Acquire Higher Revenue with Good Customer Service ? 2011 ...

Customer service ?is a word widely used by many? , if not all businesses worldwide in keeping customer retention to a maximum . giving very good customer service ?does not end up after the purchase? ?has been accomplished? but also even after days, weeks, months, and even years after the transaction has been completed .

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How can one measure the level of customer service that has been offered??

Naturally, ?people will definitely begin discussing about the company and the product or service they have obtained? ; think of it as some sort of free advertising gig. But a gig is just for only one or for only a few times, ?getting the best out of the company?s goods?? and aids can have long-term effects that are both promising and certainly profitable for the business .

For example, ?when a happy customer buys a product of his/her liking? and ?greatly appreciates it, that person will tell his or her relatives, friends, associates, and other people about said item . ?This way? , the company ?can obtain referrals without actually exerting too much effort?? but just offer quality products to their customers . And this process is also ?named as word of mouth.

Think of the possibilities of giving quality service to clients and consumers . If one person is satisfied with the purchase ?then we can expect that their friends will also buy the same product/service? . After which , ?the? new customer will then tell others and the list will continue on with a possible infinite number of times.?

This all sounds great but the question is , how can a business correctly give out quality customer service to its prospects?

?One of the most unusual? and yet still the most admirable way to ?offer? good customer service is to outsource to professional answering service businesses. These ?businesses? already have the experience and the skill to ?bring about? the best ?when it comes to? respect, politeness, and overall quality service to a business? customers.

?A dependable customer service equips their staff with skills? ?to manage all types of inbound related sales for an organization? . ?Some of these involve? order processing services, reservation and booking, and even complaint handling.

Now among the three examples, complaint handling is kind of ironic since we are talking about customer service. Even so, let us face the fact that you cannot please every customer . There will always come a time ?when? a customer will not like a particular product or service that they have bought.

?This is exactly when customer contact center comes in handy? . ?Professional live operators are always ready in handling these types of calls? and are highly effective in turning the tables on how the customer will believe about the purchased item or help. If they are unsuccessful incarrying out so, they can still deal with the call with utmost respect and politeness to ?protect? the company?s name from being ?damaged? .

??Acquiring the services of inbound contact centers signifies? some of the ideal benefits for a business to take advantage of. ?Live answering service pros can manage and process every sales call coming into the organization; which means that the business itself canconcentrate more on other more pressing matters.

It is much better to take advantage of these services now than to wait for someone else to get them ahead. remember, the more and the better the customer service provided professional operators the faster the business can raise their ROI.

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Source: http://delunafesttickets.com/?p=1502

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No-line commerce: FirstSpirit CMS combines online and offline ...

Positive shopping experiences lead to significant sales increases / More attractive content with less work for editors

Dortmund, February 27, 2012 ? ?No-line commerce? is the concept of the future for modern business. Why? Nowadays consumers no longer perceive the difference between online and offline services and they increasingly think of their information and shopping resources as part of an undifferentiated whole: information searches and purchase transactions via PC or smartphone, on the desktop, or on the road, delivery by mail or pickup in person at the store. The shopping experience turns into something unlimited ? to no-line commerce, to be exact. It seeks out information and purchasing processes without media barriers and presents providers with new challenges with regard to their IT infrastructure. A professional content management system (CMS) supports companies in mapping evolving customer requirements in their sales and marketing processes and delivering current and high-value content across channels.

All important data and processes in one central interface

A content management system like the FirstSpirit CMS from e-Spirit e.g. simply and efficiently bundles all product information, business processes, and sales channels that are important for a successful business from the existing IT infrastructure centrally in a user-friendly interface -including data and applications from shop solutions, and PIM-, MAM-, and CRM systems. The seamless linking of data and processes also enables smooth decision-making and purchasing processes for the end user. Workers in the editing, PR, marketing, and specialized departments benefit from integrated and efficient work processes for editing and delivering high-value content. Through efficient localization workflows in the CMS, marketing and sales professionals at on-site locations can manage their regional shop websites and offers and can customize them to local requirements.

An optimal user experience for significant sales increases

No-line commerce is the next logical step in the development of a successful multichannel strategy. Indeed the ultimate goal goes beyond just improving usability and conversion rates on individual online and offline channels. ?Only a seamless interlocking of all channels to form an attractive, unified company site offers customers an all-round positive sales experience?, says Oliver J?ger, Vice President Global Marketing & Communications at e-Spirit. ?And reliable increases in sales numbers ? both online and offline ? are only possible with satisfied and regularly returning customers.? According to a recent study by Forrester Research, by 2016 mobile commerce alone will account for $31 billion in sales volume worldwide with a yearly growth rate of 39 percent. But an increase in sales over mobile device does not have to mean the cannibalization of the stationary market ? what is most in demand are personalized cross-channel campaigns which can be used to effectively direct consumers to specific branch stores or to online shop offerings.

Managing successful campaigns directly from inside the CMS

To successfully implement cross-channel campaigns and optimally position online shops, it is necessary to have the support of professional marketing instruments. With FirstSpirit applications for e-mail marketing, web analysis, SEO and recommendation engines seamlessly integrate with the CMS and can link to data from a CRM system. This way marketing and sales professionals can easily develop personalized cross-channel campaigns for a no-line commerce experience. The result is a tailored customer appeal on all channels that accurately addresses customer interests and requirements ? in the online shop via PC and smartphone, on social network platforms, in the retail store and print catalog, or via e-mail marketing.

More attractive content with less work

With FirstSpirit companies are able to provide their workers with a content hub that is easy to use, which enables them to simply and efficiently manage the growing wealth of product information and content. Editors can always access and edit the data or applications they need using a central user interface, and publish it to any of a full range of different formats and channels. This includes HTML, XML, PDF, and optimized publishing for mobile devices, as well as newsletters, brochures, mailings, and rich-media elements such as video streaming and image galleries. Social media content such as recommendations, ratings and discussion forums can be linked to the online shop website just as quickly and easily. With the FirstSpirit AppCenter a full range of web applications can be seamlessly integrated. The extraordinary integration capability of FirstSpirit and the intuitive and user-friendly interface ensure that all content and applications can be edited directly in the CMS with much greater convenience and in fewer steps.

e-Spirit at CeBIT: Meet the CMS expert at the CeBIT trade show, March 6-10 in Hannover, Germany and learn how to provide customers and prospects with an excellent shopping experience through efficient content management.

Schedule a personal meeting and a live demo at CeBIT: http://cebit.e-Spirit.com
As the manufacturer of the content management system FirstSpirit?, e-Spirit is a technological leader in the field of web content management (WCM). Well-known customers from all business sectors rely on FirstSpirit? for implementing successful web strategies worldwide and for the creation, management and publication of content in highly diverse channels (Internet, intranet, extranet, mobile channels, PDF, email newsletters, portals, DTP, technical documentation). The content management system impresses with its outstanding integratability and its consistent best-of-breed strategy: It integrates seamlessly into complex system landscapes and portals (SAP NetWeaver, IBM WebSphere, Microsoft SharePoint, Liferay), and with FirstSpirit? AppCenter, e-Spirit offers the unique opportunity in the market for interface integration of any web applications directly into the CMS. As a content integration platform, FirstSpirit? meets the highest demands for usability, performance and investment security.

e-Spirit was founded in 1999. It is a part of the adesso Group and is represented with 11 locations in Germany, the United States, Great Britain, Austria and Switzerland. www.e-Spirit.com

e-Spirit AG
Sandra H?gemann
Barcelonaweg 14
44269 Dortmund
+49 (0)231 477 77 199

www.e-Spirit.com
presse@e-Spirit.com

Pressekontakt:
PR contact e-Spirit Inc. North America
Oliver Jaeger
470 Atlantic Avenue
02210 Boston, MA
PR@e-Spirit.com
+1 877 71 E-SPIRIT
http://www.e-Spirit.com

Source: http://internet.pr-gateway.de/no-line-commerce-firstspirit-cms-combines-online-and-offline-channels-for-an-unlimited-shopping-experience/

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Attributes Of Webmaster Forums

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On this era of facts when lots of our job in some way or the other will depend on all these computer system systems in addition to world wide web, we may possibly have in fact been impaired in case this world wide web had not supplied resolution towards the internet-based problems; we come across in our frequent lives. If we say that the on the web world is not a great deal much less than a important to a treasure chest of information, we mean to say it. Given that, this particular on the web globe is surely an embodiment of practically any sort of facts and facts.

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Regardless of whether you need to have general information on some country?s human population and also tradition, a definite investigation subject, astrology or history or perhaps about your internet-based inquiries, this web is going to become normally there in some form or the other. When you have begun a web-based organization or are rather a new comer to this net and have basically stumbled upon some type of laptop difficulty, or perhaps you will be not definitely positive how it is possible to advertise your website or drive traffic towards your web site, net site modifying issues in addition to other kind of on the web dilemma, you just must employ this internet. Don?t know just how? Effectively, get yourself subscribed with such tons of webmaster forums.

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All these webmaster forums are exceedingly beneficial just in case you?re genuinely significant about getting some facts out of this internet. Any webmaster forums fundamentally give you details about Coding, Search engine optimization (Search engine marketing), instruction on many web-based challenges, and even carry a complete lot of interaction on a enormous amount of subject locations. You?ll find numerous distinctive sub forums in a webmaster forum, containing helpful data on unique subjects.?

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Just like no matter if you wish to obtain any facts or impart your information about laptop or computer programming, which is PHP, Html code, JavaScript and so on, on among the on line search engine such as Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, creating links or improvement to become able to fully grasp solutions to get backlinks for your net web-site, world wide web conceptualizing and improvement or visual designing, it is possible to obtain a webmaster forum totally unrivaled and really beneficial.

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Furthermore, all these webmaster forums just may well assist you in various alternative methods likewise. For instance, when you are intending to carry out marketing and advertising to your new internet site or any of one?s items or services, not just you?ll get precious information concerning ways to obtain this and you would also get an opportunity or promotion on webmaster forums, to sell the services you offer, content, items, links or something else.

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Moreover, for all those who have greedy desire for web-technology details and details, also they could become satiated, on webmaster forums. Also, you will be capable of concentrate on promoting and marketing, Seo, social network, small business plus economic field, affiliate marketing and may well furthermore take element in widespread discussion also.

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Visit? webmaster forum??? to get the web development? and advertisement information.

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Related posts:

1. Benefits Of Webmaster Forums
2. Main Advantages Of Webmaster Forums
3. When It Comes To Visitors For Any Internet Site A Lot Of People Just Forget About User Discussion Forums
4. The Best Way Targeted Visitors Through User Discussion Forums
5. Free SEO Tools ? How They can Aid ? Part 1

Source: http://www.cashangle.com/attributes-of-webmaster-forums/

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Hillary Clinton says Syrian military may oust President Assad

Reporting from Beirut?

With deep divisions preventing forceful international action, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton suggested security forces long loyal to Bashar Assad and his family could oust the Syrian president and end the bloodshed that is ripping his country apart.

A much-anticipated gathering of representatives of more than 60 countries held Friday in the Tunisian capital highlighted divisions at multiple levels: within the anti-Assad international coalition, the fractured Syrian opposition and the people of Syria, where Assad maintains considerable support among minorities fearful of a takeover by Islamists.

Clinton and other leaders of a coalition calling itself Friends of Syria demanded an immediate halt to the violence, but ended up satisfying almost no one.

"This conference does not meet the aspirations of the Syrian people," said Burhan Ghalioun, leader of the Syrian National Council, an opposition umbrella group. Pro-Assad demonstrators rallied outside the venue.

The delegation from Saudi Arabia, frustrated at the failure to take more direct action such as arming the Syrian rebels, withdrew from the conference.

Clinton, in comments to reporters, raised the prospect of a coup to remove Assad, who has withstood an almost yearlong rebellion.

"We also know from many sources that there are people around Assad who are beginning to hedge their bets ? they didn't sign up to slaughter people," Clinton said.

Clinton cited the cases last year of Tunisia and Egypt, where militaries stepped in to remove longtime autocratic leaders after popular protests.

"We saw this happen in other settings last year," Clinton said. "I think it is going to happen in Syria."

Clinton's suggestion that top Syrian officers might take matters into their own hands was an explicit recognition of one scenario that could avert an even longer struggle: removing the polarizing figure of Assad, whose family has ruled Syria for more than 40 years. Much of the opposition, including the Syrian National Council, has rejected negotiations with Assad and insisted that he must go.

Clinton and other Obama administration officials have hinted that they would like to see elements within Syria oust Assad. But Robert Danin, a former State Department official now with the Council on Foreign Relations, said Clinton's statement Friday was "by far the most explicit call by the administration for what would be a coup."

"It would be the quickest, most expeditious way, and it would also leave intact one of the few functioning institutions in the country," Danin said. The administration has been publicly committed to trying to leave as much of Syria's order as possible intact, in part to calm the fears of minorities that Assad's departure could plunge the country into chaos.

The military "is still one of the few institutions in the country that can provide unity and stability," Danin said.

However, many Syria observers say the prospect of a coup is remote because of the presence around Assad of a coterie of loyal commanders and advisors from his minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Some Alawites have come to view the conflict as a sectarian fight for survival against radical Sunni Islamist forces backed by Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-dominated Persian Gulf states.

Others say that even if there was a coup, there is no guarantee that other Alawite commanders would not keep on fighting, perhaps under the banner of Assad's brother Maher, who commands an important military brigade.

The conference opted not to recognize any opposition group as the sole representative of the Syrian people, a blow for the Syrian National Council. Instead, the international coalition labeled the group "a legitimate representative of Syrians seeking peaceful democratic change," but it pointedly withheld exclusive recognition of any one faction among many opposition currents.

Its failure to embrace arming the disparate rebel movement may reflect doubts in Washington and elsewhere about the makeup of the insurgent forces and their commitment to democracy.

Reports have circulated of Islamic militants from Iraq and elsewhere heading to Syria to fight Assad's forces. Al Qaeda's leader, Ayman Zawahiri, recently called on Muslims from neighboring countries to join the battle to topple Assad.

The Syrian government blames "terrorists" backed by foreign countries for much of the violence, including several mysterious car bombings in major cities.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/latimes/news/nationworld/world/~3/VeB5ZJsVHnA/la-fg-syria-violence-20120225,0,7691991.story

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Double Glazing Windows - Home Improvement and Beyond

Most people who are in the process of building or renovating their homes do not only focus on how the house will look like after the construction or the renovation but how the house will provide them with a comfortable living experience. Each material that is used in the physical structure of the house is chosen carefully. They make sure that they contribute to making the home comfortable for its residents. They choose furniture based on quality, functionality and affordability. Not all expensive furniture is suitable to the homeowners taste and needs.

Homeowners are most likely to hire a construction company that understands their needs. They work closely with each other to make sure that they follow everything that the homeowner wants for his home. Construction companies, with their expertise, experience and skills, can also suggest ways on how they can help construct a home that will satisfy the homeowner. They can suggest the use of double glazing windows. Double glazing in windows provides a better barrier against outside temperatures compared to single pane windows. This is ideal for houses that are located in areas that have high temperature. Double glazed windows can prevent the heat from penetrating the house.

Source: http://www.fix-land.com/2012/02/double-glazing-windows.html

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'Downton Abbey' finale gives PBS best numbers since 2009 (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - "Downton Abbey" ended its second season on a high note Sunday, giving PBS its highest ratings since the September 2009 premiere of Ken Burns' "National Parks."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120223/media_nm/us_downtonabbey_ratings

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Silence is Golden: The Making of The Artist | Flickering Myth Movie ...

Trevor Hogg explores the making of Michel Hazanavicius' Best Picture contender, The Artist...

?The first person I had to convince was me, and think, ?Okay, even if everybody thinks it is undoable, I am going to try because I really want to do it?,? stated French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius who began developing The Artist (2011) about eight years ago. ?When I started to think about what this silent film would be, I had two possibilities; either pure entertainment, a spy film in the vein of Spies [1928] by Fritz Lang which inspired Herg? to create Tintin or a film dealing with more serious issues, probably involving more work. This was more appealing to me because as a result we would move away from OSS [his previous two movies were espionage spoofs involving a clueless French secret agent codenamed OSS 117]. I wanted to work with Jean [Dujardin] again but didn?t want to end up doing the same things. I didn?t want this project to be perceived as a whim, or a gimmick, so I started looking for a story that could fit into this format.? Other factors needed to be taken into consideration for Hazanavicius. ?My main concern was not to be too complex with the story because if it gets too complicated you need words. What was liberating was that it didn?t have to be realistic. It?s in black-and-white, its period, and people are moving their lips but you?re not hearing them. This is not realistic so you can play with other things that in normal movies might be considered ridiculous, too symbolic or clich?d.?

?I decided to work on a story of a silent movie actor, which [would] make things easier for the audience, because it makes sense to watch a silent movie when the story is about a silent movie actor,? revealed Michel Hazanavicius who read a lot of biographies on the actors and directors from the cinematic era to help provide him with a ?springboard to the imagination.? ?I watched a hundred silent movies; the ones that aged the best were melodramas and romances,? commented the writer-director. ?It was always about the story rather than the character. In terms of research, I knew [Charlie] Chaplin and [Buster] Keaton, but the discovery was seeing silent cinema, dramas like Sunrise [1927] and The Crowd [1928], which were more minimal and had a real purity of performance. Valentin [Jean Dujardin] is based on Douglas Fairbanks, who was very happy in his own skin and content to make the same pantomime movie again and again. It was good to know there was another silent acting style to help build a bridge to modern audiences.? The key was to find the right cast. ?My starting point, linked with the desire to work once more with Jean [Dujardin] and B?r?nice [Bejo], was: a silent movie actor who doesn?t want to hear anything about the talkies. I circled around this character but as soon as I got the idea of this young starlet and the crossed destinies, everything fell into place and made sense, even the themes pride, fame, [and] vanity. I wrote the script very quickly, it took me like four months, which is very short for me. I knew that I could shoot every sequence with no dialogue, so at the end of the writing, I said, ?Okay, I think I can do it.?? Hazanavicius confessed, ?My [original] title was Peppy and George. It was nice and old fashioned, but a little too simple.? He adds, ?To do a silent movie, you have to have more expressive actors. John Goodman, Jean Dujardin and B?r?nice Bejo are very expressive, and when they talk, you can feel what it?s about.? French actor Jean Dujardin reflected, ?It?s quite pretentious isn?t it? The notion the audience is going to be interested in you for an hour and a half. Think too much about that and anxiety takes over. I?m happiest on set because I?m not myself. I?m someone else.? Dujardin relied on his costumes and the shooting locations to help him with his cinematic performance. ?I lived with a slick black haircut which was really short in the neck and a little thin moustache; that and spending time in those big houses in the Hollywood Hills got me into the skin of this actor.? Bejo agreed with her co-star. ?For us as actors, and even for the director, it gave us a sense of authenticity to what we were doing because we were talking about Hollywood and we were in Hollywood.?

?After my previous movies, I met some producers, and felt that they were scared a little bit,? recalled Michel Hazanavicius. ?Then I met Thomas Langmann, who was the right person; I could see in his eyes that he was hooked, and really wanted to see that movie. When I met John Goodman, he said to me, ?I?ve never seen this movie. That?s why I want to do it.?? Goodman remarked, ?I was intrigued, and then after the meeting I was more than willing to jump on because it was different. And what the hell, I didn?t have to learn lines. ?I?m your boy. Sign me up.?? The American actor enjoyed his role in the picture. ?The older I get, the more I appreciate what came before. I?m fascinated by these guys who started everything. I just read a biography of Cecil B. DeMille. He was a two-bit starving actor who couldn?t make it; he just happened to know some people. He directed some things. They were going to Flagstaff, Arizona. It was raining so they wound up here.? In regards to his canine companion, Jean Dujardin stated, ?There was a lot of improvisation with Uggie, like when I put the dog on the table or sometimes I follow him [or] sometimes he follows me. I had a lot of treats in my pocket. We worked with Omar [Von Muller], the dog trainer.? B?r?nice Bejo embraced the creative challenge imposed upon her. ?I like it very much when acting is not conveyed solely through dialogue but by the body, the walk, the attitude, [and] the precision of each gesture.? Bejo received assistance from her filmmaker husband. ?Michel always knew which music to play. For the scene where I get off the bus and arrive at the studio for an audition I think he played Day for Night. It?s so cheerful that I was immediately transported. It gave me wings!?

?I worked with the same composer for twelve years now,? stated Michael Hazanavicius when referring to his collaboration with Ludovic Bource. ?He?s my friend. But we almost killed ourselves for this one. Here, the music is the right hand of the image. The images and the music tell the story together.? A different technique was utilized by the filmmaker. ?I was very precise. Like, ?When he puts the butter here, and he looks at her, and the music has to start here.? Or for example, when he puts the fire on the film stock, the composer started the music when the fire began, but I said, ?No, no, put the fire when he gets the idea.?? Cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman did not use old cameras during the principle photography. ?There?s a guy at Panavision who?s a technical geek about those kinds of movies,? remarked Hazanavicius, ?and he did some alteration of the lens for us which gave us some distortion in the image. I used it, for example, when the lead actor contemplates suicide the shot of the gun and of the dog, there?s a small distortion.? Not all of the modern conveniences were employed. ?It?s not so much about the technical aspects. It?s more about the way you conceive things. I didn?t use a Steadicam, for example, because a Steadicam shot doesn?t make sense to me in a period movie. For the crane shot, it was a very modern crane and it goes farther.? The footage was converted afterwards. ?I used colour film after a lot of tests. We always say black-and-white, but actually it's about the greys. To have all the nuances of grey and to be able to play with it, we shot in colour, and then in post we went to black-and-white.?

?When we were doing the preparation of the movie, we didn?t have all the money so we were looking for all the solutions possible, and 3D was one option,? revealed Michael Hazanavicius who contemplated the idea for about two weeks. ?I thought it could be great. I imagined it as a very special image, a very new image, but fortunately, I didn?t have to do it.? Made on a budget of $15 million The Artist has earned $61 million worldwide. ?My job was to make the movie. That?s what I did. I know what we did in France was to have the maximum screenings just to let people talk about the movie and say they enjoyed the movie.? Hazanavicius observed, ?You can?t remake films exactly the way they were made 90 years ago. Audiences have been exposed to so much; they are sharper, quicker and a lot smarter. It?s exciting to stimulate them. The films I like the most are when the directors wander around and dare to make what they want while respecting the genre throughout.? The silent movie has become an awards circuit sensation receiving 10 Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Jean Dujardin), Best Supporting Actress (B?r?nice Bejo), Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, and Best Original Score; at the BAFTAs the awards list was replicated along with additional nominations for Best Make Up & Hair, and Best Sound. The Golden Globes were equally enamored lauding the 1920s tale with Best Picture ? Comedy or Musical, Best Actor ? Comedy or Musical (Dujardin), and Best Original Score while also handing out nominations for Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Bejo), and Best Screenplay. ?This is a period movie, made now,? stated the French filmmaker who contended for the Palme d?Or at the Cannes Film Festival while his leading man won for Best Actor. ?The way I wrote this movie, I tried to respect the spirit. I tried to respect the melodrama, the structure, even the Hays Code, in the way that there is no kiss. It?s a very sweet romance. It?s very old fashioned.?

For more on The Artist, visit the official website.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.

Source: http://flickeringmyth.blogspot.com/2012/02/silence-is-golden-making-of-artist.html

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US drafts plan to fight feared Alzheimer's disease

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration declared Alzheimer's "one of the most-feared health conditions" on Wednesday as it issued a draft of the nation's first strategy to fight the ominous rise in the mind-destroying disease.

More than 5 million Americans already have Alzheimer's or similar dementias, a toll expected to reach up to 16 million by 2050, along with skyrocketing medical and nursing home bills, because the population is aging so rapidly.

The government's top goal: Find some effective ways to treat Alzheimer's by 2025. That is an ambitious quest. Today's treatments only temporarily ease symptoms. Scientists know that Alzheimer's brews for years before symptoms appear, but work to find better medications or at least stall the disease's emergence has been frustratingly slow.

Whether scientists can meet that deadline or not, the first draft of the National Alzheimer's Plan also makes clear that overwhelmed families need help right away to care for affected loved ones.

Moreover, as many as half of today's Alzheimer's sufferers have not been formally diagnosed, and the draft in part blames stigma and misinformation.

Among the draft's planned steps:

?A major public awareness campaign to help people know the early warning signs of Alzheimer's and what to do.

?Educate doctors and other health workers about how to recognize Alzheimer's, what medications are available now that can help with the disease's symptoms, and what social services may help families to cope.

?Improve early detection, in part by determining the best cognitive screening to offer during Medicare's new annual wellness visit.

?Improve training of caregivers, so they know what resources are available and how to handle common behavior problems of dementia. Research shows that caregivers given such training are able to keep their loved ones at home for far longer.

?Study how to address the health needs of stressed and isolated caregivers.

Then there's the goal of better treatments. The National Institutes of Health spends about $450 million a year on dementia research. This month, the Obama administration announced it would add an extra $50 million to that tab this year, and seek $80 million more to spend on Alzheimer's research in 2013.

It plans to spend about $26 million on some of the plan's other provisions.

For comparison, the government spends nearly $3 billion on AIDS research; about 1.1 million Americans are living with the AIDS virus.

Wednesday's draft is open for public comment through March, and the government's Alzheimer's advisory council is sure to make changes before a final strategy is issued this year. But some of the work is not waiting: The NIH, for example, is bringing together top Alzheimer's scientists in May to discuss the most promising leads for better treatment.

Some members of that advisory council called the draft a good first step.

"They've covered the right topics. What is needed now is more detail," said Alzheimer's Association President Harry Johns. "There's real recognition at this point that Alzheimer's is devastating for not only the individual but for the families and caregivers."

"Today, with the strong commitment of federal leaders and louder outcry from the public, the urgency of the Alzheimer's disease crisis is being recognized and acted upon," said Eric J. Hall, president of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

___

Online:

Alzheimer's plan: http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/napa/(hash)DraftNatlPlan

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-02-22-Alzheimer's%20Plan/id-48333b5cbc8c4eafa7be9f4d086d2c2b

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Internet Work from home business Ideas That Just About Anyone ...

For any of your marketing and advertising strategies to work, it?s very important for you to reach out to your clients over the web. The Internet offers you an excellent communication platform. Email marketing is one of the best Internet marketing strategies, by which companies send emails to their customers along with intent to enhance consumer relationship and keep the customers informed about the company?s products and services. It is good to construct a responsive opt-in list. Viral marketing is yet another effective web marketing method that uses existing social networking sites to achieve Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes business promotion. Blogging and participating in online forums can help you communicate with a wide customer base. Article marketing, wherein content articles on frequently researched topics are printed on websites, serves as an efficient Internet marketing tool.

No matter whether you fail as well as succeed in your Internet marketing and advertising business depends generally on one thing, Internet users. If people browsing the Internet are interested in your own online car insurance quote business, its service or product then you will have overflowing coffers. But if these identical internet surfers are not in the least interested in what you are promoting or offering, then you definitely my friend are in grave trouble, because your up coming best option is to shut shop and get employment or find yet another means of earning.

Online marketing has emerged as among the most innovative mediums for organizations to promote a few and services. The global Internet marketing industry is really worth several billion us dollars and is expanding at a rapid pace. Several auto insurance online have seen an increase in their own sales as a result of adding their business on the Internet and this has prompted many others to follow suit. Nonetheless, there are some challenges that Internet marketing and promoting faces, the most important of these being security as well as frauds. Let us check out some of the advantages and disadvantages of Online marketing.

Source: http://www.karnarchitect.com/internet-work-from-home-business-ideas-that-just-about-anyone-can-do/

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Long Periods Vehicle Lease Versus Ownership Of Your Car ...

Car lease has become a very common way for many to obtain a new vehicle over financing. However, it is essential to thoroughly investigate both alternatives before making a final decision. Once a budget has been established, it will become easier to see which option makes more economical sense. Purchasing a brand new vehicle is a big investment. For many, it is easier, financially, to lease since less money is needed upfront.

There are several advantages to owning a vehicle. If the vehicle is not financed, the vehicle is fully owned without having to pay finance charges. It is much cheaper in the long run to purchase a vehicle and keep it for a number of years as opposed to a lease option that only lasts a few years. But if the vehicle is being financed, there is a down payment and additional monthly payments that have to be made to the lender.

If the vehicle is being purchased upfront, then there are no finance charges. The individual owns the asset but has to deal with the depreciation value. It is important for the buyer to consider how long they will want to own the vehicle in order to effectively work out the number. If they do not want to own the car for very long, a lease option may be the better alternative.

When a buyer does not all of the money for a down payment on a new vehicle, then a lease could be a better alternative. Many leases are available with the option to purchase the vehicle at the end of the contract. Car leasing uk options are popular choices among drivers that want to continuously drive a new vehicles.

New vehicles depreciate in value very quickly. With a lease option, this is not a factor. There is also less money that is needed upfront when choosing to lease over financing. There are several terms that are associated with both alternatives that need to be considered. It is vital to read and understand the fine print first before signing any contracts.

Leases offer individuals much more flexibility as it relates to the actual conditions of the contract. If the lease needs to be adjusted due to an unforeseen financial situation, this is relatively easy to do. Financing terms are usually very rigid and do not allow for any changes in the terms or conditions of the contract.

There are many benefits that can be found with leases. The sales tax is much less than when buying a vehicle. Drivers can enjoy the prestige of driving the latest model cars instead of having the same vehicle for many years. And with a lease, drivers do not have to worry about the costs of repairs since they are covered by the manufacturer?s warranty.

Car leasing is often a very affordable way for drivers to obtain a new vehicle without having to put a lot of money down. A lease option is less expensive than financing but does have its limitations. It really depends on how much an individual can afford and how long they want to own a particular vehicle when weighing these options.

Source: http://samba-cafe.com/?p=5642

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Current San Diego Remodeling Trends | Home Remodeling Boot ...

With home values down and sales still soft in San Diego, many homeowners will look at ways to improve their existing footprint.? Even when homes start to increase in value again, many homeowners will?still opt to stay put and remodel or add on instead of selling.

According to the National Association of Home Builders? Remodeling Market Index (RMI), hit a five-year high in the fourth quarter of 2011.

[See the?5 Best (and Worst) Home Remodeling Projects.]

Home remodeling decisions are reflective of the times, and resale values.? Here are some trends that are constant:

Home again. Remodelers are seeing a bigger demand for ?companion units? (typically called granny flats whether children or parents are moving in) as part of new additions or as a detached building. ?Some baby boomers are already reaching their golden years and families are?remodeling their homes for aging in place a creative long term care solution. ?For many families, this is a lower-cost option than retirement homes or assisted-living.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, 62 percent of builders surveyed were working on home remodeling for aging in place 2010. ???AARP is working with builders on a designation for Certified Aging in Place Specialists.? There are builders trained in designing and remodeling buildings for the elderly. ?Approximately 3,000 builders, contractors, remodelers and architects have already been certified.

Outdoor Spaces. In San Diego, increased property values led to the development of luxury outdoor living spaces like stone hardscapes, gourmet grilling kitchens, and elaborate patios with fireplaces.? ?The recession may have slightly dinged the remodeling industry when it comes to outdoor spaces, but the concept survives.? The?investment in outdoor living spaces is a necessity even for homeowners that are budget minded. ?Consumers may be scaling back their wish list, but improving their outdoor living spaces for entertaining and family time is still popular. ?After all, families are traveling less, and staying home more.

Efficient Kitchens. Efficient means you can cook meals in a shorter period of time.? At the peak of the real estate market in San Diego, you would hear words like ?granite? and ?high-end appliances?.? Now, ?cost effective? and ?value? are key words for kitchen remodeling.? Homeowners are willing to give up a little food preparation area in favor of larger eating areas and family rooms. ?Large islands with ample storage and eating areas are very popular and help make kitchens look less like a work space and more like an expansion of the family room.

?

Sunday Inspiration ? Making A Home And Family

{Photo Source}

This week of February has flown by and we have been busy around here meeting a new homeschool group attending a swimming/Valentine?s Day party, trips to the library, grocery shopping day, kids yoga class, getting a new washing machine (I finally get to do laundry at home), and having my beautiful little girl turn THREE years old.

We had her party yesterday and our little farmhouse was filled with family and friends. ?There were kids ALL over ? so fun to have cousins romping around together. ?Even if sometimes I just have to squint my eyes and hope as they race around the corner they don?t crash into each other or the wall. ?It was fun and we are so blessed. ?Val was very happy and excited to have a big group come to her house and even more excited when she opened presents! ?She is sitting next to me water painting with one of her gifts right now.

My Val ? those big eyes and smile. ?Even a bigger personality, that girl has. ?So sweet, but so determined. ?A little girl with a huge soul full of vibrancy. ?The light of my life. ?The greatest teacher the Universe will ever give me. ?Here?s to another trip around the sun, girlfriend. ?May you stay spunky, happy, and healthy!

Sunday Inspiration Links

I want these in my kitchen:

A shelf full of herbs

A wellness kit?

A shelf of essential oils

And? how to make situations IN your control

And this too? earn points and rewards by doing tasks at home on DailyFeats

Source: http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2012/02/19/sunday-inspiration-28/

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Movies Capital Start Downloading Full Movies Right Now! : Arts ...

You are here: Home / Entertainment / Movies Capital Start Downloading Full Movies Right Now!

Do you want to know a little more about the thrilling brand-new webpage known as Movies Capital? This great site will allow its regular members to watch several new flicks officially for a single membership fee. I have already been using it for many months to see the best flicks, motion picture and TV programs on the internet and furthermore get the ones I like officially with this rrnternet site. If you have liked what you have read by this author, then be sure you check the other extra topics by him which are aimed at helping the readers to obtain greater results ? Movies Capital. See to it that you simply invest some time reading and understanding these helpful articles as it is going to benefit you in a lot more than one way.

1. What is the Movies Capital Website All about?

I now have a lifetime access to this movies website and can watch them wherever I want if I have my laptop beside me with an Internet connection. The quality of the films is impressive and may be watched fully online and downloaded. Members will have to pay a one-time sign up fee to get unlimited usage of its content.

2. What You Need So as to Use the Movies Capital Site

In order to get the optimal viewing results, you?ll want to ensure that you have a stable Internet connection that does not fluctuate often. I would say that this website is very rapid in responding, allowing me to move around quickly between every page just with a few clicks.

3. So what can You Do with this Media Content Inside Movies Capital?

The unending number of flicks which you are able to get could be downloaded and saved for backup on discs or CD format. Additionally, there are many other types of media including TV shows, films and many other. Overall, I happen to be amazed with the level of quality and the variety of movies I am getting, by making the just once membership fee very truly worth paying. In case you have liked this article then you are certain to enjoy the upcoming info too ? Movies Capital.

While you are watching, you are able to record your favorite elements. Finally, this site also allows the creation of your own labels for the VCDs and DVDs that you create. If you are a first time user of the site, there is a software application that acts as some sort of a tutorial which walks you through the entire process of using the webpage.

Written by: Dan on February 18, 2012.

Posted by Dan on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11:15 pm?
Filed under Entertainment ? Tagged with Cd Format, Downloading Movies, Entertainment, Films, Flicks, Full Movies, Laptop, Lifetime, Many Other Types, Media Content, Membership Fee, Motion Picture, movies capital, Movies Download, Movies TV, Stable Internet Connection, Time Sign, Tv Programs, Tv Shows, Variety, Webpage

Source: http://www.theyellowads.com/arts_entertainment/movies-capital-start-downloading-full-movies-right-now/

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Pope wants to see Fidel Castro on Cuba trip-source (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Pope Benedict wants to see Fidel Castro on his trip to Cuba next month but the meeting will depend on the health of the communist country's revolutionary leader, a senior Vatican official told Reuters on Saturday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120218/people_nm/us_pope_cuba_fidel

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Satellite Phone Basics | | skafunderz.comskafunderz.com

The satellite mobile phone is a cell phone that directs and receives messages coming from orbiting spoutnik that provide insurance to the planet or merely specific locations.

The cell phones used for satellite tv for pc communication in many cases are larger in size than the ones that have been used for terrestrial software. These phones can be comparable to your cell phones that were used during the late Nineteen-eighties and 1990?s. These phones in addition have a large retractable antenna Satellite phone sales.

Satellite tv phones make use of Low World Orbit satellites with regard to communication. These kinds of satellites orbit planet earth at substantial speeds at low elevation. These spoutnik fly total orbits and guarantee complete insurance over every area by no less than one satellite all the time.

When a get in touch with is made with your satellite mobile phone, the call signal goes up in the satellite mobile phone hand created a satellite tv for pc hundreds of a long way in orbit. The signal next goes to one of the numerous satellites inside the low earth orbit. The signal then falls to one with the ground stations, from where your signal is finally shipped to the vacation spot hand arranged.

To receive a great service your hand arranged will need no less than 80% view of the sun. Obstructions such as buildings as well as trees can block your satellite signal from reaching your device satellite phone plans. The strength of your calls is determined by the user?s view of the sky and also the current position with the satellite.

The satellite cell phones use only revolving about satellites instead of any cell towers with regard to communication. Another interesting characteristic of satellite tv for pc phones is that they work also during energy outages. The sole prerequisite is that the phone will need to have a charged battery with regard to usage. As these phones perform even through power failures, you can have undamaged communication even during the event of a total damage. These phones can be used for voice as well as data interaction even when all other forms of interaction would be interrupted for days. In the event of an unexpected emergency, a satellite tv for pc phone is really a valuable tool and could indicate the difference among life as well as death where communication is important.

Although satellite tv for pc phones are incredibly huge nowadays, they will keep growing smaller because technology advances. These phones fulfill many particular roles and still provide essential communications in several software.

Source: http://skafunderz.com/satellite-phone-basics

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Week of 2/13: On Our Public Speaking/ Speech Development ...

Posted by The Gem Project Staff on Friday, February 17, 2012 ? Leave a Comment?

About: ?The Gem Project started their public speaking ?speech development workshops & debate competitions, ?through their interactive 3 step literacy programs this month! ?

Visit the ?Event Review? category to see what it was like at different sites throughout Newark, New Jersey.

For now, see what other educators/librarians, volunteers, and parents had to say about the program below:

EDUCATORS/ LIBRARIANS

?This session on debating was enjoyed by our participants. The group discussed what debating was. Discussed debates that they had participated and then debated on whether computers should replace teachers. The two sides did an excellent job on debating their views. The children enjoyed it.?

- Clara Wilson, Lead librarian (Springfield Branch Library- Newark,NJ)|Public Speaking- Debate Workshop

?This program encouraged the children of various ages to listen, write, then read their essays to the audience. The leaders of this program are very connected with the children and this relationship truly inspires the children to participate and step out of their comfort zones. Love the Gem Project !!!?

- Heather Rivera, Lead librarian (North-End Library,-Newark, NJ)|?Public Speaking- Debate Workshop

VOLUNTEERS

?Students were engaged in the debate activity and gave great points to support their topic. It really shows how important communication skills are and that gaining it at an early age is essential for personal growth.?

- Amira Onibudo, BloomBOXTV President, Bloomfield College Senior | Public Speaking- Speech Development at ?Springfield NPL Branch
?As a broadcast journalism major, I know the importance of public speaking. Having young children gain experience in practicing speech will be beneficial to their future endeavors. All of the speeches were wonderful and I can tell that each student left with much more confidence.?

- Amira Onibudo, BloomBOXTV President, Bloomfield College Senior | Public Speaking- Debate Workshop at ?North-End NPL Branch

PARENTS

? Hello, I am Mrs. Laura Hernandez, Eliel?s mother. I am so glad we were here for the program. I enjoyed the program because all of you were helpful to the students. You were friendly and praised the children a lot. ?You also allowed and helped my son to participate in a learning program. ?This is the first time that he has been in this program. Thank you.?

- Mrs. Laura Hernandez (Newark, NJ)|?Public Speaking- Debate Workshop at ?North-End NPL Branch

Source: http://thegemproject.org/?p=280

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Documents reveal Koch-funded group's plot to undermine climate science

Documents leaked from the 'free-market' Heartland Institute reveal payments to prominent climate-change deniers, a plan to create a?fossil-fuel-friendly curriculum for?Kindergartners, and efforts to 'keep opposing voices' out of the media.?

Leaked documents from the free-market conservative organization The Heartland Institute reveal a plan to create school educational materials that contradict the established science on climate change.

Skip to next paragraph

The documents, leaked by an anonymous donor and released on DeSmogBlog, include the organization's 2012 fundraising plan. It lists Heartland Institute donors, from the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation (established by Koch Industries billionaire Charles G. Koch), to Philip Morris parent company Altria, to software giant Microsoft and pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.

The?climate change education?project is funded so far by an anonymous donor who has given $13 million to the Institute over the past five years. Proposed by policy analyst David Wojick, who holds a doctorate in epistemology and has worked for coal and electricity generation companies, the project would create education "modules" written to meet curriculum guidelines for every grade level.

"Many people lament the absence of educational material suitable for K-12 students on global warming that isn't alarmist or overtly political," the report reads. "Heartland has tried to make material available to teachers, but has had only limited success."

Heartland focuses on free-market issues across the board, including promoting charter schools, lobbying for business-friendly finance, insurance and real estate rules and promoting prescription drug availability before full Food and Drug Administration testing.

In the area of?climate change, the leaked documents revealed that the group funds?vocal climate skeptics, including Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change founder Craig Idso ($11,600 per month), physicist Fred Singer ($5,000 plus expenses per month), and New Zealand geologist Robert Carter ($1,667 per month). They've also pledged $90,000 to skeptical meteorologist Anthony Watts, who blogs at WattsUpWithThat.com.

The documents also reveal a communications strategy aimed at "keep[ing] opposing voices out" of publications such as Forbes Magazine, where the audience is "reliably anti-climate."

On the education front, Wojick would be paid $5,000 per module, or $25,000 per quarter, according to the report's tentative estimates, to produce the Heartland climate curricula. The Institute's anonymous donor has pledged $100,000 to the project, which the Institute hopes to match from other donors.

Each module would inject skepticism into the scientific consensus on climate change. Example statements in the report include: "Whether humans are changing the climate is a major scientific controversy;" "Models are used to explore various hypotheses about how climate works. Their reliability is controversial;" and "Whether CO2 [carbon dioxide] is a pollutant is controversial." The modules would also teach that the idea of carbon dioxide as a pollutant is "controversial," arguing that carbon dioxide is crucial to life on Earth and that natural emissions are 20 times those of human emissions.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/yiEV9xmou6A/Documents-reveal-Koch-funded-group-s-plot-to-undermine-climate-science

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Joseph Kennedy III launches campaign for Congress (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

AP - The family name may help generate a steady flow of campaign cash and assure key endorsements for Joseph Kennedy III's bid for the U.S. House. But it may take more than just the Kennedy mystique to deliver the congressional district to the 31-year-old who was raised on politics but has never before run for office.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120216/ap_on_el_ho/us_massachusetts_congress_kennedy

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Court halts sale of New Zealand farms to Chinese (AP)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand ? A New Zealand court Wednesday halted the first ever sale of dairy farms to Chinese investors, the latest twist in a saga that's dividing a country reliant on agriculture for much of its export earnings.

High Court Judge Forrest Miller ruled the New Zealand government overstated the economic benefits that the Chinese investors would bring when the government approved the sale of the 16 farms last month. Miller said the government needs to review the sale again using stricter evaluation criteria.

Supporters of the sale ? which would have been the first to Chinese investors ? say it would encourage international trade, while others say farmland needs to stay in the hands of New Zealanders if the country is to remain prosperous.

The potential buyer is Shanghai Pengxin, run by wealthy property developer Jiang Zhaobai. The company says it wants to spend more than 200 million New Zealand dollars ($164 million) buying and improving the farms.

A consortium of local farmers and businessmen led by merchant banker Sir Michael Fay filed the court action seeking to block the sale. The group earlier offered to pay 171 million New Zealand dollars ($140 million) to buy the land itself.

"We're very pleased with the decision from Justice Miller," said consortium spokesman Alan McDonald. "Our view is that Shanghai Pengxin never brought any real economic benefits to New Zealand."

The judge essentially ruled that the New Zealand government used a false comparison when evaluating the benefits the Chinese would bring to the farms, which are currently in bankruptcy and poor repair. The judge said the benefits from the Chinese needed to be measured not against the farms' current state, but against the benefits a New Zealand buyer would bring.

Cedric Allan, a spokesman for Pengxin, said he believes the Chinese investment will benefit New Zealand under either measure, and he said he expects the sale will still go ahead after a second government review.

"Personally, for me, the ruling is a big surprise, I hadn't read the Overseas Investment Act in that way," he said. "We're still pressing ahead as fast as we can, and we're still confident we are going to get the final signoff."

The case has been watched closely by Chinese officials, who earlier expressed concern at delays in the sale.

New Zealand relies on China to buy much of its farming exports, including its dairy products. In 2008, the two countries signed a free-trade agreement, the first such agreement between China and a developed nation.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120215/ap_on_bi_ge/as_new_zealand_china_farms

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Human Resources Strategy Is A Must In Your Business | Inbound ...

Massive Sales Results @ 1/2 the investment

Human Resources Strategy Is A Must In Your Business

Article by Annette Dixon

Every single company can usually depend on specific resources to help to improve its business prospective and generate regular sales from their existing consumers. One of the most important resources that firms can profit from is their people. Businesses which have high quality staff to support their products and services, can improve customer satisfaction and expand their potential for growth. A means of achieving this goal is through establishing an efficient human resources strategy.

A fundamental error made by a lot of companies is to embark on recruitment activities lacking a strategy. In contrast, businesses which have a good human resource strategy are able to simplify the hiring process and identify a person who is a perfect fit for your existing staff and consumers. Without a human resources program, you are likely to possess a huge volume of incompetent candidates who can?t give the best support in accomplishing your company goals.

The primary element to include in your HR strategy should be to identify which positions in your business need be filled. This can be performed by completing need analysis of your business and speaking to existing personnel about their workload.

The second element consists of the best opportunities for appointing new individuals. This is usually done by using different resources, which will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of each aspirant. It will make it a lot easier for you to choose the most promising individuals who have the potential to become assets for your concern. During the assessment process, it is important to consider the professional experiences and qualifications such as their education, work history, as well as the suggestions from preceding employers.

The 3rd element that should be integrated into your human resources strategy is performance management. Regardless of how good an individual seems to be on paper, there is a probability that a candidate?s actual work performance will be lacking. Through a good performance management system, you?ll be able to spot the strengths and weaknesses of individuals as they work for your firm, so as to decide whether a person should become a regular worker, extend his or her trial period, be promoted, or released.

However, an effective performance management system should be supported clearly by your company policies. These policies should also be taken into consideration when coming up with a human resource strategy. This will make it a lot easier to meet any legal requirements your company is answerable for, while also supporting your personnel. Utilization of these policies can be highly convenient, not just to support workforces and accelerate procedures, but also as basis for corrective actions, terminations, promotions, salary increases and other procedures regulated by law.

End2end Business Solutions is an outsourced HR company that delivers cost effective HR services for small and medium businesses in Australia. They are the human resource consultants of choice for Australian companies that don?t have their own HR department, or overseas companies looking to branch out into Australia and looking for outsourced HR and recruitment services. Visit the website to know more.

About the Author

In order to identify a high quality resource that can significantly help your company develop an effective HR strategy and hire only the most qualified employees, seek the resources found at http://www.end2endbusinesssolutions.com.au/.

Massive Sales Results @ 1/2 the investment

Source: http://voip-business-phones.info/?p=1671

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Scientists Debate How To Conduct Bird Flu Research

Scientists working with bird flu recently called a 60-day halt on some controversial experiments, and the unusual move has been compared to a famous moratorium on genetic engineering in the 1970s.

But key scientists involved in that event disagree on whether history is repeating itself.

"I see an amazing similarity," says Nobel Prize winner Paul Berg, of Stanford University.

To him, it's almost eerie to watch events unfold just like they did back then: There's been a startling scientific discovery, concerns raised by an expert committee, then a voluntary moratorium and calls for an international discussion to figure out how to move forward in a way that protects the public.

?

This time around, fears revolve around experiments on the bird flu virus H5N1. Scientists tweaked its genes and made it more transmissible between ferrets, which are the laboratory stand-in for people.

Some experts fear that if this virus ever escaped or fell into the wrong hands, it could cause a devastating pandemic. On Jan. 20, flu virologists said they'd temporarily halt this line of research. And a small group of experts will meet at the World Health Organization in Geneva on Thursday and Friday to discuss what to do next.

In the 1970s, the concerns centered on the first steps towards what's now known as genetic engineering. Berg had figured out how to splice together DNA from different organisms. This was new, and some people were disturbed by the experiments Berg wanted to do that involved viruses and bacteria.

"People said, 'Hey, you're doing this crazy experiment, you're potentially spreading cancer genes, etc., etc,' " recalls Berg. "I said, 'Nonsense!' "

But as he talked to people, he began to realize that he couldn't say there was zero risk. And the tools he had pioneered were advancing rapidly. More and more people were doing this kind of work. So Berg and some colleagues took an unusual step.

They asked scientists around the world to hold off on certain experiments until there was a consensus on how to do them safely. In February of 1975, about 150 researchers gathered at the Asilomar conference center in Pacific Grove, Calif.

"They developed guidelines and policy for how to do that research, and we still live with many of those guidelines and policies today," says Paul Keim, a microbiologist at Northern Arizona University who chairs a government advisory committee that recently reviewed the bird flu research.

It recommended keeping some details of the bird flu experiments under wraps, so as not to provide terrorists with a recipe for a new biological weapon. And Keim and the other committee members recently issued a statement that calls the bird flu situation "another Asilomar-type moment."

"The parallels are that, you know, there is so much uncertainty here. The potential for grave harm is obvious, to most of us," says Keim. "So the thought is, why not pause here, think about what we're doing."

Society's 'Implied Trust' In Scientists

But others say today's controversy over bird flu and the events leading up to Asilomar don't really match up at all.

"There's a whole bunch of differences, actually, that make the situation that we faced in '73 and '75 really quite different from this," says Maxine Singer, a prominent molecular biologist who also was one of the organizers of Asilomar.

The Asilomar conference was forward-looking and focused on the potential risks of hypothetical experiments that scientists hadn't yet done, says Singer. This time around, worrisome bird flu viruses have already been made.

"Now we're talking about locking the barn door after the horses have gone," Singer says. "So that's one big difference."

And a big part of today's debate is whether to try to limit who gets to see key details of those experiments. Singer says that discussions about bird flu research seem to be happening in closed-door meetings convened by government-level agencies. But Asilomar was open to reporters, and was organized by the scientists themselves.

Today's moratorium also feels very different to Stanley Falkow, a prominent microbiologist who was at Asilomar.

This time, scientists agreed to a pause in their work only after a public outcry. "My view is that they're doing it grudgingly," Falkow says.

Society supports scientists and gives them tremendous freedom in their pursuit of knowledge, notes Falkow, "and there's an implied trust. And I think in part what's happened has shaken the trust of many people."

In his view, it's not enough for scientists to think that what they're doing is fine ? one of the lessons of Asilomar is to make sure the public will think that, too.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/02/15/146949603/scientists-debate-how-to-conduct-bird-flu-research?ft=1&f=1007

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Smoking bans lead to less, not more, smoking at home

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Smoking bans in public/workplaces don't drive smokers to light up more at home, suggests a study of four European countries with smoke free legislation, published online in Tobacco Control.

If anything, a ban may prompt smokers to smoke less at home, the research suggests.

The authors base their findings on two waves of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC Project) Europe Surveys.

These were carried out before and after legislation banning smoking in public places had come into force in Ireland, France, Germany and the Netherlands, and in the UK, excluding Scotland, before legislation was enacted.

The surveys, which were conducted between 2003/4 and 2008/9, depending on when bans took effect, involved 4634 smokers in the four countries with smoke free legislation and 1080 smokers in the UK, which served as comparison country at a time when no public/workplace smoking ban had come into force.

Before a ban came into force, most smokers had at least partial restrictions on smoking at home, although the proportions varied significantly among all four countries, with the highest levels of restrictions in Germany and France.

The presence of a young child in the household and supporting a smoking ban in bars were key factors associated with choosing to restrict smoking at home.

After legislation was enacted, the percentage of smokers who banned smoking at home increased significantly in all countries, rising by 25% in Ireland, 17% in France, 38% in Germany and 28% in the Netherlands by the time of the second survey.

This increase was irrespective of whether the public/workplace smoking ban was comprehensive or allowed for some exceptions.

Home smoking bans were more likely to be adopted when the smoker planned to quit smoking, when there was a birth of a child, and among those smokers who supported a smoking ban in bars.

In the UK, the percentage of smokers who implemented a home smoking ban also rose 22% between the two surveys, the second of which was carried out just a few months before the smoking ban came into force.

After taking account of several demographic and smoking history variables, the percentage of continuing smokers banning smoking at home increased significantly in all four countries, but did not significantly increase in the UK.

Current thinking suggests that the consequences of banning smoking in public end up either boosting the amount of smoking at home as smokers try to compensate?the displacement hypothesis?or encouraging smokers to apply the same restrictions at home?the social diffusion hypothesis.

"Opponents of workplace or public smoking bans have argued that smoke-free policies?albeit intended to protect non-smokers from tobacco smoke?could lead to displacement of smoking into the home and hence even increase the second hand smoke exposure of non-smoking family members and, most importantly, children," write the authors.

In fact, the findings support the "social diffusion hypothesis"?that banning smoking in public places "may stimulate smokers to establish total smoking bans in their homes."

###

BMJ-British Medical Journal: http://www.bma.org

Thanks to BMJ-British Medical Journal for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117577/Smoking_bans_lead_to_less__not_more__smoking_at_home

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Apple Is So Big That Financial Analysts are Ignoring It [Apple]

Well, not quite. The Wall Street Journal reports that in order to understand how the financial market is faring, analysts are cutting Apple out of the picture because their dominance skews things too much. In fact, discounting Apple shows that the market isn't as strong as thought. Still: iPad 3, yeah! [WSJ] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8jdL7PJuWJI/apple-is-so-big-that-financial-analysts-are-ignoring-it

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Under fire, Obama adjusts his birth control policy (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Under fierce election-year fire, President Barack Obama on Friday abruptly abandoned his stand that religious organizations must pay for birth control for workers, scrambling to end a furor raging from the Catholic Church to Congress to his re-election foes. He demanded that insurance companies step in to provide the coverage instead.

Obama's compromise means ultimately that women would still get birth control without having to pay for it, no matter where they work. The president insisted he had stuck by that driving principle even in switching his approach, and the White House vehemently rejected any characterization that Obama had retreated under pressure.

Yet there was no doubt that Obama had found himself in an untenable position. He needed to walk back fast and find another route to his goal.

The controversy over contraception and religious liberty was overshadowing his agenda, threatening to alienate key voters and giving ammunition to the Republicans running for his job. It was a mess that knocked the White House off its message and vision for a second term.

Leaders from opposite sides of the divisive debate said they supported the outcome ? or at least suggested they probably could live with it. Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan of New York, the head of the nation's Roman Catholic bishops and a fierce critic of the original rule covering hospitals and other employers, said the bishops were reserving judgment but that Obama's move was a good first step.

The bishops' organization later issued a far more skeptical critique contending that the new approach offered insufficient protections for religious employers and calling that unacceptable.

Republicans hoping to oust Obama from the White House were conceding nothing. Though not mentioning the birth control issue, Newt Gingrich assailed the president's views of religious rights and said "I frankly don't care what deal he tries to cut. ... If he wins re-election, he will wage war on the Catholic Church the morning after he's re-elected."

Mitt Romney, the front-runner in the campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, said the decision didn't change anything.

"Today he did the classic Obama retreat, all right, and what I mean by that is it wasn't a retreat at all. It's another deception," Romney said while campaigning in Portland, Maine.

Obama, acknowledging he wanted a resolution to the controversy, ordered advisers to find a middle ground in days, not within a year as had been the plan before the uproar. He said he spoke as a Christian who cherishes religious freedom and as a president unwilling to give up on free contraceptive care.

"I've been confident from the start that we could work out a sensible approach here, just as I promised," Obama said. "I understand some folks in Washington may want to treat this as another political wedge issue, but it shouldn't be. I certainly never saw it that way."

Under the new plan, religious employers such as charities, universities and hospitals will not have to offer contraception and will not have to refer their employees to places that provide it. If an employer opts out of the requirement, its insurance company must provide birth control for free in a separate arrangement with workers who want it.

"Very pleased," was how Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, reacted in a statement distributed by the White House. Her trade group represents Catholic hospitals that had fought against the birth control requirement, and Keehan said the new arrangement addresses the concerns it had.

In searching for a way out of the crisis, Obama also had to be mindful not to anger many women and fellow Democrats.

Planned Parenthood, a prominent women's health organization, said Obama had reaffirmed his commitment to birth control coverage. The group's president, Cecile Richards, added, though, that it would be monitoring for "rigorous, fair and consistent" enforcement so women get the promised coverage.

Before announcing his decision to reporters, Obama telephoned Keehan, Richards and Dolan.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, where Gingrich made his comments, many said the White House rewrite did not change anything.

"It's an accounting trick," said Mike Gonzales of the Heritage Foundation. "Do they think people are stupid?"

The debate within the White House was intense even before the Jan. 20 decision was announced to exempt only churches and other houses of worships from the requirement that employers must cover free contraception. Other religious organizations were given an extra year to comply, but that concession didn't do enough.

First in a rumble, and then in a roar, critics formed a movement to overturn what they considered to be an egregious violation. Bishops assailed the policy in Sunday Masses and Republican leaders in Congress pledged to push a legislative repeal.

The White House seemed to be caught flatfooted.

"The past three weeks have witnessed a remarkable unity of Americans from all religions, or none at all, worried about the erosion of religious freedom and government intrusion into issues of faith and morals," said Dolan, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The turmoil, in turn, prompted advocates from other sides to get vocal in the battle for public opinion. They defended the rights of women and the need for preventive health care, including contraception, to be provided without fee for people of all faiths, no matter where they work.

Officials said Obama has the power under his health law to compel insurance companies to provide free contraception coverage directly to workers.

The health insurance industry voiced concern that putting the burden on them could set a precedent of shifting cost its way. The insurance companies will weigh in later as Obama's new policy undergoes review, said Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for the America's Health Insurance Plans trade group.

Administration officials say providing birth control won't cost insurers any more in the long run, because it's less expensive than the costs of maternal care and delivery. But insurers say they'll have to pay drug companies for pills and doctors for prescriptions, so it won't be free to them. The costs probably will be passed on to policyholders, as is happening already with other requirements of the health care law, such as allowing young adults to stay under their parents' coverage until age 26.

By keeping free contraception for employers at religious workplaces ? but providing a different way to do it ? Obama was able to assert he had found "a solution that works for everyone." Unclear was why the White House had not come up with the idea in the first place.

While Obama in 2008 won the total Catholic vote, 54 percent to Sen. John McCain's 45 percent, he lost the white Catholic vote, 52 percent to 47 percent, according to exit polls. Once reliably Democratic, Catholics are now swing voters, with white Catholics making up the majority of the group.

The Rev. Joel C. Hunter, a moderate evangelical leader and a spiritual adviser to the president, said he thinks Obama responded quickly enough to heal the rifts with many of his religious allies. "I think it's simple enough that most people will say, `Oh good, we can get to other things now,'" said Hunter.

Yet the change just led to more criticism from some of Obama's opponents.

A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner said that that initial response indicated church leaders were not yet convinced the mandate respected religious freedom. Boehner has said he believes the original measure violates First Amendment rights, and his office said Friday that he would seek legislation.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., an ardent support of the original measure, offered a restrained response. Focusing on the benefits of health care, she said: "I appreciate the president's unifying approach."

___

Associated Press writers Julie Pace, Erica Werner, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Jim Kuhnhenn, Laurie Kellman, Rachel Zoll, Jay Lindsay and Steve Peoples contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120211/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_birth_control_politics

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