Thursday, December 27, 2012

Apple CEO's pay takes big hit vs. record 2011 package

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook's 2012 compensation package of $4.17 million (2.58 million pounds) is a huge cut on paper for the top executive of the most valuable U.S. corporation, after a 2011 package fattened by more than $376 million (233 million pounds) in long-term stock awards.

Cook received the largest single pay package awarded to a company CEO in about a decade when he replaced Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) co-founder Steve Jobs in August last year, shortly before the Silicon Valley legend's death in October 2011.

The maker of the iPhone and iPad made the 2012 compensation disclosures in a regulatory filing on Thursday. Cook, 52, has been with Apple since 1998.

Virtually all of Cook's $376 million stock bonus in 2011 was in awards that vest in two chunks - one in 2016 and the other in 2021. This structure was intended to keep Jobs' longtime lieutenant at the helm for many years, as the value of the stock will depend on how well the company is doing in 2016 and 2021.

Cook, who is credited with masterminding a sprawling but efficient Asian supply chain, has generally received high marks for his first year for shepherding several successful gadget launches, including the iPhone 5.

But he was forced to make a public apology in September after the company launched a mapping service application riddled with glaring geographical errors. The Maps app fiasco contributed to the departure of fellow Apple veteran and software chief Scott Forstall.

In addition, some analysts questioned whether Cook, whose only major new product since taking the helm was a smaller version of the iPad that Jobs propelled into the mainstream in 2010, has the vision to produce the next big product category and sustain historically stellar growth for Apple as global mobile competition intensifies.

"The jury is still out in terms of the job he is doing," said fund manager Tim Ghriskey, whose Solaris Group counts Apple stock as the biggest holding among the approximately $2 billion it manages.

But he added that the company's long-term prospects look strong, particularly if it rolls out oft-rumoured television products in the next few years.

As of Thursday's close, Apple shares were almost 37 percent higher than when Cook became CEO 16 months ago. However, since a record-high close of $702.10 on September 19, the stock has fallen almost 27 percent.

Ghriskey said Wall Street remained nervous about the growing popularity of Google Inc (NasdaqGS: GOOG - news) 's Android phone software, used by global smartphone leader Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, and potential margin pressure from that intensifying competition.

In terms of base salary, Cook actually received a 50 percent increase to $1.4 million for 2012, and the same 200 percent non-equity bonus other top Apple executives like CFO Peter Oppenheimer earned, Apple said in the Thursday filing ahead of a February 27 shareholders' meeting.

Cook's 2012 package includes a nonequity bonus of $2.8 million.

Despite the increase, Apple said Cook's target annual cash compensation is "significantly below the median annual cash compensation level for CEOs at peer companies." It also said that Cook will not receive any stock awards for 2012.

Cook's latest compensation package also pales in comparison to his package in 2010, when he was chief operating officer. That package was 14 times higher.

A company spokesman would not comment beyond the filing.

Jobs famously received $1 a year in salary in the three years before he stepped down, though in 2000 he too received a stock option that analysts say was valued at almost $600 million at the time.

Looking beyond Apple, Yahoo Inc (NasdaqGS: YHOO - news) 's CEO, Marissa Mayer, a former Google Inc high-flyer hired this year to try to turn around the struggling Internet icon, won a pay package worth more than $70 million. Despite her lack of a track record as CEO and Yahoo's tiny size in comparison, her basic pay is comparable to Cook's, with about $1 million in annual salary and up to $2 million in an annual bonus.

Oracle Corp's Larry Ellison, one of the most highly paid U.S. chief executives - and also the world's sixth-richest man, according to Forbes - received total compensation for the year ended May 31, 2012, of $96.2 million - almost all of it in stock options. That compared with $77.6 million in 2011.

According to a study of the Fortune 500 conducted by Forbes this year, CEOs were paid a base salary of $1.1 million in 2011 on average, with the mean annual bonus at $2.4 million and average total compensation - including stock awards - at around $17 million.

Apple shares closed up 0.4 percent at $515.06 on the Nasdaq on Thursday.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew and Liana Baker in New York, Jim Finkle and Tim McLaughlin in Boston and Edwin Chan in San Francisco; editing by Kenneth Barry and Matthew Lewis)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apple-ceo-2012-pay-drop-151057112.html

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

How to cope with a slow connection away from home

8 hrs.

Q. ?I'm going home for the holidays, and my parents have a very slow connection. Do you have any tips for getting my work done effectively when everything's moving slower than molasses??

Separate your Internet-heavy work and postpone it?
A.?
Before you start making tweaks to your browser and computer, it's a good idea to take stock of what work you have and separate it into two categories. GigaOM explains:

Divide your tasks into bandwidth-heavy and bandwidth-light. Evaluate your routine web tasks and see which ones you can do with a slow connection, and which ones require a faster, more reliable one. This is especially important if your mobile Internet provider charges based on bandwidth usage instead of time. Aliza Sherman did something similar in a previous post, to help her work around bandwidth limits.

This is particularly useful if you know you're going to be stuck on a slow connection, but even if you get yourself in a bind, you can still do some re-prioritization quickly. If you have some Internet-heavy tasks that can't wait, you should delegate them to someone else if you can???heck, even offer to pick up some of your co-workers' Internet-light load if they can help you out.

Tweak your browser for low-speed connections
Chances are, your browser isn't exactly primed for slow Internet speeds. So, we recommend grabbing a second browser that you can tweak to work better with slow connections. Opera is a great choice, because it has a Turbo Mode that optimizes the Web for faster loading, but no matter what, there are a number of tweaks you can make to speed up your browser, like:

With these few tweaks in place, you should find things run a little smoother and you won't be stuck waiting for pages quite as long.

Use mobile, HTML or other low-footprint sites
These days, a lot of websites load up their pages with junk that isn't really a problem when you have a normal high-speed connection, but can really bog things down when your connection is limited. Some of them have alternatives in place.?

Gmail, for example, has a handy HTML version that you can use to cut down on the crap when you need to get into your email quicker. You can also see if a specific site has a mobile version, designed for smartphones. Most mobile sites will only load if you're actually on a mobile device, though, so you'll want to change your browser's user agent to make sites recognize you as a smartphone.

Work outside your browser whenever possible
The?more you stay in your browser, the longer you'll be waiting for pages to load. Travel website Gadling recommends transferring as much of that work outside your browser as possible. For example, if you write on a blog or do any work in Google Docs, transfer that to a desktop app like Microsoft Office or LibreOffice for the time being. Heck, you can even compose an email in Notepad while you wait for it to load???don't waste any time watching a progress bar when you could be doing something else.

When you do have to work in your browser, try not to put too much stress on it. Open one tab at a time, so you aren't trying to load a bunch of pages at once (since it'll take them longer, and you can only read one at a time). Close tabs you aren't using often, as they can often take up bandwidth even if you aren't looking at them.

Turn off bandwidth-sucking background apps?
With all the focus on your browser, you may forget that other apps like Dropbox might be taking up precious bandwidth in the background. Close any and all of those you don't need to do your work, or put them into offline mode so they aren't constantly checking if they need to sync. Some apps may require some foresight for this to work: Notational Velocity and ResophNotes will work fine without a connection, for example, but Evernote will require you to go into its settings and download your notebooks before it'll work in offline mode.

When all else fails, find better Wi-Fi?
No one wants to rush around all day trying to find better Internet, but if what you're using is just too slow, look elsewhere. Free Wi-Fi is everywhere, and if at first you don't succeed, find a faster hotspot. You won't be able to do this all day if you have work to get done, but you should be able to find something that's somewhat workable for the time being.

More from Lifehacker:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/how-deal-slow-internet-connection-away-home-1C7660214

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Guide To Purchasing Security Systems Online | Free Directory ...

Guide To Purchasing Security Systems Online

With all the conveniences the internet has provided modern civilization for many years, buying security systems online should not really be a problem. Especially when you can visit websites such as digitaldirectsecurity to buy security systems for your home or office. And there are good reasons people opt to buy security systems from these online dealers.

So if you plan to buy security systems for the first time, looking into these reasons can help you decide whether or not purchasing them from the internet is really something you would like to do. The first of these reasons is buying anything from online suppliers and yes this includes buying security systems is convenient. And for a lot of busy people these days, being able to shop for what they need within their homes and without spending a lot of time is very helpful. People also buy security systems online because they can learn more about the products they plan to buy.

And if you have never bought security systems before, it is important that you learn as much as you can about these products before buying any product. This way, you can determine whether or not you should buy products from websites such as DigitalDirectSecurity. So you need to learn as much as you can about these security systems before you buy anything they are selling you.

With the ease and speed you can access information on the internet, this is not going to be something that will be difficult to do. It is also practical to buy these security systems online. The reason is you can visit several websites at the same time. This allows you to comparison shop between suppliers which is helpful in finding affordable deals. Despite these reasons however, there are a number of shopping tips to keep in mind before you make a purchase.

First, you have to be sure you can trust the online stores you plan buying security systems from since there are a lot of them selling these products nowadays. This means you need to learn more about Digital Direct Security before you buy what they are selling. You need to find out how long the company has been in business and what their previous customers have to say about their products and services.

Gathering firsthand information about these online companies can help you decide whether or not to do business with them in the first place. You have to take your time gathering all information and studying your available options before you decide to buy security systems from any online dealer.

If you want to know more about CCTV Systems or other types of surveillance systems around then browse through http://www.digitaldirectsecurity.co.uk/ for more details.

No comments yet.

Source: http://www.businesslistingnow.com/blog/guide-to-purchasing-security-systems-online/

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If US falls off 'fiscal cliff,' economy could get soft landing ? or dizzy dive onto the rocks (Star Tribune)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/272918924?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Falcons top Lions 31-18 for home-field advantage

Atlanta Falcons tight end Michael Palmer, center right, celebrates his touchdown with tight end Tony Gonzalezduring the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Atlanta Falcons tight end Michael Palmer, center right, celebrates his touchdown with tight end Tony Gonzalezduring the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) is congratulated by quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, after breaking Jerry Rice's single-season record for receiving yards, in Detroit on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan prepares to throw during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Harry Douglas (83) during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White runs for a 39-yard touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

(AP) ? Matt Ryan got what he wanted.

Calvin Johnson was forced to settle for what he could get.

Ryan matched a career high with four touchdown passes, two to Roddy White, to help the Atlanta Falcons beat the Detroit Lions 31-18 Saturday night and earn home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

"It's great," Ryan said. "Our confidence is high and our experience ? good and bad ? has helped us. The key is to keep the focus where it's been."

In yet another loss, Johnson had a record-breaking night.

Johnson broke Jerry Rice's NFL single-season yards receiving mark of 1,848. After making the record-breaking catch in the fourth quarter, Johnson jogged over to the sideline and handed the football to his father.

"That was a very special moment," he said.

Johnson also became the only player with 100 yards receiving in eight straight games and the first with 10 receptions in four games in a row in league history. He had 11 receptions for 225 yards, giving him 1,892 this season.

"I've been an NFL fan my whole life, dating back to watching Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry as a kid, and I've coached in this league for 19 years," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "I've seen a lot of Hall of Famers, but I've never seen a better player than Calvin Johnson.

"He just broke a record set by Jerry Rice, who is arguably the best player in this history of this league."

The Falcons (13-2) pulled away with Ryan's fourth TD pass to wide-open tight end Michael Palmer in the fourth quarter and Matt Bryant's 20-yard field goal with 3:05 left that gave them a 15-point lead.

Ryan was 25 of 32 for 279 yards without a turnover.

The Falcons hope playing at home, potentially throughout the conference playoffs, helps them more than it did after the 2010 and 1980 seasons. The Falcons failed to win a game in either postseason, getting routed by Green Bay two years ago and blowing a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead to Dallas three decades ago.

Atlanta advanced to its only Super Bowl with a win at Minnesota after winning a franchise-record 14 games during the 1998 season.

The Falcons won't have much incentive to match that mark next week at home against Tampa Bay, when they'll have nothing to gain and something to lose if a key player or more gets hurt.

Detroit (4-11) has been relegated to playing for pride this month and that hasn't been going very well.

The Lions, whose seven-game losing streak is the longest skid in the league, haven't struggled this much since the laughingstock of a franchise became the league's first to go 0-16 in 2008.

The Falcons led 21-3 at halftime before letting the Lions pull within five points early in the fourth quarter.

Ryan dashed Detroit's comeback hopes.

Facing intense pressure, he converted a third down in Atlanta territory with a pass to White, picked on rookie cornerback Jonte Green by throwing to Jones to pick up more first downs and found Tony Gonzalez open to convert another third down to set up his fourth TD pass.

"We didn't play well in the third quarter," Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. "Matt made some big throws on that drive."

Stafford was clearly trying to get the ball to Johnson on the next drive and cornerback Asante Samuel figured that out, stepping in front of the receiver for an interception to set up Bryant's field goal.

Atlanta running back Michael Turner was tackled in the end zone, after Detroit turned the ball over on downs, to give the Lions two meaningless points.

Ryan went deep to White for the first score, connecting with him on a 44-yard TD strike with 5:50 left in the first quarter. Ryan threw a short pass to him early in the second quarter and the standout receiver did the rest on a 39-yard sprint down the sideline.

Ryan put his third TD pass where only Julio Jones could catch it a corner of the end zone, and he did on a 16-yard reception that put Atlanta up 21-3.

Detroit didn't give up, a game after being accused of doing just that in a 38-10 loss at Arizona.

Jason Hanson kicked a second field goal late in the first half to make it 21-6.

After Atlanta opened the second half with a three-and-out drive, Mikel Leshoure scored on a 1-yard run midway through the third quarter to pull the Lions with eight points.

Hanson's third field goal made it 21-16.

Stafford finished 37 of 56 for 443 yards with an interception and the Lions say he set an NFL record for the most yards passing in a game without throwing a TD pass.

Detroit dug a big hole because the Falcons scored two TDs off turnovers in the first half.

Defensive end Kroy Biermann forced running Leshoure to fumble, giving the Falcons the ball at their 31 and they took advantage. Ryan's perfectly lofted pass to White's fingertips converted a third-and-1 in a big way, putting the Falcons ahead.

The Lions responded with another drive into Atlanta territory, but stalled and had to settle for Hanson's 34-yard field goal in the final minute of the opening quarter to pull within four points.

Atlanta earned a double-digit lead on the ensuing drive.

Ryan threw a screen pass to his left to White, who got a great block from tight end Gonzalez, and the receiver raced untouched for a score that put the Falcons ahead 14-3.

White finished with eight receptions for 153 yards and two TDs. Jones had seven receptions for 71 yards and a score.

Ryan completed his first 12 attempts and, after his first incomplete pass, he converted a third-and-10 with an 11-yard toss to Jacquizz Rodgers. Two plays later, Ryan matched a season high with a third TD pass on the connection with Jones. Prior to the game, Ryan hadn't started a game with more than 10 consecutive completions, according to STATS LLC. He started 10 for 10 last month against Tampa Bay.

Johnson had three receptions for 70 yards in the first quarter, breaking Herman Moore's single-season franchise record for yards receiving.

By halftime, Johnson had 117 yards receiving. He had 100 yards receiving for an eighth straight game, breaking a record set by Charley Hennigan in 1961 and matched by Michael Irvin in 1995. It was Johnson's 11th game with 100 yards receiving this season, tying Irvin's NFL mark.

"Calvin is one of the best players in the game and I think everybody is a big fan of his," Ryan said. "He's one of the most genuinely nice people you could meet."

Stafford connected with Johnson on a short crossing route and the receiver did the rest, outrunning Falcons on a 49-yard gain. Fittingly, the Lions turned the ball over on the next snap in the latest lowlight in a season full of them.

The Lions, Falcons and fans at Ford Field in Detroit honored the victims of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School before the game. Players had memorial decals on their helmets that read "S.H.E.S." in white on a black background, and Detroit's coaches wore pins with a similar design. There was also a moment of silence before the national anthem while the names and ages of each victim were shown on the videoboards. Twenty children and six adults were killed in the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn. Adam Lanza killed his mother, shot students and staff, then killed himself.

NOTES: Stafford, in his fourth season, has 1,090 career completions to surpass Bobby Layne's franchise record of 1,074. Stafford is seven attempts away from surpassing the NFL's single-season mark of 691 set by Drew Bledsoe with New England in 1994. ... Backup Falcons CB Christopher Owens had a hamstring injury.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

___

Follow Larry Lage on Twitter: http://twitter.com/larrylage

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-23-FBN-Falcons-Lions/id-b69cc1c8f75a414e9510c3c35e5294c3

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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Freelance Essay Writing Work Made Easier | About Freelance


Freelance Essay Writing Work Made Easier

For astute freelance writing graduates who?ve read various essays throughout college or high school, writing literary essays would seemingly be an easy accomplishment.? Unfortunately, appeasing your clientele ? who is paying you ? is slightly more ?exacting? than writing papers for professors. For freelancing writing professionals who find following various types of prose is more difficult than they?re prepared to handle, we?ve prepared this segment to include tips for writing a literary essay which will impress your clientele and help you gain insight into what exactly the author was trying to convey when writing the original literature.? Keep in mind that these written works are rather challenging and require time, unblocked concentration and exhaustive effort.

Keep An Informal Style

Since you?ll already need to include many references for this written piece, you?ll definitely need to keep an informal, easy to understand and conversational tone throughout the piece.? In terms of referencing your sources, you?ll probably benefit by using end notes as opposed to an Appendix.? Finally, make sure paragraphs are short, succinct and always leading into the next paragraph with transitional phrases.? Often times, freelance writing professionals will simply follow the clients? lead on format expectations.

While writing the essays are pretty rudimentary, understanding the literature requires attentiveness and the ability to take thorough notes for later writing.? Since you?ll need to include subtexts above each paragraph, it?s important to understand your thoughts and proper placement of these subtext needs. Read the passage at least twice to gain in-depth knowledge of author styles and use of foreshadowing. Finally, take the time for conducting research outside of the passage to see what else you?ve probably forgotten to include within your outline.

Begin Writing

There?s a rather intrinsic outline which must be used when writing literary essays; your clientele will more than likely convey this outline once the assignment has been given.? Generally speaking, follow this outline when writing your various essays in general:

  • Introductory statements
  • Thesis statements
  • First body paragraph which has three sub-points and your ?punch line? statement
  • Second body paragraph which includes the same.
  • Conclusion paragraphs will reinforce prior statements and leave the reader questioning potential outcomes aside from what you?ve written and what author wrote.

Under no circumstances should freelancing professionals plagiarize to cut corners; the famous adage states that copywriting is not copy my writing which, of course, means you cannot hijack someone?s writing for mere pleasure or vindictiveness.

Something Else To Think About?

College students, freelance professionals and high school students live for exploratory essay styles because, unlike regular essay styles, the writer is free to write boundlessly and never worry about ending the essay.? The main goal is allowing your ?explorative? side to handle researching and writing your essay without having any particular destination in mind; one may call these essays ?educational writings? instead of strictly formatted essays.? Since students still need some idea of what they?ll write about, we?ve written some interesting ideas for freelance writing professionals to follow when they find these assignments are arduous tasks.

Writing literary essays present wonderful challenges which many people need assistance in overcoming.? While different literature passages will require different angles, statements and research, your general outline will be as presented above.? Always remember to write your title to adequately present your reviewed literary piece while adding your own twist.? Conclude your writings by thoroughly proofreading and reviewing the format for fervor before turning in for review.

Finally, locating various ready-made essays to use as guides will definitely prove challenging if you?re searching amiss.? While it appears many people offer these informative essay samples across the internet, you must use your judgment when finalizing the copy you?ll use as your narrative guide.? Finally, make sure you always write your own works and not copy from secondary sources.

Source: http://www.aboutfreelance.com/freelance-essay-writing-work-made-easier/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=freelance-essay-writing-work-made-easier

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British Psychological Society - Job Seekers Website - Psychologist ...

Position: Senior Occupational/Business Psychologist
Job Reference: SP/MH/23262
Department: Human Resources
Company / Division: Emirates Airline
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Salary: Attractive tax-free package

http://ekgrpapplications.emirates.com/CareersOnlineApps/JOB_VACANCIES/JobDetails.aspx?advno=B9341E68DB6D886E&cid=Jobadvert23262//psychapp

Tomorrow you could be living in dynamic Dubai and earning a tax-free salary with global benefits. Starting with two aircraft and a handful of enthusiastic people, we have grown at a phenomenal rate. We are now one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, flying to over 125 destinations across 6 continents.

We are looking for people to join our global family of over 54,000 people from 160 nationalities across a diverse range of disciplines. If you are a high performer, seeking unparalleled career opportunities, join the Emirates team and help us create the future of travel.

The Position:

Senior Occupational/Business Psychologist - the role holder will assess, evaluate and recommend suitability of candidates for employment or promotion, and act as a consultant to senior managers in the building of strong teams, resolution of work related conflicts and managing the psychological aspects of change in the workplace.

Job Outline
-Research, assess, administer, and recommend the most appropriate psychological tools for recruitment, workshops and training leading to enhanced quality of selection and staff development.
-Ensure tools used are appropriately normed and/or adapted to the needs of the organisation as required.
-Proactively develop and deliver relevant workshops across the Group depending on the business requirement and an understanding of the business and its challenges.
-Thereby support staff and managers facing challenges of continuous expansion, growth and business.
-Support management and the HR-Business Support team in implementing corporate change by facilitating interventions, developing appropriate workshops to assist individuals to cope with change, and provide other support in order to minimize resistance to change and facilitate positive forward movement.
-Facilitate team sessions across the business to support the forming of new teams or the growth and development of intact teams.
-Conduct detailed leadership profiling to support promotion, development and high potential assessment.
-Design and conduct assessment and development centres for various purposes as required.
-Research and benchmark international practices particularly in the area of Aviation Psychology ensuring the Emirates Group continues to follow best practice in this area.

Salary & Benefits: We offer an attractive tax-free salary, paid in Dirhams, the local currency of the UAE.

Experience and Qualifications:
-Masters degree in Occupational or Business Psychology; Chartership or its equivalent will be of added advantage.
-At least 6 years experience post Masters.
-Membership of the BPS, APS or other international professional body.
-Qualifications and experience on the WAVE, Hogan, EQi would be an advantage.
-Experience facilitating team dynamics sessions using a tool such as the MBTI is essential.
-Significant experience designing and conducting assessment and development centres is also essential.
-Should have worked in an occupational setting in a large corporate; aviation experience would be an added advantage as would the change aspects of M&A and other large organisational change scenarios.
-Practical knowledge of the Gulf culture an advantage.
-Fluency in English language is essential both spoken and written.

Source: http://www.psychapp.co.uk/JobSeeker/Search/default.cfm?VacancyID=15255&Action=ShowVacancy&fromRSS=true

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PFT: The Vick-to-Jets rumors have begun

DeAngelo Hall, Dana McKenzieAP

Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall was fined $30,000 for screaming at an official during an October 28 game against the Steelers. Now Hall says the official falsely told the NFL that Hall had threatened to kill him during their heated exchange.

Hall told the Washington Post that head linesman Dana McKenzie told the league office that the reason he ejected Hall from the game was that Hall issued a death threat. Hall says that?s simply not true.

?Yeah, he said that?s what threw the flag for the ejection,? Hall said. ?And so, you know, that didn?t happen. That should have never happened, and we wouldn?t be having this conversation. There?s just a lot of things that are unresolved with that case that have to be resolved.?

Hall said that in the process of appealing his fine, he began to believe that the NFL Players Association never should have accepted the Collective Bargaining Agreement that ended the lockout last year. According to Hall, the players gave the league office far too much authority to discipline them.

?Any time you?ve got one person that?s the judge, jury and executioner ? he makes the fine, then he hears the appeal, then he decides the amount ? it?s just tough. It?s just tough,? Hall said. ?The CBA we agreed on probably wasn?t in the best interests of the players, from my viewpoint.?

Although Hall stopped short of criticizing the union, he said that he now wishes he had immediately hired his own lawyer when the NFL fined him, instead of relying on help from the Players Association, which is what he has done so far.

?I should have took a step back and got independent counsel, figured the right, I guess, path to go on,? Hall said. ?That?s kind of what we?re trying to do now, I mean, because what happened shouldn?t have happened. He shouldn?t have came at me like he did. I shouldn?t have came back at him. But it happened. But after that, I was told that I said I was going to ?[profanity] kill him,? which didn?t happen.?

If there?s still a dispute about exactly what Hall said to McKenzie, that suggests that no audio of the exchange exists, and we?ll likely never know who?s telling the truth. But a $30,000 fine obviously means the NFL thinks Hall said something that went way too far.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/20/start-the-michael-vick-to-the-jets-rumors/related/

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Mayan Apocalypse: One Direction, Ed Sheeran Share Their Plans For Our Final Days

'I don't want to be working!' 1D's Harry Styles tells us about how he hopes to spend December 21.
By James Montgomery


Mayan ruins
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699197/mayan-apocalypse-end-of-world.jhtml

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Friday, December 21, 2012

Shipments of Apple's (AAPL) iPad Mini on Pace to Smash Expectations

FREE Breaking News Alerts from StreetInsider.com!

December 20, 2012 7:58 AM EST
Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) shares are ticking higher in early trading amid reports it might see a nice boost in iPad mini demand through the end of the year.

According to Digitimes, Apple increased orders for the iPad mini by 25 percent to 10 million units, as demand for the tablet continues to be robust. Sources have said that total unit volume for the few months since the device debuted in late October/early November will be about 12 million units.

The number is significant in that it could come in 20 percent above Apple's own expectations. The Curpertino, CA-based electronics and media giant had loose predictions of 10 million units being shipped in 2012, adjusting that to about 6 million to 8 million units as component yields waned.

Sources noted that yields have markedly improved and shipments have already surpassed 8 million units.

Upstream manufacturers supplied about 4 million to 4.5 million components in October and November, with the same volume expected in December.

No word on expectations for demand or shipments moving into the first-quarter of calendar 2013.


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Source: http://www.streetinsider.com/Retail+Sales/Shipments+of+Apple's+(AAPL)+iPad+Mini+on+Pace+to+Smash+Expectations/7962491.html

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Thursday, December 13, 2012

Study probes impact of climate change on cold-blooded animals

Dec. 12, 2012 ? A new study by biologists at Mercyhurst University focuses on the influence of climate change, particularly warmer winters, on the survival and potential fecundity of cold-blooded animals.

Cold blooded animals, or ectotherms, do not have an internal mechanism for regulating body temperature. Instead, they rely on solar energy captured by the environment.

The purpose of the Mercyhurst study, a collaboration of Michael Elnitsky, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology; and students Drew Spacht and Seth Pezar, is to assess the current and future impacts of climate change on the overwintering energetics and microenvironmental conditions of the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis). Larvae of the goldenrod gall fly have long served as model organisms for studying the strategies used by freeze-tolerant animals for winter survival.

"We used historical temperature data to estimate the overwintering (November through March) energy use of larval gall flies," Elnitsky said. "Based upon the relationship between metabolic rate and temperature, the estimated energy utilization during winter has increased by more than 30 percent over the last 50 years."

Further, with continued climate change, each additional 1?-degree C rise in temperature during winter is projected to increase energy use by 12 percent. The consequence of this is that the amount of energy remaining at winter's end directly determines how many offspring the goldenrod gall fly can produce.

"Unlike some other insects that are benefiting from a changing climate, goldenrod gall fly populations would be predicted to decline," Elnitsky said.

The research team has begun similar assessments of the impacts of a changing winter climate for other arthropods, such as deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) that transmit Lyme disease bacteria and the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), an invasive insect destroying hemlock forests throughout the eastern U.S.

The Mercyhurst group presented their research at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) in Knoxville, Tenn., last month. Spacht of Erie and Pezar of Madison, Ohio, were awarded the President's Prize in the Physiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology section for their poster presentation. The President's Prize is the award given to the top undergraduate presentation in each section at the conference, which was attended by more than 4,000 scholars.

Also at the conference, Chris Strohm, a 2011 Mercyhurst biology graduate and currently a graduate student in entomology at the University of Kentucky, was awarded second place among graduate students in the Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity section.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/dx4bHNqnOnk/121212162715.htm

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Google Engage: An Ecommerce View

Google shared their plans for 2013 to their affiliated agencies. In this article, we share what 2013 holds for Google and what it means for your online business.

On the 23rd November, Metakinetic?s Search Marketing team was invited to the exclusive invite only Google Engage Event; Box of Tricks for Agencies at the impressive One Marylebone in London. Walking in to the Soane Hall you could see the eager Search Marketing Specialists, Executives and Heads ready to soak in everything Google had to say. The event focused on both organic (SEO) and paid (PPC) search marketing within the Search Engine Giant, whilst also dipping its toe into the Social Media realm of Digital Marketing. For those unable to attend, take a look at what to look forward to in 2013 with Google.

Mobile is Pivotal

With many mobile statistics, Google proved their point of mobile, in particular mobile commerce, being the future with 51% of mobile phone owners having a love for their smartphone already, this is only going to increase. It is predicted that in 2013 more people will access the internet via their mobile device, whether it is their smartphone or tablet, than any other device. If that is not enough to grab your attention, in 2015 it is estimated that there will be a mobile device for each and every person on the earth. Just think to yourself, how many mobile devices do you have yourself? Maybe a personal smartphone, a work smartphone and a tablet too? That is three to yourself, soon you?ll have a personal tablet and a work tablet and many even a hybrid of the two like the Samsung Galaxy Note; a merge of the tablet and the phone.

So what does this mean for online businesses, in particular ecommerce? Google recommend going mobile, and despite user demand, only 10% of advertisers have a mobile site. We were shocked too; mobile technology is changing our customer journey. 64% of us admit to using mobile devices whilst in store in the UK to compare prices and to see what else is out there. Therefore, can you afford to not only not have an online presence, but not have a mobile presence either?

Google+ to Benefit Positioning

Google+ is described as a ?social spine that underpins and strengthens all of Google?. So as Google expands into the Social Media sector, it is important to look at what Google+ can do for your ecommerce business and increase your reach.

The Search Giant holds the majority of the cards when it comes to search marketing due to the sheer dominance in the market share, so the theory is what they say goes if you wish to succeed online. However, it isn?t as simple as surrendering to Google, instead Google?s mission is to organise the world?s information and make it universally accessible to you, improving the user?s experience. When you think about it, don?t we all want to improve the customer experience? It is definitely a hot topic in retail, both in store and online; so instead, think of Google as an advisor with their algorithms.

Although many were distraught at the effects of the infamous Panda and Penguin updates, what the user is left with is high quality, relevant results to their search queries, removing those awful spam sites. Let?s just say agencies that were using black hat practices are now seeing white as the new black after many hours, days, weeks and possibly months of hard work. Luckily, we at Metakinetic can say we only believe in ethical and natural SEO strategies to give our clients high ranking and genuine positions.

With Google+ being a little over a year old, the service has achieved over 40 million members and 1 million brands as users. These impressive stats transfer to daily active users spending an average of 60 minute on Google+ per day. Within Google+ users can search queries and keywords as they would in Google. However, brands with a Google+ account which are relevant to the search query will be favoured with the displaying of their company profile on the right hand side (where PPC adverts would usually be seen on Google). Let?s take Marks & Spencer as an example to demonstrate how this works. In the image below you can see the Google search results appearing in the usual format, however on the right posts from Marks & Spencer?s Google+ appear on the right in a larger predominant position, making it more eye catching and resulting in more clicks.

google m&s serps

When discussing the benefits of Google+, Google also stated the user is more likely to click on your company?s result if they can see their connections have endorsed your brand through the social extension g+1. They have found it has given brands whose G+ profile appears as part of search results a Click through Rate (CTR) increase of 5 to 10%. Therefore integrating search marketing with social media to improve the performance of your ecommerce business give a higher chance of conversions.

Google Shopping to Change

Google Shopping UK has been announced to change to the US model. With it comes the paid advert option for Google shopping, where paid adverts will display a sponsored tag. Google Shopping?s paid adverts work in the same way as PPC (Pay per click) works; simply contact your search marketing agency to see if they can incorporate a Google Shopping campaign to your search marketing. This expands brands being able to advertise their products when certain keywords are searched in shopping, increasing reach.

Like PPC, the paid section of Google shopping will be displayed above the organic results, however still being sectioned off using a sponsored tag. This way the users can still determine which type of results they want to choose from. The combination of both paid and organic results can optimise any Google shopping campaigns to ensure you reach your customers. Alongside an effective ecommerce solution, Google Shopping can give you access to a different audience, in the same way that Amazon or eBay have an audience that have certain buying habits, so does Google Shopping. Using Google shopping and your ecommerce solution together can increase the audience reach and enhance your conversions.

The Importance of Remarketing

Remarketing is the use of cookies to track the journey of your users, presenting them with your adverts in Google?s Domain Network. This enables you to target users that have accessed your website and left it without carrying out the desired action, such as a purchase, giving you a second chance to re-engage with a large proportion of your traffic; 96% of visits have undesired results.

Within your traffic you will have a variety of audiences; you need to create different remarketing campaigns for each specific audience to increase your chances of conversion. For instance, around Christmas time, new traffic may be those looking for a Christmas gift for a loved one. ?Your remarketing campaign can be tailored to reach someone a certain number of times in a selected period to make your remarketing as effective as possible.

Analytics to Go Universal

For those who use Google Analytics to measure the performance of your website, we have good news for you. At the Google Analytics Summit in California October 2012, Universal Analytics was announced, a new way to measure the performance of not only your website and online presence but also your business.

Using a different type of cookie, it tracks your customer journey from online to in the store, by integrating all aspects of your data, whatever your device. For example, this new data platform is able to integrate the data from laptops, tablets and mobile devices to create a better understanding of how your customer?s decision journey is carried out. As a result you can streamline your online campaign to increase conversions. This cross-channel measurement allows online businesses to discover the correlation between the channels to optimise conversions, developing a customer-centric campaign.

So what does this mean for ecommerce? With the use of loyalty cards the customer?s journey is measured, for instance signing in to your online site to research a product they are looking at buying. Often, if the customer does not buy on your site it is measured as an opportunity missed. However, if the customer then goes into store to buy the product they were looking at, with Google?s Universal Analytics it is reported as a conversion with the true customer?s journey measured, making your metrics more accurate. With accurate information you are able to transfer it to heighten your customer?s experience, for instance, if your customer does their buying research on your ecommerce system, why not email them a discount code to use online; increasing online sales and showing the customer the ease of buying online.

Final Note:

After an afternoon of insightful information our search marketing sponges returned back twice the size that they arrived at Google Engaged in; it is still questionable whether it was the sheer amount of information, the cocktails afterwards, or the food!

Source: http://www.fourthsource.com/ecommerce/google-engage-an-ecommerce-view-12000

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Website for new open-access journal, eLife, introduced today

Website for new open-access journal, eLife, introduced today [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 13-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jennifer McLennan
j.mclennan@elifesciences.org
301-215-8938
eLife

CAMBRIDGE, UK | December 13, 2012 -- eLife, the open-access journal for outstanding advances in life science and biomedicine, reveals a fresh approach to presenting and using scientific content on its new website, launched today.

In June 2011, three leading research funders came together in a unique collaboration to inspire change in science communication. The first product of this partnership is eLife an open-access journal for the most influential research in life science and biomedicine. After much anticipation surrounding the announcement of the project, recruitment of the academic editorial team, the call for papers, and the publication of first articles, the eLife journal website is introduced today.

The eLife journal invites visitors to explore important new research and associated data, read comments and commentary by experts and colleagues, and get a sense of the quality of work that eLife is publishing.

Nineteen research papers have now been selected for publication by eLife's academic editors. "eLife editors have successfully established a high bar for the journal," said Randy Schekman, Editor-in-chief. "We will continue to publish only those papers deemed highly influential or important. Authors who give us a try will be rewarded with a quick initial decision and for those selected for full peer review a constructive and decisive review process. Feedback has been very positive, with board members, referees, and authors all embracing our approach."

The new site also offers a chance to explore how eLife is taking advantage of digital media. Presentation of content is clean and distraction-free, allowing authors to present the results of their research in full, and inviting readers to delve deeply into the work by exploring figures and their supplements, watching videos, reading editor decision letters and author responses, downloading data sets, viewing article-level metrics, and more. All of this is a starting point, as eLife will continue to solicit feedback from the community in making the presentation as accessible and usable as possible.

"Now is a great time for scientists to come and take a look at eLife, see what they think of the science, and what they think of the way the science is being presented," added Schekman. "We invite our colleagues to consider eLife as a venue for the publication of their most important work. Although our selection process is stringent, we can promise a speedy review for all and a quite unique experience for the authors of papers we accept for publication."

The eLife journal is now online at http://elife.elifesciences.org.

###

For more information about the eLife initiative, and commentary on the site launch, visit http://www.elifesciences.org.

About eLife

eLife is a unique collaboration between the funders and practitioners of research to communicate ground-breaking discoveries in the life and biomedical sciences in the most effective way. The eLife journal is a platform for maximising the reach and influence of new discoveries and showcasing new approaches to the presentation, use, and assessment of research. As an open-access journal, eLife delivers access to content for free, online, immediately on publication, and will encourage maximum possible reach and utility of the content by publishing under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which is emerging as the gold standard for open-access publishing. eLife is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wellcome Trust. Learn more at elifesciences.org.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Website for new open-access journal, eLife, introduced today [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 13-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jennifer McLennan
j.mclennan@elifesciences.org
301-215-8938
eLife

CAMBRIDGE, UK | December 13, 2012 -- eLife, the open-access journal for outstanding advances in life science and biomedicine, reveals a fresh approach to presenting and using scientific content on its new website, launched today.

In June 2011, three leading research funders came together in a unique collaboration to inspire change in science communication. The first product of this partnership is eLife an open-access journal for the most influential research in life science and biomedicine. After much anticipation surrounding the announcement of the project, recruitment of the academic editorial team, the call for papers, and the publication of first articles, the eLife journal website is introduced today.

The eLife journal invites visitors to explore important new research and associated data, read comments and commentary by experts and colleagues, and get a sense of the quality of work that eLife is publishing.

Nineteen research papers have now been selected for publication by eLife's academic editors. "eLife editors have successfully established a high bar for the journal," said Randy Schekman, Editor-in-chief. "We will continue to publish only those papers deemed highly influential or important. Authors who give us a try will be rewarded with a quick initial decision and for those selected for full peer review a constructive and decisive review process. Feedback has been very positive, with board members, referees, and authors all embracing our approach."

The new site also offers a chance to explore how eLife is taking advantage of digital media. Presentation of content is clean and distraction-free, allowing authors to present the results of their research in full, and inviting readers to delve deeply into the work by exploring figures and their supplements, watching videos, reading editor decision letters and author responses, downloading data sets, viewing article-level metrics, and more. All of this is a starting point, as eLife will continue to solicit feedback from the community in making the presentation as accessible and usable as possible.

"Now is a great time for scientists to come and take a look at eLife, see what they think of the science, and what they think of the way the science is being presented," added Schekman. "We invite our colleagues to consider eLife as a venue for the publication of their most important work. Although our selection process is stringent, we can promise a speedy review for all and a quite unique experience for the authors of papers we accept for publication."

The eLife journal is now online at http://elife.elifesciences.org.

###

For more information about the eLife initiative, and commentary on the site launch, visit http://www.elifesciences.org.

About eLife

eLife is a unique collaboration between the funders and practitioners of research to communicate ground-breaking discoveries in the life and biomedical sciences in the most effective way. The eLife journal is a platform for maximising the reach and influence of new discoveries and showcasing new approaches to the presentation, use, and assessment of research. As an open-access journal, eLife delivers access to content for free, online, immediately on publication, and will encourage maximum possible reach and utility of the content by publishing under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which is emerging as the gold standard for open-access publishing. eLife is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wellcome Trust. Learn more at elifesciences.org.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/e-wfn121312.php

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Idaho chooses state-based insurance exchange under "Obamacare"

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - Idaho Governor Butch Otter reluctantly opted on Tuesday for a state-based health insurance exchange under terms of President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul, complaining it would do little to cut costs while inflating government.

Idaho was one of several Republican-led states that delayed compliance with the Affordable Care Act until after the November 6 presidential election in hopes a victory by Republican candidate Mitt Romney would bring a repeal of the law.

Under the law also known as "Obamacare," states had the choice of running their own state-based exchanges, allowing the federal government to administer the program, or form a state-federal partnership to oversee the exchange.

States had faced a November 14 deadline to declare their plans but that was pushed back to December 14 by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Exchanges are to provide a marketplace for Americans to gain health insurance coverage at government-subsidized rates beginning in 2014.

Idaho was one of six undecided states along with Utah, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's website. (Kaiser Family Foundation map: http://r.reuters.com/wac64t)

Idaho and 18 other states - many of which are controlled by Democrats - have told the administration that they intend to set up their own exchanges, according to the foundation.

Twenty-one states - including many Republican-led states that opposed Obamacare before the election - have said they will allow the federal government to administer the program.

The rest have said they will form a state-federal partnership, according to the foundation.

Otter said he opted for a state-based exchange but did not believe the healthcare law would succeed in its goal of reducing costs.

Otter, an outspoken opponent of Obamacare, said he has chafed under the prospect of its "mandates and overreaching federal authority."

"Our options have come down to this: Do nothing and be at the federal government's mercy in how that exchange is designed and run, or take a seat at the table and play the cards we've been dealt," Otter said.

The health insurance exchange in Idaho, still subject to approval by the Republican-controlled legislature, must be open for enrollment by October 1, 2013.

(Editing by Daniel Trotta and Lisa Shumaker)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/idaho-chooses-state-based-insurance-exchange-under-obamacare-035408827.html

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Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Ugly Duckling House | DIY Home Improvement Blog: Saturday ...

Pantone has announced the 2013?#ColorOfTheYear: ?Emerald.
Considering that emerald just so happens to be my birthstone color, I think this is a sign that 2013 is totally going to be my year. ?Here's what Pantone had to say about the color's meaning:

Lively. Radiant. Lush? A color of elegance and beauty?that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.

Oh, Pantone, stop. ?You know I blush when you flatter me. ?Though, I should correct you; I'm not lush; my drinking habits make me A lush. ?There's a difference. ?Anyway, onto the color inspiration for your home. ?Whether it's a full splash on the walls or an accent color, emerald can really add some wow to a room (or your outdoor space). ?Just remember to keep it balanced with neutrals!

Sarah

Source: http://www.uglyducklinghouse.com/2012/12/saturday-on-six-emerald.html

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

In race to 270, it may come down to 106 counties

LEESBURG, Va. (AP) ? How Virginia goes in the presidential election may come down to voters who live amid the small wineries, affluent subdivisions and Civil War battlegrounds of Loudoun County.

Voters in the tony Hamilton County suburbs around the humming riverside economic engine of Cincinnati may tip the balance in Ohio.

To win Florida, either President Barack Obama or Mitt Romney probably will have carried Hillsborough County, where the urban seaport town of Tampa bleeds into communities of Spanish-speaking voters and retired Midwesterners.

Those areas are vastly different, yet each is full of fickle voters and bound by a proclivity to swing between Republican and Democrat every four years. All are main targets as the president and his Republican challenger look for enough victories in enough states to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to capture the White House.

The race may come down to an even narrower slice of the electorate than the nine most contested states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. The outcome probably will depend on what happens in the 106 counties that Republican George W. Bush won in 2004 and that voted Democrat Obama in 2008, according to an Associated Press analysis.

The AP reviewed the vote returns in those nine states during the 2000, 2004 and 2008 elections to identify the counties that have swung between the parties and were most likely to do it again on Nov. 6.

These counties are home to people such as Matt Blunt, a 42-year-old IT manager from Sterling, Va., in Loudoun County, outside Washington. Blunt voted for Obama in 2008, hoping he could change Washington's bitter tone, but now backs Romney.

"What I see in Romney is the stronger potential for leadership than we've seen in the past four years," Blunt said, adding that Obama "hasn't lived up to the promise."

In these counties more than anywhere else, voters' phones ring every night with automated telephone surveys. Every day, glossy mailers hit their mailboxes. Televisions crackle day and night with campaign ads.

In fact, voters in the Cincinnati, Tampa and northern Virginia TV markets have been subjected to presidential campaign advertising totaling $127 million, almost one-fifth the total spent nationwide this year.

"There's more ? and more concentrated ? contact with voters in these counties that swung back and forth in these states than anybody," said Charlie Black, a veteran Republican presidential campaign strategist and informal Romney adviser.

In a race where any bit of an advantage could make the difference, the campaigns go to all this trouble to sway a tiny fraction of the electorate. In 2008, there were 6.2 million votes from those 106 counties; that was not even 5 percent of the roughly 137 million who voted for president.

There is no single reason to explain why these counties seem to shift with the political wind. Their voters are far from monolithic, having little in common other than their voting patterns.

In most of these places, there are few truly undecided voters, forcing Obama and Romney to subdivide the electorate in their attempt for any edge.

In northern Virginia, for example, Obama is reaching out to newcomers and younger veterans. Romney's pitch is stronger toward retired military members, sportsmen and social conservatives.

In counties in the West, Obama is courting educated women and Hispanics. Romney is attempting to make inroads with both, but is more focused on businesswomen and small-business owners.

As a whole, voters in these counties are less racially diverse than the nation, with a smaller percentage having with a college education.

One such area is working-class Sandusky County, Ohio, where the automotive industry's rebound has pushed the county's unemployment below the state average. The list also includes parts of southern Virginia with a substantial African-American population and North Carolina's Research Triangle.

If there's one area where these counties are linked, it may be that many have a wide segment of working-class white voters, an important group for Romney and one that Obama has struggled with.

In the hunt for 270, Obama starts with more states and electoral votes in his column. Romney must take back from the incumbent some states that Obama carried four years ago, including North Carolina and Virginia, which had been reliably Republican until 2008.

In Virginia, public and private polls show Obama narrowly ahead. Internal Republican polls have shown Romney leading in Loudoun and Prince William counties. Over time, these once reliably Republican counties have become more politically diverse, as younger, well-educated, racially and ethnically diverse voters have flocked to Washington's suburbs. Obama won four years ago by aggressively going after them and the state's robust African-American electorate.

Romney can win Virginia by taking Loudoun County away from the Democrats, holding down Obama's likely edge in other Washington suburbs, and running up big numbers in rural southern Virginia and the conservative Tidewater area.

In Ohio, Romney needs Hamilton County, especially the Cincinnati suburbs, to offset Obama's edge in Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton. Obama needs to trim Romney's advantages in the suburbs and southeastern Ohio's coal country.

The dynamic is similar in Nevada's Washoe County. It's home to Reno, a gambling mecca at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas that is a diverse mix of people, including retired and active-duty military from the nearby Naval air base, Hispanics and transplants from northern California.

If Romney stands a chance of carrying Nevada, he needs to cut into Obama's edge in Las Vegas and run up big margins in the vast ranching and mining country elsewhere. But he stands little chance of beating Obama in Nevada without Washoe County, which accounts for 15 percent to 20 percent of the state's vote.

While Obama has concentrated his Nevada efforts on Las Vegas, Romney has focused aggressively on Washoe County's veterans, and for good reason.

"Washoe is a county where Republicans need to win to have a chance in Nevada," Democratic pollster Paul Maslin said.

But some swing-voting counties don't look like they may be swinging back any time soon.

The best example is Osceola County, a bedroom community to Orlando, Fla., that has experienced an influx in the past decade of Puerto Ricans, Hispanics who are U.S. citizens.

The shift of these typically Democratic-leaning voters, as well as other Spanish-speaking voters in Colorado and Nevada, is part of longer-term trend going in the Democrats' favor and spreading into other neighboring states over the coming generation.

While it bodes well for Democrats in the future, there are no guarantees for Obama this year.

___

Schneider reported from Florida.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/race-270-may-come-down-106-counties-135724363--election.html

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Monday, October 22, 2012

'Walking Dead': Five 'Sick' Questions

Killing zombies is one thing, but how about killing humans? That's one of the many questions at the heart of the latest episode of 'Walking Dead.'
By Josh Wigler


Daryl Dixon in "Walking Dead"
Photo: AMC

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1695968/walking-dead-zombies-episode-2.jhtml

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Monday, October 1, 2012

Video: 'Tard the Grumpy Cat' is the latest Internet sensation

Tardar Sauce, the world's grumpiest moggy has unleashed a new meme frenzy online. The sourpuss became an instant hit on social media sites after a photo of her grouchy mug was uploaded to Facebook and Reddit.
According to the Daily Mail, Tardar Sauce (or Tard) became a hit online within 48 hrs after the brother of Tabatha Bundesen of Morristown, Ariz.(owner of Tardar Sauce), uploaded a picture of the cat to Facebook and Reddit.


According to Knowyourmeme.com, Tard's perpetual scowl was upvoted 25,300 times on Reddit and pictures viewed more than 1 million times on Imgur within the first 48 hours.


Redditors began creating Photoshopped versions of Tard immediately, and meme versions with captions such as "?I had fun once. It was awful," and "Just put me down." (See photos below.) A video posted online shows Bryan trying in vain to liven up the ultimate feline sourpuss (see video above). But Tardar remains impassive, ignoring Bryan who is seen scratching her belly. The YouTube video has received more than 1 million views. Tardar's owner, Tabatha, says it would be mistake to entirely interpret Tardar's facial features in anthropomorphic terms. She says Tardar is not entirely grumpy. According to Fox News, and News.com, Tabatha says Tardar "has what looks kind of like an under bite. She looked unique, as did her brother, at birth, with a flat face, bubble eyes, and a short tail." She admits, however, that her "under bite" could not explain entirely her grumpy appearance. Australia's News.com reports Tabatha said: "Tardar is not as coordinated as a normal cat, so she is likely a little angry about that. I think she likes to be held and petted some times, but being the pet of a 10 year old could make anyone grumpy.? What The Huffington Post describes as "Tard's eternal unhappiness" has been exhaustively documented online. The photos below are a few examples:
Tard the Grumpy Cat

Bryan

Tard the Grumpy Cat

image:126808:0::0

Tardar Sauce

image:126809:0::0

Tardar the Grumpy Cat

Bryan

Tardar the Grumpy Cat

image:126810:1::0

Tardar Sauce

image:126811:0::0

According to News.com, Tardar lives with her mother Callie, brother Pokey, three siblings and dogs Shaggy, Honey, Raven and 10-year-old co-owner Chrystal Bundesen, Tabatha's daughter. Tardar Sauce's favorite foods, according to her owners, are mice and tuna.

Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/333910

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