Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Online and Emergency Planning | Envisioning Online Learning

I came across a wonderful study published in the Journal of Distance Learning Administration (Volume IV, Number 1, Spring 2011) entitled, ?The Role of Online Learning in the Emergency Plans of Flagship Institutions.? Authors Katrina Mayer and Jeffrey Wilson had a simple but elegant idea to research the websites of ?50 state flagship higher education institutions to investigate whether and how online or distance learning were included in the institution?s emergency plans as solutions to emergencies like H1N1.? (Mayer and Wilson, 2011).? This study, conducted several years after the Hurricane Katrina crisis, is significant since it is the first to connect the potential role for online learning to keep academic programs functioning in times of emergencies (they used the term ?academic continuity?). They were disappointed to find that most college websites lacked any reference to how academic programs would continue to function, and if they did, provided no specific methods for faculty to make that a reality.

Discussion

Most large institutions have emergency plans in place if a crisis occurs?a major weather event, a natural disaster, a terrorist incident, or a disease outbreak. For colleges, it is essential that their major mission?educating students?be fully restored as quickly as possible after a disaster or crisis. Increasingly, online learning (and instructional technology generally) is seen as a cornerstone of a college?s disaster preparation plans. However, even if these plans have been formulated, are they being communicated to key stakeholders within the academic community? Alas, in most cases, not well, if at all.

Mayer and Wilson?s research shows that many institutions had ?remarkable plans or guides on their websites? which often lacked any reference to academic continuity using online resources. Even those institutional websites that mentioned academic continuity, ?most were non-directive, such as stressing ?alternative ways? of delivering instructions without mentioning how to make this happen?? Only a handful of institutions (links provided below) backed up their directive for academic continuity with actual plans for faculty to follow. Some of the standouts include:

University of Washington: Academic Continuity Toolkit

University of Alabama: Emergency Planning Website

University of Oregon: Academic and Research Continuity Planning Initiative

Personal Story

I have taught an online class for the CUNY Online BA Program for several years.? During a winter storm last year, CUNY campuses had to be closed for 2-3 days for safety reasons. Academic work stopped during that period, and the semester?s schedule was thrown off track for many professors. Online courses, however, were not impacted. In other emergencies of a longer duration, like a SARS virus outbreak, the option of online can be a lifeline to the university.

Caveat: Any crisis that would impact the electrical or communications grid (e.g. severe solar storm or nuclear attack) would make the online option moot, as well as most routine aspects of our existence.

Implications for CUNY

While it is true that CUNY has much company in this regard, a search for ?emergency plans? (or synonymous phrases on the CUNY website) would produce nothing of value in terms of a plan. The CUNY Alert function, while useful in an emergency for notification, would not be the means of providing detailed instructions on academic continuity in the scenarios I have cited.

Certain colleges do have a plan on their website. One of the best is the College of Staten Island Emergency Management page that, although extensive, does not cite anything substantive about academic continuity or even mentions online courses. This is unfortunate since all CUNY matriculated courses in a college?s schedule of classes have a Blackboard course shell created for it. Professors can be apprised of this fact, and be given minimal instruction on how to access the class?even to send out emails.

John Jay College was recently awarded a major grant on assessing emergency planning within the entire CUNY system (announcement). Ironically, their emergency plan (PDF link) has nothing about academic continuity or how online classes could be an option for instructors. Even a cursory review of CUNY websites points to a large gap in our emergency planning as an institution of learning, namely, how to continuing learning in times of real emergency.

A Modest Proposal

Any worthwhile emergency plan within CUNY ? or any university ? needs to include:

  1. An accessible website about emergency planning and preparedness.
  2. A clear statement that after concerns of safety have been addresses, the University affirms that academic continuity is the number two priority in times of crisis.
  3. A clear explanation to the CUNY community how faculty, staff and students can restore academic continuity.
  4. To publicize the procedures, website and training opportunities to the greater CUNY community regarding how online learning might be utilized to restore academics in case of an emergency.

A first step in this process (that may take several years) is to have the School of Professional Studies (which incorporates all of CUNY?s online programs) create and disseminate a procedure such as the one described above.

References:

Meyer, Katrina & Wilson, Jeffery (2011). The Role of Online Learning In the Emergency Plans of Flagship Institutions, Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume IV, Number I, Spring 2011, University of West Georgia, Distance Education Center. Retrieved from: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring141/meyer_wilson141.html

Benton, T. H. (2009, November 30). Teaching in the plague year.?The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Teaching-in-the-Plague-Year/49275.? (An excellent article about? the H1N1 epidemic and higher education?s disaster preparedness.)

Source: http://onlinelearning.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2012/02/28/online-and-emergency-planning/

social security increase menagerie columbus dispatch social security social security adderall muskingum county

Party Hire: Planning Your Next Family Reunion by Balancing the ...

If you want to make a great party for your next family reunion, you have to remember that there are many things to keep in mind as you get the party supplies. You should be able to find a way to balance your budget with your need to have fun. This is why you may want to find a party hire group that can help you with these difficult choices.

For instance, you will see that you can rent catering equipment and also dishes from certain party hire services. This can be a great way to make a fancy party without having to buy these things in a permanent way. You can even rent a helium balloon machine that will entertain the kids for many hours while the adults drink cocktails.

Another thing that you should remember is that having a great party hire company means that you can order cake decorations that will make people feel very excited to eat the cake. They are going to be able to have a cake that looks amazing if you plan correctly. For instance, you can buy cake decorations that have a certain theme. If your family loves to play a certain type of game, such as tennis, you can buy the decorations that are focused on this theme.

The best thing to do is to take care of your necessary party supplies before you buy the ones that are simply for fun. However, having fun is an essential ingredient to any party. This is why you have to talk to the party hire group so that you can balance the situation and make the best choices.

You just have to remember that finding the best party supplies does not have to be very hard as long as you find good party hire services. The good companies will tell you how you can save money on your special day so that your whole family will be impressed by your ability to throw a great party with a small budget. You will be able to afford the necessary things like tents and catering equipment, as well as the fun items like helium balloon machines so that the kids can have fun too.

The main thing that you want to remember is that you should find the necessary party supplies before you find the ones that are frivolous. Then you can also afford to buy cake decorations successfully.

If you want to find the best party supplies in Sydney, look no further! You can find great cake decorations right here.

Source: http://home.redbright.co.za/party-hire-planning-your-next-family-reunion-by-balancing-the-budget-with-having-fun/

family circus spanier walmart black friday ad walmart black friday ad rick perry gaffe rick perry gaffe graham spanier

Monday, February 27, 2012

5 Cover Letter Techniques = Spellbound Hiring Managers by Rosa ...

Bottom-line is, a cover letter?s purpose is to lure the reader to, well, read your resume and call you for an interview.

Now you may be dying to ask me, why then can?t I only submit my resume? My answer is, you can?but how do you know your competition didn?t submit a persuasive cover letter that just about nudged you off the top spot? Hmm? Worst-case scenario, they can set your cover letter aside but it?s available if they need more convincing.

So, how do you create cover letter that is not tossed? I?m glad you asked?

1. Break a leg with your opening act: Don?t begin cover letters with an ordinary and boring statement. You really want to ?have them at hello? (Sorry. Couldn?t help it.) Really, captivate with the very first sentence. Exude sincerity, offer specific value, spin it, and make sure it?s employer-oriented. Here is one of my favorite openings

Dear Mr. Bradley:

??Offering to drive pharmaceutical sales growth by generating qualified leads, penetrating territories, and closing the toughest sales, consistently!?

Please allow me to introduce myself? ?

2. Make a personal connection: You can tell a personal story that further positions you as the best candidate. You can provide statistical insight, reinforcing your industry knowledge. You may opt to walk your employer through your process. In other words, you can communicate more personally than you would on your resume and leverage that ?ace in your pocket.?

See an example I used in a cover letter:

?I am an avid golfer (with a pretty good handicap) and golf at least twice per week?I have closed many sales on the golf course over a weekend. Clients consider me a trusted friend and have even helped me form golf teams for charity events, which is an excellent way to network and gain new business??

Do you think I would have been able to add this golf example in the resume for my client ?- no. Now, let?s say candidate #1 is a stellar sales person and candidate #2 (my client) is also an outstanding revenue producer?this example is helping my client promote an added value. This ?sign-on benefit? clues the hiring manager my client initiates and develops fruitful relationships through personal networking strategies that will be advantageous to the company. Besides, it?s memorable. In a pile of hundreds of resumes and cover letters ?- memorable is a winner!

3. Become a tease: Foreshadow what will be listed on the resume; what they will discover when they read your resume?but don?t repeat. Piqu? interest! Save some fresh content for your cover letter. This is a strategic career marketing plan, part of which what goes on your resume or cover letter is determined?a real choreography! Example:

?Please refer to my resume which summarizes more than 15 years of experience increasing revenue for top corporations such as IBM. I have aggressively launched unique sales strategies that have produced up to $8M annually. You will find a full account of my projected sales plans and exceeded goals by percentage per year.?

Now we have asked the hiring manager to review the resume and we have provided a bit of information to spark interest. It is important to add quantifiable information and be specific, as you don?t want to seem vague. However, there is no need to provide all the details in the cover letter, especially if it will be on the resume. While I urge you to tease ? the teasing must be done with actual facts and specific references not generalities that mean nothing.

4. Mesmerize them and get?em to say, YES: There is a physiological connection that goes on when you get a person to think or say yes. So, when you craft your cover letter try to envision the reader nodding their head in agreement with your statements. In order to do this you must validate their needs. You can cast this spell through reinforcing statements or questions. Take it easy on the questions though?you don?t want to come across too sales-driven. (The art of career marketing is a delicate balance.)

5. Ask for the interview: In sales, they always direct you to ask for the sale. Well, ask for the interview. Just ask for it!

The point here is that your cover letter is a supporting influencing tool. It must be unique, inviting, compelling? a prelude to a well crafted resume in order to provoke action. Your cover letter is part of a marketing package and so merely writing it as you would any other communication letter is not going to generate the interviews you seek.

True story: I had a client tell me that when they were interviewed they were told the cover letter clinched the interview and the resume was used as a guide for an interesting interview. Here is a beginning part of that cover letter:

?Music and entertainment is my passion. I am lucky to have realized so early what I was born to do! I have known I wanted to work in the entertainment industry since I was 11 years old. At age four, I already had an affinity for music and entertainment? I loved to perform, watch all the award shows on TV, memorize the choreography to music videos, and I always wanted to know how it all worked behind the scenes.?

Client landed a job with Universal Music Distribution. There you have it. Market yourself as the ideal candidate via a purposefully created cover letter, which augments the resume, convincing the employer you?ve got what they need?in a very special way.

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas is the owner of Career Steering, an executive resume writing service. She?s an Elite Master Resume Writer (MRW), Certified Expert Resume Writer (CERW), Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW), and Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW).

Article originally posted http://www.careerealism.com/5-cover-letter-techniques-spellbound-hiring-managers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+careerealism+%28CAREEREALISM%29

Source: http://www.ebitinfosys.com/5-cover-letter-techniques-spellbound-hiring-managers-by-rosa-elizabeth-vargas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-cover-letter-techniques-spellbound-hiring-managers-by-rosa-elizabeth-vargas

gasland college football recruiting bjork summerfest summerfest national signing day 2012 landon collins

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Anthony Pettis, Hatsu Hioki impressive at UFC 144

Anthony Pettis was already known for one of the most memorable kicks in MMA history. He added to that legend with a left kick that knocked out UFC veteran Joe Lauzon at 1:21 in the first round of their bout at UFC 144 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

With that perfectly-placed kick, Pettis won his second fight in a row. After the fight was stopped, he jumped on top of the fence and gestured for the belt.

"Winning that fight is an amazing feeling.? I was on a bit of a down streak in 2011, but 2012 is my year and I'm getting a title shot.? I'm back, focused and ready to go, I didn't get touched.? I think I confused him with my southpaw, had him biting on the jab then threw the high kick and it landed.? I wanted to put on a good show for the fans because without them, I wouldn't be Anthony Pettis," Pettis said after the fight.

A title shot was supposed to be his after he won the WEC's lightweight belt in December of 2010. However, a loss to Clay Guida in June squashed those plans. Now, with an impressive knockout of Lauzon and a win over Jeremy Stephens, he's making a case that he belongs at the top of the UFC's stacked lightweight division.

Heading into the fight with Pettis, Lauzon was riding a high after stopping both Melvin Guilland and Curt Warburton in the first round. This loss sends him back to the drawing board.

Hioki wins over Palaszewski

In just his second UFC bout, Hatsu Hioki showed that he should be the next challenger for Jose Aldo's featherweight belt with a 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 dismantling of Bart Palaszewski.

In the first round, Hioki knocked Palaszewski down early. Palaszewski returned to his feet only to be taken down again. Hioki moved to side guard and threw repeated punches. To avoid strikes, Palaszewski gave up his back. As he tried to move out, Hioki pulled Palaszewski's arm into an armbar. He defended and moved out, but Hioki got back on top and threw several strikes. Palaszewski was more comfortable in the second round, keeping the bout standing. He was able to land more combinations than Hioki.

In the third, Hioki brought the fight to the canvas immediately, taking down Palaszewski with a nasty trip. Hioki moved to side control and again used repeated shots to Palaszewski's head. When Palaszewski tried to escape, Hioki took his back. Palaszewski avoided the submissions, but Hioki's dominance was clear.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/lauzon-pettis-hioki-pal-035749883.html

ray j whitney houston anthony shadid gary carter this means war bobby brown suzanne somers

Area sports briefs: State wrestling event under way

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Source: salisburypost.com --- Friday, February 24, 2012
From staff reports In Thursday?s first-round matches in the 3A state championships at Greensboro Coliseum, South Rowan?s Jonathan Ruiz, Ea ... ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SalisburyPostSports/~3/B0SBDkMX9AY/022412-sports-briefs-qcd

storage auctions les miles les miles beyonce dance for you video beyonce dance for you video asu football asu football

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Brief Short Tips of the Day: YouTube! Use It To ... - Business PR News

Use it wisely, fairly and kindly and YouTube can do more justice for you and your business than you can imagine, just do it right. So, how are we going to do it right? At our regular monthly Internet and Technology meeting tonight, we share the tips and ways to create effective YouTube videos.

More information will be posted on our?February Internet and Technology meeting.

Source: http://businessprnews.com/events/updates/internet-and-technology/2-23-2012

southland sopa blackout wisconsin recall wisconsin recall jim caldwell internet blackout portland weather

Sales Manager - Roles and Responsibilities for Growth

by Sameeksha Khanna 23. February 2012 23:52

It is said sometimes that sales is the bulding block of a business. Sales is what gets cash to a company which sustains the operations and through which employees are paid. It be insurance companies, IT, banking , finance and latest internet, all need sales. As Business School graduates most of graduates get opportunities which have atleast something to do with sales, so its very mportant to know the expectation from sales manager

A career in sales is said to really beleived to be a very daunting task for any indivisual though the growth opportunities could be endless. There are huge career scopes in sales and marketing jobs in different sectors, including manufacturing, finance, retail and pharmaceutical sectors. Among all the types of jobs in sales and marketing, the jobs of a marketing manager sales are regarded as the most challenging and glorious jobs in the field of marketing and sales. Nowadays services based companies feel the necessity of employing various marketing professionals or sales marketing manager for increasing their product sales and marketing management.

Sales management is regarded as a very vital component in a marketing management procedure. It actually converts different marketing plans into the marketing performances. Proper sales management is the backbone of a good marketing management procedure. The sales marketing manager in a company has to plan and control the selling attempt of a company. His task does not end with the success of target sales quotas. He is totally liable for bringing the ultimate profits in a business. In addition to that, he at the same time responsible to create a good and reputed image of the company and its services and products. In other words a modern sales marketing manager has to handle the total marketing jobs rather than only selling products.

A sales marketing manager handles the four major areas that include marketing sales, advertising, product promotion and evaluation of business data. He has a responsibility for building the sales organization. He also handles all types marketing jobs on behalf of the company that include preparing and implementing various marketing sales plans in association with the sales department of a company. He is also responsible for managing the budget of a marketing department and conducting research on market and portraying specifications for new service or product.

This advice is all well and good but it must not be taken as an excuse to use as much time as you like when doing a job. Service is everything in this day and age and if you can finish a job, complete a task or deliver a product quicker than the competitor next to you then you will create loyalty and have a good reputation. If you mess up by promising something that you can't live up to then don't be surprised when your customers jump ship or the other guy at work gets the promotion.

?

?

Source: http://www.maps.edu.in/blog/post/2012/02/23/Sales-Manager-Roles-and-Responsibilities-for-Growth.aspx

pacquiao vs marquez pacquiao vs marquez junior dos santos junior dos santos evelyn lauder devin hester devin hester

Friday, February 24, 2012

The +Android team wants to see your design for a MWC pin [fun]

Android pin template

The folks at Android like to have a bit of fun, especially when they're out of the office. Like we saw last year, they've designed a set of 85 Android pins and scattered them throughout the vendor booths at MWC, and collectors, bloggers, and Android nerds alike will certainly have a lot of fun collecting as many of them as they can. For the rest of us, who are stuck at home and not carousing the Mediterranean working the floor at MWC, well we can have some fun, too.

The +Android page wants to see your take on a pin design. Grab the template above, doctor it up as best you can, and drop a link on their Google+ post to the image. We wanna see as well, so be sure to drop a link to your picture in the forum thread we just set up so we all can have a look. For inspiration, here's a link to the 85 designs for 2012. Let's see what ya got!

Source: +Android

Show 'em off in the forums!



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/6HIlmFMbTdo/story01.htm

oomph cmj olin kreutz olin kreutz au pair au pair trinidad

Company says YouPorn chat service compromised

(AP) ? Users of a chat service linked to the heavily-trafficked YouPorn website have had their personal information compromised after a third-party service provider failed to secure its data, YouPorn's owners said Wednesday.

Luxembourg-based Manwin Holding SARL said the chat site had been disabled and would remain offline until an investigation was carried out. Manwin spokeswoman Kate Miller stressed that the site was run by an outside company on separate servers and that there was no breach at YouPorn itself.

"YouPorn continues to ensure that all appropriate measures and tools are in place to maintain the security of its infrastructure, and to safeguard the privacy of its users," she said in a statement.

It remains unclear how many people were potentially affected by the breach. Thousands of leaked email address and password combinations purportedly linked to the chat service were circulating online, but their authenticity could not be confirmed by The Associated Press. At least some of the addresses appeared to be bogus or inactive.

Manwin runs some of the world's most-visited pornography websites, and its YouPorn offering is one of the 100 most-popular sites on the planet, according to Web information company Alexa.

Miller said she could not immediately say who ran the chat service, called YP Chat. The site was down Wednesday, but a cached version described it as an "affiliate partner program site licensed by YouPorn."

Earlier this month, a hacker claimed to have broken into a site associated with Manwin-owned pornography maker Brazzers and published a stash of usernames and passwords.

The company said at the time it had taken steps to notify the users involved.

___

Online:

Raphael Satter can be reached at: http://twitter.com/razhael

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-02-22-EU-Britain-Hacking-Porn/id-19b3a264221f40c796e1c3139f992504

honey badger colbert president huntingtons disease rob the firm new york philharmonic marines urinating on taliban

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Hire An Oakville Limousine Service And Feel ... - Travel - EzineMark

You may have seen a lot of movies where the rich and famous ride around in a limousine. Today, you do not necessarily have to be rich, famous or part of the royal family to be able to experience what it is like to ride in luxury. You no longer have to buy and own a limousine to be able to ride one.

You can experience what it is like to travel in luxury without spending millions by hiring an Oakville limousine service. Through the Oakville limousine service, you can rent a limousine for an entire day or night. You can even rent one for just a few hours from the Oakville limousine service.

By hiring an Oakville limousine service, you get to experience what it is like to have the luxury of owning a limousine even for just a few hours. You can travel with all the modern comforts such as a television screen and state of the art audio system.

You can also enjoy a few drinks from the mini-bar while you travel to your destination. You can start off the party inside the limousine even before you arrive at the party you are attending.

Hiring an Oakville limousine service will surely make any event in your life very memorable. It is not only the special event that you will remember but the entire experience of riding the limousine to and from that event. Riding a luxury car from the Oakville limousine service is the perfect way to start and end a special event in your life.

Renting a limousine does not have to be expensive. There are a lot of companies that offer limousine services in Oakville and each one of them has a different rate. You can make several inquiries until you find one that can offer you a reasonable price.

They also offer special packages depending on the occasion. You can hire an Oakville limousine service for a lot of occasions such as weddings, proms, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries and other special events. You can even hire an Oakville limousine service to pick you up at the airport if you do not want to trouble yourself with having to hail a taxi at the airport after an exhausting flight home.

The money that you spend in hiring an Oakville limousine service is just a small price to pay in exchange for the memorable experience that you will have as you ride around the luxurious limousine. You will get to feel what it is like to be rich and famous even for just a few hours.
?

Source: http://travel.ezinemark.com/hire-an-oakville-limousine-service-and-feel-like-royalty-7d342baa1807.html

lacuna lacuna paranormal activity 3 trailer paranormal activity 3 trailer oomph oomph cmj

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Authorities ID mountain man suspect in burglaries (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Iron County Sheriff's Office in January, shows a man who authorities on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 identified as Troy James Knapp, walking past a cabin in the remote southern Utah wildness near Zion National Park. Authorities say Knapp, captured by a motion-triggered surveillance camera sometime in December, has been linked to more than two dozen cabin burglaries over the past five years. (AP Photo/Iron County Sheriff, File)AP - Authorities on Tuesday identified a man sought for more than five years in dozens of cabin burglaries in the mountains of southern Utah.


Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120222/ap_on_re_us/us_recluse_cabin_burglar

braveheart pat buchanan slither slither chris christie naacp nick cannon

Oscars 2012 Predictions: Best Original Screenplay | African ...

One of the major complaints about this year?s Academy Awards race is that most of the winners feel decided already. Sure, ?The Artist? is going to win Best Picture. Viola Davis probably already has Best Actress locked up. But the competition for Best Original Screenplay doesn?t even feel like a competition at all. The Academy has already spoken, and they?re going with an Oscar favorite.

What?s really unfortunate here is not that the category is so predictable, but that the Academy didn?t venture more into independent film to find their nominees. ?A Separation? stands out as one of the more refreshing nominees, but as the obligatory ?indie? nominee, ?Margin Call? could easily be swapped out for the likes of Jeff Nichols? ?Take Shelter? or Sean Durkin?s ?Martha Marcy May Marlene.?

Of all the films nominated for original writing, here are our predictions for the category in 2012:

Who Will Win: Woody Allen for ?Midnight in Paris.? After 40-plus years of making movies, Allen delivered a film that went on to become his most financially successful ever. An achievement by a writer/director of his caliber will rarely go unrewarded at the Oscars, and deservedly so. ?Midnight in Paris? is perfectly all right with being ridiculous, even going as far as to not explain the main character?s time-traveling abilities. More importantly, the film was about something, the allure and emptiness of nostalgia, in a year that?s been obsessed with traveling back in time emotionally. Even if the plot became repetitive at times, even the most cynical viewers had to find some joy in watching the like of Hemingway and the Fitzgeralds speaking words written by Allen.

Who Should Win: Asghar Farhadi for ?A Separation.? Anytime the Academy has an opportunity to do something utterly unexpected, that?s where my heart will lie. A win for the Iranian film would not only buck old Academy stereotypes, but reward a truly deserving film. ?A Separation? follows a married couple as they decided whether to stay in Iran and care for an ailing parent or leave to better the life of their young daughter. Launching from that already provocative starting point, the film goes unexpected places while keeping the audience?s attention every step of the way.

The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and on Sunday, February 26, tune into MTV.com at 5:30 p.m. ET for our three-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night?s big winners.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1679537/oscars-2012-best-original-screenplay-prediction.jhtml

Bianca Kajlich Bijou Phillips Blake Lively Blu Cantrell Bonnie Jill Laflin Bridget Moynahan Britney Spears

Source: http://www.africanchildrensart.org/oscars-2012-predictions-best-original-screenplay/

chia seeds embers metta shannon brown utah jazz mike rowe ron artest

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Toysmith 2292 Kids Garden Rake Reviews | Toys Games Hobbies ...

Toysmith 2292 Kids Garden Rake Reviews

Toysmith 2292 Kids Garden Rake

toy rake .

toy rake

Toysmith 2292 kids garden rake

Toysmith 2292 Kids Garden Rake

on the button for more toy rake information and reviews.

Claw Machines: Raking ?em in to Win!

Go from being a Noob to a Boss with the amazing raking technique. By using this skill you can improve your experience as a Clawer and win more prizes at claw machines!
Video Rating: 5 / 5

High Quality Resell Right Info Products
At Awgsystem.com You Will Find High Quality Up To Date Information Products With Master Resell Rights, Private Label Rights And Resell Rights, New Products Are Added Daily!
High Quality Resell Right Info Products

You might also like:

Source: http://toys-games-hobbies.shopping2000.com/uncategorized/toysmith-2292-kids-garden-rake-reviews.html

republican debate tonight tinker tailor soldier spy rich forever rick ross project runway all stars elin nordegren tangled ever after kansas state

Monday, February 20, 2012

5 Keys That Boost Accountability - Small Business Trends

A steadfast accountability is the best antidote to tempering volatility.? It?s really easy today to get off track, distracted, and behind. The demands of being an outstanding worker, a small business owner,?or a top professional couldn?t be more demanding today.

golden key

No matter what stage?of life or career one is in, we are perpetually juggling, multi-tasking and balancing to try to stay afloat, get ahead,?stay ahead and?find some time for ourselves.

I have found that a steadfast accountability to my professionalism, a continued commitment to embrace change, while still?keeping a sense of humor, are tantamount to dealing with uncertainty and volatility. Things are getting better, but still uncertain and volatile.

Accountability to ourselves, our customers and our networks can keep?us on track. Additionally,?when we hold ourselves accountable, we usually have a better sense of when we are NOT on track. Rather than re-acting when it?s already too late, ?accountability can provide us with the intuition to gauge how our life and career are really going. We can use that intuition to move fast to correct and adjust.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management reports that the positive results of accountability include:

  • improved performance
  • more participation and involvement
  • increased feelings of competence
  • increased commitment to the work
  • more creativity and innovation
  • higher morale and satisfaction with the work

So is there anyone reading this that doesn?t want these benefits?

In his book,?The Accountability Revolution, Mark Samuel says:

?Accountability means people can count on one another to keep performance commitments and communication agreements.??Accountability can result in increased synergy, a safe climate for experimentation and change and improved solutions because people feel supported and trusted.?

Here are?5 keys that can boost ?professional accountability:

1. Professional Habits?- Follow a daily schedule, time block, prioritize, organize, and delegate. Practice discipline.

2. Following a Process?- Have a plan for your intentions, goals and direction and be persistently patient with how it unfolds.

3. Flawless Execution?- Be?consistent with how you?execute your? daily process and activities. Be flexible and willing to tweak things as they arise.

4. Consistent Evaluation?- Always be reviewing, surveying and getting feedback. Conduct focus groups with your own customers and follow trends.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice?- Do all of the things you need to do and are good at that not only ?come natural for you, but also the things that you dislike, don?t always want to deal with, and don?t come as naturally to you!?Practice, rehearse and?repeat what makes you effective and gets results.

Being a great free throw shooter in basketball takes a willingness to shoot hundreds of free throws daily. Practicing the motion and roll off the hand over and over again is what sinks winning shots in the clutch.

Are you willing to practice accountability to win?

  • Take a personal inventory
  • Take better care of yourself
  • Hire a career or business consultant or coach
  • Prioritize and tackle a few things at a time, that can make the most difference

Suit up, show up and speak up ready, willing and able to do your best every day and you set yourself up for the best to happen.

Key Photo via Shutterstock

About the Author

Deborah ShaneDeborah Shane is an author, speaker, media host, business and career brand/branding consultant. Deborah hosts her blog, Deborah Shane Toolbox, and weekly business radio show, Deborah Shane Metropolis. She writes for several national business, career, branding, business and marketing sites. Her new book, "Career Transition: Make the Shift is available through all major book sellers.

?

Source: http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/02/5-keys-boost-accountability.html

phil davis soylent green george st pierre aldon smith friday night lights nick santino bruce arians

adolfo - Small Business Internet Marketing | Press Releases & Articles

by: LeesaLuanna831 has submitted 10 Articles/Press Releases
Total views: Please wait
Word Count: 1084
Published on: February 17, 2012, 5:44 pm IST

Big changes have taken place over the years in the way we do business. We now live in both an offline and online world and business can play a major part in both. For a small business the benefits have never been so strong. There is a lot of scope for small business internet marketing.

Any business needs to be aware that online video is important to getting sales and increasing profitability. You should certainly aim for a small business internet marketing presence to increase sales.

Keep in mind these statistics

  • Today YouTube is the 2nd most popular search engine
  • There has been a huge increase in online video content
  • Online video accounts for more than 60% of all internet traffic
  • 26 billion online videos are viewed each month in the USA

Today people use the internet in a variety of ways. We can now view online video content on iPad?s, blackberry phones, iPhones, Android phones, tablet computers, etc. Not only that, but Wi-Fi connections are increasingly popular, allowing us to access content in public places.

Something to be aware of when doing small business internet marketing is that there are 4 times as many mobile device users as there are internet users. Also 33% of phones make use of high speed data services.

You can see how things have moved on over the years just by these statistics alone. We now do business in different ways and really you need to hang out where your customers are likely to be.

Historically in order to promote yourself you would have to create a costly TV commercial. Possibly take out a yellow pages advert or create a radio spot. There are now more possibilities and small business internet local marketing can make an impact. You really should be looking at this right now.

Are you thinking people are not looking for your business or product? Well think again because there are so many ways now that they can find you if only you put yourself out there.

For example, social media is now very popular. Think Facebook and the millions of worldwide users it has. There is also YouTube, MySpace etc. As part of small business internet marketing, some make use of Twitter to get their message out there.

Why web video will benefit your local business

Increase your customer base

Who really likes to read long sales page text when they can watch a shorter video which conveys the same message? Video enables you to attract a bigger audience.

Easy access to content

With so many portable devices in use today, it is now possible to watch video anywhere. You really need your product in video form, so that people can watch.

Connect with your potential customers

A text based sales page cannot compete with a video sales page. If you create a video as part of your small business internet marketing strategy, you could add photos to create even more impact. Because people have grown up with television they are used to visual formats. It makes sense that they will also love video content.

Keep ahead of the competitors

If you have a plumbing business for example and your website contains a lot of text sales pages then someone who has online video on their page is going to get ahead of you. Their site will be found in Google, but so will their videos also.

You are losing business to your competitor. This would be the site that has the small business internet marketing focus also.

Get your video in the search engine rankings

Google now shows video as part of their search results. Someone can type in say ?cars? and text web pages as well as YouTube videos will be returned. Why don?t you get your own videos in the search results and see how this can benefit your sales.

The viral effect

Today it is possible to share any online content you like. If someone likes your video then they can click a button and share it with friends. This means your video content goes viral.

The more people that see it, the more people will visit your website. This means more profit for your business of course. This is how you should be doing small business internet marketing as it will give tremendous exposure for your business.

Don?t keep on losing sales by using out-dated marketing methods. Things have now moved on and you need to keep pace.

Video content to use

You won?t be short of ideas.

Here are some to get you started:

  • How to videos
  • Useful hints and tips
  • Describe your company
  • Describe your product and create a review
  • Convert the sales pages into video sales pages
  • Convert articles into video content

Let?s look at one of those ideas. How would a video sales page impact your business? People are visual in nature, due in part to having grown up with television and movies. We are far more receptive to seeing and hearing things.

You want to have your product where people are able to locate it and probably your best bet for this is small business internet marketing. How you actually do this is by using web video content in your marketing.

When faced with a long piece of text to read, in the form of a sales page, we tend to not read all the way through. We like to digest just the best bits and the most important element of all will be the price.

On the other hand, a video of someone talking about a product or service is going to strike a chord with us. If you load your video onto YouTube there is a chance it could become quite popular if people like the content. If this happens you could expect more people to come and visit your website.

Conclusion

Online video as part of small business internet marketing is going to pay dividends for your business and product. It is time to make web video part of your marketing strategy. If you need more web video marketing revealed then check my website for more useful content.

Source: http://prarticles.net/small-business-internet-marketing

weather st louis faceoff kings island red hot chili peppers tour orange juice photos doomsday clock

Source: http://isusoro.livejournal.com/30578.html

facebook charging act scores the good wife facebook changes man o war yankees red sox yankees red sox

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Googles E book Scanning and Copyright Legal guidelines ...

Explained as a trendsetting icon in the Macau amusement scene, The machine sous Venetian Macao Hotel houses some of the premier convention and exhibition centres in the metropolis. But did you know you could make a fortune with a stork sign corporation? You have very likely listened to that entertaining credit cards are obtainable to only selected team of most people and are ordinarily reserved for significant earners I will need to acknowledge that it is correct. They also speak of browsing heaven, describing fabulous Eden-like parks, and strolling on streets of gold in the Holy City, Considering that Mr. Whichever suspension system is employed, it should be intended not only to absorb street shocks but also to give a would mean for absorbing the torque reactions resulting from driving and braking.

Not only have you rarely jousted, you will not have the armor for it. Podcasts / RSS XML Feeds and a good deal significantly more! Do every single person?s ability set match up their set of duties? Retail Outlets take pleasure in DSD, in particular significant chains. Also, email-advertising permits to monitor what shoppers are reading in the emails.

Automotive reside chat permits you to converse at once with the prospective customer, the person seeking reside on your blog. This should no be confused with a fellow parading a video clip projector and the finest DVD player in the current market. Hindus are not able to resort to rationalized imagining which actually stops them to implement explanation and fosters caste even more. Like all else, if you make a plan and acquire it phase by phase, you are likely to be up and working in no time. The stage is, not placing a schedule can set you in substantial jeopardy of not having any deliver the results achieved.

A second way to go in naming your dwelling based corporation is to use action words and alliteration in naming your dwelling based corporation. With increased levels of competition in online promotion and advertising, you will want to make certain that you preserve a dynamic web-site that displays the values and objectives of your dealership apart from driving in significantly more income. Get some popcorn and refreshments from the retail store and you and your family unit are set for a fine night. A person in 5 young children ages 10-17 have received a sexual solicitation in excess of the World-wide-web. If you are in a position to satisfy all over talked about standards then only you will be qualified for personal loan.

I was reading a guide on the chakras and how they relate to our spiritual self. on the Atlanta Hyatt Regency downtown. There are multitude of portals obtainable online supplying the shoppers a vast selection of sports paintings but issue that has to be cautioned right here is verify for the credibility of the painter just before you go to pick one to position your purchase. Although cost reducing and efficiency lead toward the good results and advancement of any corporation, it is innovation that is the important element that drives sustainability and profitability. th St., 12th fl., NYC 10018.

In the central London neighbourhoods, you not only are in shut proximity to attractions and corporation centres, travel to other pieces of London is also made effortless with the place really being properly-connected by the London Underground and bus system. Most spectacular is the phishing prevention resources. The birds and beasts?kangaroo, wombat, platypus and emu-are, like the continent and all that is in ? ancient. As soon as you have achieved the reserving, the business will acquire treatment of all transportation providers courteously and very professionally! HSM gave this unit a rather generous warranty.

In addition, the Taliban hated Farah?s ethnic team, the Harzaras. I want to remind you of two seriously favorite sayings that are of course very suitable ?health and fitness is prosperity? and ?prevention is significantly more powerful than get rid of.? You should not strive to escape from challenges. The best conducting motor was a L-78 396 in (6.five L) V8 rated at 375 hp (280 kW). With this routine, you will impress your shoppers and they will be happier with your delivery. Investing in specialized automotive provider department administration instruction can give automotive directors of provider the functional instruction they will want to remain best performers extended expression.

Source: http://signalpress.org/?p=813

smokin joe conrad murray verdict tappan zee bridge jessica chastain jessica chastain nook tablet eagles

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Health and Safety Awareness - Key for a New Business ... - nifenue's ...

health and safety awareness

Health and safety sign

Small business owners, just like proprietors of larger scale enterprises, have a duty to protect the welfare of their staff, their customers and themselves. Those starting new businesses need to be aware that this duty is enshrined in law and that there are certain steps they must take in order to safeguard themselves and their employees.

There are general requirements that everyone must meet and there are also various specialist regulations that pertain to specific industries. It makes sense to know the law thoroughly, so as to get all the health and safety (H&S) basics right from the start.

Assess the risks and take action

To protect employees and customers, first of all assess any risks that could affect health and safety at work. This simply means considering what might cause harm or be hazardous and then putting in place mechanisms to ensure that potential dangers are made safe. Just as a homeowner wants to make sure, for example, that electrical fittings and sockets are in good working order and safe, so it is important that a business owner carries out the same checks in the workplace. Remember that safety in the workplace might also pertain to a good working atmosphere, with positive working relationships and without aggression or any form of discrimination. The workplace might be an office, shop, hotel or factory; it might be a temporary building, like a marquee or a portable building on a construction site; it might even be someone?s home, as working from home is now very common for both full-time and part-time employees. For every kind of workplace there are H&S regulations that have to be adhered to.

The possible impacts of H&S

Creating and implementing a good H&S policy when setting up a new business means the company is more likely to keep workers in good health and injury-free, and possibly might even save lives; a well cared for workforce is also generally a happy one. It can also be cost-effective for a small business, as work-related injuries can be expensive and damaging to a firm?s reputation if they involve, for example, hospitalization or a court case. Where a company is found to be negligent in terms of failing to protect its workers or its customers, heavy fines can be imposed. It certainly pays, in the longer term, to invest a relatively modest amount in getting things right in the first place, by purchasing the correct safety gear, such as clothing and protective equipment.? This might include the provision of anti-glare screens for computer users.

Improving H&S knowledge

There are readily accessible sources of information about health and safety issues for new businesses, including government websites; Trade Unions will also provide information on health and safety issues. Some of these sources are also useful for researching statistics relating to specific industries.

There are also bodies representing individual industries that publish regular updates and news about any changes in the law. Agencies that provide H&S training will often also assist with expert risk assessments and audits ? really useful if the entire field of H&S is new to the small business owner just starting out. In fact, even established businesses benefit from regular audits undertaken by an external body, as they will often identify areas where changes that would benefit employees, employers and customers, have been overlooked.

Image: ell brown / Flickr

Get the latest small business ideas

Note: We will never share your details with anybody.

Source: http://www.noobpreneur.com/2012/02/16/health-and-safety-awareness-key-for-a-new-business/

matt holliday project runway winner project runway winner hunter s thompson hunter s thompson berkman berkman

Source: http://nifenue.posterous.com/health-and-safety-awareness-key-for-a-new-bus

topamax lexapro trazodone voting sharon bialek call of duty elite dragonfly

It's not fracking's fault, study says

Men with Cabot Oil and Gas work on a natural gas valve at a hydraulic fracturing site in South Montrose, Penn. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, stimulates gas production by injecting wells with high volumes of chemical-laced water in order to free up pockets of natural gas below.

By Alan Boyle

A university study asserts that the problems caused by the gas extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," arise because drilling operations aren't doing it right. The process itself isn't to blame, according to the study, released today by the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.

The report is likely to add new fuel to a blazing controversy over fracking. Researchers reviewed the evidence contained in the reports of groundwater contamination from three prominent shale-rock formations where the process is employed: the Barnett Shale in North Texas, the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, New York and other areas of Appalachia; and the Haynesville Shale in western Louisiana and northeast Texas.


The groundwater contamination is graphically portrayed in the documentary "Gasland," which showed residents near shale-gas operations setting their drinking water on fire as it came out of the tap. Worries about such contamination have sparked political resistance to fracking, leading some states and countries to hold up new drilling operations.

At the same time, shale gas is seen as an increasingly important domestic energy source. About a quarter of U.S.-produced natural gas currently comes from shale, and that proportion is projected to rise to nearly half by 2035. Last month, President Barack Obama suggested that the natural gas industry could support 600,000 jobs in America by the end of the decade, in large part due to the rise of hydraulic fracturing. In its latest budget request, the White House proposed new studies by the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that fracking is done safely.

Mike Groll / AP

People take part in a rally against hydraulic fracturing at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, N.Y., on Jan. 23. New York state legislators are considering a number of bills to limit fracking.

"It's a game-changer in terms of the energy balance," study leader Chip Groat, associate director of the Energy Institute, told journalists today. He and other scientists discussed the report in Vancouver, Canada, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Where does fracking go wrong?
Hydraulic fracturing involves drilling deep into shale beds, then injecting water, sand and chemicals under high pressure to shatter layers of rock ? liberating trapped pockets of natural gas. The gas is captured for energy use, but the water and other byproducts have to be cleaned up. The procedure has been used since the 1950s, but it's become far more widely applied in recent years due to advances in horizontal-drilling technologies.

The researchers concluded that many of the reports of contamination can be traced to above-ground spills or other mishandling of the wastewater, Groat said. Other causes of the contamination include underground casing failures or poor cement jobs. "These problems are not unique to hydraulic fracturing," Groat said in a news release.

In the reports reviewed by the researchers, "we found no direct evidence that hydraulic fracturing itself ... was a cause for concern," he told journalists at the AAAS meeting. He acknowledged, however, that shale gas development "can be bungled" due to problems with drilling and extraction techniques used closer to the surface.

Such problems are most likely behind the water-on-fire phenomena documented in "Gasland." But it's difficult to identify precisely what the problem was or what the long-term effect will be without before-and-after data, Groat said.

"We really feel hobbled in a lot of these [cases] by the lack of baseline information," he observed.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Ray Kemble delivers fresh water on Jan. 18 to family members whose water was contaminated due to a shale-gas drilling operation hydraulic fracturing in Dimock, Pa.

Today's release of the final report follows up on a preliminary version that was issued last fall. In addition to discussing the causes of contamination, the report evaluated the ability of states to enforce existing regulations, and analyzed the public perceptions surrounding fracking.

Among the other findings:

  • Natural gas found in water wells within some shale gas areas, such as the Marcellus Shale, can be traced to natural sources. The report said the gas was probably present before the onset of shale gas operations.
  • Some states have actively addressed the regulatory issues surrounding shale gas, but most regulations were written before the process became widespread. In those cases, regulations may need to updated to reflect new situations. However, "there isn't the need for new regulatory frameworks," Groat said.
  • News coverage of the controversy has been "decidedly negative," and few media reports mention the scientific research related to the process.
  • Surface spills of the fluids used in the fracking process were judged to pose a greater risk to groundwater sources than the fracking itself.

The Energy Institute said its report was conducted using general university funds, but received assistance from the Environmental Defense Fund in developing the scope of work and the methodology for the study. The EDF said it reviewed drafts of the report during the course of the project but did not contribute to its conclusions.

Not the final word
Scott Anderson, senior policy adviser for the Environmental Defense Fund's energy program, discussed the report in a blog posting published after the report's release. "If the problem isn't hydraulic fracturing, then what is?" the headline asks. Here's some of what Anderson said:

"As has been the case in other inquiries, the University of Texas study did not find any confirmed cases of drinking water contamination due to pathways created by hydraulic fracturing. But this does not mean such contamination is impossible or that hydraulic fracturing chemicals can?t get loose in the environment in other ways (such as through spills of produced water). In fact, the study shines a light on the fact that there are a number of aspects of natural gas development that can pose significant environmental risk. And it highlights the fact that there are a number of ways in which current regulatory oversight is inadequate."

Anderson said the report deserved widespread attention, but was "by no means the final word on these topics."

Groat said the report was based on a review of previously published data rather than fresh field observations. "We did not go out and measure things," he acknowledged.

He said further studies will be conducted into the atmospheric and seismic impact of hydraulic fracturing ? two much-debated environmental issues that were not addressed in detail in the newly issued report. The Energy Institute also plans to conduct a detailed case study on groundwater contamination in Texas' Barnett Shale, as well as a field investigation into the effects of shale gas drilling on the water above and below fracturing sites in the Barnett Shale.

"Certainly more work needs to be done," Groat said.

Update for 11:15 p.m. ET Feb. 16: One of my correspondents on Twitter, Pamela Oldham, notes that ConocoPhillips committed itself in 2010 to contribute $1.5 million to the University of Texas at Austin for energy research. The petroleum company said at the time that the Energy Institute would administer the grants, with the money going to UT-Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering and the McCombs School of Business. I'll check on how that squares with the institute's claim that the study was funded from general university accounts.

Oldham also notes that ConocoPhillips was recently named in a civil lawsuit alleging fracking-related water contamination in Texas' Panola County.

Update for 10:20 a.m. ET Feb. 17: Chip Groat, associate director of the Energy Institute and the leader of the study released this week, responded to my inquiry about the ConocoPhillips grant last night with this email:

"Three or four of the large energy companies give money to UT ?for student support (a recruitment investment) and for research that is spread among various departments. ConocoPhillips has done this, and part of the funding they provided was to the Energy Institute to support the Barnett Shale Case Study which will be a follow-on to the study we reported on today. None of the ConocoPhillips money went into this study [the one released this week]. For the [follow-up] case study, we will use Energy Institute money plus funds from energy companies and governments in the Barnett Shale development area. This is a matter of financial necessity, but we want to spread the funding among organizations with different interests in Barnett Shale development."


Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter or adding Cosmic Log's Google+ page to your circle. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for other worlds.

Source: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/16/10426765-its-not-frackings-fault-study-says

charles barkley beyonce troy polamalu james harrison james harrison falcons giants game

Friday, February 17, 2012

Maine Republicans to recount votes that gave Romney a win (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Maine's Republican Party will recount votes in the state's Republican caucus following complaints that totals from some towns were not included in state results showing a 194-vote victory for Mitt Romney over Ron Paul.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120217/pl_nm/us_usa_campaign_maine

lindsey lohan reed hastings hpv vaccine hurricane tracking hurricane tracking flat tax flat tax

Faculty retention proves a major challenge for universities

ScienceDaily (Feb. 16, 2012) ? Attracting and retaining the world's brightest students is on the mind of every university official. But a new, unprecedented study in the journal Science suggests leaders in higher education face an understated, even more pressing challenge: the retention of professors.

The good news, said Deborah Kaminski of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, who led the study, is that men and women faculty in the areas of science, technology, and engineering are being retained at the same rate. The one exception is in mathematics departments, where women faculty depart their jobs significantly sooner than men.

However, looking at the bigger picture of the study -- the first large-scale longitudinal study on faculty retention -- reveals that faculty members of both genders stay at a university for a median of 11 years.

"This means if you hire 100 assistant professors tomorrow, in 11 years only 50 of them will still be at your school," said Kaminski, professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE) at Rensselaer. "This leakage rate is huge, and should be a big red flag to everyone in higher education. The problem is particularly acute for research universities, where recruitment is expensive and competitive startup packages for new faculty members can be upward of $1 million."

Findings of the study were published February 17 by the journal Science in the paper "Survival Analysis of Faculty Retention in Science and Engineering by Gender." Co-author of the paper is Cheryl Geisler, dean of the faculty of art, communication and technology at Simon Fraser University. The study was funded by the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Program.

Kaminski and Geisler tracked the professional progress of 2,966 individual assistant professors hired since 1990 in the fields of science and engineering at 14 universities in the United States -- including Rensselaer and many Ivy League schools. With the help of student researchers, Kaminski and Geisler made digital archives of publicly available university catalogs and communications to follow the careers of these assistant professors. The research team noted when the assistant professors were promoted to associate professor, promoted to full professor, or departed the university. Discrepancies and missing data were sought out online or -- as a last resort -- with phone calls to the actual professors or their academic departments. While time intensive, this methodology allowed for the collection of richer, more accurate data than previous faculty retention studies, Kaminski said.

The researchers found men and women faculty are retained at about the same overall rate, except in mathematics, where men stay for a median of 7.3 years and women for 4.45 years -- the difference of which is statistically significant, Kaminski said. The study did not investigate the specific reasons why the tracked faculty members departed their positions.

"On the whole, men and women faculty are being retained at the same rate. This is great news and an important step toward the goal of fostering gender diversity in science and engineering programs across the country. Something is working well," Kaminski said. "In the case of mathematics, we're not quite sure what's going on, but we're convinced it merits a closer look and further study."

The overall trend of faculty retention, however, is worrying, Kaminski said. The median time a faculty member stays at a university is 10.9 years, which effectively means the school has to replace half its faculty every 11 years. The recruiting process is time and cost intensive, and startup costs for new engineering or science professors can range from $110,000 to nearly $1.5 million. Additionally, assistant professors generally teach fewer courses per year, as they're expected to spend the bulk of their time writing proposals, securing grants, and launching their research program, Kaminski said. This means new faculty members are usually more expensive to employ for their first few years until they start attracting research funding.

"We think this study could be an important reference point to help obviate many practical and financial reasons for why all universities should arguably be spending more time, energy, and resources on retaining younger faculty," Kaminski said.

Overall, at the 14 universities represented in the study, about 27 percent of faculty members hired into science, engineering, and mathematics programs are women. This percentage is on the rise, but is unlikely to reach 50 percent before 2050, Kaminski said. Even after one half of all faculty members being hired are women, it will likely take at least another 40 years before the actual population of science, engineering, and mathematics professors is 50 percent women.

Kaminski leads the successful NSF-funded RAMP-UP Program at Rensselaer, which seeks to foster a university culture and climate that is supportive of all faculty members.

"I think a balanced, representative university faculty is very important for our students. We have a shortage in this country of people who choose to study science and engineering. To re-fill that pipeline, we need to look at the entire population. Women are recruited from high schools into science, engineering, and mathematics programs at a lower rate than men. To help fix this problem, we need a faculty population that looks almost identical to the population of our country. The same is true for recruiting more students from underrepresented minorities into science and engineering. If we want the United States to retain its technological leadership into future generations, we need to make sure the fields of science and engineering are accessible to everyone," Kaminski said.

Recommend this story on Facebook, Twitter,
and Google +1:

Other bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. D. Kaminski, C. Geisler. Survival Analysis of Faculty Retention in Science and Engineering by Gender. Science, 2012; 335 (6070): 864 DOI: 10.1126/science.1214844

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216144240.htm

appetizer recipes lesnar vs overeem ufc 141 alistair overeem alistair overeem deep impact insight bowl

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Ask About The Sorts Of Services And Activities The Retirement Home

- Ask About The Sorts Of Services And Activities The Retirement Home Makes Provision For Residents.

Posted by Editor on Feb 16, 2012 in Medicaid

Where any business or home wants prime quality furniture of varied kinds, it is maybe of the greatest seriousness that retirement home furniture is cosy, given the quantity of time folks will spend sitting on them. Nursing and residential centers contain a large amount of furniture as they typically serve an important number of residents. In this piece we will take a look at the primary kinds of furniture that should be considered. Lounge Furniture If you visit a care home, you will notice that almost all of the residents stay in the day room.

When the situation has gone outside the first warning indicators the old residents health is in trouble, they could slip into a coma from the absence of the right quantity of liquids. This when it's time to consult an old abuse lawyer to hold the care home responsible. Their desires include being monitored so they don't become dehydrated, this ageing adult doesn't always realize they aren't drinking enough liquids and the nursing staff should notice this, it is their job. This lawyer knows the laws that are established for abuse of the ageing adult, and they know the retirement home is responsible to have a correctly trained staff. Be certain to call the retirement home office and arrange an appointment to tour the retirement home before you visit. It also enables you to talk with care home staff, the people that live and get care at the retirement home and their family members. ? Ask about the kinds of services and activities the retirement home makes provision for residents.

? Ask to see a copy of the latest inspection report for the facility. Discover if there's an additional charge for any special medical desires the one that you love might have. Without a complete nursing guide, the nursing houses will not be well placed to play their roles and responsibility to look after each resident. In all probability the residents will complaint if they're not well-treated. Besides enhancing the regulatory standards, the care home authorities should tighten up their enforcement too. Next, if you're privy to the nursing home?s trend, you'll find out the most urgent problem is inadequate of manpower. The candidate must medically need retirement home care. If both spouses live in a retirement home they can only have $3,000. The candidate must not have given away any assets in the last 5 years. This promise is formed in the shape of a Certified Earnings Only Trust. So long as the quantity of revenue which is over $2,022 is deposited into the Revenue Trust and then paid to the care home, the candidate can remain Medicaid admissible.

Source: http://www.medicaidnursinghome.ca/ask-about-the-sorts-of-services-and-activities-the-retirement-home-makes-provision-for-residents/

cyber monday 2011 cyber monday 2011 turkey pot pie turkey pot pie southern university regenesis fanboys

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Caesars CEO cites online gaming opportunity (Reuters)

BOSTON (Reuters) ? Caesars Entertainment Corp stands to benefit from the rise of social media gaming, Chief Executive Gary Loveman said in a speech on Tuesday.

Loveman described what he called "the continued remarkable growth of online social games" in remarks at a luncheon in downtown Boston. Although the Las Vegas company's resort plans are often tied up in local proceedings, online games like those Caesars offers through its Playtika business face fewer rules.

"These games are legal for anyone to play anywhere in the world," Loveman said.

Shares in the casino operator have fallen after an initial public offering last week. Investors have worried about Caesars' debt and lack of a presence in fast-growing Asian markets. Loveman gave few financial details during his speech, sponsored by the Boston College Chief Executives' Club of Boston.

But in a document filed to the Securities and Exchange Commission Caesars made clear its ambitions for online gaming, such as through its World Series of Poker franchise. Prior to restrictions in 2006, online poker in the U.S. generated roughly $1.5 billion in revenue, the document states.

"We are not aware of another U.S. landbased casino company that owns an online gaming business," the filing states. Though many online players spend money mostly for fun and not for wagers, as at casinos, Loveman reminded journalists after his talk of the IPO of gamemaker Zynga Inc in December best known for games like Farmville.

BOSTON LOCAL

Caesars Entertainment runs resorts under the Caesars, Harrah's and Horseshoe names. Loveman remains a Boston local, commuting from his home in the suburbs.

Before he joined the casino company in 1998 he had been a professor at Harvard Business School. Loveman had written then-CEO Phil Satre a letter with ideas for the company; Satre responded with a job offer and later made Loveman CEO of the company then known as Harrah's Entertainment.

In its IPO on February 8 Caesars sold about 1.4 percent of its shares outstanding. The offering was widely viewed as a way for the debt-laden company to make up some losses for its private-equity backers. Minority investors have included Goldman Sachs and hedge fund Paulson & Co.

The shares rose that day from their initial price of $9 each to as high as $17.90, but they have since fallen and were trading at $12.72 Tuesday afternoon. It was taken private by Apollo Global Management and TPG Capital in 2008.

HELPING ADDICTS

Loveman spent much of his talk on Tuesday arguing criticism of the growing casino industry is overblown and that new casinos do not boost crime or take advantage of poorer customers.

He did say about 1 percent of the population is prone to gambling addiction. "We have to deal with that," he said.

Loveman spoke just months after Massachusetts officials approved a bill to allow casinos, and began a process to select operators for three of them. Caesars has a partnership with a Boston-area racetrack to create one of the facilities.

Depending on the design of the facilities, about 40 percent of their revenue could be captured from neighboring states, he said.

(Reporting By Ross Kerber. Editing by Gunna Dickson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120214/wr_nm/us_caesars_online

delilah 2012 sports illustrated swimsuit nevis same day flower delivery valentines day randy moss randy moss