Got Game? Video Gaming Skills See a 30% Increase in Hiring ...

Over the past 90 days, about 3,200 jobs were advertised online for video gaming talent, a 30% year-over-year increase in demand, according to WANTED Analytics?.

New York, NY ? January 30, 2013. During the past 90 days, more than 3,200 job ads were posted online for video gaming talent, according to?WANTED?Analytics? (www.wantedanalytics.com), the leading source of real-time business intelligence for the talent marketplace. As gaming platforms grow among consumers and companies increase their use of ?gamification? strategies, professionals are needed to develop, market, and sell video games. ?Despite a slowing in the last quarter of 2012, the number of gaming job ads grew 30% compared to one year ago.

Source: WANTED Analytics

The largest percentage of these jobs were for computer and technical occupations, including Software Engineers, Web Developers, and Software Quality Assurance Testers. IT related jobs accounted for 46% of all hiring for video gaming talent. Other occupations with high demand for gaming professionals included Marketing Managers, Market Research Analysts, Merchandise Displayers, and Multi-Media Artists and Animators.

The five metropolitan areas with the highest volume of gaming job ads during the past 90 days were Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and New York. Although employers posted the most job ads in the Seattle metro area, the highest year-over-year growth of these locations was in San Francisco. This part of the Silicon Valley experienced a 132% increase in demand compared to the same 90-day time period last year.

Nationwide, these positions are likely to be difficult-to-recruit. With more than 240 employers currently sourcing for video gaming professionals, there is heavy competition to attract qualified talent. According to the Hiring Scale, the locations currently experiencing some of the most difficult conditions for recruiting this talent are Huntsville (Alabama) and Nashville (Tennessee). In these areas, there is higher demand by employers in comparison to the available, local talent pool. This factor not only contributes to more difficult recruiting, but also increases the time-to-fill, with ads remaining online for an average of 8 weeks ? 2 weeks longer than the national average.

Source: WANTED Analytics

The Hiring Scale? also shows that the current locations with the least difficult conditions for sourcing gamers are Tucson (Arizona) and Madison (Wisconsin.) While the US average Hiring Scale score is 71 (out of a possible 99, with 99 denoting the hardest-to-fill,) these cities score a 24. Recruiters here are likely to have more potential candidates to choose among and spend a shorter time sourcing candidates than the rest of the United States. Online job ads in these areas are posted for an average of 6 weeks.

Source: WANTED Analytics

The?Hiring Scale measures conditions in local job markets by comparing hiring demand and labor supply. The?Hiring Scale is part of the WANTED?Analytics platform that offers business intelligence for the talent marketplace.

To see additional charts and detail, please visit?www.wantedanalytics.com/insight.

The?Hiring Scale is available at?www.hiringscale.com.

About WANTED?Analytics?

WANTED?Analytics? helps recruiting organizations make better decisions faster with real-time business intelligence on jobs, employers, and talent.?Analytics brings together, for the first time, years of hiring demand and talent supply data to create a true talent intelligence platform for hard-to-fill positions.

Clients in the staffing, HR, RPO, media, and government sectors use WANTED?Analytics? to find sales leads, analyze employment trends, gather competitive intelligence, forecast economic conditions, and source hard-to-fill positions.

About WANTED Technologies Corporation

WANTED Technologies (TSX-V:WAN) provides real-time business intelligence for the talent marketplace. Founded in 1999, the company?s headquarters are in Quebec City, Canada, and it maintains a US-based subsidiary with primary offices in New York City. WANTED began collecting detailed Hiring Demand data in June 2005, and currently maintains a database of more than 600 million unique job listings. For more information or to sample WANTED?s services, visit?www.wantedanalytics.com.

WANTED is also the exclusive data provider for The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Data Series?, the monthly economic indicator of Hiring Demand in the United States.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Any statement that appears prospective shall not be interpreted as such.

###

Source: http://www.wantedanalytics.com/press/2013/01/30/got-game-video-gaming-skills-see-a-30-increase-in-hiring-demand/

progeria what will my baby look like gary carter died cmas cmas tcu dr. oz

Beer's bitter compounds could help brew new medicines

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Researchers employing a century-old observational technique have determined the precise configuration of humulones, substances derived from hops that give beer its distinctive flavor.

That might not sound like a big deal to the average brewmaster, but the findings overturn results reported in scientific literature in the last 40 years and could lead to new pharmaceuticals to treat diabetes, some types of cancer and other maladies.

"Now that we have the right results, what happens to the bitter hops in the beer-brewing process makes a lot more sense," said Werner Kaminsky, a University of Washington research associate professor of chemistry.

Kaminsky is the lead author of a paper describing the findings, published this month in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

There is documentation that beer and its bittering acids, in moderation, have beneficial effects on diabetes, some forms of cancer, inflammation and perhaps even weight loss.

Kaminsky used a process called X-ray crystallography to figure out the exact structure of those acids, humulone molecules and some of their derivatives, produced from hops in the brewing process. That structure is important to researchers looking for ways to incorporate those substances, and their health effects, into new pharmaceuticals.

Humulone molecules are rearranged during the brewing process to contain a ring with five carbon atoms instead of six. At the end of the process two side groups are formed that can be configured in four different ways ? both groups can be above the ring or below, or they can be on opposite sides.

Which of the forms the molecule takes determines its "handedness," Kaminsky said, and that is important for understanding how a particular humulone will react with another substance. If they are paired correctly, they will fit together like a nut and bolt.

If paired incorrectly, they might not fit together at all or it could be like placing a right hand into a left-handed glove. That could produce disastrous results in pharmaceuticals.

Kaminsky cited thalidomide, which has a number of safe uses but was famously used to treat morning sickness in pregnant women in the late 1950s and early 1960s before it was discovered to cause birth defects. Molecule "handedness" in one form of the drug was responsible for the birth defects, while the orientation of molecules in another form did not appear to have the negative effects.

To determine the configuration of humulones formed in the brewing process, coauthors Jan Urban, Clinton Dahlberg and Brian Carroll of KinDex Therapeutics, a Seattle pharmaceutical firm that funded the research, recovered acids from the brewing process and purified them.

They converted the humulones to salt crystals and sent them to Kaminsky, who used X-ray crystallography ? a technique developed in the early 20th century ? to determine the exact configuration of the molecules.

"Now that we know which hand belongs to which molecule, we can determine which molecule goes to which bitterness taste in beer," Kaminsky said.

The authors point out that while "excessive beer consumption cannot be recommended to propagate good health, isolated humulones and their derivatives can be prescribed with documented health benefits."

Some of the compounds have been shown to affect specific illnesses, Kaminsky said, while some with a slight difference in the arrangement of carbon atoms have been ineffective.

The new research sets the stage for finding which of those humulones might be useful in new compounds to be used as medical treatments.

###

University of Washington: http://www.uwnews.org

Thanks to University of Washington for this article.

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

This press release has been viewed 60 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126532/Beer_s_bitter_compounds_could_help_brew_new_medicines

theraflu masters leaderboard frozen four joe avezzano kanye west theraflu joey votto the masters live

Sonic Interactive - An Ultimate Website Design Australia

Sonic interactive has been delivering website design and other IT consulting services since last 15 years. We started our business as a business promoter. As the time spends, we accepted new technologies and today we are one of the leading Website Designers Sydney and also provide internet markeing services. We have served many local and international clients and also give a top edge to their business with an inventive web design. We have managed many complex ecommerce solutions during this time. We follow strict quality control guidelines and always fulfill all the business requirements of clients. An exceptional customer service is our positive factor. This is one of the reasons for why most of our clients are coming back for more website designing. Our wide spread development is very popular in many countries. Our major client countries are New Zealand, Canada, UK, US, UAE and many Asian countries. We always follow our commitments and make customer relations healthier

We provide many website design and web development services like content management system (CMS), eCommerce website, Mobile friendly websites, custom web application development, interactivity and multimedia. If you already have a website and looking for internet marketing then Sonic interactive Website Design Sydney will be the best destination for you. We give the new height of success to your business with our effective search engine optimization (SEO). It is our guarantee that your website will definitely get the 100% success. Our various services are Online Marketing & Strategy, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing, Google Analytics & Traffic Analysis etc. We achieve website success with creativity, endurance, some cultivation and the support of a range of online initiatives. After receiving our services you will definitely think that this is a real return on investment. We are continuously upgrading ourselves with cutting edge technologies.

We are Web Designers Sydney Company and graphics designing is our professionalism. We have creative and visionary designers who are experts in Logo Design & Corporate Identity, Marketing Material, Advertisement Design, PowerPoint Presentation Design, Building & Vehicle Signage etc. We also design corporate eCards, eNewsletter design, flash design and interactive media etc. Website design is very basic part of every website. It sounds lower priority as compared to website development but, it is not true. Website design is the first step of your website and also the first impression of your business on your customers' mind. It is also plays an important part in internet marketing strategies. We have designed many award winning website designs in recent years. Our website designers always follow guidelines of latest CSS, HTML 5 and W3C standards. We also customize your existing website. If you are not satisfied with your existing website then contact us we will customize it according to your needs.

Our client's business success is our final goal. They are our driving force to continually progress our own business. With their support and trust over the years we have been offered some astounding chances and priceless experiences that we continue to build on.

Call us on toll free number 1300 855 842

?

You can assist your business by providing innovative website design to it. Sonic Interactive is a Website Design Sydney company and also renowned as a Web Designers Sydney.

Article Tags : Website Design Sydney, Web Designers Sydney, Website Designers Sydney

Source: http://www.workoninternet.com/business/home-business-small-business/224025-sonic-interactive-an-ultimate-website-design-australia.html

dodd frank Lark Voorhies Jennifer Livingston Orlando Cruz MLB Playoff Schedule arizona cardinals Big Bird

Football Signing Day Coverage on ESPN3

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

Source: http://www.hurricanesports.com//ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=28700&ATCLID=206162461

whitney houston autopsy results obama trayvon jim yong kim michael bush the host trailer whitney houston cause of death marquette university

January Jones: My hair is falling out

By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, TODAY

January Jones plays an icily beautiful Grace Kelly-style blonde on "Mad Men," but offscreen, she's played around with her hair, becoming a redhead, a brunette, or even adding pink streaks.

Imeh Akpanudosen / Getty Images file

January Jones at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

But now the actress says the rainbow connection may have harmed her locks.?

"I have been every color, and now my hair is falling out in clumps," she told the British version of Italian fashion magazine Grazia. "I've been blonde, red with extensions for this film (western "Sweetwater"), then blonde, then black, and now blonde again. I'm going to have to shave it off and wear a wig."

Jones did say, however, that while she likes the variety, her best-known color is her favorite. "I like it all colors, it makes you feel different, according to what color it is, but I prefer to be blonde. My son (Xander, born in 2011) recognizes me in photos when I am blonde, he says 'mama.'"

But one distinct look helped Jones fade into the background. Sorry, brunettes. "I didn't get treated differently when I was red-headed, but when I went dark for a few months, I was suddenly invisible," she told the magazine. "Not just as a celebrity, but to my friends and family. I was like, 'Come on, you guys, it's me!'"

Jones plays a prostitute turned gunslinger in "Sweetwater," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this month. A release date has yet to be announced.

Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/01/29/16754213-january-jones-my-hair-is-falling-out?lite

josh johnson kim kardashian flour matt forte jeremy shockey new orleans saints ireland bracket

Prezi Hits 18M Users For Its Presentation Platform, Asia An Area For Future Growth [TCTV]

Prezi has come a long way since the days it was a struggling startup in Budapest building a new away for people to create presentations to blow the mind of an audience. Today they have over 100 employees and a San Francisco HQ. It's become a popular alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint and Keynote, and the company is even now advised by Jack Dorsey. At DLD in Munich last week I ran into Peter Arvai, Prezi CEO and Co-founder, where he revealed - on the video here - that after announcing 15 million users last October, they are now on 18 million users. He said they are also course to book 2 million more users per month over the next year. Clearly they are hitting an exponential growth curve.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/yQn9EQY5sdQ/

best buy sears abercrombie abercrombie Aeropostale Jcpenny ohio state football

TV ads may be driving children to drink ? The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

The halls of every middle school in America are filled with teenagers looking to find themselves, express themselves and fit in with the crowd. But it?s what happens at home, at night, that can lead to some of the problems those teens may put on display.

Seventh-graders who are exposed to alcohol ads on television ?- and who say they like the ads - may experience more severe problems related to drinking alcohol later in their adolescence, according to a study published Monday in the medical journal Pediatrics.

The study

Researchers at the School of Community and Global Health at Claremont Graduate University in California hypothesized that ?adolescents who like alcohol advertisements will be more likely to elaborate on the content of the ads (e.g., imagine themselves in the scene), and as a result, they will be more likely to be persuaded to try the product.?

As consenting adult consumers,?the more appealing an advertised product is, the more likely?it will be?purchased. Secondly ?? drinking is oftentimes thought of as cool, rebellious ? sometimes even an ?adult? thing to do. These two notions, taken together, can be a recipe for problems when it comes to children and alcohol.

Participants were recruited from 23 randomly-selected public middle schools in Los Angeles County. The seventh-grade students were preliminarily surveyed as to how often they watched 20 popular TV shows. Data on alcohol advertising during these programs was subsequently obtained from Nielsen Media Research.

The study?s authors then conducted follow-up surveys, which included still pictures from the television advertisements, none of which contained any brand names or logos. An open-ended item asked participants to write down what product was being advertised; independent judges decided whether responses were indeed related to the advertisement or not.

The survey also included three items to assess how much participants liked the alcohol ads they viewed on TV. The teens were asked if they thought the alcohol ads were funny or sexy, and whether they liked the alcohol ads better than other ads. ?These items,? explain the authors, ?measure an affective or emotional reaction to alcohol ads that has been useful in both the study of alcohol advertising and by the advertising industry in general to estimate the potential effectiveness of advertising copy.?

Results

?Exposure to advertising was found to have a significant correlation with alcohol use, particularly among girls,? the study concludes. ?Liking the ads was connected with alcohol-related problems (defined as not being able to do homework, getting into fights, neglecting responsibilities, or causing someone shame or embarrassment), particularly in boys. For both boys and girls, the more they were exposed to the ads and liked them, the more their alcohol use grew from seventh to 10th grade.? That, of course, leads to a greater potential for alcohol-related problems later on.

The researchers were also careful to consider additional factors, such as the total amount of time spent watching television, observing friends drinking, observing well-known adults drinking, age, gender, ethnicity, language, parents? occupation and education, as well as enrollment?in extracurricular sporting activities.

Recommendations

The study's authors recommend teaching children about "the design of persuasive messages in the media?to help the avoid undue influence by the media on their behaviors. Second, it is?important to have a comprehensive policy to limit the exposure of children to alcohol ads on television and on other media."

The urgency of finding a solution to the epidemic of underage drinking was underscored further by another study released Monday in Pediatrics. Researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that in 2010, 36% of 10th graders drank, 28% binged, and 23% were drunk in the past month. Although 82% of the high school sophomores reported seeing a doctor in the past year, only 54% were asked about drinking, and just 17% were advised to reduce or stop drinking.

?Efforts are warranted to increase the proportion of physicians who follow professional guidelines to screen and counsel adolescents about unhealthy alcohol use and behaviors that pose health risks,? conclude the second study?s authors.

Source: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/29/tv-ads-may-be-driving-children-to-drink/

eddie royal iditarod nfl free agents 2012 encyclopedia brittanica nfl free agency jonbenet ramsey jason campbell

Top Toronto Internet Marketing Company Numero Uno Web ...

Numero Uno Web Solutions (NumeroUnoWeb.com), a fast-growing global Internet marketing firm that caters to small- and mid-sized business-to-consumer companies, recently announced the launch of its premium global press release distribution service for its search engine optimization (SEO) customers.

New York, NY;Washington, DC;Los Angeles-

Long Beach, CA;Chicago, IL;Houston, TX (PRWEB) January 27, 2013 -- Numero Uno Web Solutions (NumeroUnoWeb.com), a fast-growing global Internet marketing firm that caters to small- and mid-sized business-to-consumer companies, recently announced the launch of its premium global press release distribution service for its search engine optimization (SEO) customers.

?In an era where significant algorithmic updates are constantly changing the way online marketing companies approach SEO practices?one of the few constants helping drive traffic and get sites to rank higher on search engine results pages [SERPs] is the press release,? says Nadia Iaboni, Digital Solutions Manager at Numero Uno Web Solutions. ?When it comes to increasing online exposure, press releases are excellent for generating both backlinks and traffic.?

As the experts at Numero Uno Web Solutions explain, while some press release techniques have to change to keep in step with SEO, the basic principles remain unchanged and are an essential part of any integrated public relations (PR) SEO campaign. Previous SEO marketing campaigns were often looked at as being a combination of marketing and technology. Today they are inseparable. This is what makes press releases the perfect marketing tool, one that integrates the latest SEO and traditional PR strategies of using quality, useful, relevant copy that attracts, informs, and motivates online customers.

?One of the main benefits of a press release service integrated with SEO is the ability to drive high-quality backlinks to the customer?s web site,? notes Iaboni. ?When press releases are distributed, they are created with a backlink to the sender?s site. Search engines look at how sites link to each other to determine which ones are the best. That?s why it?s important to create interesting, newsworthy press releases that others will link to; not uninformative hype.?

According to the Numero Uno Web Solutions experts, small- and medium-sized businesses that use press releases in their SEO campaigns significantly increase both their ranking on SERPs and their search engine visibility. They can also benefit from the influx of high-quality traffic. Press release distribution services are one of the most reliable SEO practices businesses can use.

An experienced SEO and SEM company like Numero Uno Web Solutions helps small- and medium-sized businesses design a press release campaign with original, relevant content that uses natural keywords; effective distribution; high-quality, relevant backlinks; and enhanced online exposure that can turn visitors into repeat customers.

Numero Uno Web Solutions is one of the top Internet marketing firms due to constant innovation and overall customer satisfaction. For more information on Numero Uno Web Solutions and to discover how the company can help maximize your company?s search engine optimization and online presence, visit http://numerounoweb.com/sitescore/index_2.html. Or call Numero Uno Web Solutions toll-free at 1-855-SEO-XPRT (1-855-736-9778).

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/1/prweb10365536.htm

Source: http://pressreleases.bloginteract.com/2013/01/top-toronto-internet-marketing-company-numero-uno-web-solutions-announces-launch-of-premium-global-press-release-distribution-service-for-its-seo-customers/

snow white and the huntsman snow white and the huntsman rupaul drag race walking dead comic kratom broncos broncos

It?s now illegal to unlock your cell phone (Americablog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/280048339?client_source=feed&format=rss

Louisville football Fidelity pnc Charlie Strong Calendar 2013 john boehner HGTV Dream Home 2013

Super Bowl ad brawl has already begun for automakers

21 hrs.

Marty Bernstein , The Detroit Bureau

The hype has begun. Super Bowl XLVII is less than a week away, but the mega-million-buck auto ad brawl is already underway as three of the eight deep-pocket car?advertisers pre-launch their new commercials to NFL fans. The reason? Economics. And a numbers game.

At between $2.4 million?and $4 million per 30-second commercial, ?this amounts to a huge?expenditure for just one airing. But there?s an even bigger number, with more than 115 million Americans predicted to watch?the game Feb. 3.

Until recently, Super Bowl advertising?has been nothing more than putting up the game-day spot and hoping, maybe, that it will trigger some Monday-morning quarterbacking around the water cooler ? with polls and research adding some arguable, additional value. That was then.?

What?s become apparent is that a fairly large percentage of viewers are more interested in the commercials than the game itself. So, how to take advantage of that and extend the payback beyond just a game-day airing that is over in 30 seconds, whether a viewer was sitting in front of the TV or off grabbing something from the refrigerator?

Now, with the various social media,?like Facebook and Twitter as well as YouTube, along with special contests, promotions and PR hype, the shelf life for a good commercial can be dramatically extended to weeks, even months, resulting in additional views extending well into the millions ? even among consumers who ? gasp ? might not have tuned in on Super Bowl Sunday.

Result? The return on investment is as measurable as any ad investment might be. ?And, of course, makers get to battle it out all over for bragging rights as to who was number one.

?(An) early release extends the life of the commercial, builds consumer interest, and most importantly brings early customers into our dealers," said?Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing at Hyundai Motor America.

The?latter reason, arguably, is the most important for buying the commercial in the first place. With that in mind, here are the early commercial entries into this year?s auto ad brawl:?

Mercedes-Benz
During the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Bernie Glaser, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz, said the company has an enviable role in XLVII.?The game will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The ad plan was to pre-release a teaser, but in fact two advance spots were released earlier this week. One sexy little tease spotlighted actress Kate Upton and has already received over 3.4 million hits on YouTube ? but also generated a fury of??negative comments from critics for being overly sexy.?The other is a cinematic mystery tease of what is coming Feb. 3, shot in the Big Easy with some great music.

Hyundai
Like every NFL game, it all begins with the coin toss, and in Super?Bowl?XLVII, Hyundai has the primo commercial position ? a 60-second spot for the new seven-passenger?Santa Fe prior to the heads-or-tails call. Check out the not-so-sneak preview.

There are two in game spots, including another for Santa Fe and one for the turbo Sonata. Hyundai also has bought a couple pre-game ads ? featuring the Genesis R-Spec and Santa Fe. Obviously, the new family-size SUV?is getting the most play. The six commercials pre-game and during the game makes Hyundai the biggest car-vertiser in the big show.?

Audi
More than a tease, the rising luxury car marquee is asking consumers to vote for the favorite end of their sixth Super Bowl commercial. Viewers of the commercial on YouTube were?given?24?hours?to?pick their favorite from three possibilities. The most popular will be added in post-production and will air in advance of the game --?and?in?the enviable commercial position of the first break after kick-off.?

Lincoln Motor Company?and Chevrolet
The newest entry in the auto ad brawl in Super Bowl XLVII is the reborn, revitalized, redesigned, re-engineered Lincoln brand from the renamed Lincoln Motor Company. All previous car companies except Chevrolet have re-upped. Chevy is instead?involved in?the half-time show with Beyonce. As TheDetroitBureau.com previously reported, the pop phenom is expected to receive a new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, a special version of the C7 built just for her.?

Copyright 2013 The Detroit Bureau

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/automakers-super-bowl-ad-brawl-has-already-begun-1C8120706

alec baldwin alec baldwin college basketball oakland pinnacle airlines kansas vs kentucky joe posnanski

Lost your dog? Dierks Bentley's story is reminder of what you should ...

A good Samaritan named Anna Belle "picked up Jake in a really busy intersection with a bunch of cars, about 30 degree weather and rain, she picked him up, put him in her car and took Jake home that night. Next morning she heard through social media that Jake had been missing and returned him," Dierks Bentley says in a video message. This is a photo of rescuer, rescuee and relieved owner. (Photo: Dierks Bentley)

?

Country music singer Dierks Bentley rarely goes anywhere without Jake, his adorable four-legged sidekick. The dog has appeared in music videos and made tour stops around the country, building his own loyal following. So it was no surprise that fans and even record label executives dropped everything to search for Jake after he jumped a fence during a thunderstorm.

?

?jake has been missing for 5 hours now. jumped a fence during the thunderstorms. praying someone found him. a cold wet white dog. red collar,? Bentley?tweeted on Jan. 13.

?

He also used Facebook to spread the word. That?s how a good Samaritan learned the dog she had saved from a busy intersection was actually a pretty popular pooch and returned the dog to Bentley, who posted a photo of the reunion.

?

?can't get over how many people reached out about jake. made a big city feel like a small town. jake and me thx video...? he tweeted, with a link to this video featuring Jake:

?

?

I can relate to Bentley?s roller coaster ride. A few weeks ago, my dog Lulu got away from the house and was gone for a few hours. Tempted to grab the keys and drive around my neighborhood yelling her name, I remembered the advice of?pet detective Carl Washington, who says it?s best to stay in one place. Calling for a lost pet from different locations only adds to the confusion. Instead, I stayed in the front yard and kept yelling. Eventually Lulu trotted over to me. (I can only imagine the adventures she had, but all?s well that ends well.)

?

Since even the most well-behaved pooch can get away, it?s worth revisiting these tips for recovering lost pets.

?

Work the Net

Like Bentley, Deirdre Anglin of Ireland used social media when her dog Patch went?missing last year. Little did she know that the dog had boarded a Dublin-bound commuter train. Good Samaritans ushered the pooch to Irish Rail officials, and the transit system tweeted a ?lost dog? alert to its network of 18,000 followers. About 500 retweets and 32 minutes later, Anglin spotted her dog and arranged a reunion.

?

You, too, can harness the power of Facebook and Twitter to find lost pets. Many neighborhood associations, pet stores and veterinary clinics have Facebook pages and active members. Also, ask rescue groups in your area to help spread the word. Petfinder.org offers a handy?search tool to locate rescue groups in your area. If you do receive word that your pet has been located, be prepared to show proof of ownership such as photos of you with the pet, Washington said.

?

Even if it?s a quick potty break, make sure your pet doesn?t set foot outdoors without a collar and up-to-date ID tags that list your contact information as well as other key info.

?

Amber Burckhalter, a certified dog behavior consultant and owner of?K-9 Coach in Smyrna, Ga., invests in comfy yet super-sturdy dog collars and makes sure her three dogs wear them at all times. Each has detailed info that could serve as a deterrent for people hoping to steal a well-trained pooch.

?

?If you fix your dog, most people won?t take it,? she said. ?My pit bulls, it said on their collar ?fixed and neutered.?? Burckhalter also has a deaf dog, which is clearly noted on the ID tag.

?

Invest in a microchip ? and keep the info updated

Microchips add another layer of insurance if your pet is lost. Veterinarians insert microchips around the pet?s shoulder blade, and each chip has an ID number that owners use to register contact information with the manufacturer. Prices can vary widely, from $20 to $50, depending on the veterinarian.

?

If your pet is ever lost, shelters or veterinarians use a hand-held scanner to obtain the chip ID number. In a study conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 15 percent of lost dogs were found thanks to ID tags or microchips. Some companies, including?HomeAgain, offer more proactive measures. For a $17.99 annual membership fee, the company will alert animal shelters, vet clinics and volunteer rescuers within a 25-mile radius of where the pet was lost. But those nifty chips are useless if your information is not up to date. To check on the information currently on file for your pet, ask your vet to scan the chip and provide the ID number.

?

A picture truly is worth a thousand words

A simple flier with one up-to-date photo of your lost pet can make a big difference, said Washington, who has been locating lost animals across the country for more than 17 years. In addition to cool gear such as fluorescent lights and detailed maps of the area?s topography, Washington?s pet-sleuthing arsenal includes Coco the poodle and Rocky the Jack Russell terrier. He notes that a clear photo of lost pets can speak volumes.

?

?Always have one picture,? said Washington, who adds that many distraught pet owners make the mistake of posting too many photos. ?Nobody wants lots of pictures. Just say, ?Lost cat? and add a bold number.?

?

It?s not uncommon for Washington to set up shop in a gas station parking lot, armed with a large photo of the missing pet. Over the course of a day, he said that people will walk up offering information. If you cannot find an image that shows the dog or cat?s identifying features (my Lulu?s ears are hard to ignore), Washington recommends conducting a Google search for a pet with similar features.

?

?Find a nice, clear lookalike to use on the flier,? he said.

?

Fliers should be short, sweet ? and strategically placed

When it comes to fliers for lost pets, Washington said to keep it simple. All you really need is a photo and key contact information. Make sure it?s a number you can answer at any time. ?People are passing through, jogging, and they are not going to call you twice,? he said. ?You need to pick up in three to four rings and have a pen and pad ready.?

?

Also, avoid the urge to saturate your neighborhood with fliers. Instead, focus on areas that get a lot of traffic, such as main entrances to your neighborhood, and extend the radius from there. Washington said that most cats roam until they find cover and a safe place to stay, typically maintaining a 400-yard radius from home. With dogs, it depends on the size. Lap dogs normally travel no more than a half-mile from the house. Medium-size dogs may travel up to a mile, while larger dogs can go up to 2 miles.

?

Place fliers in areas frequented by pet owners, such as nearby animal shelters, dog parks, pet stores and veterinary clinics. The ASPCA also?recommends posting fliers at a kid?s eye level near schools. Again, focus on strategic placement instead of volume.

?

?Don?t trash up the neighborhood,? Washington said. ?People selling houses are going to take your stuff down.?

?

Consider a reward
?In my experience, $500 is what has activated people,? said Burckhalter, who notes that one pet owner posted reward info and promptly received a call from an animal control officer. ?The dog had been there the whole time.?

?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Bentley noted that Jake has trouble during thunderstorms. It?s common for some pets to become anxious when they hear loud noises such as fireworks. Burckhalter said that some clients have had success with products such as Thundershirts (that's one at right), which wrap tightly around the pet and help reduce anxiety.

?

If your pet tends to bolt at the first opportunity, it also may be worth investing in high-tech gear to monitor its activity. In a roundup of cool pet?problem solvers, I included the Tagg Pet?Tracker ($99.95), which incorporates GPS technology to keep an eye on wandering cats and dogs. Attach the device to your pet?s collar and set a defined boundary. If your pet starts roaming too far, Tagg will send text message alerts. The system requires a $7.95 monthly subscription service. (I also recommend a few obedience classes, which may be a less expensive option.)

?

Load up on training

Training courses strengthen the bond between pets and their people, making it easier to retrieve a dog that slips out of his leash during walks or dashes out the door when neighbors drop by unannounced. Training also can be especially important with newly?adopted rescue dogs that have been accustomed to life on the street. Priority No. 1: Teach the dog to come when called. (I'm convinced that cats will ignore you regardless.)

?

And as for Bentley and Jake? ?One of the happiest days of my life,? he tweeted. ?Grown men don't cry...yeah right.?

?

? Morieka Johnson

?

?

?

Related pet stories on MNN:

?

Source: http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/questions/lost-your-dog-dierks-bentleys-story-is-reminder-of-what-you-should-do

jesse jackson whitney houston funeral video tyler perry whitney houston r kelly r. kelly macular degeneration whitney houston funeral

Book Design, Internet Marketing and the Nature of Human ...

Picture this: you pick up a book and open it, only to discover that every page is exactly the same, a tall rectangle of text extending close the edge of the page and without interruption.

There are no spaces between paragraphs because there are no paragraphs, no chapters, no page numbers, no running heads, just text.

Does it sound appealing? No, not to me, either.

How frustrating it would be to try to read a book like that. Where did I leave off? What part of the book am I in? I might feel like the author had forced me to impose order and organization on his book.

I?m pretty sure I would put it right back down.

Over centuries we?ve developed conventions about how to present long text documents like books, and readers?who have grown up reading books that mostly follow those conventions have come to expect them.

And to rely on them:

• Sentences present a logical line of thought, moving ideas or action forward.
• Chapters divide a long work along some thematic or organizational construct.
• Sections within chapters deal with parts of each of those themes or subjects.

What book designers do is use the raw material of the book?typography and any non-text elements in the book?to create an environment in which the author?s ideas can transmit cleanly and with little interference, to the reader.

But we designers add stuff, too. We add the page break at a new chapter, to signal the reader that one thing is ending and another is about to begin.

We add page numbers to give a sense of the third dimension of the book?its length?as well as a handy reference to mark a specific page.

We also add running heads with more or less descriptive titles, so each page has something of a ?breadcrumb trail? that shows its relation to the whole.

The existence of all the conventions of book design show us a concern for the reader, for giving the reader just enough information to navigate their way through the book, without distracting them from the journey.

Internet Marketing

I spent quite a bit of time last year setting up landing pages, sales pages, a membership site, affiliate tracking, payment gateways, recurring payment buttons, and automated email messages.

A lot of it was to deliver my training course, the Self-Publishing Roadmap.

I think of all this as ?internet plumbing.? There are innumerable bits and pieces that have to fit together so that what happens is what we expect to happen.

For example, if you read about a video that sounds interesting, and you click through to the page and find you have to enter your email address in order to see the video, what happens next?

Behind the scenes software from a mailing list company, an e-commerce service, and gateway tracking software on the site that delivers the video each have to do something and communicate with each other.

If there?s a leak in the pipe or a broken connection, the user doesn?t get a request to confirm their email address with the list vendor.

Or they get the wrong email that doesn?t mention the video they wanted to see. Or they get a sales pitch instead.

We have expectations that come into play online, and they are powerful. We have a healthy skepticism about dealing with people we don?t know. We want to be guided at every step of the way, even if we know the messages we?re getting are automated.

We want a receipt, a link, an acknowledgement, a support number, a reminder when an event is coming up. We want to feel secure that the video, when we arrive there, actually delivers what was promised.

When putting these systems together, you have to keep in mind that many people don?t spend 12 hours a day online, that these things can be confusing. If I say ?register for the webinar,? a certain percentage of people will be stumped unless I explicitly say, ?first click this link, then look for the ?pay now? button.? Being specific is reassuring.

It?s a matter of breaking down the process so there are navigational aids at every step. That?s what makes me more comfortable, especially if I?m doing something new.

Communication that?s recognizable, in the same voice, with the same branding, specifically about what I inquired or clicked about. That makes me secure.

The Nature of Human Consciousness

In both cases?book design and setting up internet marketing processes?the best guides to what will work and what won?t work are the people who are going to use the system.

But you wonder why we need so much hand holding, so many navigational aids.

There seem to be two reasons, both rooted in the nature of human consciousness and the psychology that has grown out of it.

First, there are so many demands on our short-term awareness, we can?t keep a lot of data handy all the time on all subjects.

We dump data out of our memory quickly and often to make room for all the new stuff that?s constantly coming in. This means that, to function properly, most of us need a lot of reminding.

The second reason is our desire to really dive into experience. When reading, we want to lose ourselves in the experience, that?s why we buy a lot of the books we do.

When we?re excited about learning something new, we want to get onto that and not have to worry about the details and arrangements, which only seem to get in the way.

The signposts and other navigational aids, delivered in a thoughtful and gracious way, allow us to experience reading a book or signing up for a webinar as a pleasant experience.

The book designer makes sure we always know where we are in the book, and gives the experience a rhythm conducive to reading.

The internet marketer makes sure we always know exactly where we are in the process, who we?re dealing with, that we?ll be taken care of and will receive the experience we?re anticipating.

Self-Publishers, or Authors Who Market

Becoming a self-published author these days almost always involves learning something about marketing, and since most of us are doing this online, that means learning about internet marketing.

Whether you?re providing entertainment in the form of novels or information in the form of nonfiction, you?ll be dealing with both book design and internet marketing, and a whole lot more.

There are two lessons I?ve taken away from these experiences.

1. The first is to stay in touch with people who are just starting out. They are the best guide for whether the book or the system is working the way it should.
2. The other is to keep being a beginner myself. When I set out to learn new things, I?m thrown back into that newbie mindset: passionate but clueless. That?s incredibly valuable for understanding the beginners in my own field.

And a lot of it comes down to navigation, reassurance, the big picture. Knowing where confusion comes in, and putting up a sign there to help the traveler. Taking the time to really think through what people will need.

Everyone has these experiences, because we?ve all been new at something that we then learned thoroughly. All we have to do is tap into that experience and bring it to what we are writing, publishing, or marketing today.

Photo: bigstockphoto.com

Tagged as: book design, book designer, Books, Design And Internet Marketing, Human Consciousness, internet marketing, Reading Books, self publishing

Source: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2013/01/book-design-internet-marketing-and-the-nature-of-human-consciousness/

nit championship transcendentalism bells palsy channel 5 news uc berkeley harrison barnes brett ratner

Eliminating useless information important to learning, making new memories

Thursday, January 10, 2013

As we age, it just may be the ability to filter and eliminate old information ? rather than take in the new stuff - that makes it harder to learn, scientists report.

"When you are young, your brain is able to strengthen certain connections and weaken certain connections to make new memories," said Dr. Joe Z. Tsien, neuroscientist at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University and Co-Director of the GRU Brain & Behavior Discovery Institute.

It's that critical weakening that appears hampered in the older brain, according to a study in the journal Scientific Reports.

The NMDA receptor in the brain's hippocampus is like a switch for regulating learning and memory, working through subunits called NR2A and NR2B. NR2B is expressed in higher percentages in children, enabling neurons to talk a fraction of a second longer; make stronger bonds, called synapses; and optimize learning and memory. This formation of strong bonds is called long-term potentiation. The ratio shifts after puberty, so there is more NR2A and slightly reduced communication time between neurons.

When Tsien and his colleagues genetically modified mice that mimic the adult ratio ? more NR2A, less NR2B ? they were surprised to find the rodents were still good at making strong connections and short-term memories but had an impaired ability to weaken existing connections, called long-term depression, and to make new long-term memories as a result. It's called information sculpting and adult ratios of NMDA receptor subunits don't appear to be very good at it.

"If you only make synapses stronger and never get rid of the noise or less useful information then it's a problem," said Tsien, the study's corresponding author. While each neuron averages 3,000 synapses, the relentless onslaught of information and experiences necessitates some selective whittling. Insufficient sculpting, at least in their mouse, meant a reduced ability to remember things short-term ? like the ticket number at a fast-food restaurant ? and long-term ? like remembering a favorite menu item at that restaurant. Both are impacted in Alzheimer's and age-related dementia.

All long-term depression was not lost in the mice, rather just response to the specific electrical stimulation levels that should induce weakening of the synapse. Tsien expected to find the opposite: that long-term potentiation was weak and so was the ability to learn and make new memories. "What is abnormal is the ability to weaken existing connectivity."

Acknowledging the leap, this impaired ability could also help explain why adults can't learn a new language without their old accent and why older people tend to be more stuck in their ways, the memory researcher said.

"We know we lose the ability to perfectly speak a foreign language if we learn than language after the onset of sexual maturity. I can learn English but my Chinese accent is very difficult to get rid of. The question is why," Tsien said.

Tsien and his colleagues already have learned what happens when NR2B is overexpressed. He and East China Normal University researchers announced in 2009 the development of Hobbie-J, a smarter than average rat. A decade earlier, Tsien reported in the journal Nature the development of a smart mouse dubbed Doogie using the same techniques to over-express the NR2B gene in the hippocampus.

Doogie, Hobbie-J and their descendants have maintained superior memory as they age. Now Tsien is interested in following the NR2A over-expressing mouse to see what happens.

###

Georgia Health Sciences University: http://www.georgiahealth.edu

Thanks to Georgia Health Sciences University for this article.

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

This press release has been viewed 32 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126220/Eliminating_useless_information_important_to_learning__making_new_memories

battle royale key largo arnold palmer invitational ryan madson louisiana primary syracuse basketball chipper jones

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees, at the valedictory function of the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, in Kochi, Kerala on January 09, 2013, The Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi is als

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees, at the valedictory function of the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, in Kochi, Kerala on January 09, 2013, The Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi is also seen.

Photo no.CNR - 47441

Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/phsmall.asp?phid=44553

thomas kinkade paintings easter bunny navy jet crash virginia beach isiah thomas passover easter recipes live free or die hard

Android game console GameStick obliterates Kickstarter goal ...

This modest little controller/USB drive could represent the future of gaming.

Thanks to smartphones and tablets, the Android gaming world has exploded in the past few years ? so much so that development company PlayJam hatched the idea for a portable console that allows you to play Android games on your television.

The advantage? There are no wires, no huge box and no complicated controllers.

The GameStick will come bundled with a simple Bluetooth game controller and a memory stick the size of a USB flash drive. The bundle looks like any portable gaming device from Nintendo or Sony but is intended to provide the same immersive experience you might have playing Xbox 360 or PS3 titles ? for a supposed fraction of the cost.

PlayJam launched a Kickstarter campaign last week to start developing the console with the goal of raising $100,000. In just a week, they surpassed that goal by raising $264,000 and could possibly reach $300,000 by the end of this week. And who knows what they?ll have by the end of the campaign on Feb. 1?

The biggest potential selling point is that backers who contribute $79 or more get their own console. Can?t beat that deal.

Check out the campaign video below and if you want to get in on the funding, visit the Kickstarter page.

Source: http://blogs.denverpost.com/videogames/2013/01/09/android-game-console-gamestick-obliterates-kickstarter-goal/5852/

kourtney kardashian DNS Changer ernest borgnine ESPYs 2012 venus williams Freeh Report direct tv

Campaign finance fight lands at the SEC's door - Anna Palmer and ...

Coming off the most expensive election in the country's history, the Securities and Exchange Commission is weighing a move to force public companies to stop hiding their political spending of shareholders? dollars.

The rule could dramatically increase the amount of information known about how some of the biggest companies and powerful political players dole out money to influence politics after the 2010 Citizens United ruling opened the floodgates on corporate-sponsored election ads.

Continue Reading

Lawmakers upset with the Supreme Court decision are eager for the SEC to take on a slice of the campaign finance fight.

"In the context of Citizens United, at least requiring corporations that are publicly traded to have to go ahead and let their shareholders know what contributions are being made is an appropriate protection for the shareholder to have a voice in that process and generally for the public to know what companies are funding what," Sen. Robert Menendez? said.

The New Jersey Democrat, who sits on the Senate Banking Committee that oversees the SEC, led a letter sent to the SEC last year signed by 14 other senators urging the commission to implement the disclosure requirements. They specifically called for more transparency on independent expenditures, electioneering communications and donations to outside groups such as super PACs.

Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) told POLITICO that a rule would empower shareholders.

"Who owns the company, is it the CEO or the shareholders? It's pretty obvious it?s the shareholders," Capuano said, who favors allowing shareholders to vote on political spending. "There is a questionable business purpose to be involved in political speech."

While some companies do disclose political spending, there is no formal requirement.

It's unclear when the SEC could take up the matter, but advocates are hoping for early this year.

?We need to make it happen as soon as possible because the closer we get to the next election cycle the harder it will become to get these things in place and we want to have them in place before the 2014 midterm election,? said Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) said Tuesday on a call organized by supporters of the rule.

An SEC spokesman said the rule is in the "staff consideration phase."

The idea is appearing for the first time on the Office of Management and Budget?s agenda of agency rulemakings, which was released Dec. 21, and it sets an April time frame for when the SEC may release a proposal.

Supporters are hailing the SEC?s decision to include the idea on the OMB list, arguing the agency would not have done so if it was not serious about advancing a proposal.

?This is really a momentous moment for protecting investors,? said Lisa Gilbert, director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch.

The push to require more disclosure began in August 2011 when a group headed by Harvard Law professor Lucian Bebchuk and Columbia Law School professor Robert J. Jackson, Jr. petitioned the agency to put a rule in place.

While the pressure on the SEC has been steadily building since that time, advocates have lacked an opportunity to leverage the issue onto the agency?s agenda.

That may change early this year.

President Barack Obama is expected to nominate in the first few months of the year a replacement for the spot on the commission left open when former Chairman Mary Schapiro departed on Dec. 14.

The confirmation process will give congressional advocates of the rule a chance to put the issue in the spotlight and pressure the nominee to get behind increased disclosures.

"When a nomination is made, there will be a hearing and that will be an opportunity to bring that up," Menendez said.

Any action before a new commissioner is confirmed could be difficult.

Source: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/campaign-finance-fight-lands-at-the-secs-door-85917.html

firelight world peace elbow kevin love think like a man world peace world peace lakers colorectal cancer

Dallas Real Estate in 2013: Candy's Crystal Ball Says No Bubble ...

We will be hearing a lot more in 2013 from the good folks at Houston-based Metrostudy.?MetroStudy was just acquired by Hanley Wood, a media company that produces, among other things, Builder Magazine along with media, information and marketing services for the real estate, construction and design industries. Through its operating platforms, the company churns out?digital and print publications, e-Newsletters, websites, marquee trade shows and events, market intelligence data and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America?s leading publisher of home plans.??So it was a good match to snap up a company that analyzes and produces building data, and the acquisition gives Metrostudy a way to expand it?s geographic footprint.

And we are hearing Metrostudy right now, right here, loud and clear tell us that the real estate market, OUR real estate market, is as bright as a poached sunny side up egg.

Cue?the theme song from Rocky: the Dallas-Fort Worth new home market continued to gain momentum, grow strong during the fourth quarter of 2012, ?says David Brown, Director of Metrostudy?s Dallas-Fort Worth office. Talk about building frenzy: the new home market ended the year strong with homes starts up 21% in 2012.

We said this would happen: with new home inventory at a fourteen year low,?home builders?continue to report year-over-year gains in traffic and new contracts. ?They have had to ramp up the new starts to keep up with demand, had to.

Construction activity is now in its eighteen month of recovery with the annual starts pace 26% higher than the low during the second quarter of 2011.

Whoa, 26% higher? Bubble trouble?

No way, David told me in a quick phone convo: 100,000 people are moving to North Texas a year. Oh yes, and I can find them all on LBJ, too. We are actually under delivering the demand for homes.?Even with the surge in new starts, the amount of finished inventory in the region remained at a fourteen year low during the fourth quarter 2012.? There are only 2,800 finished vacant single family homes, townhomes and condominium units in the market.? With finished inventory remaining low and new sales growing year-over-year, the number of homes currently under construction has jumped 41% over the past year.

Candy?s Crystal ball prediction #1: Eat your Wheaties. Title companies are going to be real busy during the first half of 2013 as these homes are completed and sold.?

So you?ve got pent up demand for housing ? folks who moved here, rented, are now ready to buy. You?ve got folks with jobs since Dallas is the best place to be for your career right now.??You?ve got low interest rates still, and rents rising. People got their financials in order the last two years and are now ready to plunk down a down payment.

?Apartment numbers haven?t been as strong this last year,? says David. ?When rents go up, people buy a house.?

In 2010, we filled 22,000 rental units in DFW. In 2011, we filled 18,000. But in 2012, only 9,000 units were taken as landlords lost tenants to home ownership.

But aren?t we overbuilding the apartments, I asked? I see apartments going up everywhere! According to John Crawford?at Downtown Dallas Inc.,?residential development projects in Downtown Dallas set for 2013 completion include more than 200 units at the Continental Building and Lone Star Gas Lofts, Museum Tower?s 100 luxury luxury high rise condominiums, plus The Joule, 500 S. Ervay, Fairfield Residential?West End, 1600 Pacific, the Statler Hilton and Mill Creek. Let us not forget the Stoneleigh in Uptown and all on the blueprints for Valley View Center, and now 750 units in Frisco?.

Crawford also says we now boast 7,800 residents in the central business district and 38,000 throughout the greater downtown area, those numbers growing to 12,000 and 55,000, respectively, over the next five years, just FYI.

Candy?s Crystal Ball Prediction # 2: They won?t be happy campers unless we get rid of the stupid one-way streets in downtown Dallas, find more parking, and make it easier and safer to bike/walk/hike there.

But I digress. Getting back to the overbuilding of apartments, David says history shows we will overbuild but as long as we stay around 20,000 new units per year, the average number of absorption units, we should be OK.

I asked about investors. There is some concern that the new tax laws may make real estate investment less attractive what with higher cap gains taxes as we blocked the Fiscal Cliff. Some feel the housing recovery is being steered by investors. Certainly you can say a lot of real estate investors participated in and spurred the real estate recovery. I mean, look who?s been buying up all the foreclosures!

But Brown doesn?t think we have an investor problem, not here. That is, investors will always make up a portion of our market, but our foreclosure red zones were limited mostly to the peripherals and southern markets, the outer edge.

Candy?s Crystal Ball Prediction # 3: we will see fewer foreclosures in Dallas in 2013.

Inventory is almost scarce. My daughter and son in law are listing their condo this week, and I am petrified they may move back in with us until they find something. David says we are down to only 4 months of inventory ? 6 months is normal. Builders are seeking lots like crazy and passing on increased lot prices and labor and material costs to the buyers. In fact, Leo Savino of Significant Building & Construction tells me lots are so scarce, folks are going back to remodeling to get what they want.

Candy?s Crystal Ball Prediction #4: we will see price appreciation, perhaps even significant, in 2013.

The recovery is no longer just limited to the Park Cities,?traditionally?the high water mark in terms of North Texas home prices. House fever is spreading to more areas throughout the Metroplex.? During the early stages of the recovery, the northern suburbs were leading the gains in starts.? During the second half of 2012 gains began to spread to suburbs throughout the remainder of the region.? During the fourth quarter the eastern suburbs of Rowlett, Rockwall, Forney, Kaufman County and Royse City reported a significant jump in housing starts.? Grand Prairie, Crowley, and Southwest Tarrant County in the southern half of the Metroplex also saw an increase in starts during the last quarter, all this according to Metrostudy.

The biggest surge of building activity in Dallas. says Brown, is in Frisco and inching out. Allen is pricier and there?s not much left. Consumers cannot eat up the $300,000 new home product the builders are dishing out in Frisco fast enough. New home starts were up the most for homes priced between $200,000 and $500,000 during the fourth quarter of 2012.

(Another song in my head: Pete Seeger?s?If I Had A Hammer...)

Candy?s Crystal Ball Prediction #5: The Bubble is not the only place to have a quality life in Dallas. More folks will tire of taxes/crime/schools/courts in Dallas County and head north to the hinterlands. And they will all live happily ever after.

Source: http://www.candysdirt.com/2013/01/08/dallas-real-estate-in-2013-candys-crystal-ball-says-no-bubble-trouble-just-look-under-the-seat-cushions-for-inventory/

lou gehrig toby mac blue ivy carter photos purple squirrel blade runner close encounters of the third kind norovirus

Caffeine in diet supplements all over the map

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The amount of caffeine in diet supplements varies widely and product labels are often inaccurate or have no caffeine information at all, according to a new study of supplements sold on military bases.

Although the caffeine doses probably wouldn't be a problem on their own, they may cause issues when the pills or powders are combined with energy drinks, coffee and other high-caffeine food and beverages, researchers said.

"Consumers really have no idea when they're purchasing supplements what's in them, even if they carefully read the label," said Dr. Pieter Cohen from Harvard Medical School in Boston, who worked on the new study.

He and his colleagues analyzed the caffeine content of 31 dietary supplements sold on military bases that are known to have added caffeine or herbal ingredients that naturally contain caffeine.

Eleven of the supplements listed herbal ingredients, and all of those had no caffeine or only minimal traces, the research team reported this week in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Among the other 20 products, nine had labels with accurate caffeine information. Another five had varying caffeine contents that were either much lower or higher than the amount listed on the label.

The remaining six products did not have caffeine levels on their labels, but had very high amounts according to the chemical analysis - between 210 and 310 milligrams per serving. In comparison, an eight-ounce cup of coffee has about 100 mg of caffeine.

Those levels are especially worrisome for military service members abroad, he said, because side effects of caffeine such as tremors and anxiety may hit them extra hard due to the stressful environment.

Too much caffeine, according to Cohen, "could push one over from just being a little on edge to having a full-blown panic attack."

One limitation of the study was that the researchers only tested one of each supplement. Because of that, Cohen, who is also an internist at Cambridge Health Alliance, said it wouldn't be right to call out any single company on its products.

What stood out to him was how common inaccurate labeling or lack of information was, across the board.

"When we look at the totality of products that have caffeine in them that are consumed on military bases, half the bushel is rotten," he told Reuters Health.

A spokesperson for GNC, which produces and sells diet and nutritional supplements, told Reuters Health in an email, "We believe that all GNC brand labeling is appropriate as to ingredients and dosage. GNC does, like many other retailers, sell third party products and questions on their labeling practices should be addressed directly to those manufacturers."

Cohen said the laws for regulating supplements are "inadequate," but that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also isn't doing a good enough job enforcing the labeling regulations that do exist.

The FDA public affairs office did not respond to requests for comment before press time.

Cohen recommended that non-military members also avoid supplements that list caffeine on the label - since it's hard to know just how much of it they actually contain.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/13fYmei JAMA Internal Medicine, online January 7, 2013.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/caffeine-diet-supplements-over-map-192831614.html

deron williams jarhead montrose marshawn lynch earthquake bay area clear channel drexel

Ryan Gosling Explains Why 'Gangster Squad' Isn't All That Gangster

'We were playing cops, ultimately,' actor says of his role in the upcoming Ruben Fleischer-directed crime drama.
By Kara Warner

Ryan Gosling in "Gangster Squad"
Photo: Warner Bros

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699832/gangster-squad-ryan-gosling.jhtml

braxton miller braxton miller Whitney Heichel Tippi Hedren Big Tex Sweetest Day optimal

Simple Tips Your Own Home Improvement Projects |

When it comes to home improvement, it can prove difficult to find the information that you need. If you don?t arm yourself with the right sources and knowledge, home improvement can be a nightmare. This article will provide you with the information that you need to get started and complete your own project.

Decorative Pillows

You can make decorative pillows easily. Make your own decorative pillows by putting cool designs on them. This will help dress up your teen?s room and add a splash of personality.

Before painting any surface, always wipe down the surface to remove stains, dirt or grease. This helps the paint stick to the walls and may even save you from having to apply a second coat.

Use a porch light with a motion sensor to cut down on your electric bill. You can manually turn the light on and adjust sensitivity most of the time.

Front Lawn

Landscaping is an important aspect to consider when renovating your home. Your front lawn is the first thing people see when they look at your home, and a beautiful front lawn can impress your neighbors and any visitors. Not enough people focus on their lawns. Neat, green grass, blooming flowers, stone walkways ? these things really add a lot of appeal.

Utilizing simple methods of home improvement can dramatically increase the amount you save on your utility bill. Using Energy Star certified light bulbs decreases carbon emissions while using 75% less energy than incandescent light bulbs. Insulating your hot water heater will prevent your water heater from wasting energy and save you money.

A well-built, immaculate front door can raise a property?s value by up to 10%. You can update the look of your door by investing in a relatively inexpensive new doorknob and lock. You might be surprised at the variety of available shapes and finishes.

Think about putting in insulation whenever you plan on renovating your home. Use the opportunity to add weather stripping to every door and window. This helps seal up the air from entering your home, which in turn allows your cooling and heating systems to function a lot better. That will also lower your energy bill.

Before winter, take steps that prevent your pipes from freezing in frigid temperatures. Insulating the lines is a good way to prevent the lines from freezing. You can purchase various types of insulation to install around your pipes for protection. This way, you can prevent accidents due to frozen or burst pipes.

As you engage the services of a contractor, you need to reduce every detail of the job to a written contract. You should also insist on a timeline and a payment schedule.

You should put windows in the bathroom for more ventilation. The humidity created by hot showers can create very fertile grounds for mold to breed. Even with repeated coats of paint on your bathroom wall, you cannot sufficiently kill the mold. The correct answer is to prevent the problem from starting. Vents and windows can effectively dehumidify the space.

Change the accessories to give each room of your home a fresh look. It?s almost unbelievable how greatly placing a new picture on the wall or some new colorful pillows on the furniture can change the appearance of a room. Get new draperies in a lush fabric and vibrant color, then add a vase, a set of pillows and a lamp in the same color, and your room will look like you paid a designer to re-do it.

Prior to making home customizations, consider what style suits you. The decorating theme you choose will narrow down your choices in several different areas. Without a plan, you can easily end up with mixed styles. Mistakes like this one can result in you having to backtrack and are also a waste of money.

Do not underestimate the amount of effort that your project will require. You need to take the time and write down all of the things that need done. It is also good to get other people?s opinions in case that you missed something. This way you will have all of the things that need to be completed in front of you and perhaps you can save some money.

Get exhaust fans for your bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. This will keep you safe by reducing your risk of mold as well as removing hazardous fumes from your home that are associated with cooking. You will also keep wetness from forming in the walls of your home that can cause rot.

Energy Efficient

Try replacing your existing light bulbs with bulbs that are more energy efficient. These bulbs reduce your cost in electricity bills, and they are environmentally friendly; they also have a longer lifespan than the traditional light bulbs, and they are higher in lumens per watt. Use modern, energy efficient bulbs instead.

Consider replacing your front door entryway with a steel door one for an easy way to improve the look of your home. Steel doors increase the value of your home. Steel doors are attractive and potential buyers like their looks. If that isn?t enough benefit, they also improve a home?s energy efficiency.

As previously advised, home improvement does not have to be hard. If you take advantage of the suggestions in the previous paragraphs, you can make sure your home improvement projects go as smoothly as possible. By incorporating the tips and techniques found in the above article, you will be well on your way to completing any home improvement project.

Rhonda Morin is the owner of MyInteriorDecorator.com and loves helping others decorate the home of their dreams through her articles, tips and tricks on her blog and through her store at http://myinteriordecorator.com/store. Rhonda wrote an ebook all about decorating your home so you can do it yourself. This knowledge comes from thousands of homes decorated and years of perfecting her skill. She gives this all to you in her book The Decorating Bible.

Share and Enjoy

Source: http://myinteriordecorator.com/simple-tips-your-own-home-improvement-projects.html

Allyson Felix Kourtney Kardashian Baby Girl Ashton Eaton London 2012 basketball London 2012 Slalom Canoe Alex Morgan Misty May Treanor