Tuesday, July 31, 2012

What To Look For In An Online Shopping Cart

Business, Entrepreneur, Startup & Grow, What To Look For In An Online Shopping Cart

When looking for an online shopping cart, the offerings are vast and wildly confusing. Here are some tips which will help you make your decision when it?s time for you to pull the trigger on selling your products/services online:

1. User Friendly. You want the cart to be easy to order from for your customers as well as easy for you to make updates and enter products. Most online carts have a free 2 or 3 week trial so you can kick the tires and get used to the backend. I highly recommend taking advantage of this trial period before launching your cart or adding products.

2. Customization. You want the cart to be easy to customize for both yourself and your developer. Does it handle CSS? Can you move things around easily? A beautiful experience for your user is a must not only through ease of use but visually. This is going to make your store stand out among your competition. Your store design needs to delight people and entice them to go farther through beautiful design.

3. Functionality. The most important part of your shopping cart is its functionality or ability to do things you and your customers want. How does it handle credit card payments? Do you have shipping rules you need it to follow? What about tiered pricing for wholesale customers? Make sure you read through the shopping cart features very carefully to ensure they meet your and your customer?s expectations.

4. Social Selling. Does your cart easily allow your customers to share your products/services through Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc? If it doesn?t integrate these services you might want to think about changing carts. These days, sharing online is the lifeblood to most ecommerce ventures. That is the easiest way to get your goods and services in front of people who may not otherwise hear about you. A good integration with social sites is very important because 85% of people buy something they?ve heard of from a friend. Make sure this is a one-click feature in your cart.

5. Search Engine Powerful. The last piece of the online sales puzzle to take very seriously is the effectiveness of the cart in the search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. Take a look at carts that are already built with the cart and do some research to see if they come up for common keywords. Also look at how the links are built for each product. Are there keywords in the URL path? Look at the address bar and you should see something like:?www.mystore.com/womens-cropped-jeans?not?www.mystore.com/1494-1243?.php. Make sure real words are associated with each product web address. That?s important for great search engine optimization. Also look for the ability to create your own freestanding meta tags which you can control.

Putting your goods/services online is something that shouldn?t be taken lightly. If you?re looking at free shopping carts or low-cost solutions you need to consider you get what you pay for. Most cheap carts are not built to last. They are built for thousands of people who want to put their toe in the water to see if they have a good idea before they take things seriously. Don?t get caught in that trap. If the user experience of buying your goods online is a chore, that impression will stay with your buyer who will never give you another chance to get it right.

After all, you wouldn?t sell your products/services in a dark alley caked with broken glass and garbage on a?dead end street. The online experience should be looked at in the same light. Invest time and some reasonable resources in your store. If you don?t know what you?re doing, find someone who can prove they?ve done it well already who can help you. Your shopping cart should be a reflection of the high quality you strive for and your customers expect. Delight them all the way from the home page to hitting ?Order Now!? and they?ll keep coming back for more.

Desiree Scales ? Fairy Godmother/Online Marketing Expert?? Desiree Scales from?Bella Web Design?from Atlanta, GA

Desiree Scales ?, business, EntrepreneurDesiree Scales brings over 15 years of expertise in online marketing to customer projects at her award-winning company,?Bella Web Design, Inc.With a background as a web designer for a major U.S. corporation, Delta Air Lines, Desiree delivers sound advice and outstanding solutions for her business customers. Her expertise and experience has evolved into a passion to educate people about online marketing and technologies that foster success. She has been a featured speaker at companies, conferences and seminars speaking on topics about web design, social media, online marketing and protecting teens on the Internet. Desiree also hosts?The Bella Buzz, a weekly podcast dedicated to online marketing topics, tools and tips for business owners.?Her podcast??is popular among business owners around the world.?Her company garnered a prestigious Webby Award Honor in 2011. Desiree has provided consulting for many companies including Microsoft, Delta Air Lines, Northside Radiology, Brand Mortgage and Marriott among others.

Source: http://startupprincess.com/what-to-look-for-in-an-online-shopping-cart-2/

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How Does Your Customer Service Measure Up? - ShuBee Business ...

Frank Blau
Contributing Writer

Gauging what customers think of you is a fundamental business duty. The card attached is part of the back cover of our job ticket forms. It is printed on perforated postcard stock, enabling the customer to tear it out and drop it in the mail. The backside is a postage-paid self-mailer. This makes it simple for customers to respond.

We generally receive between 125-150 of these replies each month, about 5% of our total customer calls. They help us monitor the job done by our telephone service employees, as well as tell us things every businessperson ought to know about his/her firm. By reading between the lines you also extract useful information about customer psychology.

Here?s a summary of some of the more important things we find out:

Price Vs. Value: Note the section that asks whether the service charge was ?More than expected?about right?less than expected?

We have never claimed to be the lowest priced shop in town. This is reflected in the fact that in the course of a year some 44% of respondents say our prices are ?more than expected,? compared with the 52% who say ?about right? and 3% ?less than expected.?

Many people think that when almost half your customers say your prices are more than expected, your business is doomed. However, note the responses we get to the next key inquiry ? ?Would you use Blau again?? Last year 87% of respondents said YES, only 4% NO, and 9% ?maybe.?

?My aching VISA card!? wrote one recent customer, who checked that the price was ?more than expected? and ?maybe? on whether he?d use us again. ?Too expensive!? went another.

We get quite a few cards where people check that we charge more than expected, but check YES for whether they?d use us again. This defies many people?s expectations. To me, it shows that people are will to pay a little more if they get good, friendly service.

Service With A Smile: ?I give Steve A-plus. I would ask for him again.? Wrote one recent respondent. ?My service man on 2-23-93 (initials B.S.) was excellent. Thank you for prompt service?Technician Larry Geurtsen was very thorough and provided excellent service??

So went some more recent responses. Note the tendency of Blau customers to pay attention to their service tech?s name. We encourage our people to ?schmooze? with customers. That is, be friendly, engage in conversation, treat them like human beings, not just money objects.

Speaking of which, what are we to make of this customer?s comment from a card returned in February ? ?(Service tech) was in my boudoir, and did not proposition me!? Sounds like that lady had a different experience with someone else.

It is my observation that if you give good service and try to be nice to people, they won?t challenge a higher price. ?Thanks for coming out so quickly,? wrote one customer. ?Would like to thank Blau for prompt consideration.? We get a lot of people commenting about how quickly we respond to calls for service. I get the feeling it?s a reaction to typical experiences with service firms that show up hours after the time they said, if at all.

Handling Complaints: We almost never get any complaints about employee appearance. It is company policy for our service techs to be neat and clean, and we enforce it.

About 1-2% of the cards we get have complaints about poor work performance or attitude on the part of our phone representatives or field technicians. That?s not a lot, but we make it a point to call each of these customers asking what we can do to make things better. We also question the employee for his/her version of events.

Most of the time it?s a minor misunderstanding. For instance, one customer recently complained about ?Phone rep somewhat pushy. Started out calling for inquiry. Felt coerced into using Blau.?

That was probably due to our policy of immediately asking people for their phone numbers when they call. Our phone reps key this into our dispatching computer work history, or establish one if it?s a new account. I can see where this might come across as too abrupt or ?pushy.? This is why we instruct our phone reps to ?schmooze? or chat with customers while they collect information.

However, the same customer who complained about our ?pushy? phone rep also took time to jot down that ?Mickey was friendly and knowledgeable. He respected my property and attempted to pick up after himself. Neater than many service men.? Oh and this customer also wrote, ?Prices high,? but ?maybe? would use us again.

For customers who are really upset about something, we will send a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Doing this brings them from thinking we are first-class jerks to okay folks.

People are People: We market our standard job tickets, including the customer respond

card, to other contractors around the country.

What I have found out from people who use them is a substantial similarity in the customer responses. Just about everyone finds 40-50% of customers responding that the prices are ?more than expected.? Likewise, close to nine out of 10 indicate they nonetheless would use the firm again.

I keep hearing from contractors around the country that they could never get away with the things we do here in Milwaukee. ?People are different around here, Frank.?

The results just cited tell me just the opposite. People are pretty much the same everywhere. They want to be treated decently and given good service. If they are, they?ll patronize your firm, even if your price is ?more than expected.?

Tracking Business: Notice that our customer reply card also tracks where calls come from. Last year about 38% of our calls came in response to Yellow Pages ads, 54% from repeat customers and 7% from referrals.

Incidentally, I offer that 54% repeat business as an answer to my critics who accuse me of being a gouger or cheat. Would that many people continue to patronize us if we didn?t give them good value for their money?

What we observe here is the power of name recognition that builds over time. People know they?ve heard of us but can?t quite remember where.

Customer Response Card

Source: http://www.shubeebusinesstips.com/2012/07/how-does-your-customer-service-measure-up/

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Power cut blacks out more than half of India

A massive power failure hit India for the second day running Tuesday as three regional power grids collapsed, blacking out more than half the country in a crisis affecting over 600 million people.

Hundreds of miners were trapped underground in the eastern state of West Bengal when the lifts failed, metro services were stopped temporarily in the capital and hundreds of trains were held up nationwide.

"The north, northeastern and the eastern grids are down but we are working and we will have them restored shortly," Naresh Kumar, a spokesman at the Powergrid Corporation of India Ltd, told AFP.

Federal Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters that the monster outage, which struck around 1:00 pm (0730 GMT) in the middle of the working day, was caused by states drawing power "beyond their permissible limits."

There appeared to have been a domino effect, with the northern grid drawing too heavily on the eastern grid which in turn led the northeastern grid to collapse.

"Half the country is without power. It's a situation totally without precedent," said Vivek Pandit, an energy expert at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Power was gradually flickering back in some areas several hours after the crisis struck, but was not expected to be fully restored until later in the day.

In New Delhi, the metro train system came to a standstill and traffic lights were out, causing chaos for a second day after a failure on the northern grid on Monday which caused the nation's worst outage in more than a decade.

"Drivers of all the metro trains have been asked to stop at the stations. No passengers will be allowed in the metro station until power is restored," said a spokeswoman for the network which carries two million people a day.

The city's hospitals and airports, accustomed to the regular outages caused by load-shedding, said they had switched to generators and back-up systems to keep their operations running normally.

About 400 trains on the extensive national railway network were affected by the outage, a spokesman for the railways told AFP, with all operations stopped in Uttar Pradesh. With nearly 200 million people, this one state alone has a population bigger than Brazil's.

In the east, the massive city of Kolkata went without power as did the surrounding state of West Bengal as the eastern grid, which supplies five states, failed under the stress of over-demand.

"This is the worst power crisis in the region. We were supplying power to the northern grid and this power sharing has led to the collapse," West Bengal Power Minister, Manish Gupta, told AFP.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters that "hundreds" of miners had been trapped in mines operated by the government-owned Eastern Coalfields Ltd in Burdwan, about 180 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of Kolkata.

"All efforts are on to resume power supplies. You need power supplies to run the lifts in the underground mines," she said, while declaring that state employees could go home for the day.

Smriti Mehra, a teller in a Bank of India branch in New Delhi, said the latest outage had caused chaos at work.

"Our main server is down. We have had to send back so many of our customers. There is no internet, nothing is working," Mehra said.

"It is a total breakdown of everything in our office," she added.

On Monday, the northern grid collapsed for six hours shortly after 2:00 am (2030 GMT Sunday), causing massive travel disruption and widespread inconvenience in nine states including the capital New Delhi.

In total, 20 out of 29 states were affected on Tuesday, according to an AFP calculation.

Shinde, the power minister, had called Monday's outage a "failure" but also boasted that India had been quick to restore power, unlike the United States which took days to restore electricity after a 2003 blackout on its eastern seaboard.

He and the rest of the government woke up Tuesday to a barrage of calls for urgent reform of the power sector.

Leading the charge were business lobby groups who said Monday's outage underlined the government's inability to address India's perennial electricity shortfall.

"The increasing gap between electricity supply and demand has long been a matter of concern," said Chandrajit Banerjee, director general of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The CII, Banerjee said, has "consistently highlighted" the need for urgent steps to improve supplies of coal to thermal power plants and reforming state distribution utilities.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/india-suffers-another-huge-power-failure-082902548.html

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Reviews: Google Nexus 7 with Jelly Bean

  • excellent value for money
  • solid all-round performance
  • quality display
  • good build quality
  • runs Android 4.1 ?Jelly Bean?
  • slightly thick and heavy for its size
  • only 8GB or 16GB options, no microSD slot
  • no support for MHL or HDMI
  • possible early quality control issues

With Android tablets generally trailing Apple's iPad by some margin, Google has taken it upon itself to generate momentum for the segment by launching the Nexus 7. As it has with its previous Nexus-branded products, Google has collaborated with an Android partner to develop a flagship device running a clean install of its open-source Android OS. In this instance, the Nexus 7 was developed with ASUS and runs Google's latest mobile operating system Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean." So how does the Nexus 7 fare in the ever expanding sea of consumer tablets?

Design and build quality:

Sanjiv: The Nexus 7 is a well made device. My unit is put together flawlessly in a way that belies its $199 entry price point. The textured and rubberized back feels nice in the hand, while everything else about it seems quite seamless and well finished.

Kevin: I'm generally in agreement on build quality. This is a very well put together device. At a shade under 12 ounces, it has a certain heft to it that makes it feel like a premium device. It?s easy enough to hold in one hand or two, and one can hold it for long periods of time without tiring or feeling any ache.

That said, there are a couple of issues with the design. The power and volume buttons on the side seem just a little too far out of the way. They?re not as easily accessible as one might like, though that?s no huge detractor. The big complaint I have is the power cord. It?s inexcusably short. Unless you?re right next to your outlet or swap out the included cord for a longer USB-to-microUSB cable, this is not a device you?ll be able to use while plugged in.

Sanjiv: Agreed on the power and volume buttons. I think it is because they are actually a little flat and this means that you have to hunt for them a little more. At 7.8x4.7x0.4in, I actually think the tablet is just a shade too thick from an ergonomic perspective; and a shade too heavy at 340grams. After owning a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, which is thinner, has a larger display, but weighs the same, the Nexus 7 doesn?t compare too well in that regard - it seems somewhat ?first generation? by comparison. In its own right though, it is going to be fine for most users.

Kevin: Fair enough, shall we move on to display and sound?

Sanjiv: I will quickly point out to readers that although we have had no complaints about the build of the Nexus 7, some reports on the Internet suggest that there may be some early production glitches. Some users have reported the screen separating from the body of the device, among other less major, but still annoying niggles like the microUSB port being broken.

Display and sound:

Kevin: The 1280x800 HD display on the Nexus 7 should be more than suitable to get the job done for most users. Out of the box, brightness on the device is automatically determined based on ambient light conditions, but users can tweak the brightness settings to their liking. I?ve found that the auto-brightness feature is adequate for most situations, but I have found the need to change it from time to time.

Sanjiv: The display uses in-plane switching tech (IPS) that gives it really wide viewing angles. It is essential that tablets use this type of technology and Google and Asus did not cut corners here. The yardstick for tablets remains the 264ppi Retina display in the new iPad - it also has a noticeably wider color gamut, but that said, the 146ppi display on Nexus 7 is still very good.

Kevin: Indeed. At seven inches, users will be hard-pressed to find any real problems with the pixel density on the device.

Sanjiv: I found that it works really well for e-books, with the font being easy to read. It also looks good viewing webpages as well as for watching movies. Again though, while we have not experienced any issues with our respective units, there are some users who have reported light bleeding issues and the odd dead pixel. However, they seem to be in the small minority.

Kevin: As to sound, iFixit did the requisite tear-down on the Nexus 7 and found that its small frame packs two speakers inside, as opposed to the one advertised on the official product page. I found that the tablet outputs a much louder sound than one might think, and it?s actually served as my primary music listening device over the past few days. The one downside is that the placement of the speakers makes it very easy to cover them up with a hand while gaming or watching movies, resulting in a somewhat muffled sound experience.

Sanjiv: Agreed; However, listening to music through a pair of headphones is a pretty decent experience and will keep most people happy. However, if you are a Mac user, be prepared to be frustrated in trying to get music on your Mac to your Nexus 7. With the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich, Google switched to the MTP protocol, requiring Mac users to install the Android File Transfer app - during testing, the app repeatedly crashed. The easiest way to get music onto your Nexus 7 will be through Google Play, or a service such as Spotify or Rdio, for example.

Kevin: On the music transfer note, Google Music is a passable, albeit slow at times, option. With the small storage space available on the device, some sort of cloud solution becomes something of a necessity; Google, Dropbox, and Amazon all have apps for Android. Google Music allows for the storage of thousands of music files, and a user can choose her favorite files to save to the Nexus 7 for offline access. This is an imperfect solution, as it means a good portion of one?s media will be unavailable away from an Internet connection, but it?s not a dealbreaker, given the cost and power of the device.

Sanjiv: Yes, storage is an inherent limitation of the device. Google has decided to skip microSD slots on consecutive Nexus devices - the Galaxy Nexus doesn?t use a microSD slot either. So while most competing tablets start at 16GB and max out with as much as 64GB of storage space, the most you are going to get on the Nexus 7 is either 8GB or 16GB. The more serious user would only contemplate the larger of the two options. However, this Nexus 7 is all about the price point, and giving users a good all round tablet experience for the money.

Performance:

Sanjiv: Most readers will be familiar with the 1.3GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor that powers the Nexus 7. It is a solid performer in benchmarks (see below) and uses ARM?s Cortex-A9 architecture. It delivers a rock solid user experience that means in most situations lag is not evident - the 1GB of RAM also helps in this regard. However, I did notice that when downloading and installing apps in the background, for example, lag can be apparent.

Kevin: There can be some lag here and there when downloading in the background, but it needs to be said that this is a powerhouse of a tablet. During my testing, I only experienced lag once: when I was downloading a game while watching a movie and occasionally switching between ten other open apps. The device only lagged when I tried to stream another game trailer from the Play Store. Needless to say, this is likely far more of a strain than the average user is likely to put on this device.

Sanjiv: I read recently that Nvidia did not supply a lot of documentation to OEMs when it released the Tegra 2, which made it a little difficult for OEM?s to optimize the performance of their devices. Nvidia?s emphasis with the Tegra 3, as one would expect, is with its graphics prowess. Although it has been bested by a number of devices in the benchmarks, including the quad-GPU PowerVR SGX in the new iPad and the new quad-core Exynos 4412 with the Mali 400, a number of developers have specially optimized their games for the GeForce GPU in the Tegra 3. This is one area where the Nexus 7 really shines from a performance perspective.

Kevin: True. Gaming on the device is quite smooth. Titles such as Dead Trigger and ShadowGun load quickly and run beautifully. Google spent a good deal of time during the Nexus 7?s unveiling to focus on its gaming potential, and the device largely lives up to the hype.

Sanjiv: I have come to the conclusion that touchscreen gaming is at its best on a 7-inch display. Holding the Nexus 7 in the landscape mode and controlling FPS titles using is much easier using this class of device. It actually makes playing games like Dead Trigger and ShadowGun a lot more playable and much more fun as a result. The use of the Fling Joystick also works really well in this context too. Larger tablets like the iPad make playing these types of games more than a little awkward by comparison. A PS Vita will still blow blow any tablet out of the water for the ideal control scheme for serious gaming, however.

Kevin: The Tegra 3 chipset enables a visual effects nearly comparable to what one would see on a dedicated gaming console. Water ripples and shimmers, lights filter through steam and fog, and reflective surfaces shine with the Tegra 3; all of which makes for a much more immersive graphical experience in gaming.

Sanjiv: We certainly recommend checking out the Nividia Tegra Zone to find the games that have been specially optimized for the chipset. So what about the other great reason for picking up a Nexus 7 tablet - Android 4.1 ?Jelly Bean??

Android 4.1 ?Jelly Bean?:

Kevin: As we mentioned in the introduction, the Nexus 7 is the flagship device for the newest version of Google?s operating system. ?Jelly Bean,? as Google calls it, is supposed to be optimized for tablets. Unfortunately, upon starting up the Nexus 7, a user will be confronted with one aspect that isn?t terribly tablet-friendly, at least on this particular device: the home screen is portrait-only. No amount of reorienting the device will shift it to landscape mode. This isn?t a fatal flaw, but it is a very annoying factor that you?ll be faced with again and again whenever going to the home screen while holding the device in landscape.

Sanjiv: I totally agree. It is just mind-boggling really. Given that Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) got this right, it is really hard to believe that for a supposedly tablet-optimized OS, users are forced to view the homescreen in portrait mode-only. I can?t fathom Google?s reasoning here.

Kevin: It seems like it might be a sacrifice to ensure smooth operation of other features, perhaps. Android 4.1 implements features like resizable widgets, and landscape mode on the homescreen may be a casualty of making sure those features function smoothly.

Sanjiv: Users can get around this annoyance by installing an alternative launcher. Chief among them is Apex (Free, Google Play), although there a number of other possibilities out there too. So much for the pure Android ?Jelly Bean? experience you get with a Nexus 7 though, if you do.

Kevin: And the ?pure? experience is quite a pleasant one. Jelly Bean is largely as fast and responsive as Google made it out to be in its debut. Project Butter is the name Google gave to its effort to reduce interface lag, and the results are as smooth as the name implies. The CPU and graphics run in parallel to speed up the interface, which now runs at 60fps. That means screen transitions occur quickly and with very little choppiness.

Sanjiv: Google made huge strides with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Jelly Bean puts the OS in the same ballpark as iOS and Windows Phone 7 for overall slickness. Graphical enhancements to the UI are slick, making for a polished product that belies its status as an ?open source? project. In the past, Google has added features to its OS at the expense of stability. The same can?t be said for Jelly Bean, which is the best Android experience yet and stands on par with iOS and Windows 7 Phone for quality.

Kevin: True, Jelly Bean seems to really solidify Android as a mature operating system. Google Google appears to be putting a real emphasis on smoothness and user experience. Of course, there are some design hiccups here and there. The notification system, for instance, has a somewhat awkward two-fingered gesture that initiates deeper interactivity -- i.e., expanding new emails, etc.

Sanjiv: Standard Google apps included work very well. In particular, the new Google+ app is particularly well-optimized for the tablet experience. Maps, Currents, Gmail, Earth as well as Google Talk all function as well as you could hope for in the tablet context.

Kevin: Maps, in particular, shines on the Nexus 7. The new Google Maps features turn-by-turn navigation and a number of other features that make for a truly eye-opening experience. Compass Mode in Street View is, in itself, almost worth the price of admission, allowing users to physically turn with the device and see whatever would be in front of them in the real world. The navigation mode is also quite useful, and Google circumvents the lack of a cellular connection by allowing users to download maps for offline access and navigation.

Sanjiv: Google have been clever enough to include as pre-installed a Nexus 7 guidebook as an e-book. This is a really handy way of getting to know the functions and features of the OS to help users get things done. It is really worth having a read, so that you can become a Nexus 7 power-user in no time.

Kevin: One of the major features Google showed off when revealing the Nexus 7 and Android 4.1 was Google Now, a sort of continually-learning service that helps users organize their own lives. Google Now remembers the things users search for, where they search for them, and so forth, and it presents that information when the system deems it necessary.

Sanjiv: To access Google Now, simply swipe up from the bottom of the display and it will automatically present you with information relevant to you. This includes the local weather, meetings or other events that you might have scheduled. It?s akin to Siri in some ways in that it functions as an assistant. Its voice recognition capabilities are also very good, and provided that you are in a quiet area and you speak clearly, but using regular language, you can ask Google Now for assistance in finding information without too much difficulty. It?s a really worthwhile addition.

Kevin: The voice recognition feature built into Android 4.1 really is one of the standout aspects of the operating system. Google has parlayed a massive amount of voice data into a system that can pretty solidly outperform Apple?s Siri in many cases. Additionally, the voice dictation feature is available offline, making it all the more useful. Users are restricted, however, and can only use voice commands to search the web, whereas on an Apple device one can search the device itself for files. The voice feature is useful for setting alarms for one day, but it cannot do simple things like create a calendar event. Tell it to make a calendar event for ?tomorrow at 5 PM? and the device will set an alarm for today at that time. It?s a very frustrating limitation, and one that Google will hopefully find some way to fix in the near future.

Connectivity and battery life:

Kevin: The Nexus 7 doesn?t have a cellular connection. So long as a user remains within range of a Wi-Fi signal, this isn?t really an issue. Upon moving out of Wi-Fi range, though, the storage limitations on the device become more of a concern. Fortunately, the offline mode for Maps preserves navigation functionality, and the voice recognition features are also largely available offline -- with, of course, the exception of Internet search.

Sanjiv: I?ve always enjoyed the immediate connectivity of 3G or 4G devices. However, with convenience comes the added expense of an additional data plan. So, it is not a bad thing that the Nexus 7 is not currently available with a cellular connection - it is easy enough to tether the device when on the go, if an Internet connection is required. If you don?t have a smartphone, only then does it become an issue.

Kevin: A cellular connection would also likely have the effect of lowering the battery life of the device. As it is, the Nexus 7 gets pretty solid life out its 4,325 mAh battery. On the product page, Google claims up to eight hours of active use, and that's actually been a bit on the low side in my experience. User experience may vary, of course, but one can likely expect a solid 10 hours of use before the battery indicator creeps into the red.

Sanjiv: No complaints with the battery life from me. It?s pretty decent with some benchmarks showing over 9 hours of use. As with all mobile devices though, this will vary considerably based on the activities that you are engaged in. You will get maximum life if you set the display brightness lower, and don?t engage in too many processor intensive tasks. In that case, you will start to cut in severely on the longevity of use per charge.

Also of note from a connectivity perspective is that the Nexus 7 does not support MHL nor does come equipped with an HDMI port, meaning that you won?t be able to connect it directly to a TV to view movies on a larger display.

Final thoughts:

Sanjiv: There are better 7-inch tablets on the market, but not for the money. I previously mentioned the Galaxy Tab 7.7 as an example and if money is no concern, I would seriously recommend users give that device a look. It offers the best ergonomics in the class and a Super AMOLED Plus display. The 7-inch form factor has a lot going for it from an entertainment and consumption perspective, although you couldn?t use it as a serious alternative to a notebook when on the go for productivity. A larger tablet paired with a Bluetooth keyboard is a much better proposition in that regard. Overall, though, the both Google and Asus have got the basics right in the key areas for this tablet - although I doubt it will pose a serious threat to the iPad.

Kevin: At that price point, the Nexus 7 is a terrific value for anyone looking for a tablet. The power of the device, combined with its pocket-sized portability, make it a terrific entertainment option; and the stellar voice controls along with Google Docs significantly increase its utility for productivity. It?s by no means perfect, but you?ll definitely be getting more than what you pay for the device. We could be seeing the emergence of the first real competitor to the iPad, albeit from a thoroughly unexpected angle.

by Kevin Bostic and Sanjiv Sathiah

Source: http://feeds.macnn.com/click.phdo?i=a1afa433427f013b7adb045e4ffdfee6

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Monday, July 30, 2012

CSN: White Sox make stunning trade for Liriano


First it was Kevin Youkilis. Then Brett Myers. Now Francisco Liriano is coming to the White Sox. If Kenny Williams' cell phone could talk, it would probably say, ?Stop. Leave me alone. I quit.?

But it can?t. Neither can Williams. The White Sox have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball with a 2 1/2 game lead in the AL Central, and this deal could best be described as a shocker. The main reason? The White Sox and Twins, longtime division rivals, actually made a trade with each other.

The last time it happened was 26 years ago.

It wasn?t that memorable either. On Sept. 3, 1986, the White Sox sent Kurt Walker to Minnesota for Pete Filson. Walker never played in the majors. Filson pitched in three games for the White Sox. Liriano was three years old, living in the Dominican Republic.

But now, he?s coming to the White Sox.

When I spoke with Williams earlier this week about possible trade targets, he hinted that not only was a trade possibly coming, but it might be something unexpected.

?You?d be surprised at some of the phone calls we?ve made,? Williams said.

Zack Greinke was his first choice. Williams apparently hounded Brewers GM Doug Melvin, trying to pry the pitcher away, but the two sides couldn?t come up with a match. Greinke ended up going to the Angels. Williams changed courses and landed Liriano.

We learned about the trade while on the air during White Sox Postgame Live. When I shared the news with Frank Thomas, his mouth nearly dropped to the floor. It was completely unexpected, just like the twists and turns of Liriano?s career.

As a rookie in 2006, he went 12-3, was named to the All-Star team, and looked like the next Johan Santana. Later that season he underwent Tommy John surgery. Some thought his career might be over. He mainly pitched in the minor leagues in 2008. He went 5-13 in the majors in 2009. He threw a no-hitter in 2011 (against the White Sox). This season he?s 3-10 and lost his last start ? to the White Sox ? giving up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings on Monday night.

So what can we expect of him? Nobody knows.

But we do know this, the White Sox now have a surplus of starting pitchers. Very few teams can say that. They have six healthy starters. If John Danks can come back (which is starting to seem unlikely), he would be No. 7. With Liriano, it allows Chris Sale and Jake Peavy to get extra rest between starts. Plus, if Mr. Fix It (pitching coach Don Cooper) can get Liriano back to his old form, or something close to it, the White Sox could have a steal on their hands.

Source: http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/sox-drawer/post/Sox-Drawer-Tireless-Williams-makes-anoth?blockID=747961&feedID=661

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Ideal benchmarks/prerequisites for relationship stages - Straight ...

What would you say either in general, or for you specifically, are the ideal benchmarks/preresequites for relationship stages? In other words, what would you say are the major transitional stages in a relationship of two people from stranger to life partner / coparents, and what do you think the prerequisites are for advancing to the next stage?

I'll give my own example, but I'm not sure it's necessarily correct or ideal, which is why I'm looking to you all, especially those with a lot of relationship experience, for your input.

I don't mind those whose relationships are a little unconventional from chiming in about their polyamorous situation or whatever, because that's very interesting and is even helpful in giving perspective, but I am hoping to get the majority of input from people who also feel like a sexually monogamous life partnership is their ideal ultimate outcome for them personally. I either case, I'm looking more for what you feel would be the ideal pathway, rather than whatever pathway you happened to actually take, though feel free to include anecdotes in service of supporting either by good or bad example why you feel a certain way.

Here's my first draft!

Stranger >Acquaintance

Merely requires meeting someone and either communicating with them or participating in the same activity, more than once.

Acquaintance > Friend

Communicate with and participate in activities with on a regular basis.

Friend > Best friends

Be honest and open about values, past, etc.

Best Friends > Casual Dating

Have mutual physical attraction, decide to start dating casually, decide methods and level of physical intimacy

Casual Dating > Boyfriend / Girlfriend (Committed Relationship)

Decide to be mutually exclusive, take STD tests before having sex, discuss the nature of sexual intimacy, confirm that you share similar goals with regard to the future of the relationship in terms of marriage, kids, career, etc.

Committed Monogamy > Live Together

Discuss financial aspects, time together and apart, etc.

Live Together > Engagement

Decide on a mutual desire for a more permanent committed relationship, reconfirm relationship and future goals, reconfirm shared values, resolve any lingering conflicts, discuss and decide on financial responsibilities, decide what to bring to and expect from the marriage, meet families, discuss method of future conflict resolution.

Engagement > Marriage

Reconfirm everything above.

Marriage > Renewal

Reaffirm commitment, resolve any unexpected new conflicts

Renewal > Parenting

Discuss parenting methods, values, beliefs, and responsibilities with regard to having children.

I've been a little vague in parts, definitely would love to hear what other people think needs to be negotiated and decided during the various stages.


Last edited by jackdavinci; Yesterday at 02:38 AM.

Source: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=660182

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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Ideas to Obtain a Multi-media Projector To your Company | Acosta ...

pWhen you are purchasing a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/77606790@N07/7169391205/in/photostream/%20a multimedia that you /awill use for your business, the options may seem tempting at the first. But the budget, the type of the presentation that you make and also the frequency of use will narrow the choices. For salesman on the road and a small business, they usually will need a portable model, but for the large corporations or teaching institution may need the fixed installation model. Here is the information that you can read to buta href=http://wachtingandmore.blogspot.com/2012/06/powerlite-s6-multimedia-projector.html%20 the right projector for a business/a./ppFor the first thing that should be done is that you need to consider the travel schedule. A laptop size portablea href=http://electronicsbest.net/powerlite-s6-multimedia-projector-v11h283420.html%20 multimedia projector/a is good for you who give the presentations on the go, and also home-based entrepreneurs who infrequently visit the offices of other people on sales or the marketing calls./ppYou need to look at the number of people who will attend your business meeting./ppThe particular medium-sized projector, generally referred to as the particular conference place projector, is the better choice for nearly all of firms. Technology-not only to the revenue business presentation and it can always be transferred very easily on the different achieving rooms in a building.br /For the next phase, you must consider the increased resolution to the larger group meetings. The great top quality projector is named fixed set up projector which is forever connected to the threshold of enormous spiel or even the achieving places. This projector has got the best resolution.br /And then, you?ll want to watch the pictures that this projectors develop. A new multimedia system projector includes an Liquid crystal or perhaps DLP exhibit. If you?ll make use of the vibrant hues within your business presentation photographs, an Liquid crystal projector may be the wonderful choice. DLP projector offers further dark backdrops.br /For the last phase, you can look at your different lamp fixture varieties. UPH, UHE and in addition halide table lamps are typically in multimedia system projectors. You ought to consider your allowance as well as maintenance requirements directly into considerations when you are seeking the lamp fixture. They will be expensive for substitute./pp/p

Source: http://www.acostanetworktech.net/?p=12111

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bikyamasr: Malaysia wants wealthiest from Africa, Asia http://t.co/e5Z99fbn

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://twitter.com/bikyamasr/statuses/229518449297207296

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Drawing Magic: Animation Hints From Disney Greats

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    Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Drawing-Magic--Animation-Hints-From-Disney-Greats/4068933

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    Saturday, July 28, 2012

    Web Design Businesses Vs The self employed: Choosing Anyone to ...

    When you are thinking about buying or fee a website for the business, you?ll probably come across many individuals and companies giving to help you. People offering to create a custom-designed website in your case will likely fall under one of two teams. You will find those who will offer to make your entire internet site for you. Additionally, you will find organizations who employ many people who will collectively you could make your website.

    So that you can determine which is way better for your needs, you have to consider that you?re not just purchasing a single item. Websites have many components. Your website will need visuals and written content. In addition, you may have to have your site interact with your prospective customers. You may need to course of action and keep what your prospective customers send you (like registration data) in a databases. You may need to have you webpages show up differently to be able to customers.

    To obtain a completed internet site that will accomplish your needs, each of the elements must work together. If someone piece is missing, can not work with the rest from the components, or perhaps does not are eligible, your website is not going to work effectively.

    Person webpage developers, usually referred to as ?freelance web designers? or perhaps ?freelancers?, usually make this happen work independently. They create the person components which, together, type what you and your visitors might find as your web page.

    The advantage of developing a freelance web designer do all of this work is your website is going to be consistent. Considering that the same body?s creating each of the components, at least closely managing them, your site pieces ought to work cohesively together. You don?t have to bother about design-by-committee or a lack of knowledge between the general project developer and the development team. A fantastic freelancer can notice whenever elements don?t function well collectively. They can then compensate speedily before time and energy is used on bad elements.

    The main potential disadvantage of finding a freelancer to make your website is which only one person will be producing it. Generally speaking, people have weak points. While one individual may be good at the precise, solely methodical aspect of programming, these traits are neither well suited in order to graphic design or user interface design and style. While you will find people who are able to do every aspect nicely, many people lack expertise in one particular necessary aspect of web design or even more. Because internet site creation requires so many different procedures, your website may well lack exceptionalness a single area or another.

    In contrast, web design companies employ groups of people to work on parts of your website. You might have one person who manages the entire design along with optimizes the way your viewers talk with your website. Another person may design and style all of the images for your internet site. Yet another may well do the scripting for the website, both that which could happen in your visitors? browser and on your host. Another person may well manage your current database along with work with the info that your guests give you.

    The main benefit of this set up is that you gain a high a higher level specialization. With a good web design company, you will have people who are professionals in personal components of your site. You can have one individual who is a great graphic designer working on the same undertaking as somebody who is an expert developer. Well manned web design organizations will create your site with all of the elements expertly created.

    A potential disadvantage of contracting an online design company to create your website is that, tough individual professionals, your project may well lack communication. In order for each of the individual areas of your website to adjust to together, the actual creators of the baby components should design his or her individual component to work well with the parts that everybody different on your undertaking is producing. The developer will need to write scripts that really work with the visuals created for your site, as well as the databases that shops your information. The picture designer should create images that fit while using information as well as the overall structure. Everything should work together, like a website produced by one person.

    On this environment, connection between people in the undertaking team is important. If the requirements of the elements are not comprehended by the inventors of the other components, the final website is not going to achieve the goals.

    Choosing whether to use an individual web page designer or possibly a company is the subjective task. Both personal designers along with deign companies can cause good sites.

    Jack Myers have been a professional coach for over Seventeen yrs and has learning prolific ideas with edmonton seo in part with his affiliation with New Industries Team ,a new innovative team for innovating people. Read more about his website to find out about his edmonton web design studies over the years.

    Source: http://www.madeinjapan.us/web-design-businesses-vs-the-self-employed-choosing-anyone-to-create-your-internet-site/

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    Amazon founder Bezos donates $2.5 million to support gay marriage

    Amazon.com Inc. CEO and founder Jeff Bezos. (Ted S. Warren/AP)

    Billionaire Amazon.com founder and president Jeff Bezos is donating $2.5 million to help a Washington state law that legalized gay marriage survive a referendum this November. Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie, are now among the largest donors to gay marriage in the country, the New York Times reported.

    Gay marriage was legalized in Washington state in February, but opponents immediately started a campaign to recall the law in a referendum. Gay marriage is legal in six states, but it has failed every single time it has been put up to a popular vote. Supporters in Washington and Maryland are hoping to buck that trend this November, when their recent laws allowing same-sex marriage go up for a vote. So far, the pro-gay marriage camp is out-raising its opponents in Washington, in part thanks to help from Silicon Valley. Microsoft's Bill Gates and Steven Ballmer each gave $100,000 to same-sex marriage supporters, the Times says.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/amazon-founder-bezos-donates-2-5-million-gay-132350086.html

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    Boy hit by bird on NJ roller coaster

    FILE - In this May 19, 2005, file photograph, people cheer at the end of a ride on Six Flags Great Adventure's roller coaster, Kingda Ka, in Jackson, N.J. A boy is recovering after he was hit in the face by a bird Thursday, July 26, 2012, while riding the roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen, File)

    FILE - In this May 19, 2005, file photograph, people cheer at the end of a ride on Six Flags Great Adventure's roller coaster, Kingda Ka, in Jackson, N.J. A boy is recovering after he was hit in the face by a bird Thursday, July 26, 2012, while riding the roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen, File)

    FILE - In this May 19, 2005, file photograph, Six Flags Great Adventure's roller coaster, Kingda Ka, sends people flying skywards in Jackson, N.J. A boy is recovering after he was hit in the face by a bird Thursday, July 26, 2012, while riding the roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen, File)

    JACKSON, N.J. (AP) ? A boy is recovering after he was hit in the face by a bird while riding a roller coaster at an amusement park in New Jersey.

    The collision occurred as the Kingda Ka coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson was returning to the station Thursday.

    Park spokeswoman Kristen Siebeneicher tells the Asbury Park Press (http://on.app.com/N1hV0G ) the boy was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries to his face and neck. She says it's unclear what type of bird it was, but characterized it as small, and says its carcass is being handed over to the Ocean County Health Department.

    The 45-story Kingda Ka coaster, which reaches speeds up to 128 mph, was shut down for 30 minutes.

    ___

    Information from: Asbury Park Press, http://www.app.com

    Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2012-07-27-Coaster%20Rider-Bird%20Strike/id-e15f8fc24de049c585d99e233414b574

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    Friday, July 27, 2012

    AccessData releases new version of cyber intelligence application ...

    CBR Staff Writer Published 26 July 2012

    The new application gives organisations the ability to identify and address all types of threats, including zero-day events, hacking, data spillage and advanced persistent threats

    E-discovery, computer forensics and cyber security software firm AccessData has released its Cyber Intelligence & Response Technology Version 2 (CIRT 2), which can integrate network and computer forensics, malware analysis, data auditing, enabling users to detect and remediate unknown threats.

    The new application gives organisations the ability to identify and address different types of threats including hacking, data spillage and advanced persistent threats by allowing users to correlate computer, network and malware data, as well as audit multiple machines.

    CIRT2 is comprised of four of AccessData's technologies: the AD Enterprise network-enabled computer forensics application, SilentRunner network forensics product, the data auditing capabilities of AD eDiscovery and AccessData's new Cerberus malware analysis technology.

    AccessData Network Forensics director Jason Mical said using CIRT, organisations can continuously monitor network traffic, computers and removable media to detect threats and acquire actionable intelligence in the event of a cyber incident.

    "In addition, with CIRT's "check in" feature, CIRT users can monitor the laptops of traveling employees, even when they are not logged on to the organization's network," Mical said.

    The new Cyber Intelligence & Response Technology include correlate network and host analysis to determine root cause and chase down data spillage.

    It can also identify and triage suspected malware using both static analysis and advanced disassembly analysis to determine behavior and intent without a sandbox or without relying on signature-based tools.

    CIRT2 can play back security incidents in real-time to understand an exploit or data spill, build threat profiles and monitor to prevent incident recurrence, perform batch remediation and monitor the network and information assets, including removable devices, on or off the organisation's network.

    Source: http://security.cbronline.com/news/accessdata-releases-new-version-of-cyber-intelligence-application-260712

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    Tricks On How To Get Good Auto Insurance Rates | Hostel 333

    A great way for you to save money on your auto insurance is to find an all-in-one insurance carrier. If you can find a company to provide your auto insurance, homeowners? insurance, and health insurance, you can purchase one large package and save up to 40% off of purchasing separate insurance packages.

    You shouldn?t buy a vehicle unless you check the insurance rates on it first. You may find the car you really want has higher insurance rates for many different reasons. It may have a high rate of being stolen or wrecked, which can cause your insurance to be higher and you will be paying more for it.

    Did you know that a simple feature on your automobile like anti-lock brakes entitles you to an insurance discount? It?s true; the safer your vehicle is, the less you will ultimately have to pay for auto insurance. So when you?re shopping around for a car, spending a little extra for safety features is rewarded in the long run via lower premiums.

    Remember that when it comes to coverages on your auto insurance policy, there are two that are mandatory. These are bodily injury and property damage liability. Also, if you have a new car that already has a loan, your company may require collision insurance in your policy. Other than that, the other coverages are optional.

    You can save money on your auto insurance if you are in a position to drop collision coverage. You might consider doing so if your vehicle is paid off and if you have enough in savings to cover the car?s replacement cost. The value of older cars drops dramatically, and if you?re willing to take on some out-of-pocket risk, you can save on your premiums.

    When buying car insurance, consider what coverage you actually need against what coverage is being recommended by the agent. If your car is worth less than about five thousand dollars, collision coverage is probably costing you more than what would pay out in an accident. However, property liability coverage is vital, as it protects you against having to pay out for damage to another party?s car or other property.

    Be extra careful when you drive so as not to be caught in a scam. Insurance rates are as high as they are due to sophisticated staged accidents which are perpetrated by criminals all over the country. Ensure that you photograph any crash scene and call the police immediately to report the accident.

    Having an alarm, car tracker or other theft deterrent installed on your car can save you money on your insurance. The possibility of your car getting stolen is part of the calculations that go into your insurance quote. Having a theft deterrent system means that your car is less likely to get stolen and your quote will reflect that.

    Be sure to keep your car secure. Keeping your car garaged, having a security alarm system, using a locking device on your steering wheel, having a professionally installed tracking system and living in a safe neighborhood are just a few of the ways you can save some money on your car insurance. Be sure to ask your agent how you can get discounts on your insurance rates with good security measures.

    When endeavoring to lower the cost of your current auto insurance policy, try to decrease your commute as much as possible, if switching to just one car is not an option. You can also try working closer to home, or work at home as much as possible. Doing this will lower your policy.

    A great tip for getting affordable auto insurance is to consider dropping your coverage if your car is only worth a couple of thousand dollars. Since coverage pays for damage to your vehicle, you would only need to have a couple of thousand dollars to replace the car. Therefore, there is no need in having high coverage in this instance.

    When purchasing a vehicle, think about the costs for insurance for that vehicle. You can contact local auto insurance providers to determine the factors that they consider when it comes to the vehicle, which includes the make, model, and year. You want to purchase a vehicle that is going to offer a considerably low rate, or at least a rate that is within your budget.

    After you do all the research and you decide exactly which company you will want to use, go over with the agent the type of coverage you will want. Then when you get the policy, read over it and make sure that it is exactly what you requested. It is easy to make an error, so it is always good to check.

    A great tip for keeping auto insurance policy costs low is to limit the specialized, custom and high performance options and equipment installed on your vehicle. By doing this, you will appear to be a lower claim risk, and will therefore be able to secure far more competitive rate quotes.

    Take advantage of multi-car discounts! If there is more than one car in your household, consider purchasing all of the auto insurance policies under one insurance provider. Insurance companies typically offer large discounts on annual premiums, when you take out more than one policy with them.

    Ask your auto insurance company if they will give you a discount, due to whatever your chosen profession is. Some companies give rate discounts to customers who work in certain fields because they feel that you are a lower risk, due to your skills or the way that you may live your life.

    In summary, you want to do all that you can to learn about auto insurance. There is a lot of information available, but we have provided some of the most important tips. Hopefully, we have provided you with enough information, to not only give you a solid background, but to also, further spark your interest for becoming an expert in it.

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    Source: http://hostel333.com/?p=59193

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    Simple Is Now Available To The Public, Cofounder Alex Payne Moves On

    Screen Shot 2012-07-25 at 10.11.08 PMThere is nothing more broken than the payments/banking system, which makes me and everybody else root for payments (and more!) startup Simple (formerly BankSimple). We all hate our banks and, especially if you are in SF, we constantly hope that the future will be better. And, again if you're like me, Simple is your great white hope: A Mint that won't sell out and actually is responsible for your money, a banking interface that actually makes interacting with the your l

    Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Ly_nGDi63lo/

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    Thursday, July 26, 2012

    Protein Refolds To Perform Second Job

    60-Second Science60-Second Science | More Science

    The transcription factor RfaH unfolds and then refolds into a new conformation to become a translation factor. Ian Chant reports.

    More 60-Second Science

    Secret identities aren?t just for superheroes anymore. Researchers have found that a protein present in everything from amoebas to people is living a double life. Once it binds to DNA, the protein, called RfaH, rips apart?and then refolds into a different shape, to do a different job.

    RfaH is a transcription protein?attached to or freed from a stretch of DNA, it determines if a gene is expressed or not. But once the protein has carried out its task, its helical structure unravels. Within seconds, it refolds into a barrel structure, which has a new role, this time in translation, where it helps the cell produce amino acids for new proteins. The study is in the journal Cell. [Bj?rn M. Burmann et al, An ? Helix to ? Barrel Domain Switch Transforms the Transcription Factor RfaH into a Translation Factor]

    The next step is to find out if the barrel can refold into the helix. After that, researchers want to see if proteins similar to RfaH?which are present in all life on Earth?are capable of comparable molecular contortion. Which would mean a lot more bang for our protein buck.

    ?Ian Chant

    [The above text is a transcript of this podcast]


    Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=fcbffcc2ddc11a77dd0e144f57b9e52c

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    Real Estate/Property Management jobs, Seattle jobs, Washington jobs



    Administrative Assistant POSTED: Jul 25
    Salary: Open Location: Seattle, Washington
    Employer: Pinnacle Type: Full Time - Experienced
    Category: Real Estate/Property Management ? ?

    Work for the Best in the Industry - make your next move here! Pinnacle ranked #1 on the National Multi-Housing Council Top 50 Largest U.S. Apartment Managers for two years in a row! We invest in great people. That's why clients trust us with their real estate investments! At Pinnacle, we consider our employees to be our most valuable asset. In fact, our number one key business objective is to attract and retain the best talent in the industry! At Pinnacle, we firmly believe our employees....more info

    View all our jobs


    Primary responsibilities include providing administrative support to the assigned investment managers. This may include correspondence, transcription, photocopying, mailing, faxing, filing, gathering and compiling reports for clients, per their requirements, and front desk relief for corporate receptionist.

    ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  • Process and review Weekly reports from assigned sites.
  • Process and review bi-monthly payroll and commissions received from sites.
  • Review all received new hire paperwork for accuracy, and submit to payroll department.
  • Distribute monthly financial statements in format required by clients. Process quarterly funding requests, submit to bank, and track receipt of checks.
  • Complete any project assigned by investment manager.
  • Support the overall goals of the company by performing all other duties as assigned by direct supervisor.

    QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this role successfully, an individual must be able to perform all essential functions satisfactorily. The requirements define the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Recent administrative related work experience required. Experience in the real estate management industry preferred.

    LICENSE/CERTIFICATION: N/A

    JOB KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
    - Excellent organizational skills required.
    - Must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
    - Must be able to obtain proficiency in Yardi accounting software, Kronos automated timekeeping software and Groupwise email systems.
    - Must be able to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, with internal and external customers in various positions of responsibility.
    -Must be able to consistently meet reporting deadlines.


  • Pinnacle

    Seattle WA

    www.pinnaclerealty.com "); febox .html('') .addClass('featured-employer-box') .appendTo($('body')) .css({ "height":fWin.height() - 50, "width":980 }) .overlay({ top: 20, closeOnClick:true, load: false }); feframe = $('#featured-employer-frame'); }); $('body').delegate('.fe-popup','click',function(e) { var el = $(this); feframe.contents().find('body').html(""); feframe.attr('src',el.data('url')); febox.overlay().load(); }); })(jQuery);

    Source: http://jobs.apartmentcareers.com/jobs/4855345/administrative-assistant

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    Songbirds migrate on strict schedule

    ScienceDaily (July 25, 2012) ? A new study by York University researchers finds that songbirds follow a strict annual schedule when migrating to their breeding grounds -- with some birds departing on precisely the same date each year.

    The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, is the first to track the migration routes and timing of individual songbirds over multiple years. Researchers outfitted wood thrushes with tiny geolocator "backpacks," recording data on their movements.

    Spring departure dates of birds heading from the tropics to North American breeding grounds were surprisingly consistent, with a mean difference of only three days from year to year, the study reports. Fall migration, however, was far less predictable. Males on average flew faster than females, and first-timers lagged behind those with more than one journey under their wings.

    The geolocators, which are smaller than a dime, are mounted on birds' backs with thin straps looped around their legs. The devices measure light, allowing researchers to estimate latitude and longitude by recording sunrise and sunset times.

    "It's quite surprising that the schedules of these birds are so consistent across the entire route, with some of them departing the tropics and arriving at breeding sites in North America on the same day in different years," says study author Kevin Fraser, a postdoctoral Fellow in York's Department of Biology, Faculty of Science & Engineering. "Much like airplanes, there are many factors that can influence birds' flight schedules, such as weather at departure and expected conditions at the other end of the journey. Amazingly, these small songbirds are highly consistent in their timing between years."

    Interestingly, while their departure times are precise, songbirds' migratory routes can vary widely. "Migratory routes sometimes differed by several hundred kilometres between years, which may reflect a fine-tuning of migration in response to wind and weather conditions en route, such as during large open-water crossings like the Gulf of Mexico," he says.

    As for arrival times, birds need to be early to lay their claim to prime breeding grounds -- but not too early.

    "There is intense pressure for birds to get back to breeding grounds early to secure good territories, nest sites and, of course, mating opportunities. The early birds tend to do better and raise more young. However, cool weather in early spring can reduce food availability and even survival of early birds," Fraser says. He cautions that songbirds' consistent timing may come at a cost.

    "The concern is that birds may not be able to flexibly adjust their schedules to meet new conditions with climate change," says Fraser. "This is a topic we're pursuing in current research."

    The birds Fraser tracked were tagged in Pennsylvania and Costa Rica, at field research sites of his supervisor, York University Professor Bridget Stutchbury, who has studied the behavioural ecology of birds for decades. Her 2007 book, Silence of the Songbirds, details the threat to the species posed by climate change and habitat destruction.

    "Numbers [of wood thrush] have plummeted in Canada by over fifty percent since the 1960s. When we lose the wood thrush, and other songbirds, we lose an integral part of the forest itself," Stutchbury says.

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    Journal Reference:

    1. Calandra Q. Stanley, Maggie MacPherson, Kevin C. Fraser, Emily A. McKinnon, Bridget J. M. Stutchbury. Repeat Tracking of Individual Songbirds Reveals Consistent Migration Timing but Flexibility in Route. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (7): e40688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040688

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    Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120725200332.htm

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    Teen who tweeted sex attackers' names won't face charges

    A Kentucky teenager frustrated by light punishment for two boys who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting her was spared Monday from having to face a contempt charge for naming them on Twitter in violation of a court order.

    The case of Savannah Dietrich, 17, quickly gathered supporters nationwide who were upset that the victim of an assault could be punished for speaking out against her attackers.

    The girl turned to Twitter after she said she was frustrated with what she felt was a lenient plea deal. The judge had ordered no one to speak about the case, which was in juvenile court.

    On Monday, attorneys for the boys dropped their motion to charge her with contempt. David Mejia, an attorney for one of the boys, said the decision to withdraw the motion had nothing to do with public sentiment and online attention to the case.

    He said the purpose of the motion had been to enforce the law that protects juveniles and their actions from disclosure.

    "The horse is out of the barn," he said. "Nothing is bringing it back."

    The Associated Press does not generally identify victims of sexual assault, but Dietrich and her parents wanted her story to be made public. She gave her account to The Courier-Journal newspaper in a story published Saturday. She has not responded to the AP for comment and her lawyer, Emily Farrar-Crockett of the public defender's juvenile division, did not immediately return telephone calls.

    Jeff Dion, deputy executive director of the National Center for Victims of Crime, said victims who feel cheated by the justice system sometimes file civil lawsuits in an effort to get information in the public, but social media has turned that on its head.

    "It's all about giving victims a voice," Dion said.

    In one day, an online petition on Change.org had garnered 62,000 signatures in support of Dietrich's action.

    "When I read it, I was appalled and outraged and thought, 'Somebody has to do something about this. Who is going to do something about this?'" said Elizabeth Beier, 22, of Cockeysville, Md., who started the petition even though she doesn't know Deitrich. "Everyone wants this girl to have peace and time to recover and not another trauma like jail time."

    Beier said the two women have not spoken, but she congratulated her.

    "I think what she did was very brave by coming forward ... and I think a lot of people who may have been victims or survivors of assault and didn't get the justice they deserve probably see themselves in her," she said.

    Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, said the motion to withdraw the contempt of court charge was "a huge victory not only for Ms. Dietrich, but for women all over the country."

    Deitrich told The Courier-Journal that after the sexual assault, the boys posted photos of the attack on the Internet.

    "These boys shared the picture of her being raped with their friends and she can't share their names with her Twitter community? That's just crazy," O'Neill said.

    The Courier-Journal reported that the boys were charged with first-degree sexual abuse, a felony, and misdemeanor voyeurism, according to information in a court motion the newspaper filed asking Judge Dee McDonald to allow the paper to see motions filed by attorneys for Dietrich.

    The teens pleaded guilty to those charges in late June, though Dietrich and her family told the newspaper they were unaware of the plea bargain and recommended sentence until just before it was announced in court. The attack occurred in August 2011.

    Dion said the Kentucky law on gag orders in juvenile cases presupposes that information revealed came from reading the court record. In Dietrich's case, he noted, she was the victim, and she had independent knowledge of the crime.

    "And I think a restriction or gag order on a victim creates some First Amendment issues," Dion said.

    He added that prosecuting a victim "sends a terrible message."

    "We created victims' rights out of a recognition that we need victims to come forward in order for our justice system to work," he said. "Really, what do they get for that?"

    Chris Klein, an attorney for one of the boys, said publicizing their names may create problems for them in the future.

    "There's always that possibility and in any type of scenario like this you run that risk," he said. "Now whether both these boys can overcome those hurdles, it's too early to determine that."

    Klein said it's possible, but unlikely, that prosecutors would make the same contempt charge against Dietrich. Both sides will still be bound by the confidentiality of the juvenile court proceedings.

    "I think her behavior will dictate whether it's the end of it or not," Klein said. "If all the parties abide by the confidentiality of juvenile court, then I think that's the end of it."

    Bill Patteson, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Attorney's office, said he could not comment because of the confidentiality on juvenile cases.

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    Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48292780/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

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