Monday, December 31, 2012

Giants top Eagles 42-7, but Giants out of playoffs

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) reacts after throwing a toucdown pass to Rueben Randle during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) reacts after throwing a toucdown pass to Rueben Randle during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid walks on the field before an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants running back David Wilson (22) flips while celebrating a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

New York Giants wide receiver Rueben Randle (82) celebrates with teammate Victor Cruz (80) after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

A contingent of teachers, parents, and students from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., take part in ceremonies before Sunday's game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. The school was the site of a mass shooting on Dec. 14. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) ? There will be no repeat for the New York Giants. Not even a playoff berth.

The Giants (9-7) saw their playoff hopes end minutes after posting a 42-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles when Chicago beat Detroit 26-24 to eliminate the defending Super Bowl champions from playoff contention.

It marks the seventh straight season the Super Bowl champion has failed to win a playoff game the following year.

The Giants came into the regular-season finale needing to beat the Eagles (4-12), have Chicago and Minnesota lose and then have Dallas either lose or tie against Washington to advance to the postseason. The Bears' win brought a quick end to that scenario playing out.

Eli Manning did his part with a career-best five touchdown passes, and fans who stuck around were chanting "Let's Go Lions" as the final moments ticked off in the Chicago-Detroit game.

"Nine and seven was good enough last year," Manning said after a game that might have been Andy Reid's final one as the Eagles' coach. "It wasn't good enough this year and we knew it wouldn't be."

The Giants put themselves in a tough spot to reach the playoffs, losing five of seven prior to Sunday, including two games by a combined 67-14 margin to playoff-bound Atlanta and Baltimore.

Manning woke up the offense with touchdown passes of 3 and 38 yards to rookie Rueben Randle, a 15-yarder to David Wilson and a 24-yarder to Victor Cruz just before halftime for a 35-3 lead. He's the first Giants player to throw five TD passes in a game since Phil Simms did it against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980. His fifth score was a 1-yard pass to fullback Henry Hynoski in the fourth quarter.

Manning finished 13 of 21 for 208 yards and no interceptions. Ahmad Bradshaw, who rushed for 107 yards and passed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second time in his career, also scored on a 1-yard run.

Starting for the first time since a concussion against Dallas in early November, Michael Vick threw a 7-yard touchdown to Jeremy Maclin. Vick finished 19 of 35 for 197 yards and one interception before being replaced by Trent Edwards late.

The Eagles surprised the Giants on a cold and windy day with an onside kick to open the game. Vick and the Eagles took over at their 47 and got a first down at the Giants 40.

However, turnovers have hurt the Eagles all season, and it happened again when Stevie Brown came up with his eighth interception and returned the ball to the Eagles 26.

Manning needed four plays to score, finding Randle over the middle for his second touchdown of his rookie season. His third came on the following series when New York went 74 yards in five plays with Randle catching a go-pattern down the left sideline from 38-yards out for a 14-0 lead.

It was all Giants after that as New York scored on its first three possessions. The third touchdown was another pass to a rookie, with Wilson catching a 15-yarder after running a wheel route out of the backfield.

Philadelphia's only touchdown came in the opening minutes of the second quarter, and it might have been Vick's last with the team. The Eagles have to decide whether to keep the oft-injured quarterback or turn things over to Nick Foles.

Bradshaw's 1-yard run stretched the lead to 28-7 later in the quarter and Manning and Cruz hooked on a salsa-inducing touchdown with 10 seconds left in the half, just two plays after a fourth-down gamble by Reid failed.

___

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

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-30-Eagles-Giants/id-c8ade22d83734bbe91e9092dc0e398c2

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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Vacancy: Careers Advisor at Women Like Us | London Employment ...

Information, Advice & Guidance Advisor (IAG) ? 6 Month Contract (possibility of extension) and freelance opportunities, Women Like Us, London

21 ? 35 hrs/wk

?26,000 ? ?28,500 Depending on experience

We are a multi award-winning social business that works to build a better future for women who want to carry on working after they?ve had children. Our aim is to give women the choice to fit work around the needs of their family, without losing their value in the workplace. We run a range of community based projects across London and our Advisors offer both one to one and workshop based employability support to parents who are looking to return to work. We are now looking for an Advisor to come in on a six month contract to work in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, with possibility of extension at the end of the contract, and we are open to applications from people looking to work three to five days a week. We would also be interested in hearing from Advisors interested in working on a freelance basis when required at locations across London.

Your role will be to develop partnerships with local community projects, schools, children?s centres and registered social landlords in the target boroughs and then deliver a range of interventions that enable clients to move closer to the job market and progress into employment. We use a simple tool to assess client progress and have an established programme of workshops and resources that you will deliver when this is appropriate; you will also use one to one sessions to review CVs, talk through concerns and refer clients to training, volunteering or other opportunities. You will be responsible for developing and managing your own caseload, including regular catch up, paperwork and recording of outcomes.

It is essential that you can demonstrate experience of providing advice and guidance to individuals, preferably in the Welfare to Work or community-based employability programmes, and you should be familiar with needs assessments. An advice qualification to NVQ Level 3+ or equivalent is imperative. We are also looking for good problem solving experience and the ability to create an audit trail of service delivery. Communication, listening and influencing skills are key attributes, as is a sound business acumen and first class project management experience. A passionate, enthusiastic approach, coupled with bags of initiative and an ability to respond positively to change will also stand you in good stead. Finally, we are open to applications from men and women, and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

If you enjoy working with diverse clients and are looking for a supportive role which makes a real difference to people?s lives, we?d love to hear from you. Application is by CV and cover letter; please specify clearly whether you are interested in the contract or freelance opportunity.

Closing date: 10th January 2013

email: info@womenlikeus.org.uk

Interviews will be mid-January with an early February start.

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Source: http://lespn.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/vacancy-careers-advisor-at-women-like-us/

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Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport Review | CarAdvice

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Driving Front

The Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport is, as you?d hope with a badge that features the word ?Sport? not once but twice, the sportiest version of the German brand?s smallest car.?It?s also the most expensive, costing from $42,500, though as a typical premium small car there are still numerous ways to expand your final bill.

Following the trend set by the likes of the Mini hatch and Fiat 500, the Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport is packed with options and design alterations covering both interior and exterior, giving individuals control over how their A1 will look ? provided they?re willing to pay for it.

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Front Side

From contrasting roof colours and different wheels, to S line tweaks applied inside and out, there?s no shortage of decisions when purchasing this flagship of the four-metre-long Audi. Our Misano red test car wore a Brilliant black roof ($720) and part polished 17-inch alloy wheels ($400), but missed out on paddle shifters ? an additional $200.?You?ll have to pay much more, though, for sat-nav ($3600 for the MMI navigation plus package) and $490 for an auto-dimming rear vision mirror that might also be expected to be on the standard features list.

Open the driver?s door and nestle into the supportive, and well bucketed, sports seat, though and you?ll find an interior that does ?premium? better than any of its rivals, including the BMW-owned Mini. The high-end Audi look and feel the German brand has become so synonymous for is right there.

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Front Seats

Top-notch materials used throughout the four-seater cabin combine with logical controls and a high-quality display to make occupants feel more than a little special. The Audi A1 Sportback is every bit an Audi, on par with many of its far more expensive relatives and closely related in quality and design to the company?s A8 flagship.

The leather multi-function sports steering wheel is one of the best in the business ? an absolute delight to hold and use ? and is joined in the cabin by ever-so-slightly-transparent gloss black air vent surrounds that meld cleanly into the impressively soft-touch dash contrasted by brushed aluminium rings encasing the black air vents.

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Interior1

The pricing of the Audi A1 Sport 1.4 TFSI does take it into the realm of bigger hatches, and those of the hot variety ? including the Volkswagen Golf GTI (from $40,490 in five-door form) and Renault Megane RS265 (from $42,640). But the sportiest Audi A1 Sportback also weighs only 1215kg ? two blokes less than a Golf GTI ? allowing its terrific twin-charged engine to deliver just-as-strong performance and better fuel economy.

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Engine Bay

Audi?s A1 1.4 TSI features the same twin-charged 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine found in the $27,790 Volkswagen Polo GTI. With 136kW at 6200rpm and 250Nm from as low as 2000rpm, the punchy and flexible engine is just as happy playing shopping cart or tearing through the mountains.

One of the key party tricks of employing both a supercharger for low-down surge and a turbocharger for mid-range boost are stats of 0-100km/h in seven seconds (a bit slower than a GTI but slightly quicker than an auto Cooper S) and a combined fuel consumption figure of 5.9 litres per 100km (more economical than both a GTI and Cooper S). We averaged 7.9L/100km, according to the car?s trip computer, but saw as low as 5.4L/100km.

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Driving Rear

The Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport?s ride is firm but manages the tricky balance between stiffness and compliance well, never getting unsettled over bumps and making for a confidence-inspiring drive. While road joins can jar, the A1 is nowhere near as rigid as a Mini Cooper.

Sharp, direct and communicative steering is one of the best on an Audi ? with a purity and consistency frequently missing from more expensive Audis, including even some RS models. The brakes, too, are terrific, providing consistent feel and a solid, dependable pedal even after repeated heavy stops.

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Wheel

The dual-clutch gearbox can be a source of frustration, regularly changing from fourth or fifth gear down into third mid-corner, even when in manual mode, and an odd clunky shift can occur at times. Cogs are swapped rapidly, though, and in more relaxed driving with reasonable fluidity. As with the twin Polo GTI, there?s no manual alternative.

Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport - Driving1

With an opening price that sees it squared up against some of the current era?s best hot-hatches with more space and more power, the Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI is not going to appeal to buyers searching for a bargain. But for those looking for a car featuring the four-ring badge at a more attainable price, the Audi A1 Sportback 1.4 TFSI Sport is a tiny, mighty, luxurious little package that?s proper fun.


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Source: http://www.caradvice.com.au/206292/audi-a1-sportback-1-4-tfsi-sport-review/

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Friday, December 21, 2012

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Source: http://www.welcometocoastcity.org/methods-to-choose-the-right-internet-hosting-plan.php

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U.S. economy shows some muscle, but outlook downbeat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy grew faster than previously thought in the third quarter, helped by exports and government spending, but a sluggish world economy and belt-tightening by Washington looks set to put on the brakes again.

Other data on Thursday showed factory activity in the mid-Atlantic region picked up this month, while home resales in November were the best in three years, indicating the economy retained some vigor early in the fourth quarter.

However, a rise in first-time applications for unemployment aid last week suggested job growth remains modest.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 3.1 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said. It was the fastest pace since late 2011 and more than double the second quarter's 1.3 percent rate.

A month ago, the department said GDP grew at 2.7 percent pace during the July-September period.

Millan Mulraine, a senior economist at TD Securities in New York, said the factors that boosted growth in the third quarter would not carry through the reminder of the year.

"The fact that we had an upward revision means that it's a higher hurdle in the fourth quarter to get above the current best case of 1 percent (growth)," he said.

Economists say businesses have hunkered down in the current quarter out of worry that currently stalled budget talks in Washington will fail to steer clear of a $600 billion "fiscal cliff" that could tip the economy back into recession.

Even if a deal is reached to avoid the brunt of the blow, a tighter fiscal policy and cooling global economy are still likely to weigh on U.S. growth in coming quarters.

A Reuters poll of economists earlier this month showed a median forecast for GDP growth in the fourth quarter of just a 1.2 percent annual pace. Economists expect GDP to expand just 1.9 percent next year.

In a second report, the National Association of Realtors said sales of previously owned homes surged 5.9 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million units. It was the fastest sales pace since November 2009 and confirmed a housing recovery was strengthening.

KB Home, the nation's fifth-largest homebuilder, reported a 20 percent rise in quarterly revenue in the latest quarter as selling prices rose, although higher costs still squeezed its margins.

Separately, a factory gauge from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank showed activity in the mid-Atlantic region turned up this month after slipping in November, a finding that should ease fears of a hard landing for U.S. manufacturing.

"The sky is not falling on manufacturing," said Robert Dye, chief economist at Comerica in Dallas. "The contribution from housing-related manufacturing is making a difference."

MODEST JOB GROWTH

In a fourth report, the Labor Department said initial claims for jobless benefits increased 17,000 to a seasonally adjusted 361,000 last week, in the low end of the range they held before Superstorm Sandy struck in late October.

The data covered the survey period for the government's report on December nonfarm payrolls and suggested another month of modest employment growth. Job gains so far this year have averaged 151,000 per month, not enough to significantly lower unemployment.

U.S. financial markets ignored the data as investors focused on the lack of progress in budget talks in Washington, which kept stock markets flat.

In the third quarter, the economy was also buoyed by a big inventory build up, which added 0.73 percentage point to GDP growth. Economists expect inventories to weigh in the fourth quarter.

"It could be that businesses will want to continue to accumulate inventories but that seems unlikely," said David Berson, chief economist at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio. "It's the same with federal government spending, it's very unlikely to continue."

While growth in consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, was raised by 0.2 percentage point to a 1.6 percent rate, it was little changed from the second quarter's pace.

Exports grew at a healthy 1.9 percent rate, rather than the 1.1 percent reported a month ago, while imports fell for the first time in more than three years in a sign of sluggish domestic demand.

Government spending was revised to a 3.9 percent growth rate from 3.5 percent, with spending by state and local government growing for the first time in three years.

Taking out the boost from inventories and government, demand in the economy remained weak, rising at just a 1.5 percent rate -- the slowest since the end of 2009 -- and a step down from the 1.9 percent pace logged in the second quarter.

"It suggests that growth this quarter could be somewhere between 1.2 and 1.5 percent, if we don't have outsized contributions from government and inventories. That's very suboptimal growth," said Berson.

(Additional reporting by Jason Lange in Washington and Richard Leong in New York; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Tim Ahmann)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jobless-claims-lower-end-pre-storm-range-133249932--business.html

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RIM's Q3 2013 earnings: $2.7 billion revenue, $114 million adjusted net loss, CIO to retire

RIM has just announced its earnings for Q3 2013 (the three months ending December 1, 2012 in non-RIM terms), including a five percent drop in revenue to $2.7 billion and an adjusted net loss of $114 million. GAAP net income from "continuing operations" was $14 million, though, or $9 million when taking into account the loss from discontinued operations, and it's also reporting a cash increase of about $600 million to $2.9 billion. In terms of devices, RIM says it shipped 6.9 million smartphones and 255,000 PlayBooks during the quarter, although it's again only talking in terms of devices "shipped," not actual sales to consumers. Along with the earnings, the company has also announced that its CIO, Robin Bienfait, has decided to retire, although RIM says she will stay on in an "advisory capacity to enable a smooth launch and seamless transition."

As for BlackBerry 10, CEO Thorsten Heins unsurprisingly reiterated that the company is all set for the January 30th launch date, and noted that more than 150 now completing technical acceptance programs for the first BlackBerry 10 products. The company also says it will be "significantly increasing its marketing spending this quarter" to support the launch of BB10, which it warns will contribute to a loss for the fourth quarter, as will the likely slowdown of BlackBerry 7 product sales as consumers hold off for BB10.

Update: During the company's earnings call, Heins also confirmed that RIM's global subscriber base now stands at 79 million worldwide, which is a slight decline from the previous quarter but still an increase year-over-year. Not surprisingly, he says the biggest losses came from North America.

Continue reading RIM's Q3 2013 earnings: $2.7 billion revenue, $114 million adjusted net loss, CIO to retire

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/20/rim-q3-2013-earnings/

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Facebook Might Make You Pay To Send Messages To Strangers

Today Facebook is adding a couple of new settings for messages to make sure you see the ones you need to see. And it's also testing a system where you pay a buck to ensure someone you aren't friends with reads a note you sent. Ugh, hopefully that test fails. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/cQ_P-_RvS84/facebook-might-make-you-pay-to-send-messages

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Google Apps for Education in Latin America - Google Enterprise Blog

At Google, we?re always excited to see how educators around the world use technology to transform teaching practices and models. In Latin America, for example, thousands of schools and universities have already adopted Google Apps for Education to teach and collaborate in the cloud.

One such university in Latin America is Universidad Austral, a higher education institution in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 2007, the University?s Law School migrated to Google Apps for Education so students could access course materials anytime and anywhere, whether in class, in the library or at home. Faculty members use Google Drive to distribute lesson materials and Google Calendar to keep students informed about any changes in the location, time and agenda of lectures. Also, all Law Degree students receive a tablet configured with their Google Apps account and syllabus, which reduces the use of photocopies, provides a digital repository of reference materials, enables mobility and encourages class participation during case study discussions.


After the Law School's positive experience with Google Apps for Education, the Education School at Universidad Austral also decided to go Google. Since migrating in 2011, the Education School has been using Google Sites to build course portals, which house lesson plans, resources, class calendars, videos and presentations. These course portals serve as virtual learning environments, which educators tailor with resources of the Web 2.0, like interactive gadgets embedded in Google Sites.

But Universidad Austral is just one example of how schools in Latin America are using Google Apps for Education. Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA) and Corporaci?n Unificada Nacional (CUN) in Colombia, Instituto Lux in Mexico, and Universidade Federal de Pernambuco in Brazil also use Google Apps to integrate technology into the classroom.

We're inspired by educators around the world who are reinventing the way we teach and learn with the use of technology. This motivates us even more to continue working on our products to help educational institutions shape the future of education. Learn more about Google Apps for Education.

Source: http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2012/12/google-apps-for-education-in-latin.html

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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Controller: Employees overpaid at California parks

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ? More than 200 state employees were overpaid more than $500,000 by managers who deliberately broke state rules at the troubled California Department of Parks and Recreation, according to a report Tuesday by the state controller.

The report is the latest blow to a department where employees were found last summer to have kept $54 million hidden in two special funds for more than a decade, even as dozens of parks faced closure. Results from additional investigations by the Department of Finance and state attorney general are expected in coming weeks.

The controller's office found that managers broke rules and regulations to pay 203 employees about $520,000 in extra pay over three years. Several dozen other employees were also overpaid more than $63,000 because they worked more hours or in higher-paying positions than allowed.

"The deliberate disregard for internal controls along with little oversight and poorly trained staff resulted in improper payouts to Parks' employees," Controller John Chiang said in a statement. He called for tighter security and authorization requirements to correct a lax standard that "invites the abuse of public funds."

Department spokesman Roy Stearns said the department agrees with much of the criticism and is taking steps to comply.

There aren't enough records to say how many of the overpayments were legal, according to the controller. But auditors found that employees were paid extra money for extra duties for more days than were allowed by state rules or collective bargaining agreements. One employee was shuffled between assignments three times to keep getting the additional pay.

The additional pay is supposed to be awarded only under limited circumstances, for a limited number of days and only with proper documentation. But managers "circumvented rules and regulations" to allow the extra pay, according to the controller. The auditors examined three years ending June 30, about the time the scandal broke.

Other problems involved temporary employees who worked more hours than allowed, as well as employees who did not take a required 5 percent pay cut while they were out of work on leave.

The department said in its official response that the employees who received extra pay were eligible to do so, but that proper procedures weren't followed. It disagreed with several of the controller's findings.

Former parks director Ruth Coleman resigned last summer, a senior official was fired and another quit before he could be disciplined. Three others have been disciplined and more could face penalties as the investigations continue, Stearns said, though he noted that some employees thought they were acting properly as directed by their supervisors.

"For the majority of weaknesses noted, we have already implemented improvements," he said.

Problems at the department first surfaced in July with the disclosure that dozens of parks employees were improperly allowed to sell unused vacation time back to the state.

The controller found that about 90 percent of the buybacks were allowed by two managers who altered payroll records without proper authority.

Source: http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Controller-Employees-overpaid-at-California-parks-184020421.html

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Park Geun-hye elected SKorea's 1st woman leader

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? Park Geun-hye, daughter of a divisive military strongman from South Korea's authoritarian era, was elected the country's first female president Wednesday, a landmark win that could mean a new drive to start talks with rival North Korea.

After five years of high tension under unpopular incumbent Lee Myung-bak, Park has vowed to pursue engagement and send greater aid to North Korea, despite a widely condemned long-range rocket launch last week. Pyongyang's state media, however, has repeatedly questioned the sincerity of her North Korea policy since she and Lee are from the same conservative party.

Huge crowds lined up throughout the day, braving frigid weather to choose between Park and liberal candidate Moon Jae-in, the son of North Korean refugees. Both candidates steered away from Lee's policies, including, most strikingly, his hard-line stance on North Korea.

Turnout was the highest in 15 years, and some analysts thought that might lift Moon, who is more popular with younger voters. Despite moving to the center, however, Park was carried by her conservative base of mainly older voters who remember with fondness what they see as the firm economic and security guidance of her father, the late President Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea as dictator for 18 years until his intelligence chief killed him during a drinking party in 1979.

Ties between the Koreas plummeted during Lee's term. Many voters link Lee's tough North Korea policy to nuclear and missile tests ? including a rocket launch last week by Pyongyang that outsiders call a cover for a banned long-range missile test. Some also say ragged North-South relations led to two attacks blamed on Pyongyang that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.

North Korea forced itself as an issue in the closing days of campaigning with the rocket launch, although many voters said they cared more about economic worries.

Park has said she is open to dialogue with North Korea, but she has also called on Pyongyang to show progress in nuclear dismantlement for better relations with Seoul. North Korea describes Park's stance as "deceptive," saying her North Korea policy is the same as Lee's.

Park has also raised the possibility of a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but only if it's "an honest dialogue on issues of mutual concern."

After Moon conceded defeat, Park said that she would dedicate herself to improving public livelihood and achieving national unity.

"I really thank you. This election is the people's victory," Park told a crowd packing a Seoul plaza.

With about 98 percent of votes counted, Park had won 51.6 percent to Moon's 47.9 percent, according to the state-run National Election Commission. Park is to take office in February when Lee ends his single five-year term.

No Korean woman is believed to have ruled since the ninth century. Park becomes the most powerful figure in a country where women are often paid less than men, are often trapped in low-paying jobs, despite first-class educations, and often struggle to raise families and pursue careers.

Analysts said her victory shows women can thrive in South Korea's tough political world.

Park will govern under the shadow of her father, who is both an asset and a soft spot. Many older South Koreans revere his strict economic policies and tough line against North Korea. But he's also loathed for his odious treatment of opponents, including claims of torture and snap executions.

Park's win means that South Korean voters believe she would evoke her father's strong charisma as president and settle the country's economic and security woes, according to Chung Jin-young, a political scientist at Kyung Hee University in South Korea.

"Park is good-hearted, calm and trustworthy," 50-year-old housewife Lee Hye-Young said at a polling station at a Seoul elementary school. "Also, I think Park would handle North Korea better. Moon would want to make too many concessions to North Korea."

___

Associated Press writers Youkyung Lee and Sam Kim contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/park-geun-hye-elected-skoreas-1st-woman-leader-151212082.html

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Last Minute Gifts this Christmas | foodiePrints

Alright, there are but 8 days to go before Christmas. It?s time to shift gears and really get moving on that naughty and nice list.

Gift Certificates
Firstly, there is honestly nothing wrong with gift certificates. ?Impersonal? be damned. If you?ve a giftee who enjoys shopping, more power to them! Only, we prefer gifting certificates to an entire mall. This way, giftees can shop at any store.

Kitchen Gear (Link Offsite)
If you would like a gift-giving guide for the foodie cook, the kind of foodie I aspire to be, check out something I put together for Candace Derickx (@Candace_Dx), parenting (and tourism) blogger and founder of Life in Pleasantville. In my plea to forget the Food Network and step away from the gimmicky kitchen store, I advocate determining what kind of foodie you?re shopping for and choosing gifts accordingly. If you?ve cooks to shop for, look for something to help them cook. If you?ve bakers to shop for, look for something to help them bake. A number of restaurant supply houses in Ottawa retail to the public. They?re your best bet!

Tickets to Food Events
Now, if your foodie likes to network with like-minded people in the community and meet honest-to-goodness chefs, the kind that don?t have restaurants in New York City?s Time Square district that get lambasted, tickets to the following Ottawa events would make great gifts.

  • Harmony House?s Red and White Event:
    A fundraiser for Harmony House Women?s Shelter, Red and White features three culinary talents. Three chefs, Caroline Ishii of ZenKitchen (634 Somerset Street W.), Charlotte Langley of Toronto?s Hooked (formerly of the Whalesbone Oyster House), and Katie Brown of Beckta Dining and Wine (226 Nepean Street) will be on hand. They will demo dishes being served. Red and White Event

    Red and White Event

    There will be wine and beer from Eastern Ontario. Last year, Beau?s, Rosehall Run, Black Prince, Huff Estates, Sugarbush, Sandbanks and the Grange as well as Waupoos Cider and Barley Days Brewery participated.

    This year, the event will take place at Ashbury College on January 16, 2013 from 7:30 pm until 10:00 pm.

    Harmony House is Ottawa?s only second-stage shelter. It provides affordable transitional housing for women and children who are survivors of violence.

    Tickets are $60/person (not including and online transaction fee).

    Click here to purchase tickets.

  • Carefor?s 9th Annual Chocolate Competition:
    The Carefor Brunch and Chocolate competition is a fundraiser for Carefor Health & Community Services, a non-profit charitable health care organization. For over 110 years, Carefor has provided services for people of all ages and all stages of life. It offers a wide variety of accessible home-care and community support services.

    Each year, Carefor invites Ottawa?s chocolate artisans to come up with chocolate creations and compete against one another. This year, the confirmed competitors include Top of the Hill Bakery (last year?s winner), Brookstreet Hotel?s Perspectives Restaurant, Firestone Restaurant Group, Essence Catering, Chartwell Residences, Todrics Restaurant & Catering (a former winner), Hilton Airport Hotel and The Joy of Gluten Free.

    The judging panel is spectacular this year:

    The competition will be held March 2, 2013 from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm at the Centurion Conference & Event Centre (170 Colonnade Road)

    Ticktes are $75/person (with $25 tax receipt), $40 for children aged 4-12), and free for children under 4.

    Click here to purchase tickets.

And the reason for this blog post?

Gift Baskets
Yes, yes, gift baskets are the scourge of the holidays, along with fruit cake and eggnog.

The thing is, personalized baskets can make great gifts.

But, there is a fine line between gift basket and care package.

Case in point, consider the following is a care package:

Sobey's "Gift Basket" for Food Lovers

Sobey?s ?Gift Basket? for Food Lovers

The incredibly utilitarian basket was couriered to us by Sobey?s.

This year, Sobey?s has completely retooled its marketing strategy, encouraging influential tweeps and bloggers to participate in their campaigns. Many are parenting bloggers. Some are notable food bloggers, including Mardi Michaels (@eatlivtravwrite) of Eat Live Travel Write.

We last followed Sobey?s ?Brunch Smackdown?, which had participating bloggers prepare creative brunch dishes with its ?gourmet all butter? croissants.

Entirely made up of products from Sobey?s ?Complements? line, our basket included a box of generic ?Shreddies? cereal, artificial flavoured cheddar crackers, peanut-laced granola bars (I?m allergic), canned tuna, and cleaning supplies.

"Gift Basket" Contents

?Gift Basket? Contents

Paired with a $25 gift certificate to Sobey?s, this care package actually made an ideal donation to to the local food bank. We re-packaged everything in an un-torn reusable shopping bag and placed it in a Christmas hamper, gift certificate included.

When it comes to gift baskets, my wife and I like to give the gift of thoughtfulness, so quality goods, crafted by local producers, are what we usually place in wicker baskets and secure with plastic wrap and ribbon.

Items we have gifted in the past include truffles from Koko Chocolates, coffee from Happy Goat, chutney from Major Craig?s, and pastries from Life of Pie.

Baskets can be supplemented with with cookies from Morsel, candy from The Candy Store, and wine from Blue Gypsy Wines.

Given we are closely approaching Christmas day, may I also suggest letting your fingers do the types? Besides, the artisan Christmas market season has come to a close.

  • Givopoly
    Ever heard of givopoly?

    Givopoly is an e-commerce solution that partners with local producers to ?shopify? artisan goods. Founder Susan Richards has partnered with many of the producers listed above.

    You purchase to gift.

    Best yet, Givopoly already has themed gift baskets organized to purchase and ship.

    Consider a ?cranberry trio? that includes wine, chutney, and salsa!

Got a last minute gift suggestion? Do share in the comments below!

Aside: A copy of the Christmas edition of Sobey?s in-store magazine ?Inspired: For the Love of Good Food? was enclosed with our gift certificate. So, we dropped by a Sobey?s to determine if what was published could be made with grocery store buys.

Firstly, Sobey?s knows what goes into decent gift baskets. They sell them.

Sobey's Gift Basket for RetailAnother Sobey's Gift Basket for Retail

Secondly, Sobey?s has reworked its product offer since last we visited. With a little effort, the recipes and beautifully photographed food can be made with groceries from the store.

Charcuterie Plate with CheeseDry Cured Salami

Smoked SalmonLive Lobster

We were even more surprised by how well Sobey?s stocked its ethnic aisle.

Wonton NoodlesAjvar

Cane SugarBlack Mole

Sobey?s really does have something to interest the food lover.

Source: http://foodieprints.com/2012/12/last-minute-gifts-this-christmas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=last-minute-gifts-this-christmas

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Knight Crier : The North Penn Family Tree: Teachers and Their Kids ...

Security guard Dick Beck with children Colby Beck, Megan Lawn, and Connor Lawn

Photo Credit: Jewel Rama

The Beck/Lawn family pose for a holiday photo.

Jewel Rama, Staff Writer
December 17, 2012
Filed under People in the Pods, Top Stories

TOWAMENCIN- How would you feel if your parent worked at North Penn? Would you be excited or would daily life at school feel miserable? Would you receive special treatment or be held to a higher standard by all the other teachers? That sounds like it wouldn?t be something you would want right? Take a brief pause: look past all the potential ?negatives? and try to look at the advantages; you might be surprised to find out that it may not be as bad as it seems.

Although it might not be well known, there are many teachers in North Penn whose children attend this school, and many of them have positive outlooks on the proximity between themselves and their children- all in one school.

The list of faculty includes: Dick Beck- Security Officer; Bonnie Berry- Special Ed Assistant; Jane Brady- Special Ed Assistant; Lisa Buccafuri- Nutrition Services Assistant; Dorothy Ruch- Social Studies Teacher; Denise Burlingame- Special Ed Assistant; Melanie Cassar- FCS Teacher; Keith Clauss- Health & Phys Ed Teacher; Michael Fergus- Health & Phys Ed Teacher; Brenda Flannery- Special Ed Assistant; Sally Kauffman- Nurse; Judith Lassen-Hoffman- Business Ed Teacher; Sadie McDonald- Custodian; Margrit Marino- Mathematics Teacher; Judith McGuriman- Guidance Counselor; Kimberly Milliorn- Special Ed Assistant; Janet Millonig,-Special Ed Assistant; Kathleen Noce- FCS Teacher; Lisa Tyree- Special Ed Assistant; William Walters- Nutrition Services Assistant; Christopher Young- Physics Teacher.

As the era of technology advances, it is becoming more and more a hindrance between parents and children. Many parents? relationships with their children take an unfortunate hiatus and the connection has been severed as they find it very difficult to learn what is going on in the daily affairs of today?s teenagers.

So what happens if the parent happens to be a teacher in the same school building? Does that inside scoop help or hinder their relationship? We took time to ask a few of our very own students and teachers here at North Penn.

Mrs. Margrit Marino: ?We get to spend more time together, I see her in the hallways as well as lunch and I get to know her friends better. An advantage is I know her teachers and they know me, there are no disadvantages, we get a long very well so it?s easy. She doesn?t abuse it or ask me for passes or anything like that, she just comes in says hi and leaves.?

Katie Marino: There aren?t really any cons! It?s so nice having her there because I always have somewhere to go when I need help or someone to talk to! She?s easy to get along with so that makes things easier. Also I like seeing her in school because I would miss her if I didn?t get to see her until after school. I have her as a teacher this year too! I really like having her as a teacher but the only bad part is if I don?t do my homework both my teacher and my mom know.

Teacher Margrit Marino and daughter Katie Marino

Tyler Clauss: It?s good and bad to be honest. He keeps me up to date with my work; he definitely keeps me on track. However, the bad part is if I do something wrong, he knows about it, If I get in trouble he knows about it, and if I try to skip or miss something he knows about it.

Mr. Keith ?Clauss: ?If anything it has made our relationship stronger, we get to spend more time together. He says hi to me in the hallways so I don?t think he minds it. An advantage is I get to hear just about everything that he does or happens to him, but the disadvantage is I get to hear everything he does,? he joked.

Teacher Keith Clauss and son Tyler Clauss

Michelle Lassen:??It?s really helpful because she knows the ins and outs of the school. She can help me with a lot of things. It has made our relationship stronger because we get to see each other every single day!?

Mrs. Judy Hoffman: ?If [our relationship] was affected it has been for the better, I get to see her more often than I would if I were working somewhere else. I am able to know who her friends are and get involved in her culture as well as some of the activities she?s involved with. I can make sure she?s meeting her deadlines, because I have the inside track, and I am able to check the morning announcements, and talk to her coaches and teachers. It?s great for the both of us.?

Teacher Judith Lassen-Hoffman with daughter Michelle Lassen

Alex Noce:??It?s good, I get a ride in the morning, and she can help me if I need help with anything. It enables us to spend more time together every morning and sometimes in the afternoon.?

Mrs. Kathy Noce:??I don?t see him often because he doesn?t take any of my classes but it?s good for him incase he needs anything last minute, or missed the bus going home, I can always be there to give him a ride. It doesn?t bother him because we?re such a big school that me being in the same building doesn?t have an effect on him.?

Teacher ?Kathleen Noce and son Alex Noce

Connor Lawn: ?Now I?m used to it, but it used to be awkward when I was a sophomore because it was my first year in a huge school. But it always gives me that little voice in the back of your head saying you can?t be late or get in trouble or do something stupid, because he?s here in the building and the teachers easily have access to him. He knows everything I do, where I am at all times or where I?m supposed to be at all times.?

Colby Beck:??It?s good when I need him for something, like if I forget something I need. If I have bad grades or do something either way he will find out, or all the teachers especially keep an eye on me.?

Megan Lawn: ?It?s normal to me, we talk when I see him, if I ever forget anything he can easily bring it to me. He gets to know who I?m with a lot of the time, make sure I?m hanging out with the right crowd; he knows all of my friends.?

Mr. Dick Beck: ?Our relationship hasn?t been affected by it at all. It has its advantages, I can give them rides, their teachers can also be easily contacted as well contact me if there is an issue.?

Security guard Dick Beck with children Colby Beck, Megan Lawn, and Connor Lawn

Hannah Young: ?I think it?s a lot of fun having my dad in the building, especially because I get to have him as a teacher and work with him in class cabinet as well it gives us a lot more to talk about and strengthens our relationship. There?s no disadvantages really except if I get in trouble or get bad grades he knows immediately.?

Mr. Chris Young: ?[As well as being her dad] I?m also her teacher for a class so, not only will she get a zero on her homework but she will get grounded also. I think it?s very convenient as well as helpful for the both of us.?

Teacher Christopher Young and daughter Hannah Young

?

Source: http://www.knightcrier.org/top-stories/2012/12/17/the-north-penn-family-tree-teachers-and-their-kids-in-the-same-building/

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Monday, December 17, 2012

Miley Cyrus vs. Taylor Swift: Is a Feud Brewing?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/miley-cyrus-vs-taylor-swift-shots-fired/

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Seneca Family Of Agencies?Foster Care And Adoption ? Alice@97.3

Seneca Family of Agencies identifies the critical services that a child and family need and provide them as long as they?re needed. Seneca?s Foster Care and Adoption services focus on permanency for children seeking their final home or family placements.? Seneca?s programs provide a continuum of care from infant adoptions to youth who are living in a foster care placement awaiting permanency.

The agencies provides numerous services, including:

Case Management Services

Crisis Services

In Home Safety Aide Program

Multisystemic Therapy (MST)

Outpatient Services

Probation Services

Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS)

Transitional Age Youth Services (TAY)

Wraparound Services

Danielle Decker is the Director of Foster Care and Nathan Aleman is the Regional Director.

Seneca Family of Agencies


Source: http://radioalice.cbslocal.com/2012/12/16/seneca-family-of-agencies-foster-care-and-adoption/

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Student-athletes could lose eligibility, scholarships with tweet missteps, Baylor research shows

Student-athletes could lose eligibility, scholarships with tweet missteps, Baylor research shows [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 17-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Terry Goodrich
terry_goodrich@baylor.edu
254-710-3321
Baylor University

With a single social-media misstep, student-athletes could lose athletic eligibility or a scholarship. But that's not stopping them from using Twitter sometimes even during games, when they may see harsh criticism of their performances from fans, according to a study by Baylor University and Clemson University researchers.

While many college athletic teams prohibit student-athletes from using social media during games, some breach the rules to get a "real-time" commentary on how they are doing during the game, said Blair Browning, Ph.D., an assistant professor of communication in Baylor University's College of Arts & Sciences and lead author of the study.

The study, published in the International Journal of Sport Communication, was based on interviews with 20 student-athletes in an NCAA Division I university.

Student-athletes said that they used Twitter to keep in contact with family and friends, communicate with their followers and access information about the games and their athletic performances.

The study, co-authored by Jimmy Sanderson, Ph.D., an assistant professor of communication studies at Clemson University, is called "The Positives and Negatives of Twitter: Exploring How Student-Athletes Use Twitter and Respond to Critical Tweets."

Twitter is ingrained into student-athletes' daily routine, with one athlete saying that "I mean, the kickers and snappers and me are kind of in the corner of the locker room . . . so I'll get on Twitter and I'm like, 'Great first half' . . . "

Other athletes said they wait until after games to use Twitter. In any case, comments often are critical or even abusive about the student-athlete both performance-wise and personally.

"It is tweet-worthy when fans show support because the alternative is obviously the norm," the researchers wrote.

While athletes know that criticism comes with the turf, Twitter critics are especially brutal because "brazen confidence stems from the protection users have behind the phone or computer screen," researchers noted. Even when the critics messages are blocked by an athlete, some followers "somehow find another name and get on and do it again," one athlete said.

Student-athletes' responses can be risky to their university athletic career if they respond in kind to abuse. Some choose to shrug off or delete insults -- or even using them constructively as challenges to improve.

Others are finding an effective way to cope is through "sub-tweeting" referring to a detractor as "OOMF" ("one of my followers") and responding to a remark indirectly rather than using the critic's Twitter ID to spar online.

Some players see Twitter as a chance to brand themselves. But at the university level, they're also operating under the brand of the institution themselves, so "there are tensions," Browning said.

Student-athletes also are subject to stricter monitoring and penalties than professional athletes for a social-media blunder. While professionals may be fined or censured, they maintain their ability to play. But student-athletes stand to lose athletic eligibility or scholarships.

"Student-athletes are in a precarious position because they are amateurs, are managing educational pursuits while holding essentially a full-time job with their athletics demands," the researchers wrote.

While a coach may welcome the idea that "20,000 eyeballs" are following an athlete, "at the same time, they'll probably wake up in a cold sweat" about a tweet misstep, Browning said.

Despite how student-athletes handle the messages, critical tweets "are at their core an identity hit," the authors wrote.

One athlete said he felt "low-balled, disrespected . . . It was horrible, and you know, my family was sick on top of that so there was nothing I could do."

Sanderson said that educational institutions should embrace training in social media for student-athletes, including helping them manage critical tweets.

"Ironically, schools spend a lot of time on the surveillance of athletes (on social media) rather than spending time on the front end training," Browning said. "It comes down to ambiguous statements like, 'Don't tweet anything inappropriate.'

"But what's inappropriate to a 50-year-old may be vastly different from what an 18- to 22-year-old thinks is inappropriate."

###

*Note: The study has been cited as a Distinguished Paper and will be presented at the Summit on Communication and Sport Feb. 22-24 in Austin.

Note: Two videos of comments by Blair Browning may be viewed at: http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=125858


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

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Student-athletes could lose eligibility, scholarships with tweet missteps, Baylor research shows [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 17-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Terry Goodrich
terry_goodrich@baylor.edu
254-710-3321
Baylor University

With a single social-media misstep, student-athletes could lose athletic eligibility or a scholarship. But that's not stopping them from using Twitter sometimes even during games, when they may see harsh criticism of their performances from fans, according to a study by Baylor University and Clemson University researchers.

While many college athletic teams prohibit student-athletes from using social media during games, some breach the rules to get a "real-time" commentary on how they are doing during the game, said Blair Browning, Ph.D., an assistant professor of communication in Baylor University's College of Arts & Sciences and lead author of the study.

The study, published in the International Journal of Sport Communication, was based on interviews with 20 student-athletes in an NCAA Division I university.

Student-athletes said that they used Twitter to keep in contact with family and friends, communicate with their followers and access information about the games and their athletic performances.

The study, co-authored by Jimmy Sanderson, Ph.D., an assistant professor of communication studies at Clemson University, is called "The Positives and Negatives of Twitter: Exploring How Student-Athletes Use Twitter and Respond to Critical Tweets."

Twitter is ingrained into student-athletes' daily routine, with one athlete saying that "I mean, the kickers and snappers and me are kind of in the corner of the locker room . . . so I'll get on Twitter and I'm like, 'Great first half' . . . "

Other athletes said they wait until after games to use Twitter. In any case, comments often are critical or even abusive about the student-athlete both performance-wise and personally.

"It is tweet-worthy when fans show support because the alternative is obviously the norm," the researchers wrote.

While athletes know that criticism comes with the turf, Twitter critics are especially brutal because "brazen confidence stems from the protection users have behind the phone or computer screen," researchers noted. Even when the critics messages are blocked by an athlete, some followers "somehow find another name and get on and do it again," one athlete said.

Student-athletes' responses can be risky to their university athletic career if they respond in kind to abuse. Some choose to shrug off or delete insults -- or even using them constructively as challenges to improve.

Others are finding an effective way to cope is through "sub-tweeting" referring to a detractor as "OOMF" ("one of my followers") and responding to a remark indirectly rather than using the critic's Twitter ID to spar online.

Some players see Twitter as a chance to brand themselves. But at the university level, they're also operating under the brand of the institution themselves, so "there are tensions," Browning said.

Student-athletes also are subject to stricter monitoring and penalties than professional athletes for a social-media blunder. While professionals may be fined or censured, they maintain their ability to play. But student-athletes stand to lose athletic eligibility or scholarships.

"Student-athletes are in a precarious position because they are amateurs, are managing educational pursuits while holding essentially a full-time job with their athletics demands," the researchers wrote.

While a coach may welcome the idea that "20,000 eyeballs" are following an athlete, "at the same time, they'll probably wake up in a cold sweat" about a tweet misstep, Browning said.

Despite how student-athletes handle the messages, critical tweets "are at their core an identity hit," the authors wrote.

One athlete said he felt "low-balled, disrespected . . . It was horrible, and you know, my family was sick on top of that so there was nothing I could do."

Sanderson said that educational institutions should embrace training in social media for student-athletes, including helping them manage critical tweets.

"Ironically, schools spend a lot of time on the surveillance of athletes (on social media) rather than spending time on the front end training," Browning said. "It comes down to ambiguous statements like, 'Don't tweet anything inappropriate.'

"But what's inappropriate to a 50-year-old may be vastly different from what an 18- to 22-year-old thinks is inappropriate."

###

*Note: The study has been cited as a Distinguished Paper and will be presented at the Summit on Communication and Sport Feb. 22-24 in Austin.

Note: Two videos of comments by Blair Browning may be viewed at: http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=125858


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

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/bu-scl121412.php

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Sunday, December 16, 2012

margerasharma: Internet Lead Generation Boot Camp 3.0 Day 2 ...

http://www.empowernetwork.com/2asuccess/internet-lead-generation-boot-camp-3-0-day-2-with-alecia-stringer/?id=2asuccess

Internet Lead Generation Boot Camp 3.0 Day 2 with Alecia Stringer
Learn the latest strategies in the Internet Lead Generation bootcamp to jump start and tell the hostess as well.

Take Action NOW: 2asuccess.com
Enter email?
2. Completely explode any business you?re building for only $25
3. Get auto responder @Aweber -@$19.99 a month
Autoresponders for success:

Follow up with customers and prospects. Recommended ? Aweber

Email Deliverability Tips by Tom Kulzer

Ensuring requested opt-in email is delivered to subscriber inboxes is an increasingly difficult battle in the age of spam filtering. Open and click thru response rates can be dramatically affected by as much as 20-30% due to incorrect spam filter classification.
4. Share what you learned on facebook.com/askaleciastringer
5. Go to Day 3! Efficiency with Social Media and Organizing Set Up
Did you miss a day? Go back and check:

Day 1 Internet Lead Generation Boot Camp 3.0 with Alecia Stringer

Source: http://marketing.cagleonline.com/internet-lead-generation-boot-camp-3-0-day-2/

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Source: http://margerasharma.blogspot.com/2012/12/internet-lead-generation-boot-camp-30.html

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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Google+ update offers seasonal cheer through 18 new features: improves mobile apps, hangouts and events (updated)

Google update offers seasonal cheer through 18 new features encompasses mobile app, hangouts and events

If Google+ communities didn't fix those social network blues you've been feeling recently, perhaps a bumper edition of new features will. When the mobile app update goes live later today, you'll be able to edit your profile through it as well being updated on what's happening through new content notifiers. Subscription options will also expand to include Google+ Communities. Google will now give full-sized image back-ups when uploaded (up to 5GB are yours for free), while any Android Jelly Bean users will be able to share their photospheres directly from the phone app. Support for gifs is also included, as well as birthday reminders in Google Now and a new lock screen widget.

Hangouts has been put on a data diet, and Google+ Vice President of Engineering, Dave Besbris reckons it should now offer a smoother experience even on low bandwidth connections -- you'll now need only 150KB to connect to Hangouts on this new setting. Only hanging out with yourself? Well the new interface won't show that depressing strip of black and will instead fill the screen with your own video.

In Events, you'll be able to send messages to individual guests, harass them check that they've read the invite and even invite more party-goers by inserting the event URL into emails or instant messages. It's also now easier to replicate your previous events and have Google fill in the rest of the details. You can expect the Android app update to hit your device later today, but until then, visit the source for Google's full explanation.

Update: Looks like iOS users will be getting a little more Google love this week. They'll also be getting a Google+ app update with community functionality and new conversation cards for shared content. Again, the refreshed version is set to arrive later today

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Google+, (Google Play), (iTunes)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/TN3g4HN0w4k/

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