Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Mitt Romney?s possible VP contenders ride in style

Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, both considered possible contenders to become Mitt Romney's running mate, took a break from campaigning for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sunday to enjoy some time on the road.

Portman, above, tweeted a picture in his 1917 Model T Ford.

"Got my 1917 Model T out this evening to shuttle son and daughter after their float down the river near our house," Portman wrote on Twitter.

Taking to Facebook on the same day, Ryan posted a picture in a mini derby car at a fair in Dousman, Wisconsin.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/mitt-romney-possible-vp-contenders-ride-style-173453236.html

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Interactive Intelligence to Host Mobile Customer Service Industry Web

Educational webcast, already drawing more than 1,200 pre-registrants, will bring together industry experts to share how businesses can provide enhanced service for customers using smart mobile devices

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 29, 2012 ? Interactive Intelligence Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ININ), a global provider of unified IP business communications solutions, is hosting a free Web event titled ?The New Mobile World: Changing the Way You?ll Service Your Customers.?

This 75-minute educational webcast, to be held July 31, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. Gulf Standard Time (GST), is ideal for contact center directors, IT directors, and CIOs wanting to more effectively service their customers who increasingly use smart phones and other mobile devices to interact with their businesses.

The webcast, already attracting more than 1,200 pre-registrants, will feature the following expert presenters:
Daniel Hong, lead analyst, Ovum Research ? Daniel heads Ovum?s global customer experience and interaction research and consulting practice. He has been quoted in The Economist, Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal, and brings more than 15 years of experience in research, technology and consulting for Fortune 1000 companies.
Donald E. Brown, founder and CEO, Interactive Intelligence ? Don founded his first software company in 1982 and has grown his current company from a start-up in 1994, to a global, $200-plus million public company with more than 4,500 customers.

Following the presentations, there will be a live audience Q&A session with presenters joined by Blair Pleasant, president and principal analyst at COMMfusion, and Richard Snow, global VP and research director at Ventana Research.

?With the deployment of smart phones and mobile tablets growing at rapid-fire rates, businesses face a huge opportunity to use these hand-held, location-independent ?computers? to create a competitive service advantage,? said Interactive Intelligence chief marketing officer, Joe Staples. ?We?ve designed our webcast to help these businesses assess key mobile customer service opportunities and challenges, then develop the most effective strategy for selecting and deploying the right technology solution for them.?

To register for this Web event, visit www.inin.com/WebEvent. All Web event registrants will receive a free copy of mobile customer service reports from Ovum and Ventana Research.

About?Interactive Intelligence
Interactive Intelligence Group Inc.?(Nasdaq: ININ) is a global provider of contact center automation, unified communications, and business process automation software and services. The company?s unified IP business communications solutions, which can be deployed on-premise or via the cloud, are ideal for industries such as financial services, insurance, outsourcers, collections, and utilities.?Interactive Intelligence?was founded in 1994 and has more than 4,500 customers worldwide. The company is among Forbes Magazine?s 2011 Best Small Companies in America and Software Magazine?s 2011 Top 500?Global Software?and Service Providers. It employs more than 1,000 people and is headquartered in?Indianapolis, Indiana. The company has offices throughout?North America,?Latin America,?Europe,?Middle East,?Africa?and?Asia Pacific.?Interactive Intelligence?can be reached at +1 317.872.3000 or?info@inin.com; on the Net:?www.inin.com.

This release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are described in the company?s?SEC?filings.

Interactive Intelligence?is the owner of the marks?INTERACTIVE INTELLIGENCE, its associated LOGO and numerous other marks. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

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Source: http://channelbuzzme.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/interactive-intelligence-to-host-mobile-customer-service-industry-web-event/

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Cautions urged following deadly Ebola outbreak

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Monday advised people to avoid shaking hands, casual sex and do-it-yourself burials to reduce the chance of contracting the deadly Ebola virus after an outbreak killed 14 people and put many more at risk.

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Museveni's advice came as scared patients and health workers fled a district hospital in rural western Uganda where several cases of Ebola were being treated and as the authorities tried to alter people's behavior to stop the virus spreading.

"We discourage the shaking of hands because that can cause contact through sweat which can cause problems ... and avoid promiscuity because these sicknesses can also be transmitted through sex," Museveni said in a public statement.

No treatment
There is no treatment for Ebola, which is transmitted by close contact and body fluids such as saliva, vomit, feces, sweat, semen and blood. The authorities fear a repeat of an outbreak in 2000, the most devastating to date, when 425 people were infected, more than half of whom died.

Related: 5 things you should know about Ebola

Health workers suspected that the latest outbreak ? which was confirmed on Friday ? had occurred about three weeks ago in Nyanswiga village, Museveni said, adding that doctors had initially thought the symptoms were atypical of Ebola.

Nyanswiga, in Kibaale district, is about 100 miles west of the capital Kampala, near the Democratic Republic of Congo where the virus first emerged in 1976, taking its name from the Ebola River.

The World Health Organization has said the origin of the latest outbreak has not yet been confirmed, but that 18 of the 21 confirmed cases so far were understood to be linked to one family.

One of the 14 people reported to have died was a local health worker, Clare Muhumuza. She was transferred to Mulago hospital in Kampala where she died, stoking fears the disease could spread in the Ugandan capital.

'Evil spirits'
Museveni urged people to also be cautious when it came to burying people, saying that people had contracted the virus while burying Ebola victims because they remained contagious even when dead.

"In case somebody dies from what you suspect to be Ebola please do not take on the job of burying him or her, call the medical workers to be the ones to do it because they are the ones that can do it safely," he said.

Christine Ondoa, Uganda's minister for health, told a news conference in Kampala that people had initially put off seeking medical care because they believed the virus was the work of "evil spirits."

According to Tumusiime Jamilo, a reporter with Kagadi Kibaale Community Radio (KKCR), panic had gripped the Kagadi hospital in Kibaale, where suspected Ebola cases were being treated.

Some hospital staff had initially fled the establishment but were now returning as the authorities were providing protective gear for them, he told Reuters.

Kibaale local government authorities have ordered the closure of local primary and secondary schools and banned public gatherings as a precaution, he added.

Dan Kyamanywa, a health officer in Kibaale district, said up to 80,000 people in the district were at risk of infection.

Ebola symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, a headache and a sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, impaired kidney and liver functioning and both internal and external bleeding.

Depending on the strain, the virus kills up to 90 percent of those who contract it.

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48400654/ns/health-infectious_diseases/

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Why Most Diet And Fitness Fact is Incorrect ? The reality regarding ...

Overall, most people wish to take better shape and stay healthy. We work really hard to watch our calorie intakes. Of burning fat and build muscle, we will need to set goals and keep with our routines.

Popular products sold with the so-called ?gurus? tend to be no more than hyped well packaged scams that do not work, that only give you a quick fix, and are ugh to take care of your results. Overall, when the method is sold by ?guru?, it is always questionable in regard to regardless of whether it can be real or perhaps a scam. Achieving your workout goals is usually within reach, yet obtaining a creation that actually activly works to help you to get you have the primary problem ? a problem that you must solve. Just browse the tips below and assorted info and you will have the ability to discern which fitness and diet plans actually work.

One thing you need to realize is there actually are bad and the good foods to consume, which the gurus that show you you can eat anything without excess, but still successfully diet, are liars. You simply must eat healthier, and some foods may help you be healthy and fit, many will not. Most bad foods are usually filled up with fat and never great for the body at all. This won?t imply you shouldn?t ever enjoy foods that aren?t perfectly healthy. What really works is always to evaluate what foods trigger your urges to snack or binge and prevent them, regardless of whether they?re super healthy.

You must never focus primarily on weight-loss. If you?re very fat, where you have to slim down or else you defintely won?t be healthy, then obviously this needs to be a principal objective. Additionally, fat weighs much less than muscle. Your overall weight may remain the same because your diet, particularly if you are muscle building mass concurrently. When your weight may stay the same, it is important to concentrate on fitness instead. Your level of fitness, and exactly how you feel, gives you a private satisfaction that goes far beyond seeing the pounds drop ? basically, the greater that you just feel, greater desire you will have to continue your exercise routine.

Residing in shape, and being healthy, commences with doing exercises regularly. It is possible to reduce the aging process, lessen your chance of getting coronary disease, and prevent diabetes by working out regularly. To help your defense mechanisms, work outs something that can be done. If you?re vulnerable to colds or the flu each year, should you figure out regularly, these sicknesses may not arrive anymore. Using this method, you could actually avoid obtaining the flu.

There are many myths and hyped up claims on the market that it is tough to tell what?s true and what isn?t. This kind of hype is located elsewhere, but fitness and diet products own it really bad. Hopefully the following tips can help you begin working out what exactly is true and what?s supposed to help you to spend money.

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Source: http://guru3x.com/why-most-diet-and-fitness-fact-is-incorrect-the-reality-regarding-fitness-programs-and-diets-that-actually-work/

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Monday, July 30, 2012

Automotive Repair Business: Developments in the pay-as-you-go ...

We?ve had usage-based insurance for a few years now and the technology is developing rapidly. It started off relying on the insurer installing a little black box into your vehicle. This would collect data from your onboard computer and transmit it to the local headquarters of your insurance company. Based on this information, discounts reflecting your milage and safety record would be granted. This is a good system but moderately inconvenient because you have to have the technology fitted and surrender it when you cancel the cover. In the early days, the transmitter proved not very reliable. Now, of course, we have mature technology and everything works really well.

In the meantime, the car and truck manufacturers have been working hard to refine their own computer systems. Many have built-in transmitters to communicate the need for repairs to your own garage. The only problem is the different manufacturers have different systems and none of them talk to anyone other than authorized garages. Until now, that is. Sprint Nextel has been working with the insurance industry to offer a cloud-based solution using its 3G network. Sprint?s system collects all the data relevant to deciding how good a driver you are. It passes on the data to your insurer which monitors your performance over time. Presented with this information the insurer has a choice. It can either offer you a flat rate for a fixed term, or it can vary the level of discount month by month.

This gives everyone a chance at earning discounts. The best shot of really cheap auto insurance goes to the seniors, unemployed and homemakers who only drive a few miles every day. But not everyone falls into this convenient group. Some people have long drives to commute to and from work at peak times. Nevertheless, with evidence of good driving, you can still earn discounts. Perhaps it?s only affordable and not the cheap policy you were hoping for, but some auto insurance saving is better than no saving. It all comes from verifiable information you are a good driver. That makes it worth giving up a little of your privacy.


Source: http://100tomatoplants.blogspot.com/2012/07/developments-in-pay-as-you-go-insurance.html

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Greenhithe couple renew wedding vows as Mickey and Minnie Mouse

A Greenhithe couple renewed their wedding vows with a Disney theme

Julie Webb-Flint and Jason Flint with their guestsJulie Webb-Flint and Jason Flint with their guests

EVERY girl dreams of a fairytale wedding and for one Disney obsessed woman it became a reality.

Julie Webb-Flint and her builder husband, Jason Flint, celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows on Saturday (July 28) with a Disney theme.

Around 107 guests dressed up as characters to attend the blessing at St Mary's Church, in London Road, Greenhithe, with even the reverend taking part as Little John from Robin Hood.

Mrs Webb-Flint, of The Crescent, Greenhithe, said: "We had our original honeymoon at Disney World in America, we are Disney fanatics it's something that's in our blood.

"It's the feel good factor, you only have to see the characters and they make you smile."

She added: "The theme started off as a bit of a joke but everyone loved it and it went on from there.

"We were excited to see what they would come as.

"Most people rang up before to check what other characters were going but some people left it as a surprise."

The couple, both aged 42, transformed into Mickey and Minnie Mouse on their special day and were joined by their sons Liam, aged 17, and 15-year-old Luke, who went as Donald Duck and Goofy.

Mr Flint's parents dressed up as Shrek and Fiona while Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White and seven dwarfs also made an appearance.

As Mrs Flint walked down the aisle to the traditional wedding march, the Mickey Mouse theme tune kicked in and she skipped and danced the rest of the way.

The couple, who both say their favourite film is Jungle Book, left the ceremony to Shrek's I'm a Believer.

Mrs Flint said: "We had a Minnie Mouse cake, table decorations and posters to continue the theme.

"All our Christmas decorations tend to be Disney and we have ornaments, teapots, cups and plates too.

"We are a bit of a freak really."

She added: ?It was a fantastic day.

?The best bit for us was when we went to the local park for a group photo, which we did when we first got married.

?It looked like everyone was marching up to the Magic Kingdom.?

Source: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/9845122.Greenhithe_couple_renew_wedding_vows_as_Mickey_and_Minnie_Mouse/?ref=rss

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Saturday, July 28, 2012

Briton Thomson claims new trans-Atlantic record

British sailor Alex Thomson said Friday he had broken the record for crossing the Atlantic solo from west to east by more than 24 hours, making it from New York to Cornwall in eight days, 22 hours and eight minutes.

The previous record, which had stood for 10 years, was 10 days, 55 minutes and 19 seconds, set by Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm.

Thomson, 38, set sail in his Hugo Boss monohull from New York on July 17 just after 3:00 pm (1900 GMT) and arrived at Lizard Point, the southern tip of mainland Britain, just after 1700 GMT Friday, he said on his website.

"It has been a long few days," Thomson said.

"When I set off I had no idea if I was going to be able to do it. And it has been hard. Lack of sleep, broken instruments on the boat and constant exposure to the elements has really taken it out of me. But it's such a good feeling to have beaten it by such a great margin."

The World Sailing Speed Record Council must still ratify the claim.

The record is officially known as the "West to East Ambrose Lighthouse to Lizard Point Under 60-foot Single-Handed Monohull Record, Male". The trip covers a distance of about 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 kilometres, 3,200 miles).

Thomson said the trip was part of his training for the Vendee Globe, a solo, non-stop, round-the-world race that kicks off from France on November 10.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/briton-thomson-claims-trans-atlantic-record-192205808.html

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Small Business Networking to acquire Much more Clients and ...

Little Business Networking to obtain More Customers and Industry Specialist Services

It?s doable thatlike the believed of marketing and sales?the believed of networking may possibly make you cringe. When most service specialists hear the word networking, they consider the old school small business mentality of promotional networking at meet-and-greet events where every person is there to schmooze and manipulate one yet another in an try to obtain some advantage for themselves or their business.

Who wouldn?t cringe at the thought of spending an hour or two exchanging banalities and sales pitches with a phony smile plastered on your face to hide your discomfort? If it feels uncomfortable, self-serving, and deceptive, chances are all those business enterprise cards you collected will end up inside a drawer of the desk under no circumstances to be seen again because you?ll so dread following up that you?ll procrastinate till they?re forgotten.

Take heart! There is certainly fantastic news! It doesn?t have to be that way! The Book Yourself Solid Small Organization Networking Strategy operates from an entirely distinct viewpoint; it?s all about connecting and sharing with others. All that?s essential is to shift your viewpoint from one of scarcity and worry to certainly one of abundance and adore. Together with the Book Yourself Solid Networking Approach, the focus is on sincerely and freely giving and sharing, and by carrying out so, building and deepening mutually advantageous relationships with others. It?s all about generating lasting connections.

Networking Events for Tiny Business enterprise OwnersWhat To DoIf You would like Additional Customers

Do arrive on time?this just isn?t the time to stage a grand entrance by getting fashionably late or to tell any stories about why you?re late. Nobody cares. If you?re late and it?s noticed, apologize and leave it at that.

Do unwind and be yourselfContrary to standard wisdom, you don?t need to fit in. It may well sound trite, but be yourself, unless when you?re being oneself you finish the evening together with your tie wrapped about your head undertaking a nose dive in to the shrimp salad. But seriously, persons need to meet the individual who?s out in front, who?s writing the guidelines and taking the lead, not the one who is following the pack. So don?t be afraid to be completely self-expressed. In the event you are you?ll be much more memorable.

Do smile and be friendlyBoth men and women may possibly be concerned that smiling as well significant will probably be construed as some sort of a come-on or that they?re desperate for consideration. This fear of becoming misunderstood will hold you back. Let it go! Improved to err on the side of a huge, friendly smile than to become deemed unfriendly or standoffish.

Do concentrate on givingIf your focus is on giving of your self, you?re going to get returns in spades. If you concentrate on what you may get, you will be considerably much less profitable.

Do prepare for the eventLearn the names of the organizers and a few of the essential players. Identify what and how it is possible to share with other people in the function: who you realize (devoid of becoming a name dropper), what you understand (devoid of getting a know-it-all), and what you can share from your heart (without having generating assumptions) together with the people today who will be at this certain event. You under no circumstances know what might adjust someone?s life.

Do introduce oneself to the person hosting the event?this person may very well be an extremely useful addition for your network. Never ever forget to say, ?thank you.

Do introduce your self towards the big-wigIf there?s a person you desire to meet at a massive seminar or event, an individual renowned inside your market, do you go as much as them and say, Here?s what I do and here?s my organization card? No! You start by offering praise. You say, I just would like to let you know your operate had an awesome impact on me, or Your operate inspired me to do this or that. Then the following time you happen to be at the very same occasion you might say, I would just enjoy to hold your coffee cup. Which means, I would adore to help you in some way that would add value to your life or perform. She may perhaps say, I don?t assume so, but what have you got to shed? Then once more, she may perhaps respond by saying, Yeah, you appear like a truly genuine and considerate individual. I?ve got some stuff you can do. Don?t forget that effective and busy individuals often have additional on their plate than they?re able to reasonably handle. They?re usually trying to find talented people today to help make their life easier. Should you can enable reduce someone?s anxiety level, you?ve produced a friend for life.

Do offer anything when initially meeting an individual, whenever possibleOffer praise (as in the above instance), compassion, or even a connection. Any time you can say, I know somebody you?ve got to meet, or ?there?s an awesome book I feel may perhaps give the resolution for your issue, they may be going to see you very differently than the person who shoved a business enterprise card in their face and said, Let?s stay in touch, dude. For those who can leave them feeling even better, a lot more uplifted, and energized after their interaction with you, they?re going to remember you.

Do start out conversations by asking questions?this is actually a great method, specially if you?re nervous. It takes the spotlight off of you and will allow the other individual to shine. It permits you to understand a thing new at the same time.

Do determine two or 3 issues youd like to find out from the people at the functionPeople are drawn to other people who?re curious and interested.

Do make eye contactIt expresses respect and interest inside the individual you?re speaking with. And stay focused on the individual you?re speaking with. If you?re speaking with me, but you?re eyes are continually scanning the area for an individual additional crucial or related to you, don?t you think it may well make me really feel unappreciated?

Do put on comfortable clothingIf you?re constantly fidgeting or worrying about how you look in clothes that aren?t comfortable or don?t fit correctly, you?ll be self-conscious and others will sense it.

Do take the initiativeGo up to people today and make friends. Men and women like to become asked about themselves, their hobbies, or their family. This is the time to get to know a number of private tidbits that may provide you with the opportunity to find a widespread interest that makes connecting simpler and a lot more all-natural.

Do offer a firm handshakeHold your drink in your left hand. This eliminates the need to wipe your damp hand on your slacks ahead of shaking hands. And, guys, don?t believe you will need to shake hands differently using a woman than you do using a man. A firm handshake (not a death grip) is usually proper.

Do be inclusiveAsk others to join your conversations; this really is very important. Don?t monopolize individuals, especially these who?re in high demand, like the speaker from the occasion. It makes the speaker uncomfortable. Don?t forget, they?re there to meet a great deal of men and women also. It also annoys others who need to meet the individual you?re attempting to help keep to yourself. Tip: if you want to assist, ask the speaker if there is certainly anybody you may introduce her to, or basically be sure you hold which includes men and women inside your conversations with her. This way, you?ll be noticed as an extremely generous and open person by the others at the occasion, and the speaker will remember you as somebody who helped them very easily network and navigate the occasion.

Do ask for a business enterprise card and then keep in touchIt?s your responsibility to ask to get a card if you would like 1, and it?s your responsibility to stick to up. Top quality not quantity counts when generating genuine private connections. When you race via an occasion passing out and collecting business cards from anyone and every person as even though there were a prize for essentially the most cards gained in the finish of the event, you?ll do oneself a huge disservice. And don?t forget, just because an individual provides you their business enterprise card doesn?t mean you may have permission to add them for your mailing list or e-zine list. You usually do not. You can undoubtedly send a private e mail as a stick to up, and you should, but you must not and can?t add them for your list. You don?t have permission to do so. This can be a pet peeve of mine. I really feel that 25 percent of the time I?m asked for my company card at a conference, I end up on a different newsletter list. Not cool.

Do possess a pen with you alwaysWhen you obtain an organization card, write slightly note about any commitment to comply with up, what you talked about, any individual bits or unusual items that could enable you to to bear in mind the individual and to personalize future make contact with, and make sure you incorporate the date and name of your function exactly where you met.

Networking Events for Small Business OwnersWhat Not To DoIf You wish Far more Clientele

Don?t attempt to become coolAnd don?t more than compensate for your nervousness by bragging about your good results; this can be a significant turn-off.

Don?t let What do you do? be the very first query you askLet it come up naturally in conversation.

Don?t sit with people you realize for the majority of your eventWhile it might be extra comfortable to sit with all the people today you understand, it becomes as well effortless to keep with them, and when you do, you?ll defeat the purpose of getting there. Step out of your comfort zone and get to know new individuals.

Don?t juggle several items?travel light to remove the necessity of juggling your coat, purse, briefcase, drink, or buffet plate. Hold that correct hand totally free for handshakes and for jotting down fast notes on any business enterprise cards.

Don?t complain about networking or the event you?re attendingDon?t complain about anythingperiod. The cycle of complaining is easy to obtain drawn into, in particular at events where virtually every person is actually a bit uncomfortable. While complaining is an ice breaker, it?s not an eye-catching one particular. Transform the subjectfor example, Have you tried the shrimp? or take the chance to advise this good book, Book Yourself Solid, and how it?s transformed the way you consider about networking events.

Don?t take your self also seriously?remember to loosen up and have entertaining. We?re all just persons.

You?re Normally Networking and Marketing and advertising Your Small Business and Experienced Services

Your profits will come from connections with people who can send you business enterprise. Whether that?s by way of a satisfied client who refers others to you; or a different skilled who has the ability to book you for speaking engagements, write about you, or partner with you; or the manager at the video retailer who appreciates your significant, friendly smile each and every weekend plus the recommendation to get a good baby-sitter you made when he desperately needed one particular.

Together with the Book Yourself Solid Small Organization Networking Strategy, the prospect of producing a phenomenal network of connections doesn?t need to be overwhelming or intimidating. All of us network consistently, with absolutely everyone, every day. Now we just need to have to perform it consciously, with higher awareness, till undertaking so becomes a natural and comfy part of our everyday lives.

Then follow-up. Hold in touch. It can be imperative that you get each one of your connections into your database and act on each connection. If the get in touch with isn?t in your database or you don?t take the action essential to keep in touch, your networking is pointless. Have some type of this database with you at all timesPDA, planner, private address book?so you could instantly connect others instead of having to obtain back to them.

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Source: http://artyapt.com/blog/small-business-networking-to-acquire-much-more-clients-and-market-place-professional-services/

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/48360646#48360646

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Friday, July 27, 2012

I'll Be Happy Later: On Needs, Optimism and Flawed Perception

By Michael K Keith -

The fulfillment of our desires will make us happier; a new house, car, dress, kitchen, bathroom, curtains, boat, bike, hat or phone. Right?

It follows that a richer society will be happier and that measures of wealth will indicate overall happiness. The same ?needs met equals happiness? assumption is true for non-material things; a new partner, a current one who shows more appreciation, a different boss, a different place to work, starting a family, some new friends. We spend a lot of time picturing a world where our wants have been met and in it we are happier. Thousands of people in marketing organizations and in the media are employed to capitalize on this innate tendency and encourage this view of happiness. They do a fine job. So good that we?re way past noticing they?re even doing it.

But there?s one tiny problem, one chink in the reasoning upon which a large chunk of our experience is predicated. The correlation between needs being met and our happiness is far, far weaker than we assume and sometimes it doesn?t exist at all. Worse still the way we pursue happiness can actually reduce our well being. When it comes to predicting future happiness we?re just not very accurate.

?What we anticipate seldom occurs, what we least expected generally happens.?

Benjamin Disraeli (British Prime Minister and Novelist, 1804-1881)

It?s not that we should stop planning for the future and abandon our hopes and dreams. Absolutely not. That would be bad on lots of levels. We just need to realize our foresight is flawed and let that realization guide us to focus differently.

Planning provides us with the sense of control necessary to maintain our mental health. Think of stress as the equivalent of a loss of control. We push back on this stress by making plans. Of course, if our plans were to come true we see ourselves as happier. Plans wouldn?t be much use for mental health if we foresaw ourselves stumbling or becoming less happy. Keeping our hopes up is definitely good for us.

Plans, by their nature though, contain assumptions that only certain circumstances will arise. There?s not a lot of ?what if? when we predict our future happiness. Our view is subjective, a distortion of reality, whether of the past, present or future. Even if our goals are met the period of increased happiness tends to fade as we reset our expectations and create new goals.

?We take a handful of sand from the vast landscape of awareness around us and we call that handful of sand the truth.?

Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Here is a very, very brief summary of the psychology behind our subjectivity:

Both our memory and our perception are incomplete. We must make decisions and recall experiences quickly so we use partial information and our brains make up the rest. Our minds work like a really complex and multimedia version of ?complete the sentence? ?. But in our minds there is no difference between the accurate parts and our fabrications. What?s more our predictions about the future are heavily biased toward our current experiences; we tend to assume that the way we feel about something now is how we will feel in the future. Layered on top of these biases is an uncanny knack to derive rational and coherent explanations, convincing stories, for the way things are and how we see them. The truth is the truth, variations on this are inside people?s heads.

Here?s an example of what all this can mean?

Imagine you?ve been doing the same job for a while. You?re pretty good at it, better than some of the people at a higher level being paid more. It?s time you were promoted. If only you earned more money, if only you had more authority, if only you didn?t feel like you were being taken advantage of, you?d be much happier. You speak to your boss, you make your plans, you work even harder and one day the promotion happens. And low, you do have more money, more authority and more respect. All the changes that you imagined came true? with one exception. Immediately following the achievement of your goal you did feel happier. About a month later the same sense of discontent crept in, not that you noticed this happening. ?How?s it going?, asks your friend. ?Same old, same old?, is your ambivalent response. ?Hey didn?t you get that promotion a couple of months back. The one you were waiting for??, he rejoins with much enthusiasm. ?Yeah sure but now and have got all these crazy people to manage and I got this new boss who sucks?.

And so you begin to plan for the next thing that will make you happier. Maybe next time round you?ll turn out to be right.

The bottom line is this? we?re convinced that we?re going to be happy if certain things come true but we?re often wrong. We could be overestimating our future happiness or we?re simply focusing on the wrong things. Even if were right about what will increase our happiness it tends to be very short lived as our thresholds for happiness adapt to the new situation.

A reliable way to take your flawed happiness predictions out of the equation is to ask someone who has faced your choices and lived through the outcome. Your subjectivity can?t intrude if you?re getting advice from someone who has ?been there and done that?. Better still seek advice from multiple people who have elected for each of the options on offer. How does the experience of that new kitchen stack up for folks who spent $5k, $10k or $30k six months down the road? Use the internet thingy-ma-jig to research the future from your fellow humans? perspectives. We tend not to reach out to ?experts? because we believe that our circumstances are too unique for comparisons. Studies show that we overestimate our uniqueness and that using surrogates is a much more accurate predictive tool than our own imagination.

The surest way not to fall into the ?I?ll be happy in the future? trap is not to connect the future with your happiness at all. Work on being happy now. Don?t stop thinking about tomorrow but see these ventures for what they are; specific goals that provide specific results, none of which are about increased happiness. And the surest way to be happy now is not to think about your own happiness at all and focus instead on the happiness of others.

Both of these things, being happy now and enabling the happiness of others, are both counter-self and counter-cultural. We?re set up to be unhappy by evolution and by our environment. Don?t panic, don?t get depressed. If the path is to train yourself to be happy now and to work on helping others the good news is that you have everything you need to help yourself. All the happiness you ever needed is already in your hands.

Michael Keith is an author for the blog On How to Be Happy. He gathers ancient wisdom and the latest and greatest thinking to connect you to true and lasting happiness.

The knowledge you receive at On How to Be Happy can help you to increase contentment in your own self, your relationships with others, and in the workplace.

If you are ready to learn how to start living a better life go to http://www.onhowtobehappy.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_K_Keith
http://EzineArticles.com/?Ill-Be-Happy-Later:-On-Needs,-Optimism-and-Flawed-Perception&id=7176928

Source: http://healthyrecipesweightloss.org/2012/07/ill-be-happy-later-on-needs-optimism-and-flawed-perception/

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5 Reasons Why Online Video Is Dominating 2012 | Location3 Media

There?s no doubt online video is taking over. Sure, as the new video guy I?m probably a little biased. But you can?t argue the numbers . According to Borrell Associates, online video production will account for more than one-third of all online advertising spending within the next five years.?According to Comscore,?144.1 million viewers watched 14.6 billion videos on YouTube.com (101.2 videos per viewer) in May 2010. And according to me, cat videos rule. So let?s take a look at the 5 Reasons Online Video is Dominating 2012?

1. People are consuming their entertainment online

?I stopped paying for TV before it was cool.?

You?ve seen the studies (study, study, study),?more and more people are starting to get their entertainment online. Part of the reason for this switch is due to the fact that online video now offers the same HD quality that television offers, but with a few more advantages.

  • Convenience: Why re-schedule your day to catch the new episode of Desperate Housewives when Hulu will stream it whenever you want.
  • Any Device: Online video can be seen on lots of different devices. From an iphone to a computer, people can essentially watch video anytime, anywhere.
  • Searchability. Say you want to find a video where Darth?Vader?plays the bagpipes on a unicycle.A few simple keystrokes can take you to any video you want to see.
  • Reach: Your video can be seen by literally anyone in the world.

In 2012, If you own a website, you virtually own a TV channel. And the web is broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2. Attention Spans

?What else is on??

In a competitive marketplace, attention is vital. And the question becomes: are people actually paying attention to videos played on the internet?

ComScore reported that the average viewer watched nearly 22 hours of video in a single month ? most of which are short videos that are aimed to inspire, provoke, or excite. I emphasize short here, because the market is moving more toward catering to the Facebook generation?s goldfish-like attention span.

According to a study by Visible Measures, 20% of online video viewers click away from a video in the first 10 seconds or less. By 30 seconds into an online video up to 33% of viewers have moved on; at 1 minute 44% have left (regardless of the clip?s length) and almost 60% have abandoned by the 2 minute mark.

So for your business, A short concise message means more views, more shares, and more opportunity to reach your target market. When someone comes to me and says, ?I?d like to make a five minute video,? the very first thing I ask is, ?Can we do it in two minutes?? People just don?t have the patience anymore, so you need to get your message across as quickly as possible.

?3. Social Media

?Check out this video that was on my newsfeed today! Its called the Cinnamon Challenge!?

Brands are moving further away from direct advertising, whose metrics that are hard to calculate, and into original video content. This content that is created not to sell but to engage. They tell a story and they create brand loyalty. Especially through their Facebook brand pages. Take Red Bull for example. They targeted consumers in the extreme sports market with more than just generic tweets about ?epic pow days? and ?shredding the gnar.? They post video that would resonate within their target market and leave a lasting impression, with major pass-along value.

Like so many others, I subscribe to Red Bull?s updates because it features the world?s top athletes doing unbelievable things ? From custom-built half pipes to skydives from the stratosphere,?Red Bull continues to put out some of the best action sports footage on the internet. This model has gotten Red Bull more than 27 million Facebook fans and has proved that you don?t have to be on television to market to millions anymore. Hosting the video on social media sites guarantees that Red Bull?s brand message is being delivered to more than 27 million people within their target market. The days of direct consumer advertising is dwindling, and the advent of marketing through storytelling has arrived. This will propel online video even more into the world of serious profit.

4. Quality

There?s a reason your cat video hasn?t gone viral.

First things first ? No one is going to watch your video if the quality is poor. They just won?t. There is too much quality content on the web today for anyone to waste time watching your webcam-recorded video.

Not more than a decade ago, if you wanted to make a high-quality video, it was going to cost you. However, significant technological improvements in the last ten years have made possible to produce quality HD content for a fraction of the cost. While shooting and editing a professional-grade video still takes a great amount of skill and experience, the cost has diminished significantly.

Because video is more inexpensive to produce, there is more opportunity for younger talent to enter the market. Small businesses need little time or money to dabble in the medium, and the payoff can come as free word-of-mouth marketing, website traffic without advertising, and a more meaningful way to engage potential clients.

So while we still have our fair share of poorly shot cat videos on YouTube, there has been a huge influx of high-quality video recently. For your business, this translates into less financial risk to get started and an opportunity to add some fresh thinking and young talent to your team.

5. Delivery/Sharing

Because sharing is caring!

Not long ago, your email inbox was probably being cluttered by dancing babies and the Star Wars kid.?Since then, video has found more convenient platforms than your email inbox for hosting and sharing. ?And if you?re like me, the majority of the videos you watch are ones your friends shared with you.

So naturally, I believe the most important aspect of an online video platform is its share-ability. Pinterest?s new video feature gives users the opportunity to pin videos to their boards. Even more so than Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest has created a sharing experience so simple and effective, it makes the potential for viral sharing even higher.

Niche markets have emerged for nearly every subject you can think of, so whether your video is about the mystery of unicorns (I?d watch it) or SEO ranking factors, chances are there are blogs and sites who want to share it. All it takes is a bit of research and outreach. I?ll also go back to the point I made about quality here. If you want people to share your video and host it on their own sites and blogs, the quality needs to be up to par.

While this is mostly my biased opinion, one thing is for sure. Video is here to stay. The time to think about including it in your marketing plan is now.

PS. Its not all my opinion. Here are some facts to chew on:

? By 2013, 90% of Internet traffic will be video.

? Advanced Internet video (3D and HD) will increase 23-fold between 2009 and 2014.

? By 2014, 3D and HD Internet video will include 46% of Internet video traffic.

? In the same time frame, online video ad spending will swell from $1.97 billion to $5.71 billion.

? Video ads accounted for 12.4% of all videos viewed and 1.2% of all minutes spent watching video online.

? Top video ad networks potentially reach the following proportions of the total U.S. population: Google Display Network at 46.7%, Tremor Media at 46.3% and BrightRoll Video Network at 37.3%.

? In February 2011 there were 3.8 million video ads, which averages about 30.2 ads per viewer and reached 42% of the total U.S. population.

? According to comScore Video Metrix, in February 2011 the total U.S. unique video viewers on the Internet was 169,646 with an average of 816.4 minutes per viewer.

? Google sites had 141,065 total unique viewers, averaging 261.6 minutes per viewer in the month.

?

Source: http://www.location3.com/5-reasons-why-online-video-is-dominating-2012/

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Will Ethiopian crackdown stir Islamist backlash?

Peaceful protests continue in Addis Ababa this week among Muslims angry over what they see as Ethiopian government interference. The government sees foreign extremist threat.

By William Davison,?Correspondent / July 27, 2012

With arms raised and wrists crossed, silent Muslim worshippers surrounding the largest mosque in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, again today peacefully protested what they call a violent government response to legitimate demands.

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The act of civil disobedience from Muslims, who constitute at least one-third of the population, is a rare sign of instability in a country seen by US policymakers?as a bulwark against radical Islam in the volatile Horn of Africa region.

Last month, members of a committee mediating the dispute over perceived unconstitutional state interference in Islamic affairs were taken into custody, while unrest broke out on two occasions around separate mosques in the city of around 5 million people.

"We are showing solidarity with leaders who have been arrested but who are strong," says a demonstrator named Mohammed, referring to the vigil latched onto the end of midday prayers at Anwar Mosque. "They should be released; they were arrested for nothing." Moments later, nervous friends ushered him away.

Through military interventions in neighboring Somalia,?crackdowns against a separatist movement in its Muslim-majority Ogaden?region, and now the detention of Muslim activists in?its capital, Ethiopia has taken on a role as front-line defense against the spread of political Islam in East Africa. It's a stance that broadly enjoys?support from the West and neighboring countries,?but some observers argue that Ethiopia's?hard line may be creating a backlash, strengthening the appeal of insurgents whom it is battling to suppress.

Human rights group Amnesty International called on the Ethiopian government this week to either formally charge or to release those currently in detention. Amnesty also called on the Ethiopian government to investigate allegations of torture of detainees, to allow peaceful protest, and to use "proportionality in the use of force" against demonstrators who turn violent.?

For its part, the Ethiopian government justifies its actions by saying that the real troublemakers are a tiny minority of foreign-influence Salafi extremists.?

"This group actually deals day and night to create an Islamic state," says Shiferaw Teklemariam, the minister responsible for religious affairs. "This in the Ethiopian context is totally forbidden and against the constitution."

Activists scoff at the accusations. Ethiopia is a secular, multi-ethnic state, where Orthodox Christians predominate, they say. How could any Islamist group hope to create an Islamic state in such a country? The dismissal is seconded by Terje??steb?, an academic at the Center for African Studies and Department of Religion, University of?Florida, who studies Islam in the Horn of Africa. He says that Ethiopia's historically oppressed Muslims are enthusiastic backers of the current secular system.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/yrUoXkD6urI/Will-Ethiopian-crackdown-stir-Islamist-backlash

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Retro Game Network | The New Retro Gaming Community ? Final ...

?

Square-Enix recently announced this week?that it will release the new Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn for the PC and PlayStation 3 console. Many of the?fans of the Final Fantasy franchise (some of us going as far back as the original NES version), were a little disappointed with the multiplayer game ?Final Fantasy XIV?, when it was released originally in September of 2010. ?Square Enix has recently announced some changes made for what some people were calling ?Final Fantasy XIV-2?. Let?s take a quick look.

The sequel planned takes notice of the various problems and complaints that gamers had with the original ?XIV?. Square Enix is very aware of the popularity of the franchise and wants to make its devoted fans happy. In a press release, game producer and director Naoki Yoshida had this to say: ?Since announcing our plans for the future of the title last October, we have been working tirelessly to include all of the elements that we have promised in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. This new title not only becomes a symbol of a completely new Final Fantasy XIV, but also marks the beginning of a new stage as the latest title in the Final Fantasy series. I hope you?re looking forward to it!?

The word on the street is that the game has recieved a complete overhaul when compared with the original Final Fantasy XIV. Along with a new graphics engine to take full advantage of the PC and Playstation 3, other features like redesigned map structures, a redone game interface, new servers, and other various gameplay variations, including the ability to play as new characters of individual races.

Square Enix has stated that the game is scheduled to be released sometime in either the last quarter of 2012, or the first quarter of 2013. A website has been created at http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/. More information to follow.

Source: http://www.retrogamenetwork.com/2012/07/26/final-fantasy-xiv-a-realm-reborn/

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Best Online Home Based Business Opportunities in 2012 Revealed ...

New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/25/2012 -- Budding internet entrepreneurs currently researching the best online home based business opportunities in 2012 are likely to be interested to hear about the latest announcement by WebTrafficToolkit.com.

The web marketing blog has just revealed what they believe should be the key aspects of any successful online home based business opportunity.

It are these points that are core of the highly recommended $1K A Day In 60 Days Online Marketing System at http://webtraffictoolkit.com/bestbiz.html

- Internet Network Marketing ? ?Network marketing when applied to the internet can be one of the best online home based business opportunities for 2012. Network marketing business models mean that you not only benefit from your own sales, but you profit when your team members make sales themselves. As a result, an excellent monthly residual income can be established.?

- Information Products ? "Selling digital information products is one of the best online home business ideas. They are clean and easy to create, have low overheads, and can be easily automated. When you provide a service you are limited with how many clients you can take on, but the earning potential with information products is infinite,? said WebTraficToolkit.com.

- High Ticket Items ? ?It is not recommended to try and earn a living from home based business opportunities in 2012 by selling cheap ebooks for $10 a pop. Look for high ticket items and high ticket affiliate programs for selling products that can pay out at $1,000 commissions or so. That is where the big online money is and not low priced ebooks.?

WebTrafficToolkit.com go onto recommend what they consider to be the best online home based business opportunity in 2012 at http://webtraffictoolkit.com/bestbiz.html

About WebTrafficToolkit.com
WebTrafficToolkit.com is an online marketing blog with a focus on helping entrepreneurs get more traffic and leads for their online home based business opportunities in 2012.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/best-online-home-based-business-opportunities-in-2012-revealed-by-webtraffictoolkitcom-154950.htm

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Jay Shek and Centzy - Bringing Local Businesses to the Internet

CEO Jay Shek, CTO Jeremy Clemenson, and Lead Developer Sky Mayhew by Rishi Prabhu

Did you know that less than 25% of all local businesses have websites, and less than 10% of them post their pricing anywhere on the internet? Well say hello to Centzy, the local search engine that offers pricing and store hours alongside basic contact information, ratings and reviews for the local businesses you use on a regular basis. Dry cleaners, nail salons, oil change stations and yoga studios are among the 15 services you can research on this unique and useful site that went live earlier this year, with more services already in the works.

I recently sat down with CEO Jay Shek, who together with CTO Jeremy Clemenson developed this idea out of their desire to create something innovative in the local space. They wanted to solve a problem that no one else was really looking at, and after a thorough, logical process of elimination, they seem to have tapped into something quite practical. If you want to find the closest gym to your home or office, that costs less than a certain amount, and has a four star rating on both Citysearch and Yelp, then Centzy is the place to go.

Launched in May in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco, the site already contains data for the top ten US markets for multiple services in the categories of Health & Beauty, Home, Fitness, Transportation and Activities. A visit to their website shows that they are well on their way to building a comprehensive, national site, with data already being featured from additional cities spanning the country.

Jay and his team bring significant startup and development experience to the table. With degrees in Business and Computer Science from U Penn, Jay went on to manage finance, analytics and marketing at Snapfish, where he oversaw their acquisition by HP in 2005. He then went to London to help build and launch Betable, an online gambling startup, before coming back to the Bay Area to create Centzy.

After incubating privately in San Francisco for the first couple of months in 2011, Jay and Jeremy joined the Entrepreneur?s Roundtable Accelerator in NYC last summer. Subsequently, they were able to raise $800,000 in seed funding from Chicago?s Lightbank (Groupon investor) and NYC?s Founder Friendly Venture Capital (original investor in Klout and Indiegogo). Most recently, the company was a finalist in the TechCrunch Disrupt battlefield competition, just prior to their May 22nd launch.

Crowd sourced ratings and review sites can take years to develop their content to a practical, usable state. By contrast, with their extremely scalable data collection system, Centzy is poised to be able to launch additional cities with fully functional, complete data, useful to visitors on day one. By cornering the market on price information for these new kids on the internet block, Centzy is also uniquely positioned to establish themselves as their payment mechanism when these businesses start to sell their services online.

With such clear long-term vision, it?s easy to see how this team has developed such a lean, mean product. They have undertaken the usual series of online startup challenges ? funding, recruiting, getting traffic and improving user experience ? in the same systematic fashion as they have rolled out their product. Of course, they?ve been helped immeasurably by the increased availability of open source tools and frameworks to build on top of, such as Google Maps, making it more possible now than ever before to accomplish an impressive amount with a small team.

Still, cautions Jay, it?s essential to ?think through the idea and decide where it fits in the market? You fall in love with an idea, but you have to be willing to let go of it, if it turns out not to be right.?

In other words, just because you can, doesn?t necessarily mean you should create a whole new company. Fortunately for us though, Jay and his team did create Centzy, one of the more innovative online tools to come along in a while. This is one I?m definitely going to to keep my eye on?

Listen to the full interview here:

Deborah Oster Pannell is a writer who specializes in the arts, culture, special events and creative projects of all kinds. As Director of Communications for the tech start-up eventwist, she also manages their blog. Some of her favorite work is featured on?modernlifeblogs.com,?lizkingevents.com, and her own blog,?shesaysyes.wordpress.com. Currently she is launching Project Mavens, a literary, editorial design collective, with partner & writer Lillian Ann Slugocki. On Twitter @projectmaven.

Tags: centzy, interview, Jay Shek, young entrepreneur

Category: Entrepreneur Interviews, Young Entrepreneurs

Source: http://under30ceo.com/jay-shek-and-centzy-bringing-local-businesses-to-the-internet/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jay-shek-and-centzy-bringing-local-businesses-to-the-internet

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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Introducing ODT's student food blogger (+ recipe) - Otago Daily Times

Sophie EdmondsHi there! My name is Sophie, I'm a third-year food innovation student at the University of Otago.

Food innovation merges my love of science with my love (more like obsession) with food.

So I absolutely love it. I first began food blogging last year when I started up my baking blog (sophielikescake.blogspot.co.nz) so I could share my best baking recipes with my friends.

I learned to cook and bake from my mum and so from about the age of 13 I was in the kitchen (now she is trying to get my younger brother to take my place!).

Most of the recipes I share with you here are from her, so the exact origins are a mystery to everyone. The recipes I share are also quite flexible, but I'll try to convert my dollop of this and a splash of that into actual measurements.

Since I am a student, our flat doesn't exactly have money to throw around on lashings of pesto, gratings of exotic cheeses and premium cuts of meat.

So the goal of this blog is to help fellow students escape the miserable mince rut and try something new that won't break the flat budget.

I also believe that you absolutely need a decent spice drawer/rack/shelf (in my case) as spices are really cheap and can turn something ordinary into something quite special. I use a fair amount in my recipes, so start collecting!

In my free time I love to construct cakes, make cakes for people, blog about my cakes, go to the gym (to work off the cake) and um, well . . . perv at other people's baking blogs and cakes online. Flip, what do I do that isn't cake related? Ah, I love watching Game of Thrones.

That's enough about me, let's get started shall we?

Vege casserole

Ah, vege casserole. This is the dinner that Dad requests every birthday and Father's Day. It's his favourite. "Why?" you ask? Because it's delicious of course! My 17-year-old brother grumbles every time we have it at home, complaining that he needs meat to build his massive muscles. We ignore him.

At home, we have a big oven-proof casserole dish so we usually cook this for an hour in the oven. We don't have something suitable for the oven here at the flat but we do have a very cool slow-cooker. So this first post of mine is going to be semi-experimental as I try this out for the first time in our crockpot. I'll include both cooking methods below.

This dish is perfect for winter when root vegetables are in season, and because everything is in season it is really cheap to make.

It does, however, require a cup and a-half of red wine. Scarfies, before you drink the whole bottle on Saturday night, put away a cup and a-half and leave it for when you next make this. It doesn't have to be a flash bottle.

I think the one we used here was $7 (classy stuff right there). Or what you could do is buy a cask (aka a goon) and leave it in the kitchen for cooking. We do that with white wine for our risottos here. They cost around $20 but will last many, many meals.

This is best served with slices of fresh crusty baguette smeared with butter to mop the sauce up.


Right where was I? Ah, ingredients:


Sophie's mum's vege casserole

(Serves 5 - add more or less vegetables and more or less equal parts of the liquids if serving more or fewer people)


1 very large potato (or 2 smaller ones), peeled and chopped into big cubes

1 very large kumara (red is best I think), peeled and chopped into big cubes

4-5 carrots, peeled and chopped into pieces approximately 3cm long

2 brown onions, sliced into chunky wedges

10 button mushrooms, sliced

20g butter

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp plain flour

1 small tin (140g) of tomato paste (or a few good large dollops will do)

1? cups beef stock

1? cups red wine

150g Edam cheese, cubed

Salt and pepper to taste


In a large, deep frying pan on a medium heat, melt the butter and lightly fry the onions, potato, kumara and carrots. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and give everything a quick mix to coat. Now add your mushrooms, leave to cook for a few minutes.

Sprinkle over the plain flour and stir to make sure everything is coated. Add the tomato paste and stir again to coat everything. Then add the beef stock and wine.

More can be added of each in equal parts if you feel there isn't enough liquid to cover most of the vegetables. Bring to the boil for a few minutes then transfer into an ovenproof casserole dish or a slow-cooker.


Slow-cooker method:

Cook on low for nine hours or high for four and a-half. When there is about 20 minutes to go, add the cubes of cheese, stir in and then leave to cook for the remaining time. The cheese should be melted through the casserole.

Depending on the size of your vegetable pieces the cooking time will vary. If you like your veges a bit more mushy than the average Joe, cut them into smaller pieces. This way they will cook faster.


Oven method:

Pop the lid on the casserole dish and place in a 190degC oven for an hour. Check to see if the vegetables are soft (if they are still too firm, put back in the oven for another 20-30 minutes). Add the cubes of cheese then place in the oven for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.


Serve in a large bowl with those slices of crusty baguette mentioned above and you are good to go!


I hope you give this a go and love it as much as I do.

?

Source: http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/recipes/218614/introducing-odts-student-food-blogger-recipe

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NJ Lawmakers Seek To Force Judges To Make Health Insurance ...

By David Madden

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) ? New Jersey legislators are wasting little time in seeking to change the state constitution, after the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled this week that judges could not be forced to contribute more for their own pensions and health care.

Legislators were expecting the high court to side with fellow jurists who called the move to increase those contributions ?an unfair adjustment to salary,? despite the fact that every other state employee is now paying more under legislative reforms.

So, state lawmakers have trotted out a proposed constitutional amendment, which got a public hearing in Trenton.

?Let the people decide that we are not diminishing judges? salaries when we mandate that they be treated like every other employee in this state,? says state senator Shirley Turner, one of the sponsors.

Both the state Senate and Assembly are expected to approve the resolution on Monday, which would put the question on the November ballot.

?

Source: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/07/26/nj-lawmakers-seek-to-force-judges-to-make-health-insurance-contributions/

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News and Society Blog-Economics: Inflation - Its Effects Created ...

To explain the quality theory of inflation we see it as founded upon the belief that a currency being used is acceptable and capable of being traded for goods and services, but also is beneficial to the buyer. However explaining how the quantity theory of inflation works is associated to the aspect of currency. This theory actually takes into account the currency's supply and demand aspects as well as its nominal value of exchange.

Inflation will create many effects upon an economy both good and bad. Inflation can target an entire society or even pin point its effects towards each industry, business or individual. The reason this is possible is because inflation itself is never evenly spread throughout society thus creating both its positive and negative effects.

Positive Effects

? Business Growth - inflation that is capable of being controlled, in that savings quite often can be invested and show growth. Opposed to where savings if held in a bank would show up as a net loss.

? Declining Debt Values - the true value of a currency will decrease as it becomes consumed by inflation. This translates to a decrease of real value on debt which would actually benefit those governments, businesses and private investors that were burdened with high amounts of debt effectively wiping out the debt completely in time.

? Increasing Stock Values - stocks previously purchased cheaper very well might increase in value and if timed correctly when sold off, would yield substantial returns.

? Increasing Asset Values - that are fixed may well increase which in-turn would make some businesses financially more stable. In a traditional sense higher prices often are a by-product of increased inflation. So in theory fixed assets would increase in value during times of high inflation.

Negative Effects

? Many costs are concealed towards reducing purchasing power. These hidden costs could prove an increased benefit to some, however harmful to many others as a whole.

? Soaring rates of inflation become harmful to the economy as a whole.

? Additional shortfalls within the markets would make it much more difficult for businesses to re- strategize, plan, budget and remain competitive for the long-term.

? Inflation could also emerge as interference for productivity, due to resources being moved away from businesses and their products and services while attempting to recover and regain profits.

? Rising inflation will additionally force labor to ask for increased salaries just to stay current with rising market conditions and higher prices on food, services and other living expenses. This ultimately will increase stress on businesses. Forcing them to boost net profits, lay off workers and increase prices for the products they manufacture. The result will only intensify the chaos on-going throughout the economy.

A small amount of inflation is always good for a society as it aids in competitiveness and more profits. An inflation rate of two to three percent is healthy but when inflation starts going out of control and worse we see runaway inflation with rates increasing at 10% per month we set the stage for hyperinflation. An economy suffering from hyperinflation will change an entire society into desperate times quickly. Sadly the United States and other nations are heading into this direction now. Get your own fiscal house in order today. Be Prepared!

Tom Genot -

Informational news, books, articles and videos to invest in gold and silver and where the best places are to buy it. Also find informational resources to educate you on alternate forms of investing and preparedness, for protecting you, your family and your assets from the pending economic crises and destruction of the US dollar. Author Tom Genot provides information and resources helpful to everyone. Insure you're prepared, while time is still on your side. Check us out at www.coinbullion.net.

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

Source: http://newsandsocietyblog-economics.blogspot.com/2012/07/inflation-its-effects-created-upon.html

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Source: http://bryantalstin31.typepad.com/blog/2012/07/news-and-society-blog-economics-inflation-its-effects-created.html

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Source: http://genaromarshall21.typepad.com/blog/2012/07/news-and-society-blog-economics-inflation-its-effects-created.html

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Oprah Winfrey criticized over show about India

Sometimes controversy is good publicity, and sometimes it isn't. When an episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter," a show on Oprah Winfrey's troubled OWN network, highlighting her travels in India aired in the Asian subcontinent, many viewers took offense. The intention of the piece was to "explore the beautiful culture and spirit of the country," according to Winfrey's production company. But many viewers, who took to social media to express their displeasure, found the piece full of stereotypes and clich?s from elephants to snake charmers. They were particularly offended by a scene in which Winfrey sits down to dinner with a family and says, "I heard some Indian people eat with their hands still," apparently unaware that eating with one's right hand is customary for the majority of the population.

One Twitter user wrote, "Not mad at you Oprah, just disappointed." Another took a more let's-be-reasonable approach, writing, "Need to stop overreacting to every perceived criticism if India is to be taken seriously as a mature democracy."

Do you think the criticism of Winfrey is fair? Let us know on our Facebook page or by following us on Twitter @YahooTrending.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/oprah-winfrey-receives-criticism-over-show-india-183651743.html

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'The Lone Ranger' Set Video Shows Johnny Depp's Tonto Up Close

By Ashleigh Schmitz If one thing is for sure after seeing the official image for Disney's "The Lone Ranger" and this windy set video (via Collider), it's that Johnny Depp will be almost completely unrecognizable beneath a tapestry of makeup for his role as Tonto. Though when comparing the two media something is noticeably missing [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/07/25/lone-ranger-set-video-johnny-depp-tonto/

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LG manages $138 million profit in Q2 despite stalled smartphone efforts

LG Electronics (066570) on Wednesday reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2012. As the company continues to push forward and pin hopes on the booming smartphone market, it still hasn?t found a way to profit from its efforts with Google?s (GOOG) Android platform. LG saw a healthy 46% increase in net profit, which rose to $138 million, but smartphone sales were down more than 28% year-over-year to KRW 2.29 billion. LG saw solid sequential growth in its home entertainment, home appliance and energy solutions divisions, though only the home appliance division managed revenue growth over the second quarter of 2011. Operating profits for LG?s home entertainment business grew substantially to KRW 216 billion and profit in the company?s home appliance division more than doubled to KRW 165 billion.?LG?s full press release follows below.

LG ANNOUNCES SECOND-QUARTER 2012 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Solid Performance in Home Appliance and Home Entertainment
Helps Offset Difficult Quarter in Mobile Phones

SEOUL, July 25, 2012 ?- LG Electronics (LG) today reported a 46 percent increase in net profits for the second quarter of 2012 versus the same period a year ago. Despite the continuing recessionary conditions, LG?s operating profit in the most recent quarter increased significantly year-over-year. Stronger performance in home entertainment and home appliances compared to the second quarter last year helped offset profit declines in LG?s mobile business.

Due to a combination of more premium products, strategic focus on developing markets and aggressive cost reductions, second-quarter net profit increased 46 percent year-over-year to KRW 159 billion (USD 138.02 million) while operating profit more than doubled to KRW 349 billion (USD 302.95 million) from the same period last year. Revenues, while 5.2 percent higher than in the first quarter, declined from last year?s second quarter by 10.6 percent to KRW 12.86 trillion (USD 11.16 billion) due to declining feature phone sales and weak demand for IT products.

LG Home Entertainment Company posted significantly improved operating profit in the quarter compared to the same period in 2011. Due in large part to an increase in sales of more premium products and improved supply chain management, operating profit more than doubled to 216 billion (USD 187.5 million) year-over-year. Sales declined 5.8 percent from the same period a year ago to KRW 5.48 trillion (USD 4.76 billion) but increased 2.8 percent from the first quarter of 2012. LG?s popular CINEMA 3D TVs will continue to drive sales in the second half as it pushes ahead to become the top global seller in the 3D segment.

LG Mobile Communications Company, after a positive first quarter, struggled somewhat in the most recent quarter with an operating loss of KRW 57 billion (USD 49.48 million) mainly due to greater marketing expenses related to new model launches in the quarter. Overall revenues declined 28.5 percent year-over-year to KRW 2.32 trillion (USD 2.01 billion) as a result of shrinking feature phone sales but smartphone shipments rose to 44 percent of unit sales, up from 36 percent the previous quarter capitalizing on LG?s strength in LTE phones. The company is planning to introduce new LTE models in the second half in developed 4G regions including North America and parts of Europe and Asia.

LG Home Appliance Company saw its second-quarter 2012 operating profit nearly triple to KRW 165 billion (USD 143.23 million) from the same period last year thanks to a better product mix and improved cost efficiency. Revenues also increased year-over-year to KRW 2.88 trillion (USD 2.50 billion) from growth in developing markets. The company still expects improved results in the second half compared to the previous year despite ongoing weak demand in developed markets.

LG Air Conditioning and Energy Solution Company posted operating profit of KRW 70 billion (USD 60.76 million), a 17 percent increase year-over-year. Revenues increased 21 percent quarter-to-quarter but declined year-over-year to KRW 1.47 trillion (USD 1.28 billion) due to weak residential conditioner sales in Korea and low demand in developed markets. However, profitability improved year-over-year led by higher contribution from system air conditioner sales. The company will focus on improving profitability by introducing more energy-efficient products and by accelerating growth in its commercial air conditioner systems business.

2012 2Q Exchange Rates Explained
LG Electronics unaudited quarterly earnings results are based on IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) for the three-month period ending June 30, 2012. Amounts in Korean Won (KRW) are translated into US Dollars (USD) at the average rate of the three month period in each corresponding quarter: KRW 1,152 per USD (2012 2Q) and KRW 1,084 per USD (2011 2Q).

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lg-manages-138-million-profit-q2-despite-stalled-114528135.html

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