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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Chicken Farms Try Oregano as Antibiotic Substitute
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Mass. braces for Senate race if Kerry leaves seat
FILE - U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., pumps his fist during his re-election campaign kick-off in Worcester, Mass., in this Jan. 19, 2012 file photo. If Sen. John Kerry is confirmed by the Senate for secretary of state, as expected, Kerry would have to resign the seat he's held for nearly three decades, prompting a special election _ the state's third Senate contest since 2010. Already, jockeying is well under way. The big question is whether Republican Sen. Scott Brown will go for the seat, after losing his last month to Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
FILE - U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., pumps his fist during his re-election campaign kick-off in Worcester, Mass., in this Jan. 19, 2012 file photo. If Sen. John Kerry is confirmed by the Senate for secretary of state, as expected, Kerry would have to resign the seat he's held for nearly three decades, prompting a special election _ the state's third Senate contest since 2010. Already, jockeying is well under way. The big question is whether Republican Sen. Scott Brown will go for the seat, after losing his last month to Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
President Barack Obama, left, shakes hands with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., as he announces his nomination of Kerry as next secretary of state in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
BOSTON (AP) ? Massachusetts voters weary from one of the nation's costliest and most divisive U.S. Senate races are all but certain to find themselves thrown back into another tumultuous election now that President Barack Obama has nominated Sen. John Kerry for secretary of state.
If confirmed by the Senate, as expected, Kerry would have to resign the seat he's held for nearly three decades, prompting a special election ? the state's third Senate contest since 2010.
Already, jockeying is well under way. The big question is whether Republican Sen. Scott Brown will go for the seat, after losing his last month to Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren.
He kept the door wide open to another run during a farewell address on the Senate floor, declaring that both victory and defeat are "temporary" things. "Depending on what happens, and where we go, all of us, we may obviously meet again."
And perhaps as soon as next year.
Brown would be a formidable candidate. He has a statewide political organization and more than $400,000 left in his campaign account. He remains popular and demonstrated an ability to raise millions of dollars in campaign donations. But he would still have to contend with all the hurdles facing any Republican in Massachusetts.
Still, he'd probably have a clear path to the GOP nomination. "The candidacy is his for the asking," said Rep. Brad Jones, the Republican leader in the Massachusetts House. "If he runs, then get out of the way and put your oar in the water and row in the same direction."
Should Brown opt out, former Gov. William Weld, former gubernatorial candidate Charles Baker and Richard Tisei, who lost a narrow race to Democratic U.S. Rep. John Tierney, are among the Republicans waiting in the wings for a possible run.
Democrats don't have a clear front-runner, given that Gov. Deval Patrick doesn't plan to break his pledge to serve out the last two years of his term.
He still could play a pivotal role.
Patrick could use his sway in the party to clear what looks like a potentially crowded Democratic field. His backing of Warren was seen as giving her a critical edge by helping energize Democratic voters. On Friday, however, he said he'd probably not endorse anyone in a Democratic primary.
Attorney General Martha Coakley, who lost to Brown in the 2010 special election, pulled her name out of contention on Friday.
Several Democratic members of the state's congressional delegation have said they would seriously consider running, including Reps. Michael Capuano, Edward Markey, Stephen Lynch, and Niki Tsongas. Most of those House members would begin a campaign with a financial edge. Markey has one of the largest war chests with more than $3.1 million, and Capuano has nearly half a million dollars in his account while Lynch has more than $740,000. Tsongas has about $166,000.
But all would have to work quickly to expand their appeal outside of their home districts.
Others mentioned by Democratic insiders as potential candidates: U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz and Ted Kennedy Jr., a son of the late senator, an advocate for the disabled and co-founder of the New York-based Marwood Group, which described itself as "a healthcare-focused strategic advisory and financial services firm."
The governor also will be required to fill Kerry's seat temporarily with an interim appointment, while setting a day for the special election between 145 days and 160 days after Kerry's resignation. In the 2010 special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy, Patrick required his interim appointee, former Democratic Party chairman Paul Kirk, not to run for a full term.
Patrick said he expects anyone he appoints on a temporary basis this time would also not run in the special election.
Former Gov. Michael Dukakis, retiring Rep. Barney Frank and Victoria Kennedy, widow of Sen. Kennedy, have been mentioned in Democratic circles as possible interim senators. This week, Dukakis played down interest in the post while Kennedy declined comment.
Although Democrats are riding high off Warren's win, several of the arguments they brought to bear in the 2012 campaign wouldn't apply in a special election. They can't say, as they did in the Warren campaign, that defeating Brown might tip the balance of power in the Senate. Or that electing him would strengthen the hand of a Republican president.
Still, Democratic Party Chairman John Walsh said the party has a wide pool of candidates and attributed Brown's loss to a rejection of his voting record.
"I don't think Scott Brown is any kind of prohibitive favorite," Walsh said. But he'd "certainly be a front-runner."
If there is a special election, whoever wins shouldn't get too comfortable. The senator will face re-election in 2014, when Massachusetts voters will endure yet another Senate election.
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Saturday, December 22, 2012
C.A.R.E. Resort Exchange Added 15 New Members | Timeshare ...
Posted by admin on December 21st, 2012
C.A.R.E. Resort Exchange Added 15 New Members
This article: C.A.R.E. Resort Exchange Added 15 New Members was written by Jason Tremblay
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C.A.R.E. (Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers) saw an impressive increase in membership in 2012. Adding more than 15 new member companies the resort exchange association now has a roster of over 160 international members.
Linda Mayhugh Vice President and Co-Chair of C.A.R.E.?s Membership Committee, says, ?As a board member of C.A.R.E, I am proud to see our organization growing and becoming more recognized respectively throughout the timeshare and vacation travel industry. I believe many in our industry would carbon me when I say, I like doing business with people I consider friends, family, and most of all someone I can trust.?
New C.A.R.E. resort exchange members include:
- Bedsonline.com
- Club Services International
- Coastal Green Air of Florida
- Connex UK & Ireland
- Crown Vacation Exchange
- Equity Transfers International
- Ideal Private Resorts
- International Travel Assets Developers S.A. de C.V.
- Leisure Getaways and Relax Travel S. de R.L. de C.V.
- Perfekt Marketing
- R&L Properties Real Canadian Travel
- Resort Condo Incentives
- RM Vacation Times
- The Resort Place
- Travel for Net Group
Mayhugh explains, ?We hear it more times than not, this (the opportunity to do business with those who feel like friends or family) ?is why C.A.R.E. has been so successful ? bringing like minds together in an intimate, but professional, environment with an organization run primarily by volunteers in the industry all having the same goals in mind. It is my belief that our international growth alone is a testament to the success C.A.R.E. can bring any organization in the industry.?
To learn more about C.A.R.E contact Bonnie Kosco at bkosco@care-online.org or 800-636-5646.
Recent The Timeshare Authority news about C.A.R.E. resort exchange association:
New Resource for Timeshare Employment and Hospitality Jobs
Travel To Go President Leads Timeshare Industry in C.A.R.E. Fundraising
Timeshare News: Jeanette Bunn of Travel To Go Talks about the Second Harvest Food Bank
C.A.R.E. Timeshare Conference Announces Keynote Speaker
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Please visit The Timeshare Authority ? Timeshare news and information for owners, buyers and renters
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Tuesday, December 18, 2012
New online tool estimates carbon and energy impact of trees
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Contact: Sherri Eng
sleng@fs.fed.us
510-559-6327
USDA Forest Service - Pacific Southwest Research Station
DAVIS, Calif.A tree is more than just a landscape design feature. Planting trees on your property can lower energy costs and increase carbon storage, reducing your carbon footprint. A new online tool developed by the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)'s Urban and Community Forestry Program, and EcoLayers can help residential property owners estimate these tangible benefits.
Using a Google Maps interface, ecoSmart Landscapes (www.ecosmartlandscapes.org) allows homeowners to identify existing trees on their property or select where to place new planned trees; estimate and adjust tree growth based on current size or planting date; and calculate present and future carbon and energy impacts of existing and planned trees. After registration and login, Google Maps will zoom in to your property's location based on your street address. Use the tool's easy-to-use point and click functions to identify your parcel and building boundaries on the map. Next, input the size and type of trees on your property. The tool will then calculate the energy effects and carbon storage that those trees provide now and into the future. Such information can help guide you on the selection and placement of new trees on your property.
Carbon calculations are based on the only methodology approved by the Climate Action Reserve's Urban Forest Project Protocol for quantifying carbon dioxide sequestration from tree planting projects. The program allows cities, utility companies, water districts, non-profits and other non-government organizations to integrate public tree planting programs into their carbon offset or urban forestry programs. The current beta release includes all California climate zones. Data for the remainder of the U.S. and an enterprise version designed for city planners and large-scale projects is due out the first quarter of 2013.
"Planting a tree to shade your home is one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy and help the environment," says Greg McPherson, a research forester at the Pacific Southwest Research Station who helped develop the tool. "You can use this tool to strategically place trees that will put money in your pocket as they mature."
Future releases of ecoSmart Landscapes, which currently runs on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer 9 browsers, will include assessment tools for runoff reduction, water conservation, infiltration based on landscape configurations, rainwater interception due to trees, and fire risk to buildings.
###
Headquartered in Albany, Calif., the Pacific Southwest Research Station develops and communicates science needed to sustain forest ecosystems and other benefits to society. It has research facilities in California, Hawaii and the U.S.affiliated Pacific Islands. For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/psw/.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sherri Eng
sleng@fs.fed.us
510-559-6327
USDA Forest Service - Pacific Southwest Research Station
DAVIS, Calif.A tree is more than just a landscape design feature. Planting trees on your property can lower energy costs and increase carbon storage, reducing your carbon footprint. A new online tool developed by the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)'s Urban and Community Forestry Program, and EcoLayers can help residential property owners estimate these tangible benefits.
Using a Google Maps interface, ecoSmart Landscapes (www.ecosmartlandscapes.org) allows homeowners to identify existing trees on their property or select where to place new planned trees; estimate and adjust tree growth based on current size or planting date; and calculate present and future carbon and energy impacts of existing and planned trees. After registration and login, Google Maps will zoom in to your property's location based on your street address. Use the tool's easy-to-use point and click functions to identify your parcel and building boundaries on the map. Next, input the size and type of trees on your property. The tool will then calculate the energy effects and carbon storage that those trees provide now and into the future. Such information can help guide you on the selection and placement of new trees on your property.
Carbon calculations are based on the only methodology approved by the Climate Action Reserve's Urban Forest Project Protocol for quantifying carbon dioxide sequestration from tree planting projects. The program allows cities, utility companies, water districts, non-profits and other non-government organizations to integrate public tree planting programs into their carbon offset or urban forestry programs. The current beta release includes all California climate zones. Data for the remainder of the U.S. and an enterprise version designed for city planners and large-scale projects is due out the first quarter of 2013.
"Planting a tree to shade your home is one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy and help the environment," says Greg McPherson, a research forester at the Pacific Southwest Research Station who helped develop the tool. "You can use this tool to strategically place trees that will put money in your pocket as they mature."
Future releases of ecoSmart Landscapes, which currently runs on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer 9 browsers, will include assessment tools for runoff reduction, water conservation, infiltration based on landscape configurations, rainwater interception due to trees, and fire risk to buildings.
###
Headquartered in Albany, Calif., the Pacific Southwest Research Station develops and communicates science needed to sustain forest ecosystems and other benefits to society. It has research facilities in California, Hawaii and the U.S.affiliated Pacific Islands. For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/psw/.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/ufs--not121712.php
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Monday, December 17, 2012
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Source: http://devilreadsvogue.blogspot.com/2012/12/indycar-season-stewart-nascar-debut.html
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Climate model is first to study climate effects of Arctic hurricanes
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Contact: Janet Lathrop
jlathrop@admin.umass.edu
413-545-0444
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Now climate scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and in England report the first conclusive evidence that Arctic hurricanes, also known as polar lows, play a significant role in driving ocean water circulation and climate
AMHERST, Mass. Though it seems like an oxymoron, Arctic hurricanes happen, complete with a central "eye," extreme low barometric pressure and towering 30-foot waves that can sink small ships and coat metal platforms with thick ice, threatening oil and gas exploration. Now climate scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and in England report the first conclusive evidence that Arctic hurricanes, also known as polar lows, play a significant role in driving ocean water circulation and climate.
Results point to potentially cooler conditions in Europe and North America in the 21st century than other models predict.
Geoscientist Alan Condron at UMass Amherst and Ian Renfrew at the University of East Anglia, U.K., write in the current issue of Nature Geoscience that every year thousands of these strong cyclones or polar lows occur over Arctic regions in the North Atlantic, but none are simulated by the latest climate prediction models, which makes it difficult to reliably forecast climate change in Europe and North America over the next couple of decades.
"Before polar lows were first seen by satellites, sailors frequently returned from the Arctic seas with stories of encounters with fierce storms that seemed to appear out of nowhere," says Condron, a physical oceanographer. "Because of their small size, these storms were often missing from their weather charts, but they are still capable of producing hurricane-force winds and waves over 11 meters high (36 feet)."
He and Renfrew say that despite the fact that literally thousands of polar lows occur over the Arctic region of the North Atlantic ocean every year, none are simulated by even the most sophisticated climate models. To understand the importance of these storms on climate, Condron and Renfrew therefore turned to a new, state-of-the-art climate model to simulate the high wind speeds associated with these "missing" storms.
"By using higher resolution modeling we can more accurately simulate the high wind speeds and influence of polar lows on the ocean," Condron says. "The lower-resolution models currently used to make climate predictions very much miss the level of detail required to accurately simulate these storms."
He and Renfrew find that by removing heat from the ocean, polar lows influence the sinking of the very dense cold water in the North Atlantic that drives the large-scale ocean circulation or "conveyer belt" that is known as the thermohaline circulation. It transports heat to Europe and North America.
"By simulating polar lows, we find that the area of the ocean that becomes denser and sinks each year increases and causes the amount of heat being transported towards Europe to intensify," Condron points out.
"The fact that climate models are not simulating these storms is a real problem," he adds, "because these models will wrongly predict how much heat is being moving northward towards the poles. This will make it very difficult to reliably predict how the climate of Europe and North America will change in the near future."
Condron also notes that other research groups have found that the number of polar lows might decrease in the next 20 to 50 years. "If this is true, we could expect to see an accompanying weakening of the thermohaline circulation that might be able to offset some of the warming predicted for Europe and North America in the near future."
###
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?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Janet Lathrop
jlathrop@admin.umass.edu
413-545-0444
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Now climate scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and in England report the first conclusive evidence that Arctic hurricanes, also known as polar lows, play a significant role in driving ocean water circulation and climate
AMHERST, Mass. Though it seems like an oxymoron, Arctic hurricanes happen, complete with a central "eye," extreme low barometric pressure and towering 30-foot waves that can sink small ships and coat metal platforms with thick ice, threatening oil and gas exploration. Now climate scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and in England report the first conclusive evidence that Arctic hurricanes, also known as polar lows, play a significant role in driving ocean water circulation and climate.
Results point to potentially cooler conditions in Europe and North America in the 21st century than other models predict.
Geoscientist Alan Condron at UMass Amherst and Ian Renfrew at the University of East Anglia, U.K., write in the current issue of Nature Geoscience that every year thousands of these strong cyclones or polar lows occur over Arctic regions in the North Atlantic, but none are simulated by the latest climate prediction models, which makes it difficult to reliably forecast climate change in Europe and North America over the next couple of decades.
"Before polar lows were first seen by satellites, sailors frequently returned from the Arctic seas with stories of encounters with fierce storms that seemed to appear out of nowhere," says Condron, a physical oceanographer. "Because of their small size, these storms were often missing from their weather charts, but they are still capable of producing hurricane-force winds and waves over 11 meters high (36 feet)."
He and Renfrew say that despite the fact that literally thousands of polar lows occur over the Arctic region of the North Atlantic ocean every year, none are simulated by even the most sophisticated climate models. To understand the importance of these storms on climate, Condron and Renfrew therefore turned to a new, state-of-the-art climate model to simulate the high wind speeds associated with these "missing" storms.
"By using higher resolution modeling we can more accurately simulate the high wind speeds and influence of polar lows on the ocean," Condron says. "The lower-resolution models currently used to make climate predictions very much miss the level of detail required to accurately simulate these storms."
He and Renfrew find that by removing heat from the ocean, polar lows influence the sinking of the very dense cold water in the North Atlantic that drives the large-scale ocean circulation or "conveyer belt" that is known as the thermohaline circulation. It transports heat to Europe and North America.
"By simulating polar lows, we find that the area of the ocean that becomes denser and sinks each year increases and causes the amount of heat being transported towards Europe to intensify," Condron points out.
"The fact that climate models are not simulating these storms is a real problem," he adds, "because these models will wrongly predict how much heat is being moving northward towards the poles. This will make it very difficult to reliably predict how the climate of Europe and North America will change in the near future."
Condron also notes that other research groups have found that the number of polar lows might decrease in the next 20 to 50 years. "If this is true, we could expect to see an accompanying weakening of the thermohaline circulation that might be able to offset some of the warming predicted for Europe and North America in the near future."
###
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?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/uoma-cmi121112.php
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Save Money With LightFish! - The Gerber Babies Blog Product ...
Along with saving money, LightFish also lets users share their collections with friends & family and allows other users to leave comments on each other?s items. They feature products from Gap, Williams-Sonoma, J. Crew, and other great stores. I could have a lot of fun and spend a lot of money (and save some too!) with LightFish! Thank goodness they have a special giveaway!!!
To celebrate the launch and the holiday season, LightFish is hosting a $1,000 shopping spree giveaway to one of its first users. To enter, simply create a 2012 Holiday Collection and add any products you want to the collection. One lucky winner will be randomly chosen to have their Holiday Wish Collection granted up to $1,000. For a complete set of rules & regulations click: http://lightfish.net/promo.jsp.
Source: http://2gerberbabies.blogspot.com/2012/12/save-money-with-lightfish.html
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Monday, December 10, 2012
Loss for overmatched BJ Penn doesn?t take away from career
B.J. Penn will turn 34 on Thursday. The man who is nicknamed "Prodigy" and "Baby Jay" is up against his mid-30s. In his loss to Rory MacDonald, he looked downright ... old.
Gone was the man who frantically paced while waiting to fight Diego Sanchez before the fifth round of their championship bout. The Penn who choked out Kenny Florian and Joe Stevenson and Jens Pulver was nowhere to be found. The "Prodigy" who burst onto the MMA scene in 2001 by with three straight knockout wins was not in the Octagon.
Instead, it was a Penn who looked overmatched and small next to the young and strong MacDonald, who represents the next wave of MMA. Unlike most of the fighters in the UFC, MacDonald didn't start with one discipline -- like wrestling, jiu-jitsu or kickboxing -- and then add in others to try MMA. MacDonald trained in mixed martial arts since he was 14. MacDonald looked like the next big thing. Penn looked like an also-ran.
But this is the way things go in combat sports. Fighters always think they have one more win in them. Heading into Saturday night, Penn was 1-3-1 in his last five bouts. Still, fighters are convinced they're just one good punch away from staging a comeback. Against MacDonald, if that was true, Penn couldn't find that punch.
[Also: Benson Henderson beats up on Nate Diaz, retains lightweight title]
Penn, a legend in MMA whose first fight was at UFC 31 in 2001, had no answers for MacDonald. Penn was wobbled by a left late in the first round. He survived just to take such a beating in the second round that the fight doctor came in between the second and third to check and see if Penn could continue.
In the third round, MacDonald continued to land strikes, but added taunting to his arsenal. He dropped his hands and made faces at Penn, which the crowd in Seattle didn't appreciate. After the bout, MacDonald said he Penn was his hero, but he had to treat him like every opponent.
"Like I said to BJ after the fight, he was the one guy I really really looked up to growing up. He's a hero to me," MacDonald said to UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
During the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White said he would like to see Penn retire. After his showing on Saturday night, it's likely White isn't alone in these wishes. While Penn's had a rough showing of late, the disappointing end to his career doesn't take away what he did throughout it. If, like all legends, he fades away, his career will be remembered for the brilliance at its height, not the fizzling at the end.
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Cowboys arrest, death serve as sad reminder DUI is major problem for NFL
? Johhny Manziel takes the Heisman: Pat Forde says why (video)
? Zack Greinke agrees to $147 million deal with Dodgers
? Y! Finance: Obama expedites 'pay-as-you-earn' program for student loans
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Sunday, December 9, 2012
This Week's Top Downloads
XBMC Unveils an Official Beta for Android Devices
If you've been waiting to get your hands on XBMC for Android but weren't thrilled at the idea of compiling it yourself or suffering through a nightly, the team behind XBMC have taken the wraps off of an official beta release that you can try. More ?
LockerPro Lockscreen for Android Puts App Notifications Right On Your Lock Screen
Android: The way Android handles notifications in the pull-down drawer is so nice that it made its way to iOS, but if you like being able to see those notifications and even their content right on the lock screen without unlocking your phone (the way you can in iOS), LockerPro Lockscreen lets you... More ?
Eye In Sky is a Clean, Minimalist Weather App for Android
Android: Eye in Sky Weather is a free, elegant weather app for Android phones and tablets. The interface is simple and minimal, and the customizable home screen widgets fit right in with Android's Holo theme. More ?
Pin Steam Adds Games to Your Windows 8 Start Screen
Windows 8: If you enjoy playing games using the Steam platform you may want to consider using Pin Steam, a Windows 8 commercial application that allows you to pin individual games to your start screen. More ?
Decor8 Personalizes the Windows 8 Start Screen with Custom Backgrounds and Color Schemes
Windows: If you're getting a little tired of the handful of low-resolution backgrounds for the Start screen in Windows 8, Stardock's Decor8 gives you all the tools you need to personalize it to your heart's content. More ?
SwiftKey Launches Public Beta for SwiftKey Flow, Offers Gesture Typing and Predictive Text to All
Android: If you took notice when SwiftKey announced SwiftKey Flow back in October, now's your chance to get in on the action. The company has launched a public beta of the new swipe-to-type keyboard, and beefed it up with new features at the same time. More ?
Slice Circular Keyboard for Android Tablets Offers Fast and Easy Touch Typing, if You Can Learn to Use It
Android: While you won't have trouble finding choices of new and interesting keyboards on Android, Slice offers one of the more seemingly futuristic approaches. More ?
gMessage Brings the Simplicity of iMessage to Google Voice
iOS: The official Google Voice app for iPhone isn't great. It's often cumbersome to navigate, often logs you out on a whim, and could be a heck of a lot simpler. More ?
Gmail for Android Gets Pinch to Zoom, Swipe to Delete, and More
Android users should find a pretty handy update in Google Play today, with new features like pinch to zoom, swipe to archive or delete, better photo and video attachments, and more. More ?
Soulver Solves Complicated Math Problems in Plain English, Is 50% Off This Weekend
OS X: Soulver is an awesome calculator app that lets you write out your math problem with words, list, and other real language to get a real, useful answer without confusing equations. More ?
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/LSA5JQ5i3TE/this-weeks-top-downloads
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Community Honors Mayor's Work in Youth Violence Prevention
Today, as Mayor of this great city, I will lead our men and women who serve us everyday in the Police Bureau in a different direction. This afternoon, I submitted with the council clerk an executive order reassigning oversight of the Police Bureau to my office, effective immediately. A message from Mayor Adams on the recent shootings and gang-related violence, and how we can work together to fight that violent crime. The illegal use of firearms is a long-standing community problem in the City of Portland. Changes to federal and state gun laws are needed. That is why I am a founding member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. This afternoon, I was joined by County Commissioner Diane McKeel, City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, and leaders in the faith and advocacy communities, to announce several advancements in the fight against juvenile human trafficking in the Portland area. The illegal use of firearms in Portland is a long-standing problem. Illegal guns are in the hands of our youth and on our streets. It is a real and daily threat in too many Portland neighborhoods. Please join Mayor Sam Adams & the Portland City Council for an upcoming meeting: Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Town Hall Meeting, Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. All members of the Portland City Council attended the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Public Town Hall Meeting, Thursday January 13, 2011 at Portland State University. Approximately 300 people attended to engage in dialogue about Portland?s involvement in Mayor Sam Adams & the Portland City Council will hold the following meeting: Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) Council Work Session, an informational hearing with national and local experts. Council hearing scheduled for afternoon of Feb. 24. Portland Mayor Sam Adams' Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) review effort continues with a four-hour City Council work session slated for Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall. On Friday February 11, 2011, members of the Mayor's office, Portland Police Bureau (PPB), Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI), Immigrant Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Asian Family Center, and others attended their third meeting in recent months to keep the peace and enjoy Cambodian food at the Good Call Sports Bar in Southeast Portland. This morning, Portland Police officers responded to a call to check on the welfare of a reportedly suicidal man, in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Southeast Portland. This afternoon, Mayor Sam Adams and City staff received significant new input from federal agencies on the Mayor's proposal regarding Portland's potential participation in the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). On Saturday March 6, 2011, the Portland Council Portland Teachers Association (PTA) hosted its "preventing abuse and exploitation of minors" training at Roosevelt High. The Mayor's Director of Public Safety & Peacekeeping Antoinette Edwards attended. As announced on Tuesday afternoon, March 8, Mayor Sam Adams and City staff received significant new input from federal agencies on the Mayor's proposal regarding Portland's potential work with the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). On Wednesday March 16, Mayor Sam Adams hosted an Alberta Street Bar Summit at the St. Andrew Cathedral. The summit was the third the Mayor?s office has held since the beginning of the year to address public safety, livability, business, and entertainment interests Yesterday afternoon, Mayor Sam Adams met a group of local and national advocates outside of City Hall in support of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Mayor Sam Adams is a member of the coalition. The Police Activities League Youth Center (PAL) recently received city funding to resurface its existing basketball gym floor, which has been frequently used but not cleaned and sealed for six years. As Police Commissioner, Mayor Sam Adams welcomes the eleven new members of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), and congratulates the PPB members promoted during the ceremony held on Thursday, March 24, 2011. In addition to his work with the Portland Police Bureau, the mayor is working to implement post-conviction, court imposed stay-away orders in Illegal Drug Impact Areas. The Portland Police Bureau continues to increase its number of high quality new recruits from non-traditional backgrounds. Operation Safe Summer is designed to ensure plenty of activities to keep youth busy and healthy during the summer months. Neither our safety nor our civil rights are best served by current practices. We can do better. Hampton is the 14-year-old victim of Monday evening's shooting at NE 11th And Multnomah My thoughts and prayers are with Yashawnee Vaughn's family--especially her mother, Shaquita Louis Yesterday, Portland City Council passed the Illegal Drug Impact Areas (IDIA) Resolution. The resolution was a follow up item from the Mayor's meeting with Old Town Chinatown community & business leaders in response to their concerns about downtown drug dealing. Up to 10 full time street-level gang outreach workers will be funded, to prevent gang violence and retaliation. This morning, Mayor Sam Adams convened community leaders?including faith-based leaders and parents who have lost children to gang violence?to address the issue of gang violence in the wake of several recent shootings. Today, Mayor Sam Adams is releasing a final draft JTTF resolution, in advance of the Thursday, April 28 Portland City Council hearing - scheduled for 2 pm in Council Chambers. From the beginning of the public process on this issue, the council has kept a sharp focus on the three goals laid out at the beginning: Effectively prevent and investigate criminal acts of terrorism, protect individuals' rights under United States and Oregon law, and keep Portland an open and inclusive community. The adopted resolution does all three. With Pride just around the corner, it's important for the LGBTQ community to stay safe with some street savvy. Let this handy video be your guide "If you commit a crime in this city, if you shoot someone, if you murder someone, I want every Portlander to know: We're going to apprehend you," Mayor Sam Adams said. Today, the Portland Police Bureau opened a new neighborhood contact office in the Gateway Fred Meyer store. The Mayor's Public Safety & Peacekeeping Policy Adviser Amreet Sandhu welcomed everyone to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "To solve these crimes, our hard-working Portland Police officers need the community's help. We need witnesses to come forward, and we need tips," Mayor Adams says. Last Thursday, the Portland Police Bureau's Service Coordination Team (SCT) honored 12 new graduates, bringing the total number of graduates to 54. Commissioner Randy Leonard, SCT founder, and Commissioner Amanda Fritz joined Portland Police Chief Mike Reese in presenting certificates in City Hall. Last Sunday, Mayor Sam Adams and members of his staff attended "Hand across Hawthorne Bridge." The Center will help people experiencing sub-acute mental health issues to stabilize under the care of medical professionals. Dear Portlander, We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Our landscape is defined by its mountains, valleys and rivers and close proximity to the coast. But along with this beauty, our region is susceptible to many hazards--natural and human-caused?that can result in disaster for our community if we are not prepared. "One thing is clear: Easy access to guns means that altercations on our streets too often lead to murder," Mayor Sam Adams said. Today the Service Coordination Team (SCT), with support from the City of Portland, Portland Police Bureau, Volunteers of America Oregon, Portland Business Alliance, and Downtown Clean & Safe, celebrated its 3rdAnnual SCT Barbeque. We had a blast. Share with us how you spent National Night Out! Over the summer, Mayor Sam Adams has participated in foot patrols around Portland. Community foot patrols are formed by neighborhood and local business volunteers to deter and report crime. Members of foot patrols also meet neighbors and talk with businesses in their neighborhoods. This morning, to help kick off National Preparedness Month in September, I joined colleagues from the emergency response community to unveil a mock-up of a new sign slated to appear in Portland area parks that says, "Neighborhood Emergency Staging Area." On September 26, 2011, Multnomah County District Attorney Michael Schrunk released the Three Month Drug Impact Area Report. The end of September marked a successful end of late night basketball. With assistance from the Mayor's Office of Youth Violence Prevention, and the Portland Police Bureau's Youth Services Division the Police Activities League (PAL) Youth Center was available to young Portlanders late into the evening as a safe space to enjoy their youth. Neighbors gather to meet one another, share resources, and celebrate community in an East Portland apartment complex during Know You Neighbors event. I made a commitment to Portlanders that we would closely analyze and release responses to the over 100 citizen-driven police accountability recommendations. Here is our draft response. Pacific Northwest mayors and police chiefs from as far north as Vancouver British Columbia, Canada to as far south as Talent, Oregon met for Pacific Northwest I-5 Corridor Public Safety Summit. The City will soon temporarily close Lownsdale and Chapman Squares to the public, to put an end to safety, health and crime problems, and to repair the park land. When the City re-opens the parks, the City will enforce all park and criminal laws in the Squares and the sidewalks, and the park land will be available for large, organized speech events by permit. As many have been using this season to reflect and share thoughts on what provides true joy, the Mayor's office would like to recognize the excellent work done by the Portland Police Bureau's Service Coordination Team. Mayor Adams is proposing four amendments to the draft code and city Ordinance revisions relating to the Auditor?s Independent Police Review (IPR) Division. Today I am appointing Antoinette Edwards as Director of the Office of Youth Violence Prevention, and Clay Neal as Acting Director of Public Safety and Peacekeeping Keeping the peace has never been more important. Read the Public Safety Progress Report for 2011: We have taken 31 gang members and associates off the streets, with more to come. Fifteen federal indictments have been issued, for crimes including Sex Trafficking, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Today during a luncheon at the Governor Hotel, Hands on Greater Portland and the Portland Trail Blazers honored a person very special to our office, city, and community. Yesterday, the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management put our community notification system through an ambitious, citywide ?stress test.? Our City's draft report regarding work with the FBI's JTTF, which includes both the Commissioner-in-Charge memorandum and the Portland Police Bureau report, are available for public comment. Mayor urges Portlanders to sign up at PublicAlerts.org following citywide notification test. UPDATE: City Council voted 4-1 to accept this report on Wednesday, February 29. City of Portland First Annual Commissioner-in-Charge, City Attorney, and Portland Police Bureau Joint Terrorism Task Force Report Today, City Council voted to fund a police and public safety training facility. The new training center complex, located at 14902 NE Airport Way, is the first of its kind for the Police Bureau and City of Portland. A Joint Statement by the Sexual Minorties Round Table, The Portland Police Bureau and the Mayor's Office The Portland Police Bureau will be conducting extra patrol missions throughout Spring Break to keep Portland's youth safe. The City is reviewing all of its options, including whether we can appeal, and whether this is an award that is enforceable under state law. Two videos of the Mayor discussing the Ron Frashour arbitration. Thanks to effective collaboration and enhanced enforcement, crime is down on N Killingsworth and Albina As Police Commissioner, I have deep respect for the often dangerous and difficult work of the men and women of the Portland Police Bureau. I have been quick to praise the Bureau's great work, even in the face of criticism. I have backed that praise with tangible support... Illegal Drug Impact Areas--an update For many years now, labor unions in Portland have taken out a permit and led a peaceful, family-friendly march through the city on May 1 to honor workers and worker rights. Video of Portland gathering around Tom McCall Waterfront Park to Commemorate Police Officers that lost their lives serving the City. The Portland Bureau of Emergency Management is publishing community maps focused on your neighborhood. As Mayor of the City of Portland, I would like to personally apologize to Aaron Campbell's family. Draft Electronic Video Surveillance Directive In a powerful video, Police Officers tell their personal stories of overcoming childhood teasing and bullying. Historically, Portland and other U.S. cities experience an increase in dangerous and violent activity during the summer. Operation Safe Summer is a coordinated effort to reduce violence. The Mayor?s Public Safety and Peacekeeping team is proud to welcome Sofia Chavier to our team. Judge Albrecht rejects claims made by Occupy defendants that the First Amendment required the City to keep its parks open 24-hours a day for protesters. Video interview about recent gun and gang violence and Portland's Illegal Gun Ordinance. Mayor Sam Adams reacts to the tragedy in Colorado In this video, Mayor Sam Adams takes a look at a new video camera system for Portland Police cars. In Portland, over 100 parties and events were organized in parks and community centers with one common goal: to celebrate our public spaces as places for social and positive activities, where crime and violence are totally unacceptable. The Police Bureau is seeking members for its new Training Advisory Council This year's event was another resounding success with 223 guns turned in, adding to the total of more than 7,500 guns collected since 1994. Crime continues to drop on North Killingsworth around Portland Community College due to an effective collaborative relationship between Portland Police's North Precinct, ONI's Crime Prevention staff, and area businesses and residents. Mayor Adams and Chief Reese announce arrest of Teondre Bonner, presumed responsible for the Peninsula Park shooting of July 12th. For nearly two months, Cameron Whitten has demonstrated outside City Hall to raise awareness of the plight of people experiencing homelessness in our community. We admire Cameron?s heart, tenacity and smarts. Recording your gun serial number protects your property and pocketbook Draft Vacant Property Registration seeking public comment There is hope in changing suicide statistics. Portland just announced the 503-972-3456 dedicated mental health helpline served by Lines for Life VIDEO: Mayor Sam Adams and City Attorney James Van Dyke respond to a Police ERB ruling on the Frashour case. On Thursday, June 7, 2012, Chief Mike Reese and I asked City Auditor LaVonne Griffin-Valade to complete an independent review of the testimony offered during the investigation of Ronald Frashour, the Portland Police Bureau officer who shot Aaron Campbell in the back during a welfare check. VIDEO: Portland City Council Votes to Appeal the Oregon Employment Relations Board's Ruling on former police officer Frashour. On October 29th, the Portland Police Bureau held the Grand Opening celebration for its new Community Policing Training Center. This moment has been a long time coming. Since its inception 142 years ago, the Police Bureau has not had its own dedicated training facility. In recent weeks City Council has heard from a few community members that they would like to see us improve on the psychological process that the Police Bureau utilizes to select its candidates. Mayor Adams proposes City Ordinance for an Old Town Entertainment District Zone Street Closure Pilot Program Community safety advocates turned out for Sam's final Gang Task Force meeting, thanking him for his work at preventing youth violence. |
Source: http://www.portlandonline.com/index.cfm?c=52750&a=424596
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Saturday, December 8, 2012
Engadget's holiday gift guide 2012: fun stuff!
Welcome to the Engadget holiday gift guide! Picking presents for friends and loved ones is never a simple task, and with thousands of options for each category, buying technology can be an especially frustrating experience. We're here to help. Below you'll find today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. And don't forget to enter our giveaway -- leave a comment for a chance to nab AT&T's LG Optimus G.
Ideally, all the gifts you'll give and receive will fall under the "fun" category, but sometimes this description is especially applicable. Welcome to the lighter side of tech, where you'll find gadgets meant to make life merrier rather than to impress with mile-long spec lists. That's not to say that these gizmos aren't productivity-friendly -- the picks below enable everything from learning to play the guitar to keeping New Year's resolutions on track.
Continue reading Engadget's holiday gift guide 2012: fun stuff!
Filed under: Misc
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/bIgbEdLFjts/
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Finding The Right Injury Lawyer | Reference and Education - Typepad
Whether you have recently been hurt in a car or truck accident, burned or injured by chemical exposure, hurt on a construction site, or simply frustrated by an insurance company that has refused to pay benefits that are owed to you, a personal injury lawyer can help! The aim of this article is to help you understand how to select the best one.
The personal injury lawyer you choose should be more than just ?competent.? Your legal team should be ?remarkable?. Your personal injury lawyer should provide you with resources to deal with all aspects of your case, answer questions, prepare intensely for trial, try your case (if need be) and always be prepared to fight on your behalf.
A truly remarkable firm will work hard to exceed your expectations. They will pull out all stops to get you compensation to cover damages you have suffered, which may include but are not limited to, medical and surgical costs, lost work time and wages, anxiety, pain and suffering, car mileage and many out of pocket costs that you may face. A respected firm will follow up with clients promptly. Look for a lawyer who has a reputation for being tough but fair, smart and compassionate. A great law firm will make sure the client feels comfortable, and at the same time, they need to send a message, loud and clear, to insurance companies and liable parties that they mean business. The right firm will not be scared to throw their credentials around for the benefit of the client.
Accident and injury victims often find themselves in a state of a shock after a traumatic event and do not act swiftly enough. When a terrible event disrupts everything in your world, it?s only human nature to ?wait a bit? to get your head together before moving forward, but this approach may not be the best idea. Here?s why: Evidence from the accident or injury may get lost or even be deliberately destroyed in the hours and days after the accident. Witness recollections may grow foggier and more inaccurate as time passes after the incident. Even your own recollection of the event will give way to hazier, less accurate memories. And if you wait too long after the accident or injury, you may lose your ability to make a claim altogether, even if you have compelling evidence on your side, due to the ?statute of limitations?.
Each personal injury case is unique and needs to be looked at by an experienced injury lawyer. Choose a car accident lawyer that will give you the time and attention you deserve and need to win your case. Be sure they listen astutely to what you want and need and help you feel calm, comfortable, and taken care of throughout your case. Most injury law firms takes cases on a contingency basis. This means that until they win a trial verdict or reach a settlement, you do not owe anything.
Source: http://thebesteducationreference.blogspot.com/2012/11/finding-right-injury-lawyer_26.html
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Source: http://egis-partridge.blogspot.com/2012/12/finding-right-injury-lawyer-reference.html
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Stingrays to wear Gamecock jerseys for College Pride Night on Friday
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NORTH CHARLESTON (WCSC) - The South Carolina Stingrays will keep their traditional hockey sweaters in the locker room this Friday and instead wear something a little more collegiate.
Friday is College Pride Night at the North Charleston Coliseum, and the Stingrays will show their pride by wearing special University of South Carolina hockey sweaters. The team will be decked out in garnet and black when they take on the Trenton Titans at 7:05 p.m.
As part of the promotion, guests who wear a shirt showing off their favorite college or show their college ID will get in for $5.
The Gamecock jerseys will be auctioned off live following the game.
Copyright 2012?WCSC.? All rights reserved
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Friday, December 7, 2012
EC agrees action plan to modernise copyright | The Bookseller
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Source: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/ec-agrees-action-plan-modernise-copyright.html
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Apple's softer side emerges under CEO Cook
NEW YORK (AP) ? "Those jobs aren't coming back."
That's what Steve Jobs reportedly told President Obama when asked at a dinner in early 2011 whether Apple would consider moving some of its manufacturing from China to the United States.
Jobs' successor, CEO Tim Cook, might have another response for Obama: Yes, we can.
Though the metal edges of its PCs and mobile devices are as sharp and severe as ever, Apple is emerging under Cook's leadership as a kinder corporate citizen. Cook's announcement this week that the company is moving the production of one of its Mac computer lines to the U.S. is just the latest step in a softening of the company's image following the October 2011 death of CEO and co-founder Jobs.
"Cook is a gentler being in terms of how he projects himself," says Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. That's partly of necessity, she says ? people wouldn't tolerate Jobs' arrogance in a new CEO ? but it's also a reflection of Cook's personality.
Cook didn't say which computers would be made in the U.S., or where the company might locate facilities. But bringing assembly-line jobs back to the U.S. lights a symbolic beacon of hope for working-class Americans who worry that the global economy has no use for them.
Cook's reforms have been both internal and outward-facing. Earlier this year, he visited the Chinese factories where Apple products are assembled, amid an Apple-financed audit of working conditions. Shortly after, Foxconn promised to limit working hours and raise wages.
U.S. workers are getting a better deal too. The Wall Street Journal reported in early November that the company will let some employees take up to two weeks of paid leave to work on pet projects that might benefit the company. The program is similar to a famous perk available to Google employees, who get to devote 20 percent of their time to entrepreneurial "hobbies."
In addition, the company now matches employee donations up to $10,000 a year. Tim Cook himself made $100 million in charitable donations early in the year, another contrast to Jobs, who had little interest in philanthropy.
Under Cook, Apple has also become more investor-friendly. Jobs, perhaps scarred by Apple's lean years in the 1990s, was opposed to Apple parting with its cash reserves. That lead to the company accumulating a rainy-day fund of nearly $100 billion in cash by the end of his tenure ? a hoard that investors would have liked for themselves.
This year, Apple has begun sharing its wealth with investors for the first time in two decades, by paying dividends of nearly $10 billion a year.
Cook's diplomacy has extended into enemy territory. Jobs was furious that phones running Google Inc.'s Android software mimicked Apple's iPhone so closely and vowed to wage "thermonuclear war" against the company through patent infringement lawsuits. The worldwide onslaught of litigation is still ongoing, but in early November, Apple agreed to a ceasefire on one front: It settled all its patent suits against Google partner HTC Corp., a struggling Taiwanese maker of smartphones.
The terms were not disclosed, but company watchers believe HTC will be paying Apple royalties on the phones it makes, and some saw it as a sign that Apple was taking a more rational stance and starting to put Jobs' take-no-prisoners fury behind it.
Carl Howe, an analyst with Yankee Group, says the image of a "softer" Apple that's emerged this year doesn't mean Cook is a softie.
"Make no mistake: he's not necessarily a kind, gentle guy if he needs to get something done. He's a very hard-nosed, demanding boss," Howe says. "And he's very much of the Steve Jobs model, where if you're the janitor you get to make excuses. If you're the vice president, you don't."
Cook, in fact, engineered a major shakeup in Apple's top ranks this fall. Scott Forstall, the long-serving head of iPhone software development, stepped down and his responsibilities were divided among other executives. Company watchers attributed his departure to difficulties collaborating with other departments and to the scathing reviews that greeted Apple's Maps application, which replaced Google Maps.
Another senior vice president left at the same time: John Browett, who headed Apple's stores. Browett had tried to make his mark by cutting employee hours, leaving fewer people to help customers. Browett was overridden. He lasted just six months on the job.
"Being gentle and being a pushover are two different things," says Milanesi.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apples-softer-side-emerges-under-ceo-cook-093441965--finance.html
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The 'skills gap' may be your fault, employers
6 hrs.
John W. Schoen , NBC News
With the economic recovery stuck in low gear, Tammy Krings has something of a happy problem for her growing, Columbus,?Ohio-based global travel business, TS24.
Some 17 years after starting with out?three employees, Krings is wrapping up a barnburner year. The company booked so much new business in 2012, she's had to?hire 60 new employees ? up from a staff of?120 in January.
Faced with that kind of rapid growth, Krings says she ran smack into one of the biggest hurdles cited by many?employers today: the so-called ?skills gap.?
??My frustration is you keep hearing about these unemployment numbers, but we have a very, very difficult time finding qualified people,? she said.
Researchers and staffing consultants say Krings' frustration is widespread, the result of a host of powerful?forces jarring the labor market?? from the ongoing, rapid infusion of technology into the workplace to the decline of vocational training in the American education system and the ongoing, mass exodus of a generation of skilled baby boomers headed for retirement. ???
As a result, Krings learned what labor economists and staffing consultants say is the hard reality of finding skilled workers in a?rapidly changing workplace.?
If you can?t find?what you?re looking for, try harder. And if that doesn?t work, you may have to cough?up the money to train the best new hires you can find.
Rock Center: Apple CEO Tim Cook unveils plans to make Macs in the US
?We?ve been able to find the types of people that we want as long we are willing to invest in them to bring them to the level of skill that we need,? said Krings.
But millions of small- and medium-sized employers, the businesses that create the bulk of new jobs, are apparently?unwilling or unable to spend the money to bring new hires up to speed.
?I don?t think companies are confident enough right now to make big investments (in training)," said?Melanie Holmes? who has tracked workplace issues in a 30-year career with Manpower, a global staffing company. ?They want to hire someone who can be productive tomorrow."
There?s no debate about the increased demand for higher-skilled workers in an economy that relies more heavily every year on advances in technology to raise the productivity of each worker. That?s why the jobs that employers said they had the hardest time filling in 2012 were skilled trades, engineers and IT Staff, according to a?Manpower survey.
?It used to be all you needed was a strong back and an alarm clock to get a really good, family-sustaining job in manufacturing,? said Holmes. ?Unfortunately for individuals ? and fortunately for companies ??technology has changed that. You need at least some post-secondary education.?
But a decades-long shift in emphasis on four-year, liberal arts college degrees has drained the supply of students entering job-based, vocational and technical schools. Employer- and union-sponsored training programs have also become artifacts of the last century, according to Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the University of Pennsylvania?s?Wharton?School who heads the school?s Center for Human Resources.?
?Apprenticeship programs have collapsed,? he said. ?We?ve got, by far, the least apprenticeship training per capita than any other industrialized country.?
Related:?Economic reality marries age-old idea -- apprenticeships -- with college
That has shifted the burden of skills training to employers ? a burden many say they?re unwilling or unable to take on. The current dearth of company-sponsored training programs is also, in part, a hangover from the mass layoffs and hiring freezes that accompanied the Great Recession. ??
?Training was one of the first things that we cut during the downturn because we weren?t hiring,? said Krings. ?If you?re not hiring, you don?t need to have anyone on board to train new hires.?
But with the economy now in its third year of a halting recovery, many companies continue to defer spending on training.
?It comes down to an excuse of budget limitations,? said?David Smith, a human resources consultant at Accenture.??The biggest issue probably is return on investment. It?s hard to measure the results. But it?s a poor excuse. People just get hung up so quickly on that point and they?re very, very short-sighted.?
Some companies simply don?t get it. Many of the ?skills gap? complaints are coming?from small companies that have limited or no human resources expertise, according to Capelli.
?If they don?t have anybody in house who understands recruiting and training and development, then there?s nobody to explain to management ?We?re looking in the wrong places? or? ?We can?t pay this much and expect to get the people we want.? ?
Related story: The 'fiscal cliff' and other reasons companies aren't hiring more workers
One simple solution would be to raise wages. The laws of economics suggest that if something is in short supply, prices should rise until demand is satisfied. If a computer programmer can earn $50 an hour working for a software company, she has little incentive to accept a $25 an hour job programming a manufacturing robot.
But Krings says she just can?t afford to pay the salaries that the best applicants are asking.
?Our customers don?t want to pay the rate they were paying three years ago,? she said. ?We?re doing more for less today.?
Like Krings, most employers apparently?are unwilling or unable to pay higher wages to compete for better skills. Manpower?s survey found that only 11 percent had increased starting salaries in 2012 to help recruit talented workers. More than three times as many said they preferred to provide additional training to existing staff.
Some hiring managers just give up looking and defer new?hires, assuming they'll save money that will add to profits. But that strategy generates a?false sense of?economy because few employers account for just?how much those unfilled jobs are costing them, said Capelli.
?You can?t account for lost opportunities, or the work that?s not getting done, or the burnout of your employees --?who all want to get out of there now because they feel you're abusing them with overwork,? he said. ?You can?t account for any of that stuff, so it looks like you?re saving money.?
Though tight budgets and a weak economy may have crimped companies' spending on training and bigger paychecks, hiring managers bemoaning the "skills gap"?may be in for a rude shock if the?economy picks up speed?next year. With increased demand for talent, the ?skills gap? will only worsen as more companies have to draw from the same pool of workers, said Holmes.
?I think it?s going to worse before it gets better,? she said. ?If business does come back year next year, we?re not going to have enough people."
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/employers-may-be-aggravating-skills-gap-1C7450821
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