Stevie Wonder cancels show at Israel Defense Forces fundraiser

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran singer and United Nations Messenger of Peace Stevie Wonder has canceled a planned performance for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces after several organizations asked him not to perform.

The soul singer, 62, was scheduled to sing at a December 6 fundraising gala in Los Angeles hosted by the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), an organization set up to help those serving in the Israel Defense Forces and families of fallen soldiers.

"Given the current and very delicate situation in the Middle East, and with a heart that has always cried out for world unity, I will not be performing at the FIDF Gala," Wonder said in a statement sent to Reuters by his spokeswoman.

Wonder said he would make contributions to organizations that support Israeli and Palestinian children with disabilities.

The singer added that as a Messenger of Peace, a title he's held since 2009, "I am and have always been against war, any war, anywhere."

According to a statement from the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, a coalition that aims to change U.S. policy toward Palestine and Israel and support human rights and equality, Wonder's decision came after a "growing outcry" from several organizations and three international signed petitions.

The protest is part of a "cultural boycott" led by organizations that oppose Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, the statement said.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Todd Eastham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stevie-wonder-cancels-show-israel-defense-forces-fundraiser-011742028.html

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South Africa makes progress in HIV, AIDS fight

In this photo taken Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 an unidentified patient prepares to be tested for TB, at the US sponsored Themba Lethu, HIV/AIDS Clinic, at the Helen Joseph hospital, in Johannesburg. In the early 90s when South Africa?s Themba Lethu clinic could only treat HIV/AIDS patients for opportunistic diseases, many would come in on wheelchairs and keep coming to the health center until they died. Two decades later the clinic is the biggest ARV (anti-retroviral) treatment center in the country and sees between 600 to 800 patients a day from all over southern Africa. Those who are brought in on wheelchairs, sometimes on the brink of death, get the crucial drugs and often become healthy and are walking within weeks. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 an unidentified patient prepares to be tested for TB, at the US sponsored Themba Lethu, HIV/AIDS Clinic, at the Helen Joseph hospital, in Johannesburg. In the early 90s when South Africa?s Themba Lethu clinic could only treat HIV/AIDS patients for opportunistic diseases, many would come in on wheelchairs and keep coming to the health center until they died. Two decades later the clinic is the biggest ARV (anti-retroviral) treatment center in the country and sees between 600 to 800 patients a day from all over southern Africa. Those who are brought in on wheelchairs, sometimes on the brink of death, get the crucial drugs and often become healthy and are walking within weeks. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 Christinah Motsoahae, has blood taken for testing, at the US sponsored "Right to Care", Themba Lethu, HIV/AIDS Clinic, at the Helen Joseph hospital, in Johanneburg. In the early 90s when South Africa?s Themba Lethu clinic could only treat HIV/AIDS patients for opportunistic diseases, many would come in on wheelchairs and keep coming to the health center until they died. Two decades later the clinic is the biggest ARV (anti-retroviral) treatment center in the country and sees between 600 to 800 patients a day from all over southern Africa. Those who are brought in on wheelchairs, sometimes on the brink of death, get the crucial drugs and often become healthy and are walking within weeks. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, Tshepo Hoato, left, and colleague, Mongezi Sosibo, pose for a photo in Johannesburg. The two help run a support group for teens at the US sponsored Themba Lethu, HIV/AIDS Clinic, at the Helen Joseph hospital, in Johannesburg. In the early 90s when South Africa?s Themba Lethu clinic could only treat HIV/AIDS patients for opportunistic diseases, many would come in on wheelchairs and keep coming to the health center until they died. Two decades later the clinic is the biggest ARV (anti-retroviral) treatment center in the country and sees between 600 to 800 patients a day from all over southern Africa. Those who are brought in on wheelchairs, sometimes on the brink of death, get the crucial drugs and often become healthy and are walking within weeks. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 Christinah Motsoahae, back receives her medication from a pharmacist at the US sponsored Themba Lethu, HIV/AIDS Clinic, at the Helen Joseph hospital, in Johannesburg. In the early 90s when South Africa?s Themba Lethu clinic could only treat HIV/AIDS patients for opportunistic diseases, many would come in on wheelchairs and keep coming to the health center until they died. Two decades later the clinic is the biggest ARV (anti-retroviral) treatment center in the country and sees between 600 to 800 patients a day from all over southern Africa. Those who are brought in on wheelchairs, sometimes on the brink of death, get the crucial drugs and often become healthy and are walking within weeks. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, Dr. Dave Spencer, a physician who treats patients at the US sponsored Themba Lethu, HIV/AIDS Clinic at the Helen Joseph hospital in Johanneburg, talks during an interview with the Associated Press. In the early 90s when South Africa?s Themba Lethu clinic could only treat HIV/AIDS patients for opportunistic diseases, many would come in on wheelchairs and keep coming to the health center until they died. Two decades later the clinic is the biggest ARV (anti-retroviral) treatment center in the country and sees between 600 to 800 patients a day from all over southern Africa. Those who are brought in on wheelchairs, sometimes on the brink of death, get the crucial drugs and often become healthy and are walking within weeks. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? In the early '90s when South Africa's Themba Lethu clinic could only treat HIV/AIDS patients for opportunistic diseases, many would come in on wheelchairs and keep coming to the health center until they died.

Two decades later the clinic is the biggest anti-retroviral, or ARV, treatment center in the country and sees between 600 to 800 patients a day from all over southern Africa. Those who are brought in on wheelchairs, sometimes on the brink of death, get the crucial drugs and often become healthy and are walking within weeks.

"The ARVs are called the 'Lazarus drug' because people rise up and walk," said Sue Roberts who has been a nurse at the clinic , run by Right to Care in Johannesburg's Helen Joseph Hospital, since it opened its doors in 1992. She said they recently treated a woman who was pushed in a wheelchair for 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) to avoid a taxi fare and who was so sick it was touch and go. Two weeks later, the woman walked to the clinic, Roberts said.

Such stories of hope and progress are readily available on World AIDS Day 2012 in sub-Saharan Africa where deaths from AIDS-related causes have declined by 32 percent from 1.8 million in 2005 to 1.2 million in 2011, according to the latest UNAIDS report.

As people around the world celebrate a reduction in the rate of HIV infections, the growth of the clinic, which was one of only a few to open its doors 20 years ago, reflects how changes in treatment and attitude toward HIV and AIDS have moved South Africa forward. The nation, which has the most people living with HIV in the world at 5.6 million, still faces stigma and high rates of infection.

"You have no idea what a beautiful time we're living in right now," said Dr. Kay Mahomed, a doctor at the clinic who said treatment has improved drastically over the past several years.

President Jacob Zuma's government decided to give the best care, including TB screening and care at the clinic, and not to look at the cost, she said. South Africa has increased the numbers treated for HIV by 75 percent in the last two years, UNAIDS said, and new HIV infections have fallen by more than 50,000 in those two years. South Africa has also increased its domestic expenditure on AIDS to $1.6 billion, the highest by any low-and middle-income country, the group said.

Themba Lethu clinic, with funding from the government, the United States Agency for International Development and the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, is now among some 2,500 anti-retroviral therapy facilities in the country that treat approximately 1.9 million people.

"Now, you can't not get better. It's just one of these win-win situations. You test, you treat and you get better, end of story," Mahomed said.

But it hasn't always been that way.

In the 1990s South Africa's problem was compounded by years of misinformation by President Thabo Mbeki, who questioned the link between HIV and AIDS, and his health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who promoted a "treatment" of beets and garlic.

Christinah Motsoahae first found out she was HIV positive in 1996, and said she felt nothing could be done about it.

"I didn't understand it at that time because I was only 24, and I said, 'What the hell is that?'" she said.

Sixteen years after her first diagnosis, she is now on anti-retroviral drugs and her life has turned around. She says the clinic has been instrumental.

"My status has changed my life, I have learned to accept people the way they are. I have learned not to be judgmental. And I have learned that it is God's purpose that I have this," the 40-year-old said.

She works with a support group of "positive ladies" in her hometown near Krugersdorp. She travels to the clinic as often as needed and her optimism shines through her gold eye shadow and wide smile. "I love the way I'm living now."

Motsoahae credits Nelson Mandela's family for inspiring her to face up to her status. The anti-apartheid icon galvanized the AIDS community in 2005 when he publicly acknowledged his son died of AIDS.

None of Motsoahae's children was born with HIV. The number of children newly infected with HIV has declined significantly. In six countries in sub-Saharan Africa ? South Africa, Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, Togo and Zambia ?the number of children with HIV declined by 40 to 59 percent between 2009 and 2011, the UNAIDS report said.

But the situation remains dire for those over the age of 15, who make up the 5.3 million infected in South Africa. Fear and denial lend to the high prevalence of HIV for that age group in South Africa, said the clinic's Kay Mahomed.

About 3.5 million South Africans still are not getting therapy, and many wait too long to come in to clinics or don't stay on the drugs, said Dr. Dave Spencer, who works at the clinic .

"People are still afraid of a stigma related to HIV," he said, adding that education and communication are key to controlling the disease.

Themba Lethu clinic reaches out to the younger generation with a teen program.

Tshepo Hoato, 21, who helps run the program found out he was HIV positive after his mother died in 2000. He said he has been helped by the program in which teens meet one day a month.

"What I've seen is a lot people around our ages, some commit suicide as soon as they find out they are HIV. That's a very hard stage for them so we came up with this program to help one another," he said. "We tell them our stories so they can understand and progress and see that no, man, it's not the end of the world."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-01-South%20Africa-AIDS%20Clinic/id-27ac6b4970e847e6b20cb3d9281d5cc2

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Mid Century Magic - B-Metro

Mid Century Magic

By Lee Ann Brown, Photography by Billy Brown, Styling by Mindi Shapiro

I first fell in love with Mid-Century Modern architecture when I was a kid, although I didn?t know it then. When I think back, my earliest recollections of being aware of liking a style of house was when I saw the father?s house in the original Parent Trap movie and, the iconic Brady house in the television show The Brady Bunch.

Whenever I watched The Brady Bunch, I always found myself looking at the house, the way it was laid out, the indoor planter, the exposed rock, and my favorite feature, the open staircase. These were features that I had never seen in a house before, certainly not in my own house or even in my neighborhood. Even though the houses were all based on the idea of MCM, sadly all the ?cool? features were left out. I had no idea that it was a ?style,? and in fact, I?m pretty sure I had probably never heard the word ?architecture?, except on the show, since Mr. Brady was an architect. I certainly was not aware at that young age of the term Mid-Century Modern. But I was drawn to it and the way it seemed to play a role in the life of the family.

After years of living in several different styles of houses as an adult, I have found myself being drawn back to the Mid-Century Modern style house that I grew up in, particularly the Ranch? style house. I can hear the groans from here, and I can relate, because the ranch?style house I grew up in, is probably a lot like the ones most people my age grew up in?a one-level with no distinguishing characteristics, just a boring brick house with small rooms. And that is most people?s view of this type of home. But, I have come to appreciate that even in that small, plain ranch?style house I grew up in, there was an underlying feeling of ease, and a casual laid back style to living that you just don?t seem to get with a soaring three?story house,? with a sky?high deck off the back that keeps you from enjoying your yard, and Palladian windows that don?t open to let in fresh air. You are practically hermetically sealed off from the outside world in today?s homes, starting with the moment you pull into the garage and close the doors behind you.

I must say that I am certainly no student of architecture or historian of architectural styles. What I am is an enthusiast of the Mid-Century Modern style, and I have developed a strong interest in the casual, laidback lifestyle that this type of home seems to invite. In fact, there are many different variations on the MCM style?some ranch style, some more modern?but that casual feeling is what they all seem to have in common and what I remember most fondly about the house I grew up in. And that?s what I have found myself wanting to have in my own home now. Certain features of the MCM?style house offers this casual lifestyle.

First and foremost, the home is usually a one-level house, though there are styles with second floors, and even basements. The main goal is to have the main living areas flow directly to the outside, ground level. Ideally, most of the rooms would have access to the outdoors, but at the very least the kitchen, den/living rooms, and master bedroom would all open to the outdoor patio. Not a deck. No steps to have to maneuver down to actually touch the grass. Other features include lots of glass, sliding doors, built in planters, atriums, exposed stone, natural floors. It?s all about blending the indoors and out. Bringing as much of nature in as possible. And it?s about embracing an ease of living that closes out the workday world, and is all about enjoying time with family and friends, or a peaceful retreat to enjoy the peace and quiet surrounded by light and nature. In fact, a lot of these homes present a closed off wall to the front, but are almost all glass and open to the back.

What I loved most about the ranch?style house I grew up in is the sliding glass doors to the outside patio. Most of the time the doors were open to the screen sliding door, and my dad was always out on the patio grilling steaks on his built?in gas grill (we got the very first one when the gas line was available on our street), and always, always Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr, Nat Cole, and the rest of the Swing Set were playing through the house on my dad?s beloved stereo console.

Everyone was always welcome at our house. We didn?t even lock the doors. On weekend mornings? I can remember waking up to a party that had already started. That is another thing about this type of house, it is great for entertaining. And my parents enjoyed this feature very much.

But this type of house is great for enjoying family time, too. Backyard games are especially fun since you don?t have to go up flights of stairs every time you need to use the bathroom, or forget something inside. Favorites include grilling out burgers and dogs, playing badminton, croquet, ping-pong or tag. And a swimming pool is groovy cool, too.

To me, Mid-Century Modern represents a chic and sophisticated style of living that celebrates quiet time alone, surrounded by nature, as easily as it embraces the casual ease of family living. It is an indoor/outdoor lifestyle, shoes optional with no stuffy worries about dogs, kids, or dirty feet running in and out. There?s grilling on the patio or a game of charades in the family room; and sophisticated but cool and casual adult entertainment. Have your friends over for cocktails, with a well stocked bar, swinging tunes on the sound system and maybe a game of cards or dominoes and sparkling conversation. Here we can make room for sharing good times and plenty of laughter. Oh, the glamour of it all!

My parents were always getting my brothers and me to take them their cocktails: Bloody Mary?s, Salty Dogs, Tom Collins, and I must admit that I sneaked my fair share of sips when I got the chance. So, a good cocktail is synonymous with entertaining in a MCM Style House. Along with the classics enjoy this recipe for a ?Rancher,? tastes like a Jolly Rancher. Cheers! 3 oz. Amaretto 1 oz. Cranberry Juice 3 oz. Watermelon Schnapps 2 oz. ice Pour into cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour into chilled martini glass.

Luckily more and more people are starting to appreciate what this style of architecture has to offer aesthetically as well as functionally, and hopefully more are being saved from the wrecking ball to build another McMansion. However, MCM is not a style suited just for private homes. Some of the most iconic buildings in the world are Mid-Century Modern, and we are fortunate to have a few MCM gems tucked here and there right here in Birmingham. These are some of the coolest, and most architecturally interesting, buildings and homes built by some of our own architects. The artistry and vision of these architects come to life in these buildings and create that same sense of design and space for the people that work in them that the houses do for the people that live in them. Next time you are out and about in the city, take a few minutes to enjoy looking at these ultra hip Mid-Century Modern buildings that help define the skyline and character of our Magic City.

Make your own slideshow with music at Animoto.

? Posted on Saturday, December 1st, 2012.

Source: http://b-metro.com/mid-century-magic/8515/

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Find Out How An Internet Marketing Vancouver Firm Can Help You ...

Miscellaneous Written by Anonymous ??Friday, 30 November 2012 23:05 The Internet and worldwide web has changed a lot about our daily lives. From the way we shop and communicate to the way we market our wares and engage in commerce have all been changed by the web. This great tool gives persons the ability to do things that were undreamt of just a short while ago. Te power to reach out to millions of potential customers with just a few clicks of a keyboard or digital pad enables individuals to enhance their marketing prowess in extraordinary ways. Internet Marketing Vancouver can help individuals and firms further their business through the use of web-based tools. Using a Vancouver Internet marketing firm can put you in touch with trends and consumer groups you may not even be aware of.

Among the many web-based tools used by Vancouver Internet marketing firms is SEO. Search engine optimization is the ultimate front in trying to gain notoriety and publicity in the virtual medium of the worldwide web. Search engine optimization can help put your company or product in the top listings for individual searches. However, this can only be accomplished through a careful analysis of the algorithms used by the SEO forums. Google and other search engines are making constant upgrades to their systems which can make it difficult to keep maintain or advance the ranking of your site. Indeed, Google updates require change to SEO methods regularly. In order to keep up with the latest updates you will need to work with a Vancouver Internet marketing firm with in-depth knowledge and expertise. If you have SEO experts on your side, you can stay ahead of the game. Such professionals can keep you very much in the vanguard of being found.

Nowadays, few companies can afford not to incorporate the web in their overall marketing strategy. Knowing the best ways of achieving search engine optimization is vital in executing such plans and attracting online users to your site. The most important thing for a company, in regard to its web presence, is to be found before its competitors are. This is essential if a company is to outpace its rivals in attracting new customers and new business. Now, there are many who believe that they can apply a few tricks and techniques to their online postings and all will be fine. But keeping or advancing your search engine rankings can be very complicated, and it is best to have the work properly done by professionals with the knowledge and insight to provide sound solutions.

Fortunately, it is not that difficult to get the help you need. The place to begin your search is, of course, the worldwide web. The web will allow you to bring all of the experts who work with SEO and other web-based marketing tools to your computer screen. It will also allow you to review the quality, service, and value of such vendors. Using the web will also enable you to find out the reputation of those offering such service. And this can be essential in helping you make the final decision on who to go with.

An Internet Marketing Vancouver can help your company keep up with the latest trends and advancements in web-based marketing.

Article Tags :

Last Updated on Friday, 30 November 2012 23:05

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Source: http://www.workoninternet.com/business/reviews/miscellaneous/220462-article.html

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The About Us Page in a Social World | Social Media Today

Since my column about the Power of the About Us page (remember 2006 when MySpace was really popular) was written, not a week goes by that I don?t receive a comment about it. ?Every website needs an ?About Us? page, it?s one of the most important but undervalued elements of a company?s website. This is especially true in a world where social media profiles allow us to connect content to people. The ?About Us??page needs to show and tell about a company?s human side.

?About Us? is often the most neglected page on any website; if the page exists at all. It can put a human face on an otherwise technical, dry, and impersonal website. Properly written, it can provide some serious buying resolve to certain customer segments.

Humans want to connect with other humans. That?s easy to forget in an overly-transaction-focused business world. This critically important page allows visitors to connect if done well. ?However, this really important page seems to be the most difficult for so many to write about themselves.

As brands (from startups to multi-nationals), we should want people to like us, to share our values, to feel validated by doing business with us. How are we supposed to get them to do this if we don?t connect with them on a human level in a ?human voice??

What Your ?About Us? Page Should be About

This is where you get to tell your story, why you exist, what problems you solve.

The purpose of the ?About Us? page is to break down the facade of confidence-destroying anonymity of the web and of corporations. The visitor who clicks on that page is giving you their permission to share with them all about your company, in the spirit of transparency and with an authentic voice that allows you to share all that makes you the organization that you are.

Most companies are never shy about talking about themselves until it comes to this page. However, when a visitor clicks on your ?About Us? page it doesn?t mean you shouldn?t focus on why they are there and what problems they need solved. Please try to remember they want to know about you but from their perspective.

7 Questions to Start Writing Your ?About Us? Page

Your company exists as it is for several reasons other than to make money. You could sell one of a million different products or services, but you chose (or created) your products for a reason. That reason is the story your company has to tell and the value it has to offer. Your ?About Us??page is the perfect place to tell that story. If you tell that story with integrity and passion and speak to your customer personas? needs, you?ll have a powerful piece that will increase conversion.

Please answer for your visitor:

1. Why do you do what you do? Really!
2. Who are the people behind the company? Even huge companies can do this well.
3. What kind of people are you? Who will I be working with or buying from?
4. What are you most proud of as an organization?
5. Why should your customers care about you or get know you better?
6. What does your company stand for?
7. What does your company stand against? ? Read through AimClear?s ??Our Philosophies? (bottom of the page) and you can see who their ?enemy? is.

Quick tip: It may help if you query your customer/fan base to share 3-5 words that describe what they think about when they think about ?your brand.?

7 Things your ?About Us? page Should Do:

• Let customers see a more human side of your company. ?This is where you get to become more likable by including ?individual information and personal interests.? E-Trade?s advertising makes it seem like a fun company, but the E-Trade ?About Us? page displays none of that human personality. See how Dropbox shows and tell about the people in their company. As you navigate the page hover over the picture of anyone on the team and you get a fun blurb about the person. Or check out the bio?s and little known facts about the Raven Tool?s team.
  • How do you choose the voice of your ?about us? page? Here are some more ideas:
    • What is the overall emotional stance that your company has towards its industry/market?
    • If your company were an actual person, who would it be?
    • Is there a favorite quote you or the people in your company have?
    • Is there one particular moment in the life of your company that would capture its essence in a nutshell?
    • Do certain words or phrases keep popping up in your daily conversations, your salespeople?s sales calls, your blog posts, etc.
    • Use the verbiage your customers use. Mine your live chat logs, emails, customer service calls, in site search, and especially customer product reviews if you have them.
    • As an exercise, do a ?25 Random Things About Our Company.? Then pull out the nuggets and insert them into your about us page. Or leave the whole list as a link or tab from your about us page.
    • Make sure your voice on the about us page is consistent with the rest of the site. Yes, you can afford to be a little more conversational and personal/passionate, but the overall writing style should be relatively consistent.
• Tell your company?s story. ?Check out how creative PPC ad optimization company DataPop begins to tell the story of why they exist and who the people behind this startup are. SeoMoz does a nice job at sharing who they are, why they exist and sharing their company history. They go over the top in a good way at letting visitors get to know their Mozzers team members, such as Joanna Lord, their Director of Acquisition and Retention. My only wish is that they provided links to the social profiles of their team members.
  • One way to do this is to use a company history timeline. such as this one from 37 Signals, it is a great way to highlight achievements without braggadocio.
• Connect people to your leadership. See how Evernote includes links to their Twitter, LinkedIn or other relevant websites next to their executives? names. Check out the Mark Poirier?s profile page from the Acquisio Management team to see how they connect their founders to their social profiles.
  • Humans are attracted to humans, so why do so few sites include photos of company employees? This is a social networking nirvana. Let?s check out how social the social media platforms are: LinkedIn which is all about connecting people, shoots off bullet point after bullet point about the company with just 5 links to their founder. ?FaceBook takes you to this cold profile page (they had a real hard time here ? notice the copy under ?About? and ?Mission? are the same. Twitter at least does a good job explaining what they are but not who they are. Instagram?s about us includes a quick paragraph about the two founders and that is it. They don?t show any pictures or link off to any profiles. However, Pinterest does a great job explaining why they exist, what problem they solve and sharing pictures of numerous people from the company.
• Reflect your company?s passion. Ok, when you think of hiring a plumber, passion is not what you naturally think about. Watch this video from the founders of Austin?s Radiant Plumbing?and tell me you wouldn?t think about calling them if you needed a plumber.
  • Make sure to take it easy on the sales pitch and give us you and your company?s story. Show us your passion.
• Reflect your company?s personality. If you?re a fun company, your ?About Us? page should be fun. Do you think MailChimp would be a fun company to work with? Behind their wonderful mascot, they even highlight their customers?so you can try to relate to their stories as well.
  • Many ?About Us? pages seem like a copy-and-paste job from AboutUs.com. Thinking any old creative will do, will not do. The vast majority of ?About Us? pages are simply boring, stiff, and tightly clenched pages.
• Let the customer inside your company. Everything about how BodyBuilding.com?has had the success they have had is about profiling people. Did you begin to watch their core values video?
  • I highly recommend the use of video to show off your human side. Of course, it?s important to tell us what you do, but put that content on another page. When visitors click on ?About Us,? they want to know about you.
• Reiterate your company?s competence to serve the customers by using all the above tools. Take a few minutes and see how Zappos runs you through the A to Z of their company, team and culture. Google also walks you through from their mission, why their are passionate about the 10 things they believe to be true, who their management team is, why they value their corporate culture and what they do for you.
  • They have more pages dedicated to this area than many company overall pages on their website

Tell me why should your customers? care about you? ?Also, please feel free to share your favorite ?About Us? page in the comments below.

?

* Image:?Social media network. Hand painted in people faces showing OK sign

The post The About Us Page in a Social World appeared first on Bryan & Jeffrey Eisenberg.

Source: http://socialmediatoday.com/bryan-eisenberg/1006526/about-us-page-social-world

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Why did they let my wife suffer? ? This Is Jersey

HEALTH has moved to reassure Islanders about a controversial end-of-life care programme after a family have claimed that their dying relative was not given food and water for two days.

The department has said that the Liverpool Care Pathway regime, which allows doctors in some cases to withdraw food and water from dying patients, would not be used without the consent or knowledge of family members.

This follows concerns raised to the JEP by a man whose wife died five weeks ago in the General Hospital and comments left by numerous Islanders about the LCP on www.thisisjersey.com.

After reading the JEP?s article on the Pathway, which Health Minister Anne Pryke defended last week in the States, chartered surveyor Alan Booth became concerned that his wife, Sue (63), had been placed on the programme.

? See Friday?s JEP for full report

Source: http://www.thisisjersey.com/news/2012/11/16/why-did-they-let-my-wife-suffer/

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Google, Twitter, and Facebook's arguments in favor of - The Next Web

The Open Internet Coalition, a mix of the most influential technology companies in the world, sans Apple and Microsoft, has filed a brief with the?Federal Communications Commission (FCC) arguing in favor of its current rules concerning net neutrality.

As The Hill notes, the brief is a response to a lawsuit by Verizon to overturn the law. For a very long, tedious, and broad take on Verizon?s suit, allegations, the current laws, and commentary, head here.

However, it?s worth taking a moment to understand that Verizon views the application of net neutrality laws an abrogation of its right to free speech, and an arrogation of authority to the FCC that it should not have. From our coverage, a short take on this situation:

Verizon filed a brief as part of its lawsuit to overturn the FCC?s rules that pertain to ?net neutrality.? A 2010 ruling, Comcast Corp. v. FCC, laid much of the policy groundwork for current net neutrality rules that bind Internet service providers into giving all traffic equal berth, not slowing or speeding any specific content.

If speech can be defined as the selective slowing, or speeding up of specific pieces of content on a network that consumers have?purchased?contractual access to, then Verizon has a case. If, however, the court feels that the Internet, being the headless horseman that it is (run by non-profits, built on datacenters run by giants, and delivered by myriad ISPs), isn?t something that can be thus constrained, then Verizon has no case.

With that, we begin.

The Response

In the face of the suit,?concerned?parties ? the Open Internet Coalition ? have taken Verizon to task on a point by point basis. The following are condensed excerpts from the filed brief. All bolding is via TNW.

Open Internet Coalition: The FCC has the authority to impose net neutrality rules.

Section 706 commands that the FCC ?shall encourage the deployment? of broadband Internet services ?on a reasonable and timely basis? through ?price cap regulation, regulatory forbearance, measures that promote competition in the local telecommunications market or other regulating methods that remove barriers to infrastructure investment.?

Open Internet Coalition: ?Open Internet? rules are in fact good for infrastrucutre investment, as they drive demand for content.

The main remaining question about Section 706 is whether the rules do what Congress asked the FCC to do: remove barriers to infrastructure investment. Notably, Petitioners never go so far as to say that there is no relationship whatsoever between assuring that content is not treated in a discriminatory fashion by broadband providers and investing in infrastructure.

As the FCC?s brief convincingly explains, both Verizon and MetroPCS have recognized that consumers? desire to use high-bandwidth applications, such as streaming video, leads directly to investment in infrastructure.

In addition to the examples from the record, recent pronouncements by both Petitioners confirm that they still hold a position in tension with the one they espouse here. As Verizon recently informed the FCC, ?it is well documented?and unchallenged by commenters?that skyrocketing demand for wireless broadband services requires carriers to accelerate the addition of network capacity to keep pace with consumer demand.?

Open Internet Coalition: Netflix is proof of this fact.

[Its] millions of viewers cannot knock on Netflix?s door directly. Nor can they rely on antiquated dial-up access to receive high-quality video. They must turn to their phone, cable, or cell phone provider for broadband access. Demand for Netflix and similar services has thus translated directly into increased demand for and investment in broadband deployment.

That matters, due to the fact that infrastructure investment is key. If the Open Internet Coalition can demonstrate that deconstructing net neutrality rules would?hinder investment into infrastructure, than the FCC would loath to make that change, as it has the purview to ?remove barriers? to that growth; thus striking net neutrality would be antithetical to its own job.

Open Internet Coalition: Comcast, another big ISP, agrees with this.

As Comcast has observed in the proceeding below, ?[t]he relationship between broadband ISPs and other creators of Internet content, applications, and services that benefit from broadband ISPs? networks is profoundly symbiotic.?

Open Internet Coalition: Allow for a gatekeeper, and investment in content will go down. This,?implicitly, will lower demand for said content, which will slow infrastructure growth.

The correlation between content and demand for access is unremarkable?no one buys broadband access for the empty pipes? own sake. The prospect of slowing growth in demand, in turn, is a deterrent to new entry.

If the main gatekeepers of broadband access prioritize their favored content, many content providers would be marginalized, stifled, endangered, or rendered extinct for failure to find funding. Thus, content would be suppressed, regardless of new entrants in the access business.

The echoes of free speech that you just picked up are not?irrelevant.

Open Internet Coalition: All this stuff matters right now, as we need this sort of protection today, and not down the road.

Although the opponents of the Open Internet Rules claim that the rules are a solution in search of a problem, discriminatory practices are no longer outliers. Cable modem service providers other than Comcast and Madison River Communications have ?managed? peer-to-peer traffic.

Similarly, Skype and Google Voice found their IP-based voice applications blocked on iPhones using?AT&T?s 3G network.

Open Internet Coalition: This is how the Internet has run, and should be run.

Openness is the ?highly successful status quo? on the Internet. The FCC?s high-level rules merely preserve that status quo. In so doing, the rules provide much needed certainty at a time when broadband roviders have enhanced incentives and ability to act unilaterally against edge-based content, application, and service providers. Preserving the ?virtuous cycle? and bringing a measure of certainty to the evolving Internet ecosystem is well within the FCC?s authority under Section 706.

Open Internet Coalition: Verizon is overstating the potential harm it could incur.

While there is no question that the rules solve a real problem and prevent Internet access providers from engaging in behavior that has been observed in the past, Verizon?s and MetroPCS?s injuries from the Open Internet Rules remain highly speculative.

Open Internet Coalition: An open Internet is better for free speech than one in which gatekeepers roam.

By invoking Turner I, Verizon and MetroPCS arrogate to themselves the role of the Internet?s ?speaker? or ?editor,? making decisions about what content does and does not travel over its network.

This presumption of control is inconsistent with Verizon?s contention elsewhere that operating a broadband network amounts ?to an ISP acting as a mere conduit for the transmission of information sent by others.?

Strength of Argument

A plain reading of this brief leaves TNW with much the same impression it had following reading Verizon?s claims in July,?namely that the legal case against net neutrality in its current form isn?t particularly strong

This is an issue with critical import to the Internet, and most especially our little technology industry. For proof of that just check the companies that are part of the Open Internet?Coalition:

Amazon.com, Ask.com, Chemistry.com, Citysearch, CollegeHumor, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Digital Media Association, DISH Network, Earthlink, eBay, Electronic Retailing Association, Facebook, Google, IAC, iWon, Match.com, Net Coalition, Netflix, PayPal, ServiceMagic, Shoebuy.com, Skype, Sling Media, Sony Electronics, Inc., StubHub, TechNet, TiVo, Twitter, Vanguard, Vonage, Writers Guild of America (West), and YouTube.

As a final note, provided that I didn?t gloss your eyes with all that quoting, this tussle underscores how technology is now a political issue. It?s something to keep in mind.

Top Image Credit:?Eric Hauser

Source: http://thenextweb.com/us/2012/11/16/google-twitter-and-facebooks-arguments-in-favor-of-net-neutrality/

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wife refuses to change - Talk About Marriage

Today, 07:36 PM ? #2 (permalink)

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If she refuses stop, divorce is your only option. Unless you're willing to live in and open marriage and share her with the other man. Weren't your vows to forsake all others.

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Source: http://talkaboutmarriage.com/relationships-spirituality/58253-wife-refuses-change.html

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Body Piercing Suggestions: Exactly What You Ought to Find out for ...

Not like popular belief, body piercings aren't restricted to "emo" individuals. In any case, why should ear piercings, probably the most common and socially acceptable body piercing, be any distinct from those on other areas of the body?

Regardless of what part of the body you choose to pierce, being well-informed on what you ought to carry out before, during, and after piercing must reduce or eliminate problems.

Pre-piercing

Get strategies from pals who have actually had body piercings. Take note both beneficial and unfavorable responses. Ask them for parlors that deliver the most hygienic treatments. Visit the retail outlet itself to get a "feel" of the spot and the professionals providing the service; piercing may be a frightening procedure, and you wish to be as unwinded as possible while you are there.

Psyche yourself up for piercing. The way to accomplish this varies from individual to individual, however everything you do ought to allow you to relax; you can pay attention to music, read a favorite book, or speak with your goodfriends. Know where you wish to be pierced, and picture just how amazing you'll look as soon as you obtain those piercings.

During piercing

Possibly the most terrifying part of piercing is watching the piercer set up his equipment while you hang around. If you do not feel unwinded at this time, be assured that the actual piercing won't hurt too much, and will also take a couple of moments, at most. An excellent piercer even has sterilization pouches and some other accessories on hand to ensure that his devices are hygienic. To be safe, ask the piercer to demonstrate exactly how he sanitizes his devices.

Post-piercing

Caution for your body piercing relies on the part to be pierced. For example, labret piercing is situated on the lips, and will last approximately six weeks to three months to heal. Employ a good aftercare item; request your piercer for more info about this. To avoid infections, wash your hands before you allow it to touch your mouth, prevent getting your lips struck, and keep the piercing sufficiently protected in the initial weeks.

Stick to the same treatments previously mentioned when taking care of a Monroe piercing. This piercing is located above your lip and is designed to appear like the iconic Marilyn Monroe's beauty mark. Even though a lot of piercers carefully estimate healing time at about 8 to twelve weeks, people report that it takes less than three to six weeks for the Monroe piercing.

In contrast, cartilage piercing, or those done on the ears and nose, takes about three months to a full year to recover. Throughout that duration, you must diligently follow particular procedures to reduce complications. For more information, read ehow.com/how_2222405_care-cartilage-piercing.html.

For more details, search labret piercing, Monroe piercing, and cartilage piercing in Google for related information.

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Suicide blast, drone kill more than 20 in Yemen

A suicide attack at a town in south Yemen recently recaptured by the army from Al-Qaeda forces killed 20 people and wounded another 20, the governor of the province said.

In a separate incident in the east of the country meanwhile, a suspected US drone strike killed five Al-Qaeda members late Saturday, a local official said.

"Twenty people have been killed and 20 others wounded," governor Jamal al-Aqal said in a statement on the suicide attack posted on the defence ministry's website.

Officials have opened an investigation to establish a final death toll and to identify who was behind this "criminal and cowardly" attack, the governor's statement added.

Earlier, witnesses told AFP that the attack in Jaar, Abyan province, had killed eight people.

One witness said the attacker blew himself up during a mourning ceremony organised in honour of a relative of an army auxiliary leader.

"The suicide bomber belonged to the Al-Qaeda network," said another witness, adding that the attack was in retaliation for the local fighters' role helping Yemeni troops recapture the town.

"The victims' bodies were flying in all directions because the explosion was so powerful," said a witness who took part in the rescue operations.

The army announced in mid-June that it had recaptured Jaar and Zinjibar, Abyan's provincial capital, from Al-Qaeda fighters who had held it since May.

But on Wednesday, an attack by Al-Qaeda militants on a police station in Jaar killed two soldiers and a civilian. Locals have expressed fears that the extremists could retake the town.

In the east of the country meanwhile, an official who requested anonymity, gave AFP details of the drone attack, which he said had happened near the village of Al-Qotn, in the province of Hadramut.

"A drone fired two missiles at an all-terrain vehicle... killing its five occupants, all members of Al-Qaeda," said the official.

Security forces deployed around the site of the strike and sealed it off, said witnesses.

The United States is the only country that has drones in the region and in recent months has been carrying out strikes on Al-Qaeda targets in the south and east of the country and in the Arabian peninsula.

Al-Qaeda militants have carried out several deadly attacks against Yemeni security services since President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, who has repeatedly vowed to battle extremists, came to power this year.

In July, Yemen announced it had placed its security services on high alert to prevent "terrorist" attacks after it uncovered a plot to launch assaults against security and military checkpoints.

The Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is believed to be the most effective and lethal branch of the global network.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/yemen-drone-strike-kills-five-qaeda-operatives-212207301.html

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Oil surges 4 percent on strong jobs growth

NEW YORK (AP) ? The price of oil is up about 4 percent after the government reported a surge in jobs growth last month.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose $3.57 to $90.70 per barrel in New York. Brent crude climbed $2.62, 2.5 percent, to $108.52 per barrel in London.

Prices jumped after the government said U.S. employers added 163,000 jobs in July. Last month's hiring was the best since February, though it wasn't enough to drive down the unemployment rate.

Prices for oil and gasoline tend to rise on signs of strength in the economy, which increases energy demand.

Retail gasoline prices rose 3.3 cents to a national average of $3.567 per gallon. Gasoline prices have jumped by about 24 cents per gallon since the beginning of July.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-08-03-Oil-Prices/id-031833aa2e9f443da6a339b2d961b3aa

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Summertime Confessions | Marriage Confessions Summertime ...

1.? This morning I checked my email and saw that one of the mom email lists that I am on from church sent out an email announcing that Jake and the Neverland Pirates will be doing concerts for the next ten days at Downtown Disney.? So, I very quickly decided that instead of having a laundry day at my house, we?d be packing up and spending the afternoon swigging root beer and singing pirate songs.? Isn?t that what summer is all about???? I?m really going to miss being able to do things like this on the fly when work starts back in ONE WEEK!? It will be a real challenge to see how much of a ?Yes Mom? I can be while working.

2.? Although I?m going to miss being home, I think it?s time I headed back to work.? I?m starting to get pissy with Chris about his work schedule, and that usually happens when I?m at home and he?s gone all the time.? He was super busy at the beginning of the summer preparing for a big festival and several summer shows they have running, but the festival has come and gone and the shows are up and running, so his schedule should have slowed down.? And yet?? Ahhh, the any yet.? And yet he is still busier than ever.? He is working on building renovations for the theater with architects and engineers, which is a huge and very expensive project.? But COME ON, MAN!? We miss you at home!? Come back and play with us!

3.? My sister is officially full term in her pregnancy now.? She?s due in two weeks, but according to her, she is going to deliver TODAY.? She also said she was going to deliver on August 1, but that didn?t work out so good.? And why do you think she is confident in her delivery date??? Not because she is having contractions or because the baby dropped or because her doctor thinks she is going to go early.? Nope.? None of those things.? She is convinced because this is the day she has CHOSEN.? She will now WILL her baby to come out.? Oh, goodness, do I love my sister.? She cracks me up.? But let me just say now that this baby is going to rock her planned, orderly, and scheduled life!? And she is going to love every spontaneous minute of it!

4.? SARAH GETS BACK TO TOWN TODAY!!!!!? After an entire summer without my BFF to play around with, I am so excited because SHE GETS BACK TODAY!!!!? Hooray!!!!!? I have missed having her to get into shenanigans with!? Even Bean has been asking every morning, ?Does Say-wah get back today?????

5.? I finished reading ?Crossed? last night.? It was excellent.? I know I have said that I?m not a big fan of dystopian books, but the two series I have read this summer (?Matched? and ?Divergent?) might have made me a believer.? All of those books were the perfect blend of romance and adventure.? Excellent for summer!? I started my last summer reading book the minute I put down ?Crossed? last night.? Now I?m reading ?Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.?? My Grandma recommended this to me last year, and it has been on my to-read list ever since.? I?m so excited to start it. (To see what I?m reading, you can check out my GoodReads page.? My user name is KatieMC.? I update it every time I start or finish a book.)

6.? I was in a training class all day yesterday on how to use technology in the classroom.? That is one of my favorite topics ever.? It?s actually what I did my Masters thesis on ? how to teach using technology that students are already using.? In my thesis, I designed this mock website that looked like Facebook, but was a place for students, teachers, and classmates to interact, discuss, and learn.? So, yesterday I sit down at this training seminar, and what do you think the first thing we learn to use is?? A program called ?Edmodo? which is an interactive educational website with a Facebook interface.? Seriously.? It was my thesis project.? I spent the morning thinking about all the millions of dollars I would have if I had copyrighted my idea and sold it.? Boo.? Ahhh, well.

7.? I planned a mini-vacation for our family last week.? I?m super excited.? Chris didn?t have time this summer to take a long vacation (see #2 above), but after such a busy summer without him, I was adamant that we get away SOMEWHERE for SOME period of time as a family.? So, I booked us a couple nights at a local resort here in Orlando.? We?re going to play by the pool for a day, eat at all the touristy restaurants, and go to Disney World.? It will be Gracie?s first time at the Magic Kingdom, and I think both kids are the perfect age to have a lot of fun.? We?re going next weekend, which is the weekend before I go back to work and the kids go back to daycare.? It?ll be a little summer send-off, and I couldn?t be more excited.? Even Chris is ready for it.? When I called him (at work, naturally?) to ask him what he thought about the idea, he didn?t hesitate at all before saying, ?BOOK IT!?

8.? A lot of you asked how I had a picture of Chris?s proposal taken.? Actually, that is a snapshot of the video I have!? When Chris knew he would propose in New York, he found a friend in the area and asked them to stand in the crowd on the night of the proposal and film it.? I didn?t know Joe had been there until we got home from our trip and Chris gave me a video of his proposal for Christmas!? And not only was it the proposal, but he had video footage of him buying the ring, getting his ideas together for the proposal, and even a photo montage of pictures from our entire relationship.? I have been trying for YEARS to figure out how to share it on my blog, but the video is set to a Nora Jones song, which I don?t have the rights to, and so I can?t put it on YouTube, and it?s too big to post straight to my blog.? It is quite the conundrum.? Until I figure out what to do (and, trust me, we?ve been trying everything for years!), you?ll just have to trust me that it is the sweetest video ever!

9.? My dad got an iPhone this week.? He said it was the most exciting thing to happen to him in years.? And I?m pretty sure he was serious about that.? He has been waiting for a LONG time for his cell phone contract to be up so he could get one.? He?s been texting me ever since.? It?s pretty funny.? I texted him a picture of the kids this week and got this text in response: ?Is that a video?? Because I can?t get it to play??? I responded, ?No, Dad.? It?s a picture.? It won?t move.?? Cracked me up.? He?s a funny guy.

10.? I am loving watching the Olympics at night!? I don?t watch them during the day so that I can watch them with fresh eyes with Chris and Tray at night.? It is so much fun!? And those two guys are hysterical to watch with.? Most of their comments are not appropriate for a family-friendly blog, but they are pretty entertaining.? Last night I mentioned that one of the Lithuanian girls always looked like she was about to cry.? ?I think it?s her make up,? said Tray.? ??and maybe her face.?? Makes me giggle.? You know what else makes me giggle?? Watching the parents watching their kids.? Did you see the video of Aly Reisman?s parent?s?? Love it!? The weird thing is that I?m doing that at home, too, and she?s not even my daughter!

???|???posted in Around the House, Family, Fun Things, Husbands, Jobs and Careers, Just for Fun, Marriage, Marriage Confessions, Out and About, Parenting, Vacation, Weddings???|???tags: books, Family, life, Marriage, summer

Source: http://marriageconfessions.com/2012/08/03/summertime-confessions-2/

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Content Management System Joomla! - A strong Tool for Web site ...

Builders and web designers are generally facing complicated difficulties everyday and one of the very efficient and easy treatment for address that is through the use of content management system Joomla!. This is an award-winning CMS that enabled many individuals in building websites as well as superior online apps. The popularity regarding CMS or Content management system has grown tremendously as a result of benefits they can provide to web designers even without the technical expertise in site content updates.
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Source: http://www.clickmyarticle.com/?p=42503

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Conversations about Science: The Role of Blogs and Social Media

ESOF2012

Writing about science for the last eight years has changed dramatically for me with the advent of blogging and social media. In fact, at many science conferences blogging is what we are asked to do by our editors throughout the five or six days of the event that we attend. These are not personal blog posts, but posts on blogs which are officially part of the publication. We are expected to write in a more relaxed style for the blog and look for stories which are lighter than what we usually report on in science.

So, when I covered ESOF2010 (Euroscience Open Forum) in Turin, I blogged for Scidevnet and the posts were all on light topics like ?Motorbikes fuel savers or killers on the road?? Or about how ?Science attracts or repels?

That is why I was keen to attend a session at ESOF2012 in Dublin, about the role of social media in science. The session connected with me instantly and I was keen on knowing how other science journalists use blogs and social media, too.

According to the panel of speakers, science blogging has become a significant part of professional and public communication about science in certain sectors. An example given was of Biochemistry, where new developments were discussed and bloggers forced a retraction of the claim that certain bacteria live off arsenic. In fact, most scientific institutions today maintain blogs written by professional bloggers, attached to their websites. These blogs contain postings on conferences, work-shops and additional information on already published findings.

During the session, Bora Zivkovic the Blogs Editor at the Scientific American [thus the editor of this very blog], revealed that one of his personal highlights of becoming a blogger was when he translated his own ?heavy? and detailed scientific articles and turned them into blog posts, softening them for the regular reader. In one case, he was contacted by a researcher from Cornell University about one of his posts, which subsequently led to a collaboration and a publication of a new paper. ?Today I can publish papers without getting out of my pyjamas,? he said, ?and I have been the first blogger ever to have a blog post cited in a paper. There are official ways of citing a blog, just like you cite a published paper,? he said.

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Blogs open interesting avenues for discussions between other scientists, students, thinkers and the public. Blogs are open to immediate responses, where people can comment on a writer?s piece. This is what most writers look for ? constructive criticism of their work. In the regular print medium, most often, we science journalists never get any responses to our published work, as the letters to the editor focus mainly on responses to political stories or front page news.

Ulrike Brandt-Bohne, a biologist and science journalist from Germany said that, ?Blogs help Science meet Society and you can showcase your work by writing a blog. While Felix Bohne, a virologist and immunologist, who was another speaker on the panel said a lot of people suffered from HIV denialism and he blamed it on pseudo science. ?A lot of people think vaccines are bad and there is no way of stopping the negative hype in their minds.? However with blogs, he has found posting on topics to do with viruses has helped increase credibility and allay the fears one has to conquer with regard to vaccines. Ulrike said people still held measles parties in the hope that they get infected together. They are not uneducated people and sadly believe what they are doing is right. ?I will go on blogging,? says Ulrike, ?in the hope of educating them.?

It was interesting to hear Martin Robbins, a science journalist from the Guardian, UK say, ? I am fed up with mainstream coverage of certain topics, so blogs are a great way to get the message out. There needs to be an attitude change in mainstream media with regard to blogging.? He went on to say that Science communication and Science Journalism were quite different from one another. Science journalism needed to challenge findings and put them into context, rather than just be the voice piece of the scientist. He also said that authors of blogs should act as moderators and in discussions one can get both nasty and brilliant reponses to a debate. ?That is why a blog helps to engage with the public and fire their curiosity?, he said. Blogging also is social communication, where a bunch of like minded people participate in a discussion which can be very fulfilling.

Blogging has caught on in a big way in India as well and all mainstream publications sport blogs which have ?professional bloggers? loading information on them every day. In fact, when we science journalists cover a conference, we blog on a daily basis, and then subsequently write the longer stories with a lot more work and time put into the effort, once we reach our home countries.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=2dd8476a2527c183afd3866393533a16

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Cargo craft makes express delivery in orbit

An unmanned Russian cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station on Wednesday, less than six hours after it launched into orbit. The successful maneuver marked the first time a same-day docking has ever been accomplished at the massive orbiting outpost.

The robotic Progress 48 cargo freighter automatically linked up with the Pirs docking compartment on the space station's Russian segment slightly ahead of schedule, at 9:19 p.m. ET, as both spacecraft flew over the Pacific Ocean. In addition to delivering fresh supplies to the space station, the spacecraft tested the novel same-day rendezvous and docking procedure.

NASA officials said the Progress vehicle's systems responded flawlessly throughout the shortened flight to the space station.

The Progress 48 was launched into orbit atop a Soyuz rocket at 3:35 p.m. ET from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Russia is aiming to eventually implement this same-day docking plan for future manned flights of Soyuz space capsules to the International Space Station.

"They're looking to eventually take this into the Soyuz phase," Dan Harman, NASA's space station manager of operations and integration, said during a news briefing last week. "If you can get the crew to orbit in six hours and onboard the International Space Station, that could be a tremendous benefit over the two-plus days it takes today." [Photos: Russia's 1st Same-Day Cargo Ship Flight to Space Station]

Shortening the orbital chase
Progress and Soyuz vehicles typically spend two days chasing the space station in orbit after launch. A quicker arrival to the orbiting complex could cut down the overall amount of consumables ? such as food, water and fuel ? needed for the onboard crew.

Docking to the station within hours of launch also minimizes the amount of time the astronauts spend inside the small Soyuz capsule, which could improve the comfort of the spacefliers, said space station flight director Chris Edelen.

"The quicker rendezvous that you have, the less consumables you would need for the first day, and the better crew comfort in a small capsule," he said.

The idea of arriving at a destination on the same day as launch is not a new one. NASA first tested the same-day rendezvous procedures between spacecraft in the mid-1960s during the agency's Gemini program.

"This is actually old technology," Edelen explained. "Our first ground-up rendezvous on the Gemini program was a Flight Day 1 rendezvous, and the Russians have done this before, so it's sort of a 'back to the future.'"

Orbital mechanics
Conducting same-day procedures, however, requires extremely precise calculations and also limits the flexibility of available launch times.

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"It does impose more constraints on the geometry ? the orbital mechanics ? of the launch, because you have less time to catch up to the space station," Edelen said. "You've got to basically launch and be in the right spot, and the space station has to be in the right spot."

The Progress 48 spacecraft hauled 2 tons of food, clothing and supplies to the station for its Expedition 32 crew. There are currently six spacefliers living and working aboard the orbiting outpost: Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, Sergei Revin and Yuri Malenchenko, NASA astronauts Joe Acaba and Sunita Williams, and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide.

The hatch of the Progress 48 vehicle is scheduled to be opened on Thursday afternoon, according to NASA officials.

The disposable Progress cargo ship is expected to remain attached to the station until December, when it will be filled with trash and intentionally sent to burn up during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

Follow Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+ .

? 2012 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48449715/ns/technology_and_science-space/

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Onyx Ashanti's beatjazz music machine does everything, looks good too (video)

Onyx Ashanti has sent us over a demo of his beatjazz controller, and we have to marvel at the direction he's taken with this custom electronic music machine following more modest efforts. Onyx's 3D-printed interface receives inputs from a voice / breath-operated synth in the headgear, while the two handheld controls incorporate accelerometers, joysticks and pressure-sensitive buttons. Using this kit and his own software, Onyx is able to create live digital music with an amount of control you would only expect from desktop-based production software. We've embedded two videos for your attention after the break -- a demo of his latest flashy build complete with lightsaber-like effects, and an earlier live performance that really shows what the beatjazz controller can do.

Continue reading Onyx Ashanti's beatjazz music machine does everything, looks good too (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

Onyx Ashanti's beatjazz music machine does everything, looks good too (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/s8VfwfV5l60/

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