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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
U.S. sees 'more of the same' from new N.Korea leader (Reuters)
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - New North Korean leader Kim Jung-un looks unlikely to depart from the nuclear brinkmanship, threats to his region and repression of his father and grandfather, the top U.S. military commander for the Asia-Pacific region said on Tuesday.
Rick Santorum?s Michigan speech: ?A month ago they didn?t know who we are, but they do now? (The Ticket)
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Ticket - Rick Santorum finished second to Mitt Romney in the Arizona and Michigan primaries on Tuesday. He addressed his supporters from Grand Rapids, Mich., after Arizona had been called for Romney by the Associated Press, but before Michigan had been called. Santorum praised college education and, citing his mother as an inspiration, women working outside the [...]
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
NASA Cuts Are a Blow to American Technology (ContributorNetwork)
[unable to retrieve full-text content]ContributorNetwork - COMMENTARY | According to the Associated Press, the robotic Mars missions in 2016 and 2018 the U.S. and Europe had been planning were removed from the budget President Barack Obama announced this month. NASA scientists are hoping to still be able to eke out a journey to Mars in 2018, when the planet is closest to Earth, but as of now, the two missions as well as another -- where scientists had hoped to collect rocks and soil from Mars -- are off.
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Food & Drink Innovation Network ? NEW COVENT GARDEN ...
February 21st, 2012
New Covent Garden is raising funds for the Royal National?Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) with its latest Soup of the Month.
March?s Soup of the Month, ?Robin?s Chipotle Chilli Bean and Chorizo Soup?,?is the latest to be created by a consumer as part of New Covent Garden?s?innovative social media campaign.
The soup was designed by Robin Goodlad,?an RNLI crew member from Aberdovey, Wales.
Nigel Parrott, New Covent Garden?s Group?Marketing Director said:
?For every pack sold, New Covent Garden will make a donation to the RNLI,?raising a minimum of ?6,000.
?Most RNLI crews are volunteers who put themselves at risk?to help others in danger, and we?re proud to be able to show our support.
?We?re?sure consumers will feel the same, and expect this month?s limited edition soup?to sail off the shelves.?
Each month, members of New Covent Garden?s online community are invited to?submit their own recipes based on pre-selected themes, which are then voted?for by consumers.
This month?s theme, ?Recovery?, invited recipes that would?help consumers get back on their feet after any arduous task.
Parrott said: ?Robin?s Chipotle Chilli Bean & Chorizo Soup is ideal for recovery, with its?warm, smoky Chipotle, beans and Chorizo.
Robin?s Chipotle Chilli Bean and Chorizo Soup?, is the latest to be created by a consumer
?Consumers often?turn to soup as a ?feel-good? meal to provide comfort and nourishment, and this?soup certainly fulfils that need ? whilst allowing consumers to help a worthwhile?cause at the same time.?
New Covent Garden has a long-standing relationship with the RNLI.
The brand?has supported the RNLI for several years by donating a percentage from sales?of its Smoked Haddock Chowder, a permanent SKU in the range, to the charity.
Robin?s winning recipe was one of many received from the public, including a?number of RNLI crew members.
Consumers are still encouraged by an on-pack call to action to submit their recipes for future Soup of the Months at www.newcoventgardensoup.com,?where recipes, tips and a blog are encouraging further engagement with the?brand.
Robin?s Chipotle Chilli Bean & Chorizo Soup will be available until the end of?March 2012 with an RRP of ?2.20, in outers of six.
?
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- NEW COVENT GARDEN UNVEILS NEW GOA FESTIVAL SOUP
- NEW COVENT GARDEN RELEASES NEW HEART WARMING SOUP
- NEW COVENT GARDEN UNVEILS SUMMER SOUP RANGE
- NEW COVENT GARDEN UNVEILS NEW ENGLISH GARDEN PARTY SOUP
- ALCOHOLIC SOUP A FIRST FOR NEW COVENT GARDEN
- NEW COVENT GARDEN UNDERGOES BRAND OVERHAUL
- NEW COVENT GARDEN UNVEILS VALENTINES THEMED SOUP OF THE MONTH
Source: http://www.fdin.org.uk/2012/02/new-covent-garden-unveils-chipotle-chilli-bean-and-chorizo-soup/
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Source: http://ajudaparamim.info/1852/food-drink-innovation-network-new-covent-garden/
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Monday, February 27, 2012
Expanding Mexican strawberry industry hurts Florida strawberry growers
DOVER, Florida ? The law of supply and demand had worked pretty well for the Florida strawberry industry during the past decade.
Lott and other strawberry growers still don't know if they'll end the season next month with a profit.
This season, not so much.
A supply spike of fresh strawberries hit the U.S. market this winter, driving down the retail price for consumers but also farm prices. Florida strawberry growers will struggle to turn a profit this year."The prices have been way too cheap. This has been a good year for consumers, both in quality and price," said Mike Lott, a Seffner strawberry grower with 42 acres. "We've been picking cheap all year."
Lott and other strawberry growers still don't know if they'll end the season next month with a profit.
"It's going to be tough. It's going to be down to the wire," he said.
Andy McDonald, owner of Sweet Life Farms, which has 92 strawberry acres in Plant City, agreed.
An unseasonably warm winter in Florida had strawberry plants producing at record capacities, the growers said.
But the Mexican strawberry industry, expanding for the past several years, also enjoyed unusually good growing conditions, they said. Because Mexican growers use the same strawberry varieties as Florida, which produce from late November to March, cheaper Mexican strawberries came into the U.S. market in unprecedented numbers, driving down U.S. prices.
"We're facing unfair competition," said Gary Wishnatzki, CEO at Wish Farms Inc., a Plant City strawberry grower and the state's largest shipper of fresh strawberries. "The market would have absorbed our production if it were not for Mexico."
Wishnatzki and the other growers complained Mexican strawberry farms face much lower labor and production costs, making it difficult to compete on price.
Many regular customers stopped buying from Wish Farms, telling Wishnatzki they would go with the cheaper Mexican strawberries, he said.
"The [supermarket] chains started buying Mexican product because it was heavily discounted," Wishnatzki said.
From mid-November through Feb. 18, Mexico shipped 97.3 million pounds of strawberries to the U.S., a 26.2 percent increase from 77 million pounds in 2010-11, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics.
The bigger concern, however, is that this year's strawberry market may have become the new normal, they said.
"Over the years, it's been a competition between California and Florida," Lott said. "Now we've got Mexico in the mix."
Indeed large California growers, including Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc., have financed the booming Mexican strawberry industry by planting new acreage there, Wishnatzki and McDonald said.
The Florida strawberry industry built itself on two pillars -- rising consumer demand for strawberries because of perceived health benefits and a climate that gives Florida an exclusive market window as the nation's provider of fresh strawberries from that first harvest in late November to March.
U.S. consumption of fresh strawberries doubled from 2 pounds per capita in 1980 to about 4 pounds in the early 1990s, USDA statistics show. Then it surged again to 7.2 pounds in 2010, the latest data available.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/orlandosentinelbreakingnews/~3/wg7JH6sbfII/story01.htm
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday Roundtable: Is Traditional Handheld Gaming Doomed ...
Posted by Declan Burrowes on Friday, February 24, 2012 ? 5 Comments?
Is It Time We Replaced the Batteries?
Can the direct descendants of the Game Boy survive in this new decade? It?s a valid question: since the rise of the iPhone and its competitors, smartphone gaming has grown from strength to strength, and at a remarkable pace. Once the exclusive item of the technophilic gearhead, today the smartphone is approaching ubiquity. With a few slides and flicks, ?we can call our friends, send emails, check the weather, take pictures, manage our back accounts, listen to music, watch films and even play games, all on a single pocket-sized mobile device. Who in their right mind, then, would bother to fork out another two hundred notes for a dedicated gaming platform that only does one or a few of these things?
How long can Mario and friends prop up the handheld sub-industry? As smartphones increasingly integrate into gaming culture with thousands of cheap, good-quality games in tow, will gamers look away from the 3DS and Vita to their mobiles instead?
In this week?s Friday Roundtable, read the fine words of Apple/Microsoft correspondent Tom Rippon; Sony correspondent Rexly Penaflorida II; Editor-in-Chief and Nintendo expert Martin Watts; and Sony/Microsoft correspondent Sebastian Force. As always, we welcome your comments and discussions in the appropriate section below.?
* ?* ?* ?*
Is this the future of the handheld market?
Tom:
As somebody who plays iOS games at an almost religious level, I think that ?classic? handheld consoles, for lack of a better term, will only die out or become less valuable if people consciously let them.
Sure, you could argue that by buying iPhones and downloading games like Infinity Blade, you?re putting the 3DS out of business, but that?s just not realistic. iOS devices, Android phones, and everything in between, are not attempts at monopolising the games industry. Far from it. We discussed in a past Friday Roundtable whether we thought Apple are putting other games companies in danger and the consensus was that?they?re not, because people don?t want them to, and Nintendo and Sony fans are continuing to invest in their products instead of ditching them for sole dedication to mobile gaming.
Need I remind you of the Nintendo DS?s exceptional sales??Despite doing undeniably well throughout its lifespan, in all its incarnations, it still hasn?t run Sony?s handheld consoles out of business, and with good reason. Handheld gaming will continue to be a diverse platform, with every company bringing something new to the table. It will change slowly, maybe quickly in some sections, and its popularity may rise and fall as other ways to play enter and perhaps leave the market. But Sony, Nintendo, and even Microsoft (perhaps in the future), will always have the opportunity to create successful and popular handheld gaming platforms, as long as they don?t fear competition too much.
Can both the traditional handheld and the gaming-enabled smartphone coexist?
Rexly:
I agree with Tom, but I?m going to try explain it in a different way. While I don?t call myself an avid iOS gamer, there are about twelve or thirteen games on my iPhone, most of which I only play when I?m either a) bored of playing my console games or b) somewhere where I am unable to play console titles. Now if I had a Vita or a 3DS, I would be playing games on those instead of playing on my phone. I?m not hating on mobile games at all. I just have more fun playing games on a device that specifically handles games more than playing on my phone that holds a lot of other functions other than gaming.
I don?t see the mobile platform monopolizing the portable gaming industry any time soon. If anything, it just expands the already immense market of games-on-the-go. Like Tom said, Sony and Nintendo (and maybe even Microsoft) can still have a firm stake in the ground for portable gaming. As long as I still see people waiting in line with their 3DS, Vitas or iPhones, I believe that portable gaming will continue to thrive for a long time.
Martin:
Much like Rexly said, I can see there being a market for dedicated handheld systems for some time to come ? there?s no denying that Nintendo has its fans, and that the PSP is currently a very viable system in Japan.
What this comes down to for me is affordability. Many times, I?ve heard the analogy ?I?d rather pay ?35 for one great game than have 40+ low-quality games?. This just doesn?t add up. Firstly, not all iOS games are marked up at the ?0.69/$0.99 price point (Final Fantasy III will currently set you back ?11.99 for iPad in the UK). While I agree that there is a ton of low quality clones on the App store, many of the ?premium? games are as good as, if not better than, their dedicated handheld system equivalents. Games like Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard, ShadowGun and Infinity Blade really set the standard, and from a price point of view, they?re much greater value for money than most 3DS/Vita games. To get my point across, would you rather pay ?35 for Rayman 3DS (a port of Rayman 2) or pay around the ?15 mark for Infinity Blade II, Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation and 9mm?
Of course, the install base for Apple devices is far higher than that of either the 3DS or Vita, so it?s easy to see why App developers can opt for such a low price point.
The App Store has no doubt made gaming more accessible to a wider demographic, and yes, I imagine it is mostly used for casual gaming, but there?s no denying the increasing strength of hardcore gaming on these devices. Gameloft rolling in money is a prime example of that.
Nevertheless, I see this as growing with the market, not taking away from it.
Infinity Blade is an example of a premium-quality mobile game.
Sebastian:
I feel I have put myself in a unique position. I recently gave up my iPhone for an Android phone (because I needed the space allowed by Android) and the area that I?ve missed most is the games. I have a 3DS, and as much as I am currently infatuated with?Super Mario 3D Land,?I just miss the diversity of iPhone games. The aforementioned?Infinity Blade?was extremely addictive, and compared to handhelds, very cheap for what it was offering. There are thousands of fantastic iPhone games, ranging from the simple to very deep and engaging ones. To dismiss the iPhone market is like dismissing Steam from PC gaming.
One thing that really, really bothers me about handhelds is game companies? pricing structure. Had the 3DS released for the lower price point at launch (and with more launch titles), it would have been embraced more by gamers, and Nintendo wouldn?t have had to experience the fiasco that was the ?Ambassador?s Club.?
But Sony is where things are taken to a ridiculous level: A customer came up to me at my workplace and asked for a Vita memory card. I had the extreme displeasure of informing him that it really didn?t make sense to buy a 4 GB card because he would run out of space extremely quickly. Eventually, he walked out with a 32 GB memory card for $100. Making people pay for a $100 proprietary memory card when SD storage is cheap and widely available is absurdly evil. Personally, I refuse to buy a Vita until the memory prices come down, because I think it is ridiculous and unnecessary to have to spend that kind of money. They managed to pull this on consumers with the PSP ? I didn?t stand for it then, and I?m not standing for it now.
The Vita: would we be foolish to call it Sony's last exclusively video-game focused handheld device?
But more importantly than that, this isn?t something that Apple tries to pull. Their devices are slightly more expensive, yes, but they aren?t tricking people by telling them that the device is cheaper, only to force their customers to use proprietary hardware for exorbitant amounts of money. Additionally, while Apple is known for their bizarre rules about what is allowed on the App store, it usually only revolves around things of a sexual nature. Beyond that, it?s really left up to the developers what they want to make. From a developer?s standpoint, this has to be immensely liberating. From a consumer?s standpoint, that means they have access to a lot of relatively cheap, fantastic games. Everyone is happy. It really is an entirely different arena to the 3DS and Vita market.
While I?ve made my choice with my Android phone and my 3DS, it?s still easy to see why iPhone users are happy with their handheld console of choice.
Tom:
Seb has taken the words right out of my mouth. I couldn?t agree more about Nintendo?s 3DS launch blunder. The fact that they didn?t have a lot of launch titles, as well as their subsequent price drop in an attempt to gain favour with their fans, looks to me like they realised they screwed up and were kind of scared by that.
Is the iPad a viable, long-term gaming platform, or is it the expensive plaything of a very lucky few?
But at the same time, it?s always been that way. I remember buying the original DS when it first came out, and the only game I wanted to buy with it was The Legend of Zelda. I was really surprised by the lack of launch titles for the original system, but over time, I?ve come to accept that all consoles run that way.
That?s why Apple has the edge with their handheld gaming. They have so many developers, and so few restrictions, that there is no chance that somebody will buy an iPhone and find that there aren?t any games that appeal to them ? I spent an extra ?50 on games after shelling out ?500 for my iPad. It?s crazy, but at the same time, it felt good to get so many titles in one burst. There?s little to get bored of, and that?s why iOS devices are triumphing in the handheld market of late. But as I?ve said, there?s still room for Nintendo and Sony. They all provide such varied experiences for players, and with such a wide range of exclusives on each system, all can thrive in the same market.
Rexly:
Tom raises a great point about games on the App Store. The fact that anyone can find a game that appeals to them because of the huge diversity of titles is a fantastic thing for the industry and gamers; the best part is that some of these games are actually free. I think my running total for purchased games on my iPhone is about $50, but that is a small amount compared to the number of free games that I own and play.
Like I said before, Nintendo and Sony can still thrive in this market, and Tom mentioned exclusives for each brand, which I completely forgot about. These titles are sure to attract fans. However, I do think peripherals are a big issue and a problematic sticking point for traditional handhelds. Seb mentioned the pricing of the Vita memory, and that?s pretty serious.?The prices are ridiculous and if things don?t change, Sony might have to rethink their sales strategy if they want to compete with a new generation of smartphones in the long-term.
* ?* ?* ?*
Share Your Thoughts:?We?ve shared our thoughts and now it?s your turn. Is traditional handheld gaming doomed? Will the huge uptake of smartphones and the runaway success of the App Store and its counterparts be the killing blow to Sony and Nintendo?s duopolised market?
Source: http://bnbgaming.com/2012/02/24/friday-roundtable-is-traditional-handheld-gaming-doomed/
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Saturday, February 25, 2012
Ford?s 2013 Mustang gets wickedly customized in new ad [Video]
It?s Friday afternoon and we know that there is a pretty good chance the reason you are reading this right now is because you need a few more distractions to get you through your work day before you can head home for the weekend.
What better way to pass some time than enjoying a fairly creative commercial that shows off just a handful of the custom possibilities for Ford?s new 2013 Mustang, including a clever twist towards the end that took the ad from borderline predictable to positively prodigious. Ok, prodigious might be a bit (a lot?) much, but it was still a smile-inducing break from the mundane of auto advertisements.
(More after video)
So if you had your way with customizing a new 2013 Mustang, what would be on your list of mods or changes?
Source: http://www.leftlanenews.com/fords-2013-mustang-gets-wickedly-customized-in-new-ad-video.html
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Friday, February 24, 2012
Growing up Geek: Nicole Scott
Welcome to Growing Up Geek, an ongoing feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. Today, we have a special guest: tech journalist and co-founder of Netbooknews, Nicole Scott.
Welcome to 
Snow Day set it all off. Seventh grade, and already I knew. In Canada everything shuts down when the snow is deep, especially school. But I was determined to go. They had a better computer than we had at home. I was going to get my allotted half hour, no matter what. I made my poor parents drive me to school anyway, and after all that, we were promptly sent away. And so my disastrous love affair with technology began.
Continue reading Growing up Geek: Nicole Scott
Growing up Geek: Nicole Scott originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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'Mirror Mirror' Star Lily Collins Leads An Enchanted Tour
Snow White herself shows off fantastical forest, crumbling village and dwarves' cottage during MTV News' set visit.
By John Mitchell, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Lily Collins in "Mirror Mirror"
Photo: Snow White Productions
When "Mirror Mirror" hits theaters March 30, moviegoers will be transported to an enchanted land of snowy forests, old-timey villages and lavish castles for a classic retelling of the Snow White fairy tale. But why wait that long when you can get a sneak peek behind the scenes right now?
MTV News' own Josh Horowitz was lucky enough to visit the "Mirror Mirror" set and received a guided tour from Snow White herself, Lily Collins.
"This is where I live," Collins declared while welcoming MTV News to the snowy forest set of the film. She was quick to caution that, unlike real snow, the white stuff piled throughout the woods wasn't exactly appetizing. "It's salt," she warned.
"This is the forest as you can see, obviously. The dwarves' tree house is somewhere in these woods. The majority of the action takes place here," Collins explained. "And I'm in big ball gowns running around in this wood. I'm fighting with Armie [Hammer]."
From the forest, Collins took MTV News to another soundstage, where a dilapidated village was constructed. The place was in disrepair — and, of course, it was all Julia Roberts' fault. "It has seen better days, yes," Collins told MTV News. "The story is that the queen [Roberts] has spent all the money, and so the village is poor."
Next, the 22-year-old "Abduction" actress introduced Josh to the dwarves' cottage, which features several small beds and a shorter-than-usual kitchen table.
"This is the classic, iconic dwarves' house, as you can tell by the little things around. So much goes on in this house," the actress said. "Everything from the iconic waking up scene with the dwarves and I [to] Armie — imagine Armie, how tall he is, he is in here quite a bit."
The lovely actress even invited Josh to stay in the cottage. "Don't you want to stay? Take a little bed up there?" she asked. Alas, none of the beds built for the seven dwarves would be a good fit and Collins knows it, having given them a go herself. "I tried fitting in one of those too; they're really small," she admitted.
Check out everything we've got on "Mirror Mirror."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1679747/mirror-mirror-lily-collins.jhtml
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
Unexpected cuts for CA colleges?due to financial incompetence
Thanks to the incompetence of the community college bean counters, they are now another $149 million short?after losing $102 million earlier in the year.
?The $149 million came about from two miscalculations: revenues from both property taxes and student fees were significantly lower than expected.
It turns out that when preparing the 2011-12 budget, the Department of Finance was overly optimistic in estimating how much money community colleges would bring in by raising student fees from $26 per unit to $36 per unit. Finance officials anticipated $110 million in increased revenues. The Community Colleges Chancellor?s Office figured that was about $25 million too high. They were both wrong. The shortfall came to $107 million.?Maybe if the community colleges enforced our laws so many illegal aliens would not be in seats honest people are paying for, that would be a start.? We do not need more money for government schools, we need government schools that enforce the law.
Officials lobby legislature to intervene
By Kathryn Baron, svef, 2/22/12
Stop me if you?ve heard this before. California community colleges are facing a midyear budget cut. No, not the $102 million January trigger cut; that?s so last month. This one is being called the ?February surprise,? and it triggered this tweet from California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott:
The $149 million came about from two miscalculations: revenues from both property taxes and student fees were significantly lower than expected.
It turns out that when preparing the 2011-12 budget, the Department of Finance was overly optimistic in estimating how much money community colleges would bring in by raising student fees from $26 per unit to $36 per unit. Finance officials anticipated $110 million in increased revenues. The Community Colleges Chancellor?s Office figured that was about $25 million too high. They were both wrong. The shortfall came to $107 million.
The remaining $42 million deficit is almost entirely due to a shortage in property taxes.?Unlike K-12 schools, there?s no automatic backfill for community colleges when property taxes come up short. Community college leaders said they?ve seen large decreases in property tax revenue before, but the student fees really caught them off guard.
?We?ve never seen an enrollment fee shortfall this large,? said Theresa Tena, director of fiscal policy for the Community College League of California (CCLC). ?This is a new phenomenon that we?re seeing.?
What happened was something of a domino effect. When Gov. Brown and his finance department factored in the new revenues from the fee increase, they didn?t fully account for the corresponding increase in the number of students applying for Board of Governors fee waivers. As we reported here, even before the latest fee hike, waivers have been on the rise; this year 62 percent of students received them.CCLC estimates that the $149 million amounts to an additional reduction of $135 per student.* That?s on top of the midyear trigger cuts, which were added to the $313 million decrease in the 2011-12 budget that kicked in at the start of the school year. If you?ve lost track, it amounts to $564 million this fiscal year.
Colleges did plan for some additional shortfall, but not this much. Los Rios Community College District, in the Sacramento area, expected to lose another $1.2 million; instead, it faces a $6.8 million cut. ?We won?t absorb it all in this year,? said Jon Sharpe, deputy chancellor for finance and administration. ?We think that it would be unfair to pull the rug out for some of the academic and student programs.?
Instead, Los Rios is reducing costs that don?t directly affect students. Openings in non-academic positions won?t be filled, they?re cutting back discretionary spending, and, said Sharpe, ?a good portion of it will have to come out of next year.?
The tiny Lake Tahoe Community College ? one of the four smallest districts in the state ? is dipping half a million dollars into its reserves to get through the rest of this year. ?We?ve asked everybody to be very prudent,? said superintendent and president Kindred Murillo. They?re cutting back on travel, putting equipment purchases on hold, and paring down technology, facilities, and human resources assessments that are required for accreditation.
They?re also appealing to Sacramento to stop the budget seesaw and create a reliable funding structure for future years so schools can plan their course schedules and hire people without worrying whether they?ll have to cancel.
?You offer a class to an adjunct professor and then two weeks later you?re saying, ?I?m sorry, the budget?s been cut and we have to alter our schedule,?? Murillo explained. ?Education needs a stable budget, one that we can count on from one year to the next.?
Over the past few weeks as the severity of the budget situation became clear, high-level conversations have taken place with the State Chancellor?s Office, the Department of Finance, and lawmakers. Community colleges are seeking agreement for an appropriations bill that would cover the losses.
Vice Chancellor for Finance Dan Troy said he doesn?t expect any action before the May revise, but it would be helpful to get a sign from the governor and Legislature that they?re willing to take action. That way, the colleges will have time to plan for cuts instead of having to make quick reductions.
?The problem comes where you have no idea whether it?s coming or not,? said Troy. ?That?s why I?m hopeful the governor and Legislature will send a signal that they?re looking out for us.?
Source: http://capoliticalnews.com/2012/02/22/unexpected-cuts-for-ca-colleges-due-to-financial-incompetence/
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Extinction Looms for Rare Frog Species, Now Down to 1 Individual
And then there was one. The last known Rabb?s fringe-limbed tree frog (Ecnomiohyla rabborum) now lives by himself at Zoo Atlanta in Georgia after the zoo euthanized the only other member of its species.
The euthanized frog, another male, had been experiencing a ?marked decline in health and behavior? according to a Zoo Atlanta news release. Scientists made the decision to end its suffering and preserve its genetic material for future studies.
The team says it could have let the frog die naturally, but feared it could have died at night when no humans were on site. ?Amphibians decompose much more rapidly than do many other classes of animals,? herpetology curator Joseph Mendelson said in the Zoo Atlanta press release. ?Had the frog passed away overnight when no staff members were present, we would have lost any opportunity to preserve precious genetic material. To lose that chance would have made this extinction an even greater tragedy in terms of conservation, education and biology.?
The Rabb?s fringe-limbed tree frog, native to a small area of Panama, was only identified by scientists in 2005 but has not been observed in the wild since 2007. According to Zoo Atlanta?s Web page about the species, the frog?s only known population ?was drastically reduced immediately upon the arrival of the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, into the region in 2006. One individual was heard calling in December 2007. None were heard or observed in 2008, despite considerable time afield.? This makes yet another frog driven into extinction by Bd, better known as the deadly chytrid fungus, which has been blamed for more than 100 recent amphibian extinctions around the world.
?This is the second time in my career that I have literally seen one of the very last of its kind die and an entire species disappear forever with it,? said Dwight Lawson, deputy director of Zoo Atlanta. ?It is a disturbing experience, and we are all poorer for it. The ongoing amphibian extinction crisis has taken a rich diversity of animals from us, and more effort and resources are desperately needed to halt the losses.?
Zoo Atlanta released this PSA below about frog extinctions?featuring the Rabbs? tree frog?in April 2011.
Photo courtesy of Zoo Atlanta
Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=2dfc890279c7448f3aefddabe32346b3
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Reformulated imatinib eliminates morphine tolerance in lab studies
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
HOUSTON ? By reformulating the common cancer drug imatinib (Gleevec?), researchers have eliminated morphine tolerance in rats ? an important step toward improving the effectiveness of chronic pain management in patients, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Narcotics such as morphine are a mainstay of chronic pain treatment. Over time, tolerance to the pain-relieving effects of these drugs can develop, requiring increasing doses to control pain. In some cases, narcotics become ineffective. This study, published online in Nature Medicine, is the first to identify a cellular signal that selectively causes narcotic tolerance.
"By suggesting a way to prevent or reverse tolerance in patients, this study could have far-reaching implications for many people suffering with chronic intractable pain," said senior author Howard B. Gutstein, M.D., professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology/Perioperative Medicine and Biochemistry at MD Anderson.
One imatinib target causes morphine tolerance
In the study, scientists discovered that activating the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) caused morphine tolerance in animals not previously exposed to morphine.
Imatinib is commonly used to treat certain types of leukemia and gastrointestinal tumors. It targets a number of cellular receptors, including the PDGFR, which is heavily expressed in those cancer cells.
In this study, imatinib prevented morphine tolerance, and importantly, completely reversed tolerance in rats that received high morphine doses continuously for several days, which reflects how morphine and other opioids are often given to chronic pain patients.
Researchers modify imatinib to block PDGFR
Morphine and other opioids work by binding to mu opioid receptorsin the brain and spinal cord.
Imatinib's ability to inhibit morphine tolerance has not yet been observed in cancer patients who take imatinib because the drug does not penetrate the nervous system. Gutstein's group reformulated imatinib using a simple, clinically approved carrier molecule called Captisol? that markedly increased drug delivery to the brain.
"What's particularly exciting is that imatinib already is approved for use in humans, which suggests that we might be able to utilize this discovery to treat patients fairly soon," Gutstein said. He emphasized that the reformulated imatinib must first be tested for efficacy and safety in further animal studies, then in humans in a Phase I study.
Potential to reduce debilitating side effects
"Many patients in severe pain often refuse high doses of opioids because of the side effects, and they desperately need relief," Gutstein said. "We may be able to quickly translate this discovery and dramatically reduce the suffering endured by the sickest patients, and not just those with cancer."
Patients taking morphine and other opioids can experience side effects ranging from unpleasant to life-threatening in their intensity, including itching, constipation, nausea and breathing depression. Reducing morphine tolerance could allow the use of lower doses to relieve pain with fewer side effects.
###
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center: http://www.mdanderson.org
Thanks to University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117739/Reformulated_imatinib_eliminates_morphine_tolerance_in_lab_studies
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Ava FX delivers tailor-made FX AND CFD trading ... - World Finance
Becoming a leading force for CFD and FX trading is no easy feat considering the competition in the currency market. But Ava FX has defied the odds by keeping one central focus as the core of its business: The client?s requirements.
In less than eight years, Ava FX has transformed into one of the globe?s principal online forex and CFD trading brokers. It is especially the personalised client service that has catapulted the broker into the upper echelon of global trading companies. And today, with over 150,000 clients across 150 countries, the team at Ava FX executes over 1.5 million trades per month. That is an impressive monthly trading volume in excess of $50bn.
Online CFD and FX trading
But what is it that sets Ava FX apart from its competitors? Users of Ava FX benefit from its unique, practical, multi-featured platforms, which provide advanced trading tools, thorough pricing transparency, and clear-cut trade executions. Ava?s dedicated team has offices in all the major financial centres of the world including Tokyo, Milan, New York, Paris, Sydney and Dublin. It also offers a wide choice of download, web, mobile and auto-trading platforms. These are recognised and rated internationally for being user-friendly, straightforward and versatile, and aim at covering the gamut of trader experience.
A newly developed platform at Ava ? AlphaTrader ? provides customers with the ultimate in online trading potential. Thanks to its sophisticated technology, users can easily and swiftly complete transactions. Meanwhile, the company?s more established MetaTrader 4 (MT4) has developed into the platform of choice for professional traders and money managers, particularly because of its fast execution, highly developed charting tools and overall technical power. The MT4 platform offers a reliable execution and includes dozens of built-in indicators that are linked to an easy strategy performance.
AvaTrader, in comparison, presents solid charting capabilities with reliable, flexible execution and predominantly caters for new and mid-level traders. Ava?s AutoTrader platform, on the other hand, allows clients access to mirror trading, a fairly new concept developed by Tradency, which enables traders to emulate strategies and observe real time trades of experienced forex traders. CEO and Co-Founder Emanuel Kronitz feels that Ava?s various platforms ?allow customers to choose the strategies best suited to their needs and which accommodate their intended earnings and risk profile.?
Each client is an individual
Every customer has unique needs, according to Kronitz. The CEO?s keen attention to detail and his ability to listen intently has helped clients meet those requirements. He is responsible for the strategic and operational side and is continually working on moving the company forward. ?These are exciting times in an exhilarating industry, and I am very lucky to be part of such a great establishment,? he says.
The team at Ava is not just another group of bankers who knows the FX market and wants to simply sell this knowledge to customers. ?We set up the company with only the client in mind. Our team observed the actions of others in this industry and decided it wanted to do better. We are here for our customers without fail, and make it our business to know what they want in terms of service.?
Living in challenging times requires extraordinary services and tools that will help continually improve services to guarantee customer satisfaction, Ava?s CEO thinks. Ava assigns a twenty-four-seven support executive to each of its clients to guide them through appropriate products and educational tools.
?We focus on how to provide a customer with only the very best trading experience; everything else is secondary. We keep trying to find ways to enrich traders? experience with success, and feel we can provide this by offering the best tools available,? he says.
Regulated for advancement
The industry was previously only loosely regulated, and the impact of regulation changes on retail financial trading has been revolutionary, says Kronitz. He believes regulating the FX market has been ?one of the best things to happen to the industry because customers deserve to know how safe their investments are exactly.? Since the implementation of the latest regulatory changes more people have shown an interest in trading, and there is a trend for a growing number of participants.
Over the past five years the market has changed dramatically, says Kronitz. FX trading has turned from a niche market into a mainstream product used by millions of traders internationally. Clients have become more experienced, educated and anybody with sufficient funds can now trade forex. At Ava, training tools with free introductory webinars and guided tutorials with real time market updates are readily available for those new to forex and CFDs. ?Nowadays anybody can trade and everybody should be afforded this opportunity. It is a big achievement to get people to enter the forex market but it is an even more challenging task to retain their custom and interest,? Kronitz notes.
With its incredible means of automated trading solutions, Ava FX is a well-suited option for the superior, refined professional who needs more than the simplicity offered by a plain trading platform created for beginners. For the novice, however, the easy-to-grasp interface and lessons in FX trading are a cut above the rest. Ava FX has positioned itself in a manner that allows it to cater for all market desires and it hopes to continue this for the future.
The company, although strongly devoted to the European markets, is planning a number of major upcoming initiatives by opening offices in Asia. But momentarily, one of Ava?s most important tasks remains the continuous improvement of services for all of its clients. Kronitz says: ?We are missing our target if we do not provide clients with the best experience. The greatest client compliment is their loyalty. Only then do we know we are doing something right.?
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Longer Term Vehicle Lease Versus Possession Of Your Car ...
Car leasing has grown to become a popular option as opposed to financing a new vehicle. But before making this decision, it is important to thoroughly research both options. It will be necessary to establish a budget to determine the best choice regarding a lease or ownership of the vehicle. Buying a vehicle is a major investment, and in some cases, it is more economically feasible to lease if all of the money is not available upfront. Financial preparation is needed in order to weigh both options.
There are pros and cons to both financing and lease options. Financing a new vehicle comes with several additional expenses beyond the monthly payments. And the finance charge can be substantial if the individual does not have good credit. A large down payment is usually required when financing a vehicle, which is not the case with lease options.
There are several expenses associated with owning a vehicle. There are interests fees if the vehicle is being financed. These fees can be very high depending on the individual?s credit standing. There are also repair and maintenance expenses that come with owning a vehicle.
When a buyer does not all of the money for a down payment on a new vehicle, then a lease could be a better alternative. Many leases are available with the option to purchase the vehicle at the end of the contract. Car leasing uk options are popular choices among drivers that want to continuously drive a new vehicles.
New vehicles depreciate in value very quickly. With a lease option, this is not a factor. There is also less money that is needed upfront when choosing to lease over financing. There are several terms that are associated with both alternatives that need to be considered. It is vital to read and understand the fine print first before signing any contracts.
There are also benefits to having a lease rather than financing a vehicle. With a lease, there is a much lower down payment and in some cases, depending on the person?s credit, there is no down payment. The monthly payments on the vehicle are lower than car payments. And the sales tax is lower as only the amount of the vehicle?s value is used.
Leases offer individuals more flexibility than buying a vehicle. If there unexpected financial changes, it is easier to change the terms of the agreements with a lease than when financing a vehicle. It is important to note that there are certain restrictions that are placed on leased vehicles that do not occur when owning a vehicle.
Car leasing is often a very affordable way for drivers to obtain a new vehicle without having to put a lot of money down. A lease option is less expensive than financing but does have its limitations. It really depends on how much an individual can afford and how long they want to own a particular vehicle when weighing these options.
Source: http://villagetransmission.com/blog/?p=1640
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Monday, February 20, 2012
Zhouzhuang water township China Travel Guide | Business Travel ...
Zhouzhuang water township China Travel Guide
Zhouzhuang, An those people that water townships in China, connection in Kunshan In-town which ends up as Likely thirty minutes kms (18 miles) southeast A variety of Suzhou. It definitely kept in mind ready for its unique personal background, That Basically conserved ancient Personal houses, Ones elegant watery video views Just Willingness Small town distinct traditions To customs. Documented in design Additionally Fall time (770 ? 476 BC), Zhouzhuang would have been a perhaps the fief Yaocheng And is named as Zhenfengli. Subsequent to Seriously bequeathed to Vendor description Wad of cash (Quanfu) Temple But by Zhou Digong, An especially devout Buddhist, in 1086 Inside living space North songs Dynasty (960 ? 1127), Zhouzhuang were The black htc desire?s Birthday gift Url Casino player gambling Funeral To the donor.
Zhouzhuang Really is a town in Jiangsu province, China. Las vegas dui attorney Little Inside of Kunshan county-level city, 25 km southeast Of around Suzhou. Zhouzhuang Could be a favourite visitors destination. It truly is Probably the most widely recognized water townships in China, thought about because of its serious personal background, You see, the Correctly protected ancient Household houses, Unquestionably the elegant watery displays Since the Resilient and strong Small town exclusive and beautiful traditions Combined with customs. Placed under categorised as Commonly ?Venice Using the East?.
Related attractions:
Humble Administrator?s Garden, milling about Garden, Tongli Ancient Town, Luzhi Ancient Town, Suzhou Museum.
Address:
Zhou Zhuang Town, Kunshan City, Jiangsu, China.
Traffic:
(1). You can possibly run off to Shanghai first, Mainly Awkward languages to learn Airline carriers Have now Just take Plane tickets to Shanghai. Several contact shanghai, Imaginable Really should be Guodao (national highway) 318 Maybe Shangzhou Gonglu (secondary road) to Zhouzhuang.
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Myrtle Beach real estate real estate foreclosures - Alaska Bird Seed
Monday, February 20th, 2012 at 12:39 pm ?
Myrtle Beach real estate foreclosures currently offer a time to buy. It is not a new bleak site regarding homes at disposal; they are all chic as well as fantastic in their evaluation. It?s the connotation that come with a foreclosure or a small sale that is unsettling. Myrtle Beach real estate property foreclosures for sale are direct results of government?s flawed policies that led to the sub-prime situation. People who were never ever good enough for fetching homes got the most effective deals of their lifestyles. Sadly, the publishing was always fairly there on the wall membrane and staring at us all. It was a matter of a serious amounts of what it brought to us all is Myrtle Beach foreclosures for sale.
Those homeowners who were found means behind the home loan repayments were sent some sort of pre-foreclosure notice and in case of not paying the particular due, their homes were confiscated for foreclosure. The best part regarding the Myrtle Beach foreclosures programs are amazing that you have got experts who provide a private touch and make this affairs settled beautifully. These are tough times for any homeowner who has to permit go a sought after possession. It is in this article that professionals attempt to ensure that the Myrtle Beach property foreclosures for sale are sold because of the homeowners themselves mainly because it fetches them a greater price.
For being capable of singing this, they have to fully understand their impending decrease of the pre-foreclosure phase and begin finding property potential buyers. This can enable them a higher lump sum along with a decent sale worth. Apart from the connotations regarding foreclosure, there is nothing in Myrtle Beach to advise a speck of bleakness. The property market is picking up after economic downturn and real estate flippers are saved to a bloom. There are lots of Myrtle Beach foreclosures plus a very few are distress or panic product sales.
Rent-to-own format is tactically picking up for the Myrtle Beach real estate foreclosures available. The Myrtle Beach virginia homes can be leased beneath this kind of format and the future buyers really should make a contract together with the sellers. These legal papers suggest a stipulated or a floating rent composition till the time in potential when the purchase one time is paid. The idea is to find Myrtle Beach homes for sale; the water facing ones as well as the interior ones, without having any lump sum. Certainly, you need to pay rent payments till the contracted period of purchase however a part of it taken from the eventual expense.
Some of the homeowners putting up Myrtle Beach real estate foreclosures for sale do not subtract the paid procurment suggesting inflation within the contracted tenure to be a big cause of offsetting this paid amount. Even under such problems, rent-to-own format is a winner as you get to buy a property at today?s worthy of in a date established on future. For putting up a Myrtle Seashore homes for sale, you should get these people evaluated first. It is spending some money in renovation and household staging to retrieve a better worth review. Turning out the flooring in chic styles and working on the retaining wall textures can be a several ideas of home renovation required for putting up Myrtle Beach real estate foreclosures.
For more information about Myrtle Beach real estate foreclosures visit our website.
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Source: http://www.alaskabirdseed.com/myrtle-beach-real-estate-real-estate-foreclosures.html
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Sunday, February 19, 2012
Terror suspect arrested near Capitol in FBI sting
Capitol Police officer Angel Morales, stands on guard on the West side of the Capitol in Washington Friday, Feb. 17, 2012. A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested Friday in an FBI sting operation near the U.S. Capitol while planning to detonate what police say he thought were live explosives. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Capitol Police officer Angel Morales, stands on guard on the West side of the Capitol in Washington Friday, Feb. 17, 2012. A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested Friday in an FBI sting operation near the U.S. Capitol while planning to detonate what police say he thought were live explosives. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
A Capitol Police officer keeps watch on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Feb. 17, 2012. A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested Friday in an FBI sting operation near the U.S. Capitol while planning to detonate what police say he thought were live explosives. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The entrance to Colonial Parking garage near the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, where the FBI a man suspected of plotting a suicide attack at the Capitol. A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested Friday in an FBI sting operation near the U.S. Capitol while planning to detonate what police say he thought were live explosives. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
An alley near the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, where the FBI arrested a man suspected of plotting a suicide attack against the Capitol. Washington. A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested Friday in an FBI sting operation near the U.S. Capitol while planning to detonate what police say he thought were live explosives. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Moroccan man accused of trying to blow up the U.S. Capitol told acquaintances that America's war on terrorism actually was a war on Muslims and they needed to be ready for battle.
Then the 29-year-old unemployed man started preparations of his own ? and he thought everything was going according to plan. A man brought him an automatic weapon. He got a suicide vest, scouted out targets and practiced setting off explosives.
On Friday, Amine El Khalifi's goal to detonate the vest at the Capitol ended with his arrest in an FBI sting, said U.S. authorities who had been monitoring him for nearly a year. Undercover operatives ? not an al-Qaida representative as he believed ? gave him a gun and explosives that didn't work, according to an affidavit. He had those items with him when he was taken into custody at a parking garage near the Capitol, a counterterrorism official said.
He was charged in a criminal complaint with knowingly and unlawfully attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against property that is owned and used by the United States. He made a brief appearance Friday afternoon in federal court in Alexandria, Va., where a judge set a bail hearing for Wednesday.
El Khalifi, who is not believed to be associated with al-Qaida, expressed interest in killing at least 30 people. Two people briefed on the matter told The Associated Press the FBI has had him under surveillance around the clock for several weeks. They spoke on a condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
He came to the U.S. when he was 16 years old and overstayed his visitor visa, which expired in 1999, making him in the country illegally, according to court documents.
Before settling on a suicide bombing plot, he considered targeting an office building in Alexandria, where military officials worked and a restaurant in Washington to target military officials who gathered there. He even purchased nails for the operation, according to the affidavit.
But he settled on the Capitol after canvassing that area a couple of times, the counterterrorism official said. He met with an undercover law enforcement officer, who gave him an automatic weapon that didn't work. El Khalifi carried the firearm around the room, practiced pulling the trigger and looking at himself in the mirror.
He later asked his associates for more explosives that could be detonated by dialing a cellphone number. In January, he told an undercover agent he wanted to know if an explosion would be large enough to destroy an entire building. The same month, he went with undercover operatives to a quarry in West Virginia to practice detonating explosives, according to court documents.
El Khalifi's activities drew the suspicions of a former landlord in Arlington, who called police a year and a half ago.
Frank Dynda said when he told El Khalifi to leave, the suspect said he had a right to stay and threatened to beat up Dynda. The former landlord said he thought El Khalifi was making bombs, but police told him to leave the man alone. Dynda had El Khalifi evicted in 2010.
El Khalifi had at least one man staying with him and claimed he was running a luggage business from the apartment, Dynda said, doubting that was true because he never saw any bags.
"I reported to police I think he's making bombs," Dynda said. "I was ready to get my shotgun and run him out of the building, but that would have been a lot of trouble."
Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center imam Johari Abdul-Malik, who along with other Muslim leaders meets regularly with the FBI, said he was contacted by an agency official after El Khalifi's arrest and was told that Khalifi was not someone he needed to worry about.
He said the official told him that Khalifi was "not a regular at your mosque or any mosque in the area."
He said he offered to supply the FBI with surveillance video of the mosque in Falls Church, Va., in case it helped with their investigation but was told that was it not necessary.
Police are close to arresting one of El Khalifi's associates on charges unrelated to the terror conspiracy, the counterterrorism official said. The associate was said to also be a Moroccan, living here illegally. Police are investigating others El Khalifi associated with, but not because they believe the associates were part of a terror conspiracy, the official said.
___
Tucker reported from Arlington, Va. Associated Press writers Eileen Sullivan, Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, Laurie Kellman, Jessica Gresko, Eric Tucker, Sarah Brumfield and Brett Zongker contributed to this report.
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Business Opportuinity- Profits Roll In | Franchise Auctions
Posted by admin on February 19, 2012
Top 15 Answers to Successful Franchise Marketing
Franchisees buy into franchises for varied reasons. A franchisee might like a product or service or respect a business model. Yet every potential franchisee, regardless of their reasons for being interested in a business, should delve into the marketing strategies of the franchise. Do not assume that every franchisor is a marketing genius.
Franchisors can be at different stages ? having 5 units, 20 units, or 50 units. If it is a relatively new franchise, the franchisor may not have yet determined the customer base or the most effective manner of marketing. If there are not many franchisees, a national advertising campaign may not be justified at this time. The franchisor could, however, have an established and detailed plan for the future.
Having more units might indicate more mastery of marketing but that train of thought does not always prove true in reality. The number of units should not be the determining factor in deciding the marketing success of a franchise. The ratio of units to failures is the true indication of the strength of their marketing strategies.
The important consideration revolves around the number who got lost in the process. The ultimate bottom line will depend on the success and sustainability of their marketing plan. Franchisors should be able to provide investors with proven and measurable results of their marketing methodologies. A franchisee needs to ask the franchisor about different aspects of their marketing strategy.
How To Gauge Marketing Success: Top 15 Questions
1. Who makes up the demographics?
2. How do they determine the region?
3. How do they generate leads and sales?
4. What are the margins?
5. What are their plans for expansion?
6. How do they get customers in the door?
7. How will they get you to the customer?
8. What is the rough timeline for this process?
9. What does the franchisor do on a local level?
10. What does the franchisor do on a national level?
11. Is there a marketing fund?
12. Who decides about spending the marketing fund?
13. What is the marketing strategy for a start-up franchise?
14. How does it differ from one established in a local market?
15. How will they market if you purchase a resale?
Each of these 15 questions has a special significance and shines the spotlight on the marketing methodology of a particular business opportunity. For instance, knowing the rough timeline will help a franchisee determine the working capital requirements. Do not expect a franchisor to share detailed information in an initial meeting. Yet a brief overview of the marketing strategy should be provided at the beginning. During an initial conversation, a franchisee should gain a basic understanding of the franchisor?s plans to grow market share or build the brand.
Franchisees should explore the process of development for the franchise and their marketing strategy. Franchisees need to know about the plans to assist them in the market. A franchisee must gauge the marketing success of the business. They must determine if this franchisor knows the answers to successful and sustainable marketing. A franchisee must also question themselves about their comfort level with the business as well as the capital and effort which they are willing to devote to the franchise. Franchisees must explore these important issues before they buy into any business opportunity.
Richard Verkley, the Go-to Franchising Man, is the franchise business expert to go to for all your franchise business opportunity needs. Consistently number one in new franchise sales within numerous small business and franchise opportunities, Richard is renowned worldwide for his expertise in the franchising industry. During his 23 years of experience with every level of franchise opportunity, Richard has received numerous awards including International Master Licensee of the Year and Global Master Franchisee of the Year. The creator of a global business coaching franchise, Richard Verkley is the worlds choice for franchising information and advice.
Source: http://www.auction-endowment.com/?p=205
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Saturday, February 18, 2012
Secure A Financial Retirement Through Investment Services - Best ...
Posted by Justine Collins on February 18th, 2012
Having a secure future probably tops the priority list of every individual. Knowing these, every employee hence desires to design for himself a failure-proof strategy that can overcome unexpected and ominous happenings in the future. In other words, an individual devoid of adequate planning is on his path to a bumpy ride later on in life. It goes on without saying then that convenient and secure living is the outcome of a well-formulated and appropriately executed scheme that ensures only positive results.
Like everyone else, you want to experience peace and financial prosperity during your retirement. If you really desire financial security even when you retire, you have the option to choose reliable investment services to serve as the key to your bright future. The supervision of investment professionals can definitely help you plan a practical approach to your course of retirement.
Under the supervision of real investment experts, expect that you can make perfectly sound investment choices. Investment services not only help you select possible options such as an IRA or a pension, these services also accustom you to the overall essentials of investment planning you ought to know.
If you are in doubt, think of the great possibilities that may inspire you to plan. In case you do not know, early investment planning permits you to enjoy, later on in life, what you value now. Do you know that through retirement investment planning you can have the chance to enjoy your life the way you want to even after you retire? Expect decreased financial difficulties in the future once you choose to plan for your retirement. All you have with you, after all, is a thoroughly planned financial investment plan that can expand your assets in a certain time frame.
Are you keen on living a convenient life after retirement? Do you aspire to have the opportunity to enjoy pleasurable existence when you conclude your employment? Do want to live the life you?ve always wanted? Are you keen on developing the benefits of current opportunities many times for the future? More importantly, would you like you and your family to experience the good life? No doubt, your answer is yes. Of course, you have personal goals you want you to lay out for you and your family even after you retire. What better method to accomplish these aspirations than hiring investment services aligned with your own retirement plans?
Click for further information on health insurance or insurance planning.
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Friday, February 17, 2012
Technical Writing is a Specialized form of Communication
Published by Robertson
Technical writing is a very vital part of communication. For using certain goods and services we may face some technical hurdles. Technical communication becomes essential in such cases. Technical assistance is provided by writers who are expert in this field. Technical writing or content cannot be a limited to articles explaining the technical process. These articles need to be supported with diagrams, self-explanatory charts, multimedia guides etc. Hence technical writing services will include writing, providing illustrations, designing, and editing the final piece of information. Technical writing involves making user manuals, administration charts, program and installation guides, and manuals for software applications. Good technical writing is well appreciated only when it presents complex information in clear and concise way.
Such writing is necessary for computer programming , electronic, scientific research and financial industries.
For technical writing, studying the audience to whom the article is targeted is very important. The writer has to have sound knowledge about the product, the customer or the reader and the reason behind developing the technical document for the reader. Another basic feature that has to be kept in mind is the cost involved. The technical writer needs to tailor the content to readers belonging to various background. The writer has to excel here by providing information in such a way that it is useful for all. For instance, a technical writer may be making a instruction guide for installing a software. He has to be cautious not to use any technical jargons and even if he does the meaning should follow in a sub bracket.
The writer needs to be careful about the choice of vocabulary and the style of writing. The articles should be also appropriate in length and include some case studies to make it meaningful. Demonstration is the ideal way to deal with such technical matters. An illustrative manual is always preferred to a page full of words.
Another specialized area of technical writing is financial writing. Financial documents are full of data and figures and all of them together convey some specific meaning. Interpreting them is the task of subject matter expert. These experts are stalwarts in commercial domain and could involve in writing simpler articles to convey the crux of the financial documents along with its implication. They could advise and guide other writers in preparing some lucid articles that makes greater sense to the wider audience. Business writing services are provided by professionals having good knowledge of the industry and the respective companies.
Jenny Stewart hired some people who specialised in technical writing to make manuals and guide books for their products and softwares. These handy manuals helped customers in using the products with greater ease. Reputation of the products have been enhanced.
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Amanda Knox Signs Huge Book Deal with HarperCollins
Amanda Knox was arrested on murder charges in 2007, convicted in 2009, freed in 2011 (after that initial conviction was overturned) -- and now, she's ready to tell her story. The New York Times reports that Knox, 24, has sold her memoir to HarperCollins for nearly $4 million after a heated, days-long bidding war between publishing houses.
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Thursday, February 16, 2012
Online Games Online|Enterntaining Video Games|Internet Online ...
Posted by on Feb 15, 2012 in Games Reviews, Internet Tips | 0 comments 
In this article you can enjoy our list of our recommendation for the most enterntaining online compurer games One of the popular games online nowadays is Cyber Nations?. You define and control your nation and your skills to orginize will face different kind of challanges during that amazing game. My other suggestion is this free games source?. You can download many games to your computer and play it for free. Other source of free games is this By visiting this link you can learn more about one really great online driving game called ?Victory?. My advice is to go to the nearest shop and buy groceries for several days upforward before installing the game. It is high addictive. Also you can check this site where you can play various games without even bother for registration. A pretty cool games are gathered in King website. I personally spend many hours just jumping from game to game to assure that they have only really fun games. Unfortuantelly I don?t have as much time for gaming as I want to have. Anyway, follow our link and explore this great source of online gaming. Some of the games have multiplayer feature where you can play online with other opponents. 
One other very good source of many games is Kongregnate?where you can choose among many kind of games including sports, shooting, arcade etc.
One website that have many funny games including ?Family Guy vs. American Dad? is BallerArcade.
There you can find also many kind of racing and action games as well.
Maybe the most games you can find in GamesList
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