A Content Marketing Mind for Social Business - PR 20/20

By Christina Schmitz | Posted September 24, 2012 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Social Media, Content Marketing, Social Business

Without content, social media is all talk.

As businesses bring the benefits of social solutions inside their virtual walls, content serves to create more meaningful conversations?and a lot more value.

Social Business, Enterprise 2.0, Enterprise Social, Collaborative Organizations: these terms all work to describe the movement toward integrated, internal platforms and tools that better engage, connect and simplify the work-lives of employees.

The ultimate goal is to achieve tangible business results and competitive advantages. Benefits include, but certainly aren?t limited to:

• Streamlined communications
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Improved information access and multimedia publishing
• Enhanced camaraderie across large and/or geographically dispersed workforces
• Stronger sense of company culture through social media features, profiles and online communities

As marketers know in the external sense, online communities don?t exist without willing and able participants. Coincidentally, participation is a key performance metric for organizations investing in enterprise social solutions.

Social business is big, and its success hinges on the same metrics important to external social media and content strategies: education, engagement and action.

The following overview is designed for corporate marketers and agencies to elevate the performance of existing solutions, solidify your role in the future of social business, and help make the case for businesses considering enterprise social.?

It?s evident that corporate marketers have the opportunity to take content marketing to new heights through internal programs: from blogs, to wikis, to multimedia publishing and social networks.

Whether the executive team, IT, HR or multiple divisions are driving the initiatives, all involved must ensure the new platforms and communities are viewed?and used?as resourceful and collaborative tools.

Enter content, both existing and potential, at the heart of these complex solutions, serving as concrete assets that can be measured and evolved over time.?

Think about the ability to launch, test and refine content marketing campaigns prior to external deployment, with the power of the organization behind you.

The opportunities in content and community on the corporate side are about as vast as the concept of social business itself:

• Author and thought leader Don Tapscott (@dontapscott) shares the causality and potential of the new open world in his June 2012 TED talk: ?To me, this is not an information age. It's an age of networked intelligence, it's an age of vast promise.?
• Peter Kim (@peterkim), co-author of Social Business by Design, established the term ?social business? in 2009, as it applies today to ?Enterprise 2.0? marketing and technology strategies. In his post The definition of social business, he states, ?social business stands for what companies need to become?not a description of an incremental feature or business function.?
• Amber Naslund (@ambercadabra), The Now Revolution co-author and president/co-founder of SideraWorks social business consultancy, highlights Key Business Challenges And How Social Business Helps. She says, ?Social business puts education at the core of any initiative, because without it, nothing takes root or scales.??
• Jacob Morgan (@JacobM), author of The Collaborative Organization, clearly states the roles and opportunities for marketing teams for launching and nurturing collaboration tools in the enterprise. The post includes excerpts from his book with case studies.
• BlueGlass Interactive co-founder and CMO Chris Winfield (@chriswinfield) shares an excellent and holistic look at how content can impact all corners of an organization.
• Pam Moore (@pammktingnut) also offers 28 Attributes of Good Content Marketing to Rock Your Social Business.

The opportunities are here today, but note: the transformation from corporate communications professionals to internal content strategists will not happen overnight.

It takes a collaborative approach, driven by those dedicated to the health of the culture, and those with the marketing savvy to manage communities and deliver the content that educates and empowers users.

Sound content marketing and social strategies are built on the understanding of audience pain points. The following are common pains among employees, along with the content marketing tactics to consider.

Email Overload

Enterprise social solutions help decrease the reliance on email, and instead enable real-time messaging, notes, news and resources?either broadcast to the full network, or organized within strategic groups. Employees can choose when and how to access information.

• Manage internal blog(s) for the organization, either corporate-wide; by department or function; or special interest, such as community involvement.
• Enhance your internal newsletter or enewsletter with real-time, multimedia features, which encourage feedback and sharing.

Cultural Disconnect

An enterprise social network can forge stronger work relationships, encourage peer-to-peer communications and add elements of fun to the workplace. It can also be a great conduit for launching branding initiatives, or for responsiveness in a crisis.

• Produce and publish video or podcasts from executive leadership on corporate vision, important news or responses to critical situations.?
• Showcase career profiles in the form of case studies for long-term employees, and introduce new employees for inclusiveness in the company culture.

Remote Work

For mobile employees and virtual teams, social solutions keep staff members engaged and up-to-date. They also enable workers to stay connected, and efficiently share and archive resources.

• Create slide presentations or webcasts on specific topic areas, recorded and available for on-demand access to the group.

• Launch specialized groups for review and recommendations of external content and customer-facing pieces for internal testing and feedback prior to deployment, especially as they applies to different markets.

Professional Development

With a private network, the company has the ability to share knowledge, conduct internal training exercises, support peer mentorship, and connect employees with the resources to grow their careers.

• Promote and publish internal educational ebooks, training workshops, webinars, HR handbooks and other files for simple access and archive.
• Host presentations, podcasts or Q&A sessions with leaders on topics related to innovation, leadership and career growth.?

Corporate Silos

Enterprise social solutions are designed to remove communication and information barriers to help the organization operate as a unit. In this case, content can be the glue that solidifies the value of collaboration across functions, demonstrating how each piece fits together to keep the company moving forward.

• Support cross-departmental communications with monthly updates or video interviews with division leaders on news and major projects, as well as long-term vision and further opportunities to share knowledge.

"The Resistors"

Individuals that aren?t convinced on the value of social technologies must be presented with quality content early and often, to demonstrate that internal social platforms are more than virtual water coolers. The more frequently they access and share resources, the sooner they will realize the time-saving potential, over the time-wasting perceptions. They may even become more supportive of external social initiatives and personal networking in the process.

• Conduct open projects to produce internal whitepapers or ebooks, based on the crowd-sourced ideas and collective expertise.
• Open opportunities for participants to build their reputations as influencers, leaders and contributing team members through guest posts and feature articles.
• Ask the community what content they find most useful and get to work!

No longer limited to the confines of an intranet or physical office space, social business offers limitless opportunities for creativity, growth and brand building. And it?s just getting started.

Corporate marketers who foresee their value in this emerging landscape, and take the initiative to apply their skills and experience, have the chance to create meaningful contributions to their organizations and careers.

?

Learn more about PR 20/20 social business services and read how an internal social network improved our agency's infrastructure.

Source: http://www.pr2020.com/blog/content-marketing-for-social-business

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Up to 2,000 workers brawl at iPhone firm's dorm

Foxconn, which makes Apple's iPhones, suspended production at a factory in China on Monday after a brawl by as many as 2,000 employees at a dormitory injured 40 people.

The fight erupted Sunday night at a privately managed dormitory near a Foxconn Technology Group factory in the northern city of Taiyuan, the company and Chinese police said. A police statement reported by the official Xinhua News Agency said 5,000 officers were dispatched to the scene.

The Taiyuan plant, which employs about 79,000 workers, makes automobile electronic components, consumer electronic components and precision moldings. An employee told Reuters the plant also makes parts and assembles Apple's iPhone 5.

In a statement, Foxconn cited police as saying about 40 people were taken to hospital for medical attention and a number were arrested.

Report: Riots break out at Foxconn factory in China

The company said the incident escalated from what it called a personal dispute between several employees at around 11 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) on Sunday. It was brought under control by local police at around 3 a.m.

"The cause of this dispute is under investigation by local authorities and we are working closely with them in this process, but it appears not to have been work-related," Foxconn said.

Burned vehicle
The fight drew "a large crowd of spectators ... triggering chaos," a police spokesman was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

Photos posted on microblog service Sina Weibo showed broken windows, a burned vehicle and police with riot helmets, shields and clubs.

Worker suicide at plant of Apple supplier, Foxconn

"The plant is closed today for investigation," Foxconn spokesman Louis Woo said.

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Foxconn, the trading name of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co and the world's largest contract maker of electronic goods, has seen a few violent disputes at its sprawling plants in China, where it employs a total of about 1 million workers.

Video: iProblem? (on this page)

Foxconn also assembles products for Microsoft Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. It is one of China's biggest employers.

The company has faced scrutiny over complaints in the past about wages and working hours. It raised minimum pay and promised in March to limit hours after an auditor hired by Apple found Foxconn employees regularly were required to work more than 60 hours a week.

Worker at iPad firm in China: 'We're not machines'

But in June, about 100 workers went on a rampage at a Chengdu plant in southwestern China.

A staff member at the Taiyuan plant said he was told the plant could be closed up to two to three days as police investigated.

More China coverage from our Behind the Wall blog

"There are a lot of police at the site now," the staff member, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to media, told Reuters by telephone.

Calls to the Taiyuan police were not immediately answered, while an official at the plant declined to comment when reached by telephone.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49145374/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

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Obama Doesn?t Remember, But You Should (Powerlineblog)

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NIH Retires Research Chimps at Troubled Facility

U.S. federal support for invasive chimpanzee research continues to wane

By Meredith Wadman

Chimpanzees at the New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana will not be available for federally funded invasive research from 2013. Image: Flickr/ianduffy

By Meredith Wadman of Nature magazine

Early on 21 September, Francis Collins called Wayne Pacelle, the president of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in Washington DC, with news that the animal activist had been waiting for. Collins, director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), told Pacelle that the agency is to cease funding the troubled New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) in Louisiana, and will retire the 110 NIH-owned chimpanzees there.

The decision leaves just over 300 chimpanzees available for invasive research in two other NIH-supported research centers, and comes nine months after an NIH-solicited report from the US Institute of Medicine found that most invasive chimpanzee research was scientifically unnecessary.

In a statement, the NIH on 21 September said that the remaining population of chimpanzees can adequately serve current research needs, which include testing of monoclonal antibody therapies.

The NIH says that by August 2013, ten of the NIRC?s NIH-owned animals will be relocated to Chimp Haven, a federally funded sanctuary in Keithsville, Louisiana. The other 100 will move to the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, where they will be off limits for invasive research but accessible for behavioral studies and research using information collected through routine veterinary care.

The San Antonio centre currently houses 141 chimpanzees. The only remaining centre for NIH-funded invasive chimp research is the Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research in Bastrop, Texas, which has 167.

Safe haven
Pacelle welcomed the NIH's decision, calling it a ?significant step forward in our goal toward ending invasive experiments on chimpanzees?. However, the HSUS ? which in 2009 released an undercover video investigation that exposed repeated episodes of animal mistreatment at the NIRC ? is pushing for more of the center?s animals to be sent to Chimp Haven.

The NIH says that the forested 80-hectare sanctuary will be at or near full occupancy with the addition of the ten NIRC animals, but the HSUS argues that the NIH should pay for more infrastructure at Chimp Haven to allow it to house more chimpanzees.

The NIRC?s longstanding contract to support NIH-owned chimpanzees was worth US$1.2 million in 2011. The current contract will expire in August 2013 and will not be renewed. The program's principal investigator, Thomas Rowell, left the post of NIRC director in August.

But the NIH decision does not mean the end of the NIRC, which houses roughly 240 privately owned chimpanzees, and more than 6,000 macaques and other monkeys. The centre has a full roster of industry clients. ?We look forward to expanding services and capabilities to support federal and private research and continuing to work with the NIH,? says Aaron Martin, communications director for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, which owns the research centre.

The NIH is not the only US agency backing away from chimpanzee research. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a 10 September letter to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, an activist group based in Washington DC, that it no longer funds chimpanzee research. The CDC, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, had as recently as 2010 been funding viral hepatitis studies in young female chimpanzees.

The Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, a bill introduced into the US Congress in 2011, would phase out all federally supported invasive research on chimpanzees and retire the government-owned animals to sanctuaries.

This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on September 21, 2012.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=f050eac836c35e2fdfeed4c0905f446f

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LA preps for freeway closure and Carmageddon II

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? "Carmageddon II" ? the sequel ? is coming to one of the nation's most crowded freeways, and authorities are hoping its subtitle won't be "The Traffic Strikes Back."

Transportation officials say what they would like to see during the last weekend of September is a rerun of last year's two-day closure, when hundreds of thousands of motorists dodged doomsday predictions by staying away until the busy, 10-mile stretch of Interstate 405 reopened. It was one of the lightest freeway traffic weekends anyone in Los Angeles could remember.

Hopes are high that next weekend will have the same happy result, as businesses and residents prepare to avoid the roadway that must close again so work can be completed on a bridge.

At Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, just outside the Carmageddon Zone, officials plan to house as many as 300 doctors, nurses and other staff members in dorms at nearby hotels so nobody will have trouble getting to work.

Some patients, including women in the latter stages of complicated pregnancies, are being encouraged to check in before the freeway closes at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 29.

"Everybody, including myself, will be here to man the entire event, just to make sure everything goes safely for our patients and staff," says Shannon O'Kelley, the hospital's chief operations officer.

A group of art enthusiasts, meanwhile, formed "Artmageddon," featuring activities at dozens of museums and art-house theaters and listing them on the website artmageddonla.com. People are encouraged to walk or bike.

The UCLA campus, with about 41,000 students, has emergency traffic diversion plans in place. In Santa Monica, just down the road, a new emergency operations center opened last month. Authorities say every major transit, law enforcement and emergency services agency in the area has been cooperating in making contingency plans.

In the meantime, just what should people do over the weekend when they will hopefully be too afraid to pull out of their driveways?

"Eat, Shop and Play Locally," advises the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, reciting its official Carmageddon II slogan.

The agency is partnering with hundreds of restaurants, tourists attractions and other venues to offer discounts to people who can show they used mass transit to get there.

If thousands of people hadn't stayed home on a mid-July weekend last year, authorities say they might have caused a traffic backup so massive it could have spread to connecting freeways, gridlocking the entire city highway system. The result, "Carmageddon," would have been miles and miles of idling cars filled with thousands and thousands of angry people.

"The risk factors are exactly the same as they were last year, so nothing has changed in terms of the heartburn that traffic agency people are feeling right now," says Dave Sotero, a spokesman for the transportation authority.

It's not just any freeway being shut down, but one that even on weekends, when traffic is relatively light, can carry a half-million vehicles. It's also the one that links the city's San Fernando Valley, where 1.7 million people live, to its dense, urbanized West Side and its beaches.

As they did for the first Carmageddon, officials have been posting flashing freeway signs for weeks warning people all over the state to stay away. On Labor Day weekend, people driving in and out of the desert resort of Palm Springs, 100 miles to the east, began seeing the signs.

"We wanted to get that image of what the stakes were by frankly alarming the public, getting the public's attention, grabbing everybody by the lapels and saying, 'This is a real project that is going to cause a real disaster if we aren't prepared,'" says veteran Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who is credited with publicly uttering the term Carmageddon.

Although Yaroslavsky says he first heard the word from an aide, he jokes that it will be cited at the top of his obituary as one his greatest achievements.

The freeway is scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 1, just ahead of the morning rush hour.

Last year it opened 17 hours early, but Sotero says not to expect that again because there's more work this time.

When all the work in the area is completed toward the end of next year, there will be a new, wider and seismically safer bridge crossing the freeway at the city's scenic Mulholland Drive.

The 405 itself will also be wider, making room for a carpool lane through the Sepulveda Pass over the Santa Monica Mountains, where traffic notoriously clogs almost all the time.

If the freeway doesn't reopen on time, that's when Carmageddon will really kick in.

While they insist they don't expect that to happen, officials say they will be ready if it does.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/la-preps-freeway-closure-carmageddon-ii-150146262.html

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Alchemy Response ? The Power of Direct Response Marketing for ...

Click Image To Visit SiteThe world has changed. With the current financial crisis ? the business landscape is dramatically different and will never be the same again.

Consumers are not spending money the same way they used to. Despite the hundreds of thousands spent on advertisements in the newspapers, magazines and television, these have been proven to be of limited success.

If this is true for the large companies and MNCs, what about the small and medium sized businesses?

Everyone is discovering that traditional advertising mediums no longer deliver the traffic to businesses that they were once able to.

And global trends show clearly one thing ? everyone is going online to find what they want. And that is where your businesses need to be to be seen and heard.

Many people thought that the Internet was just a passing fad as little as 10 years ago. However?

Today, if Your Business Is Not on The Internet, You Are Letting Your Competitors Overrun You Completely.

Someone comes along now and sells the very same products or services online. And they offer coupon discounts and other attractive offers.

Because more and more people shop online or search online for information on the products or services in question, suddenly, since you are not there, you are no longer in competition for that business!

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Source: http://profitmart.com/alchemy-response-the-power-of-direct-response-marketing-for-offline-businesses/

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Martin's HR in 10th lifts hot Yanks over A's

BY HOWIE RUMBERG

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:36 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) - When Rafael Soriano gave up a tying homer in the ninth inning to spoil CC Sabathia's dominant start, the Yankees didn't get down. They knew what they needed to do to keep their AL East lead.

Russell Martin led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a homer off Sean Doolittle, and New York maintained its one-game division lead by beating the Oakland Athletics 2-1 Friday night for its sixth straight win.

"Good teams get each other's back," Martin said.

Sabathia pitched encouraging three-hit ball over eight innings to help the Yankees stay ahead of Baltimore, which beat Boston 4-2 for its fifth straight win. The A's, losers of four of five, dropped a game back of the Orioles for the top wild-card spot. Oakland started the day with a 4 1/4-game lead over the Angels.

Pinch-hitter Brandon Moss hit a towering home run to right field with one out in the ninth off Soriano to tie it 1-all and stun the boisterous crowd of 40,759 into silence. It was Soriano's fourth blown save in 46 chances.

"His arm may have been a little dead today," Joe Girardi said of Soriano, who saved both games of a doubleheader Wednesday against Toronto.

But Soriano disagreed. He said he had "normal soreness" and would go through his routine Saturday before letting his manager know if he will be available.

Curtis Granderson had a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning off Jarrod Parker and Ichiro Suzuki continued his torrid pace with two more hits - one getting caught in Parker's jersey.

The Yankees lost four-straight one-run games in Oakland in mid-July that began a summer swoon in which they blew a 10-game division lead. Martin's second walk-off homer this season gave the Yankees their 11th win in 15 games.

"You can feel that playoff weather coming," Martin said. "I like it. I enjoy it."

David Robertson (2-7) pitched a perfect 10th for the victory. Doolittle (1-1) pitched the ninth before giving up Martin's homer on an 0-1 pitch.

The catcher flinged his helmet almost all the way to first base as he approached home then was engulfed by his teammates as he stepped on home plate.

"Right off the bat I knew it was gone," Sabathia said. "He called a great game tonight and kept the guys off-balance and it worked out."

Parker was in line for a loss before Moss' homer despite matching Sabathia for eight innings. He gave up six hits and struck out seven in his first start at Yankee Stadium.

"It's really frustrating," Doolittle said. "He did such an unbelievable job going toe-to-toe with Sabathia."

Sabathia's performance had become one of the biggest question marks in the Yankees rotation the past several weeks. The big lefty was 0-3 in his last four starts and he gave up leads in each outing. After two stints on the disabled list, his velocity was down but he insisted he was OK. Girardi said Sabathia was struggling with the command of his sinker and changeup.

He quickly put that to rest by striking out the side in the first with three breaking pitches. His velocity went up as the innings went by, ending the sixth by blowing a 96 mph a fastball past Jonny Gomes.

"I was just trying not to overthrow. I felt pretty good coming out of the bullpen," Sabathia said. "I just wanted to make sure I kept my delivery together and make sure I commanded the ball. The velocity will come and go so it's up to me to make pitches."

After a walk to Gomes with one out in the first, Sabathia retired 14 in a row before Stephen Drew singled leading off the sixth.

Sabathia gave up another hit to Drew with one out in the eighth. With two outs, Collin Cowgill beat out an infield single and Sabathia grazed Gomes with a pitch to load the bases.

Pitching coach Larry Rothschild visited the mound as Robertson warmed up in the bullpen. But Sabathia remained and got J.J. Reddick to fly out to left field on the first pitch of the at-bat, ending the inning.

The A's lead the majors in striking out and they fanned 11 times while walking twice against Sabathia.

"You want him feeling good about himself, confident," Martin said. "I think he definitely needed this start for himself."

Any questions about Parker being nervous in his first start in the Bronx were dismissed right away with an eight pitch inning. He didn't give up a hit until he lost Suzuki's bouncer back to the mound with one out in the third inning in his jersey. Parker grimaced in frustration as he failed to pull the ball out of his green and gold top.

The hit was Suzuki's 10th in his last 13 at-bats. Suzuki also had a hit in the sixth but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double.

The Yankees scored in the fourth when Nick Swisher led off with a more traditional hit, a lined single to right field. Alex Rodriguez followed with a sharp single to center field. Granderson then hit a sacrifice fly.

Derek Jeter extended his hitting streak to a season high-tying streak of 15 games with a sixth-inning single.

NOTES: New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck helped the Bleacher Creatures do the "Roll Call" in the first inning. ... Oakland LHP Jordan Norberto (shoulder tendinitis), out since Aug. 18, is close to playing catch. ... INF Eric Sogard (high ankle sprain) is doing some baseball activity but manager Bob Melvin doesn't see him as an option on the remainder of the road trip. ... Oakland's LHP Travis Blackley (5-3) faces the Yankees' Ivan Nova (12-7) Saturday afternoon. ... Girardi and Rodriguez both visited The Starkey Hearing Foundation meeting at Yankee Stadium and helped hand out digital hearing aids.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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??SportsTalk: Eric Kuselias and Craig Calcaterra of HardballTalk discuss Melky Cabrera's decision to declare himself ineligible for the NL batting title.

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Water & Waste - Mexico - Waste management is insufficient and inadequate - expert

Waste management services in Mexico are not fit for purpose, Constantino Guti?rrez, a researcher at the engineering institute of national autonomous u...

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Washington Nationals Win 10-4 Over Milwaukee Brewers; Gio Gonzalez First 20-Game Winner From D.C. Since 1953.

? Gio Goes For No.20: You have to go all the way back to 1953 to find the last 20-game winner in Washington, D.C. baseball history. That year, a Newport, Virginia-born, 29-year-old, Washington Senators' right-hander named Bob Porterfield was (22-10) for the Sens with a 3.35 ERA, 73 walks (2.58 BB/9) and 77 Ks (2.72 K/9) in 34 games, 32 starts and 255.0 IP. Porterfield, in his sixth MLB season at the time, won his 20th start on September 12th in a complete game 13-hitter in a 3-2 Senators' win over the Cleveland Indians in Griffith Stadium. 27-year-old Washington Nationals' left-hander Gio Gonzalez's first shot at becoming the first 20-game winner from the nation's capital in 59 years fell short when he gave up four hits and two earned runs over 5.0 IP in a loss to the Atlanta Braves last Sunday in Turner Field. The Cy Young Award candidate got his second chance to win game no.20 this afternoon in the nation's capital in the Nats' second game of four with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.

? NatGio: Gio Gonzalez gave up a two-out single by Ryan Braun in the top of the first, but completed a scoreless inning of work after 11 pitches. The Nationals got the leadoff runner on in the bottom of the frame when Jayson Werth took a seven-pitch walk to start the inning, but the Nats' right fielder was caught stealing as Bryce Harper struck out for the first two outs of the home-half of the frame. Ryan Zimmerman reached first safely ahead of a throw to first by Rickie Weeks, who fielded Zim's weak grounder, but double-pumped and was a step late getting the ball to first. Nats' 1B Adam LaRoche, who homered after a two-out single by Zimmerman in the first inning of last night's game, grounded weakly to his counterpart, Corey Hart, to end a 23-pitch frame by Brewers' rookie right-hander Wily Peralta. 0-0 after one...

? Wil-d-y Peralta: Corey Hart and Carlos Gomez hit back-to-back groundouts to Danny Espinosa second to start the top of the second inning in Nationals Park. A groundout to short ended Gonzalez's second scoreless after another 11 pitches. Wily Peralta, 23, and a Dominican-born right-hander signed by Milwaukee as an amateur free agent in '05, walked Michael Morse for the second leadoff walk he issued in 2.0 IP this afternoon. Brewers' shortstop Jean Segura knocked an Ian Desmond grounder down, but had no play on the Nats' SS's infield single that put two on for Danny Espinosa. Peralta threw a wild pitch in an 0-2 count that moved both runners into scoring position, but Espinosa K'd unproductively on a check swing on the 1-2 offering from Peralta, a high 96 mph heater. Kurt Suzuki flew to short right in the next at bat and Norichika Aoki threw Morse out trying to tag and score. 9-3 DP. 0-0 in D.C.

? Werth + Harper = Runs: Ryan Zimmerman did his thing on a swinging bunt toward third by Jean Segura, but the speedy Brewers' infielder beat Zim's throw to first for a leadoff hit in the third. Segura stole his 6th base of the season with Aoki at bat after Wily Peralta K'd trying to bunt the runner over. Ian Desmond shaded his eyes as he sprinted over to the left field line to catch a sliced pop off Aoki's bat for second out of the inning, and Rickie Weeks sent Bryce Harper sprinting back toward the track in center where he made an over the shoulder catch at full speed for out no.3. Jayson Werth lined to right for a one-out double in the Nationals' third. Werth's 18th double was followed by Bryce Harper's 23rd as the Nats' 19-year-old slugger hit an opposite field blooper to left to bring Werth around. 1-0 Nats.

Brewers' catcher Martin Maldonado tried to catch Harper off second with a snap throw in the next at bat, but Harp just took third for his 14th SB of the year. Ryan Zimmerman K'd swinging for out no.2, but Adam LaRoche came through with a two-out RBI double to bring Harper in from third and make it 2-0. LaRoche's 31st. Michael Morse walked with two down to bring Ian Desmond up, and a grounder to short brought in another run when Jean Segura threw away an attempt at a force at second. LaRoche scores, 3-0. Single, E:6. Danny Espinosa walked with two down to load the bases and end Wily Peralta's day. Livan Hernandez replaced Milwaukee's starter on the mound. Kurt Suzuki took a 65 mph 1-2 curve for a called strike two and popped the 2-2 offering up to left to end the fourth. 3-0 Nats.

? TKCHZ: Bryce Harper shaded his eyes and stumbled a bit, but made the catch on a fly to center by Corey Hart that ended Gio Gonzalez's 4th scoreless inning against the Brewers after nine pitches. 48 overall for Gonzalez through four. Jayson Werth was 2 for 2 with a walk after a one-out single to center in the Nationals' fourth. Harper walked to put two on for Ryan Zimmerman. A wild pitch by Livan Hernandez moved both runners up and Zimmerma--- THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! 3-run HR, 6-0 Nats. Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse hit back-to-back one-out singles to left in front of Ian Desmond and the Nats' shortstop hit the second three-run HR of the inning to right-center and over the out-of-town scoreboard. Desmond's 24th. 9-0 Nationals after four.

? Gio Making History Today: Gio Gonzalez issued a one-out walk to Martin Maldonado in the Brewers' fifth, then threw a 2-2 fastball by the Brewers' Jean Segura for the second out of the inning and his 200th K of the season before getting a grounder to short by Yorvit Torrealba and a force at second to end his fifth scoreless frame after 17 pitches:

Bryce Harper singled to center off Brewers' right-hander Josh Stinson with two down in the Nats' fifth, but Ryan Zimmerman K'd looking to end the inning and strand Harper at first. Still 9-0 Nats.

? Run, Harp!!: Norichika Aoki hit a ground-rule double over Bryce Harper's head and the center field wall on a bounce to start the sixth. Harper got to the ball when Rickie Weeks lined to center in the next at bat, but it bounced off the Nats' center fielder's glove for the second straight double of the inning. A groundout to short by Ryan Braun brought the Brewers first run in, 9-1, and a sac fly by Aramis Ramirez made it 9-2 after five and a half. Make that 10-2! Brewers' right-hander Tyler Thornurg took over in the 6th and gave up HR no.32 of 2012 by Nats' first baseman Adam LaRoche, who crushed an 0-2 change and hit it deep to right over the out-of-town scoreboard and 10 rows back into the stands. 10-2 Nationals in D.C. after six.

? Gio In Line For 20: Gio Gonzalez kind of face-planted on the grass in front of the mound when he caught a spike on a 2-2 pitch to Brewers' catcher Martin Maldonado in the seventh, but he was unharmed and bounced back to strike Maldonado out before fielding a grounder off Jean Segura's bat and throwing to first to end Milwaukee's seventh. 201 Ks on the year for Gio. 5 today and he was at 90 pitches total after a nine-pitch 7th. Still 10-2 Nats. Tyler Thornburg threw a quick, nine-pitch seventh of his own against PH Chad Tracy, Roger Bernadina and Bryce Harper to keep it 10-2 after seven.

? Gio's Line: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 Ks, 90 P, 58 S, 11/5 GO/FO

? Do It For Gio!!!: Michael Gonzalez took over for the Nats in the top of the eighth, retiring Yorvit Torrealba and Logan Schafer before walking Eric Farris with two down to bring Tony Plush to the plate. Plush, aka Nyjer Morgan, K'd looking at a 2-2 fastball to end Milwaukee's eighth. Tyler Thornburg came back out for the bottom of the inning. Mark DeRosa K'd looking at what he thought was ball four. Tyler Moore flew to center. Corey Brown grounded to first. 10-2 after 8.0.

? 40, 493 in D.C: 40,493 fans turned out for the Saturday game with the Brewers. Christian Garcia came on in the ninth to lock down Gio's 20th win. Travis Ishikawa grounded to second. ONE!!! Jeff Bianchi sliced a single over second with one down in the frame. Taylor Green hit a 2-0 pitch out to right in the next at bat to make it 10-4 Nationals. Martin Maldonado singled to center for the third-straight hit. Jean Segura K'd swinging for out no.2 and Yorvit Torrealba did the same for no.3. Ballgame!! Gio wins no.20.

? Miss The Game? The D.C. Faithful Were Watching...

? Doghouse's Post Game WPA Graph: "Game 151: No-doubter":

Via FanGraphs

• Twenty wins, 200 Ks: Gio Gonzalez (+18.7%) goes 7 strong, giving up 0 ER with 5 Ks and a BB.
• Run support: Bryce Harper (+13.5%) atones in advance for his two-unearned-run error, doubling in a run for the early lead (+12.3%). Adam LaRoche (+8.5%) doubles him in, as well (+10.2%).
• He RAWKS! Ian Desmond (+16.0%) singles in a circus run in the 3rd (+8.4%) and pads the lead but good with a three-run oppo jack in the 4th (+1.6%).

Nationals now 92-59.

Source: http://www.federalbaseball.com/2012/9/22/3373150/washington-nationals-win-10-4-over-milwaukee-brewers-gio-gonzalez-20-game-winner

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Microsoft Makes Technology Safer & Easier to Use for Aging Baby ...

Posted by Bonnie Kearney
Director, Trustworthy Computing Communications ? Accessibility & Aging

Worldwide, a ?Silver Tsunami? -- an increase in the average age of the population -- is occurring. In the U.S. alone, one in five U.S. workers will be 55 or older by 2025. As part of the natural aging process, many older adults experience functional limitations, and can benefit from customizing their computing experiences to better meet their personal needs. Whether in the home, as a tool to stay connected, or in the workplace, to extend a career past what is traditionally considered ?retirement age,? accessible technology can help people of all ages and abilities continue to work and play online.

On Sept. 20 in New Orleans, AARP kicked off its annual Life @50+ National Event and Expo. This three-day conference hosts more than 20,000 AARP members and attendees. Given our long-standing commitment to making technology safer and easier to use, Microsoft understands the importance of working with organizations like AARP and attending gatherings like this one. Microsoft is providing resources and guidance, along with demonstrating the accessibility features in our products that help address the needs of individuals age 50 or older. We are also eager to hear from attendees about their online habits and concerns. To that end, the company?s Accessibility & Online Safety Teams are conducting an on-site survey to gauge attendees? online safety behaviors.
?
This survey, developed by Microsoft, measures proactive behaviors related to security and safety practices with a 100-point maximum possible score. This year?s survey results from respondents across Canada and the U.S. show that individuals age 50 or older scored 38.7 points on average, nine percentage points higher than younger respondents age 18 to 49. Specific examples of behavioral areas where the 50 or older set outperformed their younger counterparts include:

• Installing anti-virus/-spyware/-malware software on a PC and/or laptop
• Using phishing and Web-browser filters
• Using strong passwords

While all survey respondents have many of the safety ?basics? covered, opportunities exist to learn about new and emerging threats, particularly in the social realm. This is especially important for seniors where 50 percent of individuals age 50 to 64 in the U.S. use social networks. The industry?s? focus on combating technical threats, such as unknown e-mails, popups, spyware and viruses, has led to a broad base of knowledge, where consumers trust and depend on automatic updates, firewalls and virus protection to help keep them safer online. As a new breed of ?socially engineered? threats emerges, however, consumers are not yet as knowledgeable as to how to best protect themselves.?

Individuals are increasingly vulnerable to risks posed by fraudulent and malicious links, online identity theft and exposing sensitive personal information.

If you would like to learn more about making the computer safer and easier to use, please visit Microsoft?s Safety & Security Center and Accessibility Resources, or join us in-person at AARP?s Life @50+ conference in New Orleans.

Source: http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_on_the_issues/archive/2012/09/21/microsoft-makes-technology-safer-amp-easier-to-use-for-aging-baby-boomers.aspx

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American Airlines apologizes for flight delays

While American Airlines pilots deny there is an organized effort to disrupt flights as the company negotiates with unions during bankruptcy proceedings, constant delays within the carrier have skyrocketed, leaving passengers angry and frustrated. NBC's Tom Costello reports.

By NBC News and wire services

American Airlines is apologizing to its best customers for the recent upswing in delayed and canceled flights.

The airline sent email messages Friday to members of its AAdvantage loyalty program saying it was sorry for the inconvenience.

"We understand how irritating and unfortunate this is in interrupting or delaying their travel plans," said American Airlines spokesman Bruce Hicks. "We appreciate their patience and hope for their understanding."?

AAdvantage president Suzanne L. Rubin said the airline has added staff in maintenance, reservations and at airports to help travelers.

Rubin said if delays will cause someone to arrive more than an hour late, American will try to book the passenger on another flight ? even on another airline ? or cancel the reservation and give a refund.

American, based in Fort Worth, Texas, blames an increase in delays and cancellations on a surge of maintenance requests filed by crews and by an uptick in pilots calling in sick. The pilots' union says there is no organized sickout or work slowdown.

As of Friday afternoon American had canceled 310 flights this week, more than the next three airlines combined, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. American canceled many of those flights well in advance to adjust its schedule to crew and aircraft numbers, and cancellations dropped from 61 Wednesday to 17 on Thursday and 17 on Friday, according to FlightAware.

For several days early in the week, more than half of American's flights arrived late, according to another service, FlightStats.com.?

Information from the Associated Press is included in this report.

More in Overhead Bin

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Source: http://overheadbin.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/21/14017618-american-airlines-apologizes-for-flight-delays-cancellations?lite

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BlackBerry outage in Europe, Mideast, Africa

TORONTO (AP) ? The chief executive of struggling BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion apologized Friday after an outage in Europe and Africa interrupted service for customers on the very day Apple Inc. released its new iPhone 5.

BlackBerry announced the issues in postings on Facebook and Twitter on Friday, and later said it resolved the issue. The service disruption lasted up to three hours for some BlackBerry users in those regions.

The outage brought up unpleasant memories of last year's troubles with emails and chat messages that left many users bereft for up to three days.

The timing could not have been worse, coming as lines formed outside of Apple stores in a number of cities as the new iPhone 5 went on sale.

RIM shares plunged 6.5 percent, or 45 cents, to $6.45 in early afternoon trading on the Nasdaq.

Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said up to six percent of RIM's users may have been affected. He said the company is conducting a full analysis and will report back. No reason for the outage was given.

"I want to apologize to those BlackBerry customers in Europe and Africa who experienced an impact in their quality of service earlier this morning. The BlackBerry service is now fully restored and I can report that no data or messages were lost," Heins said in a statement posted on RIM's website. "Preliminary analysis suggests that those customers may have experienced a maximum delay of 3 hours in the delivery and reception of their messages."

RIM initially said the outage included the Middle East, but RIM spokeswoman Amy Jones later said it did not.

"It's the worst timing," Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said. "This is bad publicity and it's very unfortunate. But frankly the attention is all going to be on Apple today, all the weekend ?and frankly until the end of the year. Frankly, it's kind of irrelevant. The only thing that's relevant is when they are going to come out with their new phones."

Misek said he thinks the transition to the BlackBerry 10 software intended to run their new line of smartphones, could be a cause of the outage. RIM is preparing to launch the new phones early next year, after a series of delays.

"We think that switch over is causing the difficulties," Misek said.

The latest outage comes as customers are abandoning their BlackBerrys for flashier iPhones and Android phones.

RIM is facing its most difficult period in its history. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company is laying off thousands this year as it transitions to new software platform that has been deemed critical to its survival.

Colin Gillis, an analyst with BGC Financial, called it ironic that an outage would happen that the day Apple is releasing the iPhone 5. Gillis noted that RIM is trying to get its operating centers ready for the new BlackBerrys at the same time that it's laying off thousands and turning over senior management in a time of crisis.

"Systems are going to break when you are in that kind of mode. It's the worst possible environment to try and launch a critical, make or break product," Gillis said.

RIM was once Canada's most valuable company with a market value of more than $80 billion in June 2008, but the stock has plummeted since, from over $140 share to less than $7. RIM's decline is evoking memories of Nortel, another Canadian tech giant, which declared bankruptcy in 2009.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackberry-outage-europe-mideast-africa-165811283--finance.html

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Dennis Crowley: Foursquare's a discovery and recommendation engine first, social service second

Plenty of Foursquare fans use the app primarily as a means to share their own location and see the locations of others around them, but Foursquare isn't only about socially-acceptable stalking. At the GigaOm Mobilize conference today, company co-founder Dennis Crowley informed those of us in the room that thinking of Foursquare as merely a check-in app is misguided. According to him, the plan for Foursquare has always been for it to be a customized discovery and recommendation engine first, and a social tool second. You see, all your check-ins provide Foursquare with valuable information about you and your friend's habits. Those check-ins, as far as Foursquare's concerned, are merely an efficient means to get the data needed to build the individualized, location-aware search and recommendation engine that powers the explore tab in the app. Crowley said that he's been hearing plenty of positive feedback from users about the accuracy and usefulness of Foursquare-powered search, and some folks have even begun using it instead of Google. Foursquare isn't on Mountain View's level just yet, but it seems that Crowley and his cohort have the reigning king of search squarely in their sights.

Filed under: Software, Mobile

Dennis Crowley: Foursquare's a discovery and recommendation engine first, social service second originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 22:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

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PFT: Revis probably for Sunday, Jets say

Getty Images

Now that free-agent receiver Chad Johnson has pleaded no contest to charges of domestic violence, Johnson is subject to discipline under the personal-conduct policy.

But a source with knowledge of the procedure explains to PFT that Johnson likely won?t be disciplined until he returns to the NFL.

That said, if a team is interested in signing him and wants to know if he is facing a suspension, a decision could be made prior to Johnson signing a contract.

If Johnson had been issued a suspension before he was cut by the Dolphins, he could have served the suspension while unemployed.? Not that he?s unemployed but has yet to be officially suspended, the league apparently isn?t inclined to suspend him until he has a team.

Regardless of how it all plays out, the current posture could make it harder for Johnson to get a job with another NFL team.? Since he?s still a member of the union, he should push the league to issue a punishment regardless of whether he?s on a team, so that if he?s suspended he can serve it before, not after, he signs a contract.

That said, it?s not clear Johnson would even be suspended.? The policy primarily is aimed at addressing repeat offenders.? Johnson is a first-time offender.? Given the nature of the offense, however, the NFL could decide to take action.

Either way, it would be fair to Johnson to make the decision as soon as possible, so that he and any interested teams will know his status.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/21/darrelle-revis-probable-for-sunday/related/

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Lose Half Your Body Weight in 10 Minutes : Weight Loss For Women ...

?

Article by Natalie Pyles

Lose Half Your Body Weight in 10 Minutes

How to get a Grip on your dieting efforts

OK, if that got your attention, it?s time to get a grip on dieting. fitness Elements can help. The nutrition gurus at Health.com and reviewed more than 50 popular diets, then compared them for safety, effectiveness, expense, and lifestyle factors (like the all-important ?Can I drink coffee on this plan?? question). We can?t promise you?ll make your goal weight, but we?ll give you the best guidance we can to help you find a plan you?ll stick to. Good luck!

For those of you who know me and my philosophy on Nutrition you know that I believe in lifestyle changes that add up to huge sustainable Results. What people tend to do is start the next best thing that comes along. I have been in the health and fitness industry for over 17 years starting in Nursing working psych, med surge, home health, and rehab my personal favorite because people get Better by choice. What you need to know is diet and exercise are the cure to many health benefits. What you eat affects everything! I have known this for years it is no secret. Stop dieting and stick to something you enjoy and that will work for you long term. Here are the top 50 diets from the experts try narrowing it down to 3 and do some research and choose one and stick to it. Most important thing to remember is eat often. For men eat every 2-3 hours, for women every 3-4 hours, eat balanced meals to stabilize blood sugar levels, try 2 servings of fruit a day, and 3-5 servings of veggies a day this will help you. Enjoy! Have a happy and healthy day!

Fitness Elements Lifestyle System3-Hour6-Day Body Makeover8 MinutesAbsAtkinsBlood TypeBody-for-LifeCabbage SoupCurvesDr. PhilE-DietsFat FlushFit for LifeThe Flavor Point DietFrench Women Don?t Get FatGet With the Program!G.I.GrapefruitHamptonsJapanese Women Don?t Get?Jenny CraigL.A. weight lossL.A. ShapeLiving Low-CarbThe Mediterranean DietNutriSystemOrnishThe Perricone PromisePicture PerfectPritikinScarsdaleThe SkinnySlim-FastThe SolutionSouth BeachThe Step dietstructure HouseSugar BustersSuzanne SomersWeight WatchersThe Zone

By, Natalie Pyles

health and fitness Expert, Nutrition Specialist, Author, & NSA Speaker

About the Author

www.myfitnesselements.comhttp://fitnesselementsnow.com

Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
whereby the original author?s information and copyright must be included.

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Source: http://howcanyouloseweighttoday.com/2012/09/19/lose-half-your-body-weight-in-10-minutes-weight-loss-for-women-over-50-years-old/

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VHSL Changes: Coaches weigh in on the move to six classifications ...

MORE STATE CHAMPS, LESS TRAVEL IN STORE

BY JUSTIN RICE

Though the full ramifications of the VHSL?s change to six classifications are unclear, even to the coaches who have been following the proposal closely, two things do seem clear:

There will be many more state champions crowned in the smaller sports, a change many coaches seem either indifferent to, or openly opposed to.

Big changes to the district alignments?particularly with Orange and Albemarle moving out of the Commonwealth District and Eastern View and Culpeper leaving the Battlefield?will lessen travel during the regular season, and open up more options in scheduling, a positive change in the eyes of most coaches.

Field hockey will change from two to three state champions, with the bottom four classifications competing together (as they do now) and the top two classifications playing for separate titles.

Wrestling will double?from three to six?the number of champions it crowns. So will cross country, golf, volleyball, baseball, boys soccer, girls tennis, outdoor track and softball.

Boys tennis (five champions), girls soccer (five), lacrosse (two), swimming (four per gender), indoor track (four per gender) and gymnastics (two) will also be handing out more end-of-season trophies.

?I think it?s a little watered down,? said Colonial Forge wrestling coach Bill Swink. ?It could potentially hurt college recruiting.

?I think there already is equitable division, and I think three classes in a state like Virginia is good.?

The vast majority of the coaches interviewed by The Free Lance?Star agreed with Swink: The current number of state championships is sufficient.

?I think it?s kind of the path of this generation,? Courtland volleyball coach Bob Hott said. ?All the little kids get medals and trophies. The more champions you have, the more people feel good about themselves.

?I would just as soon throw everybody in the same pot, and have one champion.?

Schools that end up in the upper half of a classification split, like Colonial Forge (with a 2012 enrollment of approximately 1,750 students, destined for a 6A designation), will still compete with schools like T.C. Williams (3,000 students), Landstown (2,500) and Woodbridge (2,500).

But for Mountain View, Massaponax, North Stafford and Brooke Point, landing in 5A will have them paired with schools of more similar enrollment.

Not that enrollment is everything.

Swink has built a wrestling power at Colonial Forge. Mountain View and Stafford have been perennial contenders at the state level in field hockey. And the entire Commonwealth District has been one of the state?s best districts at churning out distance runners for cross country and track.

?In cross country I feel like we?re going to be in pretty good shape for a while,? said Stafford track and field coach Pete Augrom, who will lose many of the state?s best cross country opponents when he?s competing in the 6A-South. ?But in track you have the traditional powers?Western Branch, Lake Braddock those schools that always have the really good sprinters.?

Colonial Forge volleyball coach Keith Mesa said he?d vote against the change to six classifications. But he?d also vote against the current system.

?I think Virginia is a hard state to classify,? he said. ?There?s not a real uniform system of school building, so we end up with a lot of schools of varying sizes.?

One change Commonwealth District coaches are nearly unanimously in favor of is moving Albemarle and Orange out of the district. The Patriots and Hornets will compete during the regular season in the Jefferson District, built around schools in the Charlottesville region.

?At least once a week we?re making those teams have to travel,? Mesa said. ?I think right there you really need to start looking at, if these kids are student?athletes, that?s not what you?re saying if you do that. There?s no way that can help kids.?

With Orange and Albemarle, the Commonwealth has grown large geographically, and large in terms of the number of schools.

The VHSL allows a maximum of 16 regular-season field hockey and soccer games. So this year and last, the district schedule?two games against each of a school?s eight district opponents?sucked up the entire regular season, allowing no room to play nondistrict games against tough opponents.

?What I really want is the ability to play out of my district, just so we can play the better competition,? North Stafford boys soccer coach Iric Bressler said. ?We haven?t been able to do anything like that the last two years. I?d like to play somebody outside the district.?

Many of the 25 small-sports coaches interviewed by The Free Lance?Star do seem open to the changes. Most said they would vote against the six-classification proposal, but do recognize the need for changes in how teams are paired.

All seemed eager to figure out exactly what the changes will mean for their sport.

?Sometimes change is good; sometimes it?s not,? Mountain View field hockey coach Pattie Sullivan said. ?We?re going to have to feel this one out.?

Justin Rice: 540/368-5045
jrice@freelancestar.com

Source: http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/sports/2012/09/18/vhsl-changes-coaches-weigh-in-on-the-move-to-six-classifications/

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Dyslexia cause may be different than previously thought

ScienceDaily (Sep. 19, 2012) ? Dyslexia may result from impairment of a different linguistic system than previously thought, according to research published Sep. 19 in the open access journal PLOS ONE.

Speech perception engages at least two linguistic systems: the phonetic system, which extracts discrete sound units from acoustic input, and the phonological system, which combines these units to form individual words. Previously, researchers generally believed that dyslexia was caused by phonological impairment, but results from the current study, led by Iris Berent of Northeastern University in Boston, suggest that the phonetic system may actually be the cause.

"Our findings confirm that dyslexia indeed compromises the language system, but the locus of the deficit is in the phonetic, not the phonological system, as had been previously assumed," says Berent.

In the study, Hebrew-speaking college students had difficulty discriminating between similar speech sounds, but had no problem tracking abstract phonological patterns, even for novel words, suggesting that the phonological system is intact but the phonetic system is compromised.

"Our research demonstrates that a closer analysis of the language system can radically alter our understanding of the disorder, and ultimately, its treatment," says Berent.

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Journal Reference:

1. Iris Berent, Vered Vaknin-Nusbaum, Evan Balaban, Albert M. Galaburda. Dyslexia Impairs Speech Recognition but Can Spare Phonological Competence. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (9): e44875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044875

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/iGV4CZwpFfE/120919190604.htm

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Corporate corruption is big U.S. voter worry: poll

BOSTON (Reuters) - With less than two months to go before the U.S. presidential election, a new survey found 61 percent of Americans say a candidate's commitment to rooting out corporate wrongdoing will be key in deciding who gets their vote.

Along with keen interest in knowing each candidate's plans to fix the struggling economy, voters want government to do more to fight corporate misconduct - which they say helped cause the financial crisis.

"In these difficult economic times, Americans are mad as hell about corporate wrongdoing and are going to do something about it in the November elections and beyond," said Jordan Thomas, a partner at law firm Labaton Sucharow, which commissioned the survey and which represents corporate whistleblowers.

A telephone poll of 1,015 people conducted from August 16-19 found that 64 percent of Americans said corporate misconduct helped bring about the current economic crisis.

And 81 percent of respondents said the government has not done enough to stop corporate wrongdoing.

Labaton Sucharow will release the findings later Wednesday.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney, who made a fortune running private equity firm Bain Capital and served as governor of Massachusetts, is campaigning to replace Democrat Barack Obama as president in what pollsters are calling a very tight presidential race.

Voters have been outraged by disclosures that banks forged documents to foreclose on homeowners, financial firms packaged risky mortgages into bonds that were improperly rated triple-A, and international banks manipulated LIBOR, a key international lending rate.

The survey's release coincides with the first anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement.

A year after the demonstrations began, Americans remain angry about the influence of Wall Street money on politics, with 77 percent of respondents saying they believe politicians favor corporate interests over constituent interests.

Some 63 percent of Americans believe government should make more money available to regulators and law enforcement to eliminate corporate wrongdoing.

"Americans have sounded the alarm," said Labaton senior partner Thomas Dubbs. "To meaningfully repair the economy, restore public faith in the markets and hold wrongdoers accountable, we need a strong partnership between individuals, corporate entities and government," he added.

In 2011, U.S. financial regulators opened a so-called whistleblower office to encourage individuals to report wrongdoing in the workplace.

Labaton, which established a whistleblower practice more than a year ago, said this year's survey found the commitment to speak up has grown - with 83 percent saying they would report wrongdoing, compared with 78 percent a year ago.

(Reporting By Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/corporate-corruption-big-u-voter-worry-poll-162325879--sector.html

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Researchers tag great white sharks off Cape Cod

In this Sept. 13, 2012, photo, Captain Brett McBride places his hand on the snout of the crew's first specimen while scientists collect blood, tissue samples and attach tracking devices on the research vessel Ocearch off the coast of Chatham, Mass. Before release, the nearly 15-foot, 2,292-pound shark was named Genie for famed shark researcher Eugenie Clark. The Ocearch team baits the fish and leads them onto a lift, tagging and taking blood, tissue and semen samples up close from the world?s most feared predator. The real-time satellite tag tracks the shark each time its dorsal fin breaks the surface, plotting its location on a map. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

In this Sept. 13, 2012, photo, Captain Brett McBride places his hand on the snout of the crew's first specimen while scientists collect blood, tissue samples and attach tracking devices on the research vessel Ocearch off the coast of Chatham, Mass. Before release, the nearly 15-foot, 2,292-pound shark was named Genie for famed shark researcher Eugenie Clark. The Ocearch team baits the fish and leads them onto a lift, tagging and taking blood, tissue and semen samples up close from the world?s most feared predator. The real-time satellite tag tracks the shark each time its dorsal fin breaks the surface, plotting its location on a map. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

In this Sept. 13, 2012, photo, researchers screw satellite and acoustic tags onto the dorsal fin of a great white shark on the research vessel Ocearch in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Chatham, Mass. Once released, the tags will track the location and speed of the nearly 15-foot, 2,292-pound Genie, named for famed shark researcher Eugenie Clark. The Ocearch team baits the fish and leads them onto a lift, tagging and taking blood, tissue and semen samples up close from the world?s most feared predator. The real-time satellite tag tracks the shark each time its dorsal fin breaks the surface, plotting its location on a map. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

In this Sept. 13, 2012, photo, Captain Brett McBride streams seawater over the gills of a nearly 15-foot, 2,292-pound great white shark on the research vessel Ocearch in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Chatham, Mass. A crew of researchers and fishermen are tagging great white sharks off Cape Cod in an unorthodox way. The Ocearch team baits the fish and leads them onto a lift, tagging and taking blood, tissue and semen samples up close from the world?s most feared predator. The real-time satellite tag tracks the shark each time its dorsal fin breaks the surface, plotting its location on a map. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

In this Sept. 7, 2012, photo, Ocearch expedition leader Chris Fischer applies sunscreen before leaving the ship to check chum locations for signs of great white shark activity in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Chatham, Mass. as deck hand Juan Valencia, left, monitors chumming activity off the back of the research vessel. The Ocearch team baits the fish and leads them onto a lift, tagging and taking blood, tissue and semen samples up close from the world?s most feared predator. The real-time satellite tag tracks the shark each time its dorsal fin breaks the surface, plotting its location on a map. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

In this Sept. 7, 2012, photo, Ocearch expedition leader Chris Fischer steps onto a small sport fishing boat to check chum locations for signs of great white shark activity in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Chatham, Mass. The Ocearch team baits the fish and leads them onto a lift, tagging and taking blood, tissue and semen samples up close from the world?s most feared predator. The real-time satellite tag tracks the shark each time its dorsal fin breaks the surface, plotting its location on a map. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

CHATHAM, Mass. (AP) ? The scientists and fishermen on board the Ocearch, a repurposed crabbing vessel, received word that their scouting boat had hooked a great white shark, sparking a flurry of activity.

They were about to get up close and personal with the animal, more than 2,000 pounds and nearly 15 feet long.

"I'm nervous," said state shark expert Greg Skomal, who has tagged great whites, but never like this, never this close.

The Ocearch crew tags great white sharks in an unorthodox way. Unlike Skomal's team, which has tagged a dozen great whites off the Massachusetts coast with harpoons, Chris Fischer's Ocearch crew baits the fish and leads them onto a large platform that lifts them out of the water for tagging and collecting blood, tissue and semen samples.

Ocearch, a nonprofit research organization named for a combination of "ocean" and "research," is crewed mainly by sport fishermen. It is funded by sponsors and donors, and a South Africa expedition was the subject of History channel's "Shark Wranglers."

Now, Ocearch has come to Cape Cod for a few weeks, minus the reality show and plus local scientists, to help shed light on the sharks' migration patterns, protect breeding and birthing sites, improve public safety and raise awareness about the threatened species that is a rising presence in the area.

"We have massive knowledge gaps about how to protect their future," said Fischer, Ocearch's expedition leader.

Ocearch's real-time satellite tags last five years. Each time sharks' dorsal fins breaks the surface, the tags ping a satellite and mark an online map, accessible to researchers and the public.

The work is dangerous for both man and fish. One shark died on the lift in South Africa. The crew tries to return sharks to the water within 15 minutes.

"I used to be nervous of what they'd do to me," co-captain Jody Whitworth said. "Now I worry that we'll hurt them."

The Cape Cod expedition faces another challenge: finding the fish.

While great white sightings have risen near Cape Cod, they are much more common off South Africa or Australia.

Skomal estimates 30 great whites roam the Cape Cod coast on any given day. The Ocearch crew hopes to tag five.

Protecting these sharks is key, researchers say.

"These predators keep the next lower level in check," said Bob Hueter, of Mote Marine Laboratory, one of the research organizations working with the Cape Cod expedition. "It's a system of checks and balances."

The great white is the "lion of the ocean," keeping seal, squid and fish populations in check, Fischer said. But it's also the shark that people are most interested in, making it a gateway for ocean conservation and advocacy, he said.

Catching a shark starts with chum, drawing sharks to the boat by placing whale blubber and other shark favorites in the water a mile out from the ship.

Fischer says the crew doesn't draw sharks, as critics have claimed, but merely leads nearby sharks to the boat.

Most of Fischer's crew spends each day on a boat barely bigger than the great whites, traveling among chum locations and looking for sharks.

Just after dusk on Sept. 13, they spotted a great white and hooked it. Then, the small boat's crew slowly led the shark four miles to the 126-foot Ocearch.

Ocearch Capt. Brett McBride guided the shark onto the wooden platform with metal sides. Barefoot, he jumped in too. The lift slowly rose out of the water, level with Ocearch's deck.

The shark thrashed and bared her teeth as the water receded, curving her head and tail into the air.

McBride threw a wet towel over her eyes and removed the two-foot hook from her mouth. He pumped water over her gills with two large hoses.

The crew jumped onto the lift in their jeans and long-sleeve shirts, and the clock began.

They measured the fish ? 14 feet, 8 inches and 2,292 pounds ? and screwed the satellite tag, an accelerometer and an acoustic tag onto her dorsal fin with a power drill. Researchers collected blood and tissue samples.

McBride named the female shark Genie after renowned shark researcher Eugenie Clark.

After nearly 15 minutes, everybody scrambled off as the lift was lowered back into the water.

McBride grabbed Genie's tail and slowly guided her back into the ocean. They were done in 16 minutes flat. Genie drifted down into the dark water. The crew clinked beer cans and soda cups.

"That one shark alone was worth the trip," McBride said, noting she might lead researchers to breeding and birthing sites. "Any time we tag a great white shark it adds tremendous information to what we already know, which is very little."

Genie has pinged several times in the waters off Nantucket. So far, she's the crew's only catch.

___

Online:

http://sharks-ocearch.verite.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-09-18-Tagging%20Great%20Whites/id-13732a8860dd4eb4bc263392e39eb6d2

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