on his cousins Miles and Lyle, it's likely that Ty could find himself on the receiving end of a lot of opportunities. Though he's already an established player (with ), if he can increase his 33 goals and 11 assists from last season, he's going to be a huge key to Albany's offense. Though he won't have come out of nowhere, it might feel that way to some.?
Written by Philip Nowak
Loading...
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 18-Jan-2013
Share ] 
