Infrared vision in a cichlid fish

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Biologists from the University of Bonn have discovered that the cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus can see in the near infrared range; this was thought to be unlikely until now. Seeing in the infrared range is apparently helping fish to hunt in shallow African rivers. The results will be published in the journal "Naturwissenschaften" and are already available online now.

A research team in the work group of Prof. Dr. T. C. M. Bakker at the Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, has been studying the biology of the African cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus for years.

Researchers conducted a prey choice experiment

Researchers investigated the ability to see in the infrared range using a classical prey choice experiment. P. taeniatus also feeds on small crustaceans, such as freshwater shrimp. These prey animals reflect near infrared radiation. The researchers used this fact to examine the perception of infrared light. In a dark room a prey selection experiment was set up illuminated by infrared lamps. In front of the water basin containing the fish freshwater shrimp were offered in two separate chambers. One of the chambers with the prey was covered with a filter blocking infrared wavelengths. The other chamber was covered with a filter that would let only infrared light pass. "Consequently, the fish were only able to perceive the freshwater shrimp in one chamber in the near infrared range" explains Dr. |Sebastian Baldauf, one of the scientists involved in the study.

Physiologists thought that seeing in the near ir range would be unlikely

The experiment showed that the fish spent more time and were more frequently in front of the chamber that let infrared light pass. "The fish detect their prey based on infrared radiation alone" reports the biologist from the University of Bonn. "Until now, physiologists thought that noise levels in the near-infrared range were too high to allow visual perception." As the experiment has shown, the fish were capable of perceiving prey in a wavelength range above 780 nanometers. It is well-known that snakes can perceive far infrared radiation at longer wavelengths above 2,000 nanometers. "But they don't use their eyes for this purpose; instead they have a heat-sensitive pit organ," says Dr. Baldauf. Human eyes are not capable of seeing infrared radiation.

Seeing infrared is useful in the natural habitat

The advantage of the fish's ability to see infrared may become obvious when you look at its natural habitat. The shallow rivers of West Africa have a relatively large amount of infrared radiation. "That's exactly why it makes sense to use infrared cues for detecting prey organisms," explains Dr. Baldauf. "It is a clear selective advantage if you can perceive additional signals that others cannot perceive." It is quite likely that other animals also have evolved a perception of near-infrared radiation, e.g. for hunting or orientation, such as other fishes or birds. The researchers from the University of Bonn now want to study more closely the physiology of infrared vision, and to what extent infrared radiation is relevant in other contexts.

Infrared radiation in partner selection?

When performing color measurements on these fish the researchers found that certain regions of the cichlid body reflect the light in the near-infared range. "We found that females reflect infrared radiation from their belly region, and males from their fins" says Dr. Baldauf. The female belly is important for mate choice, and the fins are displayed during aggressive encounters between males. "Perhaps near-infrared signals play a role in visual communication in this species" says the biologist. "And that's what we additionally would like to study in further experiments."

###

Denis Meuthen, Ingolf P. Rick, Timo Th?nken, Sebastian A. Baldauf: Visual prey detection by near-infrared cues in a fish, "Naturwissenschaften", DOI: 10.1007/s00114-012-0980-7

University of Bonn: http://www.uni-bonn.de

Thanks to University of Bonn for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/124900/Infrared_vision_in_a_cichlid_fish

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Adding Spark to Channel Partner Engagements | The VAR Guy

Recently the Channel Maven team attended a leadership workshop by Sal Silvester based on his book Ignite! The 4 Essential Rules for Emerging Leaders. The book is a leadership allegory of two emerging leaders learning to develop a successful leadership strategy. Ignite and Sal?s leadership workshop focused on four elements of leadership: Lead by Example, Align your Team, Build Cohesion, and Engage and Cultivate. Being a channel-oriented organization, we could not help but think of a few lessons the channel could take away from these elements.

Lead by Example. Are you modeling the right behaviors for your channel partners? In Ignite the question is posed, ?Would you work for you?? Both with your direct employees and with your channel partners, how can you personally step up your ability to cultivate trust and credibility? Both personally and as an organization, are you committed to your guiding principles? (Do you even know what they are?) A few years back, we wrote a blog with the question for vendors, As you ask for more are you giving more? As you step up your partner specialization requirements and other partner challenges, are you giving more to your partners? Effective leaders (in or out of the channel) do not ask for things they would not do themselves. So get clear on your values and take inventory of your current partner relationships. Where can you show your partners that you walk your talk?

Align your Team. Your channel partners are a valuable part of your sales team, so make sure you are treating them as such. Whether discussing partner tiers, company values or even a product or service, be sure your communication with your partners is clear and two-way. Be sure that your partners can reach you by traditional means (phone, email) and, more importantly, train them to use social media as a means of two-way communication about your goals (and your partners? goals). When outlining partner tier requirements and other partner goals, be sure they are SMART (Specific,?Measurable? Actionable, Realistic and Time-oriented). Create and communicate your business vision to help align your channel partners with your goals.

Build Cohesion. How clear is your message? Have you created a climate of open communication, trust and respect? If your channel partners want to reach you, is it easy? Train your channel partners to learn about your products/services through new media such as social media, webinars, video trainings and online events. Channel Maven provides a series of complimentary webinars to help you train your partners to spread a cohesive message. Continually solicit feedback from your channel partners to build a two-way dialogue and help you to refine your message and build a cohesive channel sales team. Make it easy for your partners to engage in a Successful Channel Program.

Engage and Cultivate. What incentives are in place to reward and recognize your partners? While financial bonuses are nice, people like recognition (this goes for your partners, too). What small ways of recognizing and motivating your partners can you provide? Consider congratulating partners when they move up a tier or earn a specialization on your social media. Furthermore, how are you encouraging learning and development? Start by reviewing our free eBook, Are Your Solution Providers Engaging? on steps about how to better engage your solution providers and help them to become the sales and marketing engine you want them to be. Are you offering your partners the resources for them to become better marketers?

To learn more about how to spark your channel leadership, feel free to take advantage of Sal Silvester?s free resources at 5.12 Solutions Consulting Group. Connect with Sal Silvester?on LinkedIn.

Contributing blogger Heather K. Margolis, the Channel Maven, has led channel programs for major IT companies.

Source: http://www.thevarguy.com/2012/10/30/adding-spark-to-channel-partner-engagements/

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Bahrain bans all protest gatherings amid violence

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) ? Bahrain imposed emergency-style rules Tuesday banning all protest gatherings and threating legal action against groups considered backing escalating demonstrations and clashes in the strategic Gulf kingdom.

The order, announced by the Interior Ministry, is the most sweeping attempt to quash the kingdom's anti-government uprising since martial law rules were in effect during the early months of unrest last year. It sharply increases pressure on political groups from Bahrain's Shiite Muslim majority, which has led the protests seeking a greater political voice in the Sunni Muslim-ruled nation.

Tougher steps against opposition groups could raise complications for Washington and other Western allies that have stood by Bahrain's monarchy during more than 20 months of unrest. The U.S. has important military bonds with Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, but it also has called for increased efforts at dialogue to ease the tensions.

Shiites comprise about 70 percent of Bahrain's 525,000 citizens, but claim they face systematic discrimination such as being denied top political and security posts. The Sunni monarchy has made a series of concessions ? including giving more powers to the elected parliament ? but opposition groups say the reforms do little to loosen the ruling family's hold on power.

More than 50 people have been killed in Bahrain's unrest since February 2011. Among them were two policemen who died this month from injuries suffered in attacks by firebombs and explosives.

A statement by the Interior Ministry said Bahraini society was "fed up" with near nonstop demonstrations and clashes and "there was a need to put an end to them." Bahrain's government has permitted limited protests and marches, but much of the violence occurs outside the authorized gatherings.

It added that any "illegal rally or gathering would be tackled through legal actions against those calling for and participating in it."

This warning appeared aimed particularly at the largest Shiite political bloc, Al-Wefaq, which has organized many opposition marches. Another rally is planned for Friday.

An Al-Wefaq official, Hadi al-Musawi, struck a defiant tone, calling the Interior Ministry order "against international human rights."

Other Gulf states have placed limits on political expression amid worries that movements inspired by last year's so-called Arab Spring uprisings could threaten their ruling systems. Last week, Kuwait banned all public gatherings of more than 20 people following opposition protests before parliamentary elections on Dec. 1.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bahrain-bans-protest-gatherings-amid-violence-062524118.html

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No Comments - Exclusive Travel and Leisure

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Blog focuses on exclusive travel and leisure. ... Exclusive Travel and Leisure. ? Information on Travel Ideas · Need porn on the news? Go to Twitter! October 30, 2012 | Author admin. Internet porn to refresh the mind of people have a lot of ...

Source: http://www.vitorbarrosdias.com/need-porn-on-the-news-go-to-twitter.html

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Broadway shuts down for Tuesday as storm whirls

Vanessa Pumo walks her dog Bella as wind and rain from Hurricane Sandy arrive, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Behind her is the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge, right. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Vanessa Pumo walks her dog Bella as wind and rain from Hurricane Sandy arrive, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Behind her is the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge, right. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Broadway's 40 theaters were dark Monday and producers chose to keep them closed Tuesday as well as Hurricane Sandy took aim at New York City.

The Broadway League on Monday afternoon extended the cancelations of such shows as "The Book of Mormon," ''Once" and "Mama Mia!" for another day, citing safety precautions and the suspension of the city's public transport system.

Charlotte St. Martin, head of the league, expects normal operations to resume Wednesday morning.

Refunds will be made available from the point of purchase. Most Broadway shows were already dark on Monday night, but the loss of Tuesday's revenue will hurt.

It was the most disruptive storm for the theater community since Hurricane Irene in 2011 prompted cancelations of weekend matinee and evening performances.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-10-29-Superstorm-Broadway/id-91f34a74ba6a474fa511bed510dc684d

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How to Interview And Work With A Designer And What NOT To Say ...

I usually write advice for designers based on my career experiences and horror stories but I thought it was time for an article for design clients to make their design needs a bit easier and more efficient.

Dealing with creatives is not as easy as it sounds. The difference in those who think with the rights side of their brain (the ?creative side?) as opposed to the left (the ?business side?), takes some training and understanding for the best results on projects. There are people who have a balance between grey matter hemispheres but it?s rare that the client and creative vendor both have such a balance. Here are some handy tips to make the twains successfully meet.

Finding Candidates For Your Project

You might need a first web site for your business or just want to update your existing one with some new technology, want to establish or freshen your brand or create some paper or digital marketing material. Whatever you need, there are great design studios or freelancers available to deliver your needs.

For the sake of this example, let?s say you need a new web site. How do you find a competent vendor for the development and design?

1. Ask a professional friend with a great web site who they used. Word of mouth and recommendations are the best and safest way to find great talent.
2. Google similar businesses as yours and look at their web sites. Is the site well designed? Is the functionality and navigation top notch? If so, scroll to the bottom of the page and see if there?s a link to the designer or design firm that created the site.
3. Google ?web designer, yourtown, yourstate? and then look at their web site. Call the clients of web sites they?ve designed for a reference. If you use someone local, you help your local economy, are able to meet with them face-to-face and they are available for site updates and will become a loyal vendor.
4. If you want cheap and simple, can do without a creative brief that tailors the site design perfectly to your brand or business and are willing to take a chance on the design, try a site like 99designs.com or designcontest.com. They are not the best avenues but they are cheap and usually provide a generic solution you can use. The downside is you will not get the service you may need for uploading or debugging your site or the expertise a local designer or firm will provide. With contest sites or bidding sites such as eLance or oDesk it?s caveat emptor.
5. Your niece or nephew goes to art school and you think they will give you an acceptable site for free or $50. FORGET IT! If you want a crappy looking site that will make your business look crappy, then go right ahead but if they screw up and something really goes wrong, do you want every relative in the world calling you to scream about how you hurt little Chris? feelings or spend some awkward family holiday dinners sitting next to little Suzie and her sharp, pointy goth jewelry?

How Much Should You Pay?

As with any business expenditure, be prepared to pay for quality. If you hire an electrician to wire the power for your office and they quote $7,000 do you really want to chance a beating when you tell them ?$200 is all (you?re) willing to spend? or go out and find someone who will actually do $7,000 worth of work for $200? If so, keep lots of fire extinguishers handy and insure your expensive computer equipment for when power surges blow out the processors.

This is not to say you shouldn?t shop around. Perhaps a competent electrician with a good reputation can wire your office for $5,000. Well, you just saved $2,000 and will have piece of mind that you won?t die a fiery death. The same goes for any professional service. A friend of mine was so excited to have bought all of her office phones on a New York City Street for a quarter of what she would have to pay in a store. It would have been a coup if the phones actually had any wiring inside them.

Shop around for a designer but make sure they are wired inside. It?s better to have a reliable source in case there is a problem with your site as a reliable designer will solve the problem right away, saving you income if you depend heavily on your site, rather than trying to go through contest or bidding site channels to get in touch with the person two continents away, in another time zone, to solve the problem? after negotiating another fee and creating the paperwork and contract through that site. Time lost and time is money.

Naturally, the bigger the design firm, the higher the cost. True, there MAY be higher service and abilities (a firm can write content, develop, design, program and come up with branding and a marketing plan? but so can a freelancer in many cases). A freelancer, in many cases, may be freshly out of a big design firm and has the experience to give you whatever you need. Check their r?sum? to see what other clients they have serviced. Talk to them about how they work and what they see for your own needs. As with any service provider, referral or not, shop around. Most importantly, you should feel a comfortable bond with your creative provider. Trust, communication and transparency are the utmost in your relationship.

When price comes in, do some math yourself. Have you set a budget that?s too low for a professional job? If a project translates to paying $10 an hour to your vendor, it?s too low. Keep in mind you are not hiring someone to come into your place of business and move boxes, staff the counter or shuffle papers. Designers have their own business expenses that include office space (even if it?s a home-based business), computers, computer and software upgrades, electricity, insurance, etc., just like any business. As with the aforementioned example of the electrician, a vendor who quotes $7,000 and then agrees to half that amount is most probably going to cut corners. Expect designers to do the same. The old adage, ?you get what you pay for? has survived because it?s true.

Different designers have varying contracts and pay schedules. It?s common to pay 30% to 50% upfront for your project. This is the money used for material, salaries and overhead while your project is being designed. There will most probably be what is called ?milestone payments.? Milestones are the points in the project where approvals are needed from you, the client to proceed to the next step in the project. Before the next step is taken, a percentage towards the fee will be expected to be paid before the designer or firm will proceed to the next step. For example, a project may be split with 30% up front, 20% at the first milestone, 20% at the next milestone and 30% when the project is finished and your site goes live.

It?s not an odd way of doing business if you compare it to other business models. Your phone company, insurance agent or internet provider will most probably ask for a payment up front and your attorney will definitely ask for a retainer against future services. Design services are no different. You get what you pay for. You stop paying and the work stops. Delays will, in the end, cost you money for lost business.

This is one big sore point I have heard from many vendors and clients. A milestone payment is missed and the designer doesn?t want to stop the progress as the project is balanced against deadlines for other projects, which can cause the designer money for delivering late to other clients and a client feels that a late payment to the designer will just be a week or two. Personally, I?ve worked for small businesses and the largest corporations. A large corporation can have a check cut in 48 hours and a small business either has a checkbook sitting in a drawer or can call their accountant and have a check within two days. Ideally, the designer or firm should give the client notice that a milestone payment will be due within seven days even if it is listed on the contract with all deadlines.

Transparency

Transparency in the work process is a touchy point for both sides. A competent designer or firm will keep the client apprised of each step of the project. Sometimes just for ?hand holding? although daily reposts with attached jpegs may be too much and drive the project price up.

At a talk about design transparency, the firm?s account manager spoke about keeping the client in the loop as much as possible. Such a working method makes sure there are no changes that pop up unexpectedly or confusion about instructions and process. Even in the best of worlds, these can occur from time to time.

At that talk, a freelance designer raised the question of what he labeled, ?enigmatic wizardry.? It?s not a term known by any professional and he was asked to explain. He thought it was best to keep a mysterious shroud around the design process. Basically, the client hands over the money and is presented the final project. ALAKAZAM! The magic of design. Nothing could be further from the truth or reality of how the design business should run. It was the first time I had ever heard that odd process mentioned, so chances are, no other designer will have that way of doing business in their head.

As the client, you have the right to ask questions. Call the account manager or the freelancer and ask those questions. Professionals will be happy to fill you in completely. If you are a happy client, it means you will be back for further site updates, collateral material. It?s important to remember that web technology changes quickly and a strong relationship between a business and vendor is essential to keep your web presence up to date and functioning using that technology.

Changes

If the project progresses properly, the designer and client will create a creative brief that outlines the client?s ?wish list? for what kind of site, expectations of function and brand building should be achieved. Milestones will include a sketch stage with color palette choices, a wireframe of the entire site and/or a site map of how viewers will navigate the site. Site content of images will be chosen, content written and all facts finalized before the stage of final design ever takes place. Transparency should keep all parties on track but sometimes the client will want changes.

Changes can be as simple as wanting a different color for the background and as impossible as the client seeing another site and wanting to mimic that design. Sometimes it?s just a relative or friend who has decided they are a design genius and negatively critiques the proposed design. As the client, it is up to you to decide on the course of action and accept the consequences. Making changes after a milestone has been approved means extra time and extra money. There?s no way around that and you shouldn?t expect anything to the contrary. Consider if your desire to make changes is merely due to your own insecurity, other people?s egos or you made a mistake and didn?t speak up during milestone approvals. If you?re building a house and decide you want to change the layout after the foundation has been poured, you can understand the need for more time and more money. Although a web site is digital and not concrete and wood changes are still work that needs to be done and someone pays for that. If the fault is yours, then you pay. If the designer makes a mistake, you can bloody well count on them taking the hit.

If everyone is open and honest and the process is all-inclusive, there should be no reason for changes down the line. One thing to watch for is the subjectivity of ?design-by-committee.?

Design can be subjective. One person likes red, the next likes blue. One has a childhood trauma about clowns and the next wants prancing glitter unicorns on everything in the world. Put that all together and you have one strange web site. While you may decide that all of your employees should have a say in the web site design, act as the boss and make the final decisions as to what YOU want to see for YOUR business. It is possible to distill opinions into a sound direction but it is also important to recognize the expertise of the designer or firm you have hired. They will not just try to saddle you with the easiest way out. If they do their job correctly and provide you with what you NEED to be successful, then you will want to use them in the future. If you don?t succeed, then the designer or firm must create another client relationship, instead of retaining a growing bond with you and your future needs.

It is respect for each other, along with great service and communication that will lead to great and profitable relationships for both parties. THAT is a sound business principle everyone can agree upon.

Technology Marches On

If you haven?t noticed, the web changes at least every year. What you probably don?t know is why. Programming languages evolve, apps are introduced and technological links between computers, phones and digital pads keep evolving. It?s just like your own cell phone. It seems to be obsolete a week after you buy it. Well, the reason you get the phone for free, with a two-year activation is because the phone IS obsolete and the phone company wants you to buy the newest phone with the newest technology while you are trapped into a long contract.

A designer doesn?t have the same devious plan for your web site, in fact, technology advances excites creative geeks and you will be urged to use the latest technology. Consider the advantages of that technology for several reasons.

1. You will not have to update your site as quickly as using technology that is a year or more older.
2. You site will function better with changing browsers and apps for mobile web as well.
3. Your SEO will be improved.
4. Your consumer experience will be increased and it will lead to greater sales.
5. You?ll eventually need to catch up with technology again and you?ll have a trust for the designer?s knowledge of web technology.

As mentioned before, if you have any questions about your site or what this technology can do for you, just ask. Your designer or design firm wants to help you and wants you to be happy. If they didn?t, I suppose they would be a branch of the government? like the Motor Vehicles Department.

Source: http://www.instantshift.com/2012/10/29/how-to-interview-and-work-with-a-designer-and-what-not-to-say/

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Lights, Cameras, Action ? What Kind of Event Support Does Your ...

As communication channels evolve from telephone and paper to the digital world of the Web, organizations large and small are exploring digital pathways for bringing teams together internally. Businesses are also leveraging the power of digital communication to share information externally and generate market awareness. ?Web conferences offer the ability to share information in groups of all sizes and across a wide range of participants, from internal teams of co-workers and colleagues to external groups of suppliers and customers.

Organizations are increasingly discovering the benefits of hosting webinars to communicate product information, conduct market sensing, and develop brand awareness. ?These events are gaining in popularity, as the number of events grew at a substantial 24.5 percent in 2011. Key trends that support this growth are the increase in content development and syndication across media, such as company and industry Web sites, as well as the penetration of content across social media and mobile devices.

In terms of hosted events, a large Web conference provides an opportunity for organizations to reach a wider, more diverse audience. These events are often delivered via audio, Web and video conferencing.

Managing the lifecycle of the large Web event

While the event itself is an obvious part of an event strategy, proper planning and project management of the event are also required to make it successful. A comprehensive event solution offers the additional support needed for the planning, management, and delivery of web events through an integrated audio, Web, video conferencing platform.

With a full palette of features and capabilities in event offerings, it?s important to look for features that best fit the needs of the business. Common features include a whiteboard for sharing and editing of documents, application sharing, and the ability to conduct polls, surveys, or a Web tour.

Since an event has a life before, during, and after it occurs, businesses should consider an event offering that supports the entire event lifecycle. Features to look for include the following:

BEFORE?

• E-mail marketing that drives an audience to your event.
• Custom registration pages that collect key data on your attendees
• Automated event confirmations and reminders to increase event attendance.

DURING?

• A professional moderator to host the conference
• The ability to list participant names for all to see, or withhold them from view.
• An interactive white board that participants can write or draw on, or point to an area of a document being discussed.
• Muting of individual audio, muting of all by the host.
• A panorama of features for comprehensive meeting environments.

AFTER?

• Access to post-event recordings and collateral that continue attracting visitors to your site.
• Analytic capabilities for measuring the ROI and evaluating the overall success of the event.
• Tracking and detailed reports to help you analyze ROI

?

Production matters ? Another step toward a successful event

How an event is received depends largely on its production. The ability to manage unexpected interruptions is important. So is a smooth transition from the presentation to a moderated question and answer session.? Key production needs range from content preparation, scripting, and rehearsal, to on-air event moderation, to archiving and on-demand replay.

An integrated audio, web, and video conferencing solution can facilitate improved communication and collaboration in forums large and small. You can expand your reach while reducing travel and overall costs ? all while engaging participants around the corner and around the globe with rich content. This seamless exchange of ideas and information can deepen your business?s pool of possibilities for new opportunities.

Have you recently participated in a large Web conference? What features and capabilities of the event service were most important to your event experience? Has your business begun conducting Web-based events? What are some of the challenges and benefits you?ve seen?

Source: http://networkingexchangeblog.att.com/enterprise-business/lights-cameras-action-what-kind-of-event-support-does-your-business-need/

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Video: What Can FEMA Do?

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/49613404/

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Educational Technology Guy: Livescribe Sky WiFi Smartpen - save ...

I love my Livescribe SmartPen. I use it all the time to take notes at meetings and keep myself organized. I love how it also records audio and keeps it in sync with your handwritten notes. The only issue was that I had to go back to my computer and plug in the pen to get the files uploaded to either Evernote, Google Docs, or other services.
That has now changed. Livescribe has just announced it's Sky WiFi Smartpen. It works just like the other smartpens - you write on special paper (buy or print your own) and it records what you write. It also has a built in voice recorder. The difference is that the Sky smartpen has WiFi built in and will automatically sync your written notes and audio recordings with your Evernote account. This is a great resource for anyone.
I received one last week to try out and it works great. It's very easy to set up and connect to WiFi. I used it in a meeting that was fast moving with a lot of information and as I took hand written notes, it was also recording the audio of the meeting. During a break, I synced everything with my Evernote account and it was all there for me to access anywhere. The audio files will come in handy when I need to review parts of the meeting that I didn't get good notes from. The notes, both written and audio, were immediately in my Evernote account and accessible on all of my devices. I didn't have to wait to get back to my computer to sync my notes.

The smartpen is also easier to take notes with then a keyboard, or even a stylus on a tablet. I use symbols, diagrams, arrows and more when I take notes and this allows me to do that very easily.

The Sky smartpen comes in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB varieties with costs from $170 to $250. They come with a starter notebook and two sets of stickers with the commands so that you can place them anywhere that is convenient, including your own printed notebook. These commands and "buttons" are how you record, connect to WiFi, and more. It handles secure WiFi also. Connections to Evernote are standard and future connections include Dropbox, Google Drive and Facebook (coming early next year).

The Livescribe team has an education group and they are working with schools on ways to utilize these smartpens in education. This type of device is excellent for special needs students to help them take notes and record audio. The audio is synced with your written notes, so you can tap a word in your written notes and the pen will play back the audio from that point. Students could also have others take notes for them and share them via Evernote, and eventually through other services.

I shared the notes from my meeting to others by sharing the Evernote note with them.

It's very easy to use and a great resource for anyone. They will be available in stores on November 1st.

I'll be sharing more about it and my use of it as I go along with it.

Related:

Livescribe SmartPen - 5 years of smartpen use and my review

Here's the press release from today.

Livescribe Launches Sky? wifi smartpen Pilot Program with Education Institutions to Evaluate Uses and Impact on Learning

Oakland, Calif. ? Oct. 29, 2012??Livescribe Inc. announced today the consumer launch of its?Sky wifi smartpen, the first digital pen to integrate WiFi technology and cloud services. Dedicated to the education industry, Livescribe is kicking off a pilot program with select school districts and higher education institutions to assess use cases, as well as the impact of using the Sky wifi smartpen both in and out of the classroom. The results of the pilot program will help influence education product bundles, training and additional services in the future. Livescribe will officially launch the Sky wifi smartpen in the education market in early 2013.

The Sky wifi smartpen digitizes everything students, educators or administrators write and hear and automatically syncs it to their personal Evernote^??accounts, where it is securely stored and readily available to search, play back, organize and share. Now Livescribe customers can have fast, convenient access to their recorded notes and audio whether from paper, tablet, smartphone or computer ? making notes and educational materials available any time, anywhere.

This allows students to listen to their teachers? explanations of difficult concepts or new material as many times as they need on nearly any device. Similarly, teachers can record interactive lessons or homework assignments, called pencasts, and post them to their class blog or website, where students can review the material from their computers or mobile devices before or after class.

?The Sky wifi smartpen makes it easy for educators and students to create, share, review and collaborate using pen and paper,? said Byron Connell, chief marketing officer, Livescribe Inc. ?With our pilot programs in K12 and higher education, we hope to advance our understanding of how to best integrate the Sky wifi smartpen into instruction and improve learning, assessment and collaboration.?

Higher Education Sky wifi smartpen Pilot Program

The higher education pilot program for Sky includes several highly esteemed institutions, including UC Berkeley, North Carolina State University (NCSU) and Tarrant County College ? Southeast Campus. The disability services departments at both UC Berkeley and NCSU will loan Sky wifi smartpens to students in need of note-taking accommodations to use in their classes. They will evaluate the impact of providing students with the smartpen from both student and institutional perspectives. In addition, the pilot program at NCSU will also be extended to assess the impact of the Sky wifi smartpens on students in AP courses.

At Tarrant County College, the Sky wifi smartpen will be used in the mathematics department in classroom settings where the professor will use the Sky wifi smartpen to share interactive lessons and materials with students using Evernote.

?UC Berkeley prides itself on being at the forefront of delivering the best and most innovative services and accommodations to our students,? said Paul Hippolitus, Director, Disabled Students? Services at UC Berkeley. ?We look forward to the pilot program and evaluating the benefit and impact of Livescribe?s wireless smartpen to provide our students with additional ways to access, interact and share information they learn in class to not only improve understanding, but to also better prepare them for entering the workforce.?

K12 Sky wifi smartpen Pilot Program

A pilot program at Opal Public Charter School in Portland, Oregon will explore how elementary school students can use smartpens to create more dynamic and informative digital portfolios that show student growth over the school year, as well as year-over-year. Students and educators will use the Sky wifi smartpen to collect samples of student schoolwork and assignments, which can be stored in Evernote notebooks and privately shared with students, parents and other teachers.

?We?re creating digital student portfolios to catalog students? ideas, assignments and projects throughout the school year and to give students a unique way to document, reflect upon and share their own learning. We believe the Sky wifi smartpen will make it simple to sync pencasts with Evernote notebooks for each student, bringing their portfolios to life,? said Rob van Nood, Anchor Teacher for the pilot program at Opal School. ?These digital portfolios provide teachers and parents with a unique opportunity to track student growth and progression throughout the year, in a more dynamic, accessible and easy-to-share format. With digital portfolios we are able to identify and address each student?s individual needs.?

The Sky wifi smartpen pilot program will culminate in the spring 2013, at which time Livescribe will share highlights and results of the program.

####

About Livescribe for Education

Livescribe?s smartpens bring handwritten notes and lessons to life to enhance educator effectiveness and improve student learning. Livescribe syncs handwriting and audio so students can take better notes and educators can record interactive lessons. Teachers can easily capture, store and share difficult concepts and class lessons with Livescribe so students can study material at their own pace. ?Used?across K12, special education, and higher education institutions, Livescribe makes learning more engaging, customized and accessible.?www.livescribe.com/education.

Source: http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2012/10/livescribe-sky-wifi-smartpen-save-notes.html

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Control of Senate may hinge on Ohio race (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/259122857?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Wall St Week Ahead: Jobs data, election may overshadow earnings

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Earnings season may be only half over, but the focus on profits should subside this week as investors turn their attention to the coming election and Friday's jobs data - the last major economic indicator before the November 6 contest.

More bellwether companies are set to report results in what will be another "peak week" of the earnings season. Such a flurry of numbers normally holds Wall Street's attention, and it can lead to market swings. But volume and volatility may be slight this week, with market participants opting to remain on the sidelines ahead of the jobs data and the election.

The U.S. government's October jobs report will give a snapshot of the current labor market. It could also give a bit of a lift to President Barack Obama, should it come out better than anticipated, or help Republican candidate Mitt Romney - if it is worse than forecast.

Polls currently indicate that President Obama is a slight favorite to win on November 6, but the race will be tight. The most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll of likely voters shows the president ahead - 47 percent to 45 percent.

The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 1.5 percent last week, largely because of a spate of earnings disappointments. The Dow Jones industrial average slid 1.8 percent last week, and the Nasdaq composite index dropped 0.6 percent.

What is notable, however, is that rebounds have been brief and quick to attract sellers.

Some investors cited the approaching election as a barrier to committing new capital to the market.

"Not many people have the stomach to plop down their bets when polling is so close," said Hayes Miller, the Boston-based head of asset allocation in North America at Baring Asset Management. "For the most part, investors will wait and see what happens."

Miller, who helps oversee more than $50 billion in assets, said the trend of caution would be especially pronounced in the health care <.gspa>, financial <.gspf> and energy <.gspe> sectors - three areas that may face different regulatory outlooks, depending on the election's outcome.

"These are the ones really in play," he said.

Expectations for the nonfarm payrolls report, set for release on Friday, are by no means certain, either. Analysts expect 124,000 jobs were added in October - up 10,000 from September. However, the unemployment rate is also seen ticking higher - to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent.

A payroll surprise in either direction could further cloud expectations for the election's outcome.

"A big change in payrolls could cause some uncertainty over the winner," said Jerry Harris, president of asset management at Sterne Agee, in Birmingham, Alabama. "I don't expect a big surprise, but while the S&P doesn't seem especially vulnerable at these levels, I don't think it is in a hurry to go up, either."

The market will also have to contend with the weather. Hurricane Sandy is expected to hit the eastern third of the United States, including the East Coast, by Monday night with torrential rains, high winds, major flooding and power outages. In New York, officials will close the city's bus and subway lines, and commuter railroads at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday. Decisions have not been made whether to close bridges and tunnels leading to Manhattan in preparation for the storm's arrival.

At the New York Stock Exchange, the plans call for business as usual. The exchange issued a statement saying it has contingency plans to have the market running, adding that it has back-up power generation facilities. The Big Board will make accommodations for critical staff and traders.

Rival marketplace NASDAQ OMX said in a statement that it plans to make sure its systems are ready. It will communicate with its members before, up to and after the storm.

EARNINGS IN PLAY, IF NOT IN FOCUS

While the market at large may be waiting on news events, individual stocks could still be volatile as earnings season grinds along. More than half of the S&P 500 components have reported results so far. This week, though, will bring reports from some marquee names such as Dow components Chevron and Pfizer , as well as S&P 500 stalwarts Visa , Ford Motor and Starbucks

This earnings season, a number of high-profile companies have missed estimates, including sour notes last week from Apple Inc , United Technologies and DuPont

.

With 54 percent of the S&P 500 companies having reported results so far, 62.5 percent have topped earnings expectations, under the 67 percent average over the past four quarters. Just 37 percent have topped revenue forecasts, well under the 55 percent over the past four quarters.

The earnings disappointments led to some intensive selling, driving the Dow industrials down 243.36 points last Tuesday.

The S&P 500 has ended down in five of the past seven trading sessions. Those declines have pushed the benchmark S&P under its 50-day moving average of around 1,434, leading some analysts to believe it may be ready for a bounce.

"We'll use any pullback as an opportunity to buy," said Chip Cobb, senior vice president at Bryn Mawr Trust Asset Management in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. "Even though we've seen a number of companies miss expectations and be overly cautious, we're focusing on how a majority have beaten."

Cobb said he was especially looking to results this week from U.S. Steel Corp . Its stock is down almost 20 percent so far this year.

"Steel companies have been participating really poorly, and I'm anxious to see if that will continue," he said.

(Wall St Week Ahead runs every Sunday. Questions or comments on this column can be emailed to: ryan.vlastelica(at)thomsonreuters.com)

(Editing by Jan Paschal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wall-st-week-ahead-jobs-data-election-may-153830768--finance.html

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Simon Food Favourites: Halloween Dessert Degustation Pop Up ...

136 Raglan Street, Waterloo NSW 2017

Happy Hallo-sugar-ween Time

As soon as I saw the Halloween Dessert Degustation Event?($80) advertised I knew I had to be quick before it sold out due to the limited seats available. The second session seemed a better option so I could at least try and eat something savoury before arriving to counteract the sugar overload from dessert being served first. Billy Law (A Table For Two) was joined by Karen Low (Citrus & Candy) and Phuoc Huynh (Phuoc'n Delicious) in producing a six course menu of four sweet and two savoury dishes. First up was petit fours of?pineapple marshmallows, balsamic vinegar strawberry pate de fruit, and black sesame & charcoal powder macaron with pumpkin and Fromage blue cheese filling. The blue cheese macaron was the most challenging for me to eat being so different but I thought Billy managed to balance the flavours well.?Phuoc's Deconstructed Apple Crumble?was enjoyable although I somehow wished it was served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or double whipped cream to help bind with the?apple and green tea sorbet and candy popping crumble. By the time?Karen's Chocolate Parfait with Fisherman's Friend chocolate dirt?was served my sugar overload hit red. The dish was enjoyable and it didn't need too much of the chocolate dirt to appreciate its minty flavour. To match the Halloween theme I thought a few mint leafs and some white jelly babies could have created a creepy cemetery scene of zombies.

Thankfully?savoury dishes were served next which they didn't do in the first session. Mexican smoked pulled pork was tender and the Asian style chilli and soy lamb ribs was very flavoursome and both went nicely with the sides of balsamic braised red cabbage and cauliflower puree. The Pumpkin soup with red pepper oil was good and the?pork crackles perfectly crunchy. The soup with crackles would have been good as the first dish as an amuse-bouche to help line the stomach before the onslaught of sweet to follow. For those who were still craving more sweets the?'Snow White' by Billy would have done the job. Seeing all the white chocolate domes reminded me of a scene in Alien where they're about to hatch. Hot raspberry coulis was poured over the dome to melt it away before eating. It visually looked like a scary eye ball decaying in front of you ? great for the Halloween theme. All that was missing was a few black licorice spiders sitting around the plate and some green jelly maggots. I loved how so many people took the time and effort to dress up which I sadly chose to be boring and didn't ? maybe next time.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS:?Fun atmosphere, Interesting venue, Intimate setting, Open kitchen to watch the cooks in action, Most guests actually made an effort dressing up (except me), No shortage of food

CONS:?Starting with dessert can be heavy going on the stomach, Cocktails seemed to take a while to make but had very cool names and well-presented

MUST TRY:?Black sesame & charcoal powder macaron with pumpkin and Fromage blue cheese filling at least once to challenge the taste buds, Dressing up next time
VERDICT: For dessert lovers there was no shortage of sugary delights but a challenge for those who prefer eating savoury dishes before dessert

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Source: http://simonfoodfavourites.blogspot.com/2012/10/halloween-dessert-degustation-pop-up.html

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Reconnecting With Bones&#39;s Lost Doc, Eric Millegan | ComicBook.com

At the New York Comic Con earlier this month, ComicBook.com caught up with Eric Millegan. Millegan is an accomplished actor on television and stage, but is best known to fans?and especially to the convention crowd?as Dr. Zack Addy from the hit Fox series Bones.

Millegan was a fan-favorite character on that series?brilliant, socially awkward and intensely likable, the actor made Addy relatable, likable and half of one of the best non-romantic relationships on TV (with T.J. Thyne?s Jack Hodgins). As a character who didn?t always know what to say, Millegan mastered the art of using timing and sparse dialogue to his advantage, turning silence into a powerful tool and making his occasional monologues and pseudo-scientific explanations even more effective. After he left, the chemistry on the show has never quite been the same, with showrunners and writers strugging to fill the hole left by his character?s departure with a rotating cast of recurring characters rather than attempt to replace Millegan with a new series regular in the role.

With Bones seemingly nearing its end in the next couple of years, a number of fans came up to Millegan at the show lamenting the loss of his character (who was written out of the show in 2008 and has returned infrequently since) and asked whether he might be return someday in the future.

?That would be cool? was his stock answer to most fans, indicating that he either didn?t know of any such plans or at least was playing them close to the vest.

Millegan?s character was written out in one of the show?s more divisive plot twists?revealed to have been the secret apprentice to a cannibalistic serial killer, Addy was arrested for murder after injuring himself in a well-intentioned attempt to destroy evidence without hurting anyone else in the lab.

He confessed and was sentenced to a psychiatric ward, only to return in a later episode and reveal that, while he did help the killer, he never killed anyone himself. Most fans have expected his comeback for a while, and it?s hard to imagine the show going off the air without at least one more visit from Addy, whose most recent appearance involved him breaking out of the asylum to provide assistance to the forensic team at the heart of the series.

Millegan gave us a few minutes during a signing appearance on the show floor to talk about his character, his craft and what?s next for one of the most conspicuously-absent television actors in recent years.

You?re best known for television, but have taken a bit of a sabbatical since you left Bones to work mostly in theater. I haven?t seen you in a feature film?did I miss one?

I?ve done two movies. One of them never came out but my main movie I did was a movie called On Line. It was a small, independent film but we played at Sundance and the Berlin Film Festival. It ultimately was released in 2003. It?s on DVD and I highly recommend it. It?s a good movie?a little racy, it?s not for children?but I think it?s really sweet, but definitely an adult film. You can get it at Amazon.

Now, what brings you to the New York Comic Con? You?re purportedly a pretty laid-back guy and this is?well, an insane environment.

It is! I came here because my friend Marco owns the company [where I'm signing] and he asked if I would be willing to do it. I said, ?Absolutely! It?d be fun.? I just did a convention in Paris, so I?m just getting?this whole convention thing is new to me. Even though I lived in L.A. for years, I never went to Comic-Con in San Diego, so this is fun. I like meeting fans.

Wasn?t there a Bones episode that was at Comic-Con?

There was a Bones episode at Comic-Con? Was I in that episode? There was a comic book episode, in which Zach got really into comic books, but I?m not sure I was in that one.

Now, obviously you?re best known for Bones. That became a very interesting character over time, didn?t it?

He did a lot. A lot happened to him.

Well, and you did a lot of growing as a character?then even once they wrote you out of the show, your return was a Hannibal Lecter thing, helping them find Buffalo Bill. Was that a very different challenge, playing from the other side of the table a bit?

Yes, and I welcomed that challenge. One of my favorite episodes to shoot was the episode in which you find out that I?m the Apprentice, because it was very emotional, and very challenging, and I liked the challenge.

Not every episode does your character have one of the main stories, because I was a supporting character. So some episodes I?m just straight-on helping them solve the case and you don?t learn much about the character. So I always liked the episodes in which you did, and that was one of them, definitely.

Well, and you?ve done a lot of stage work but the things I remember the most about your character is all the nonverbal acting, the stuff that wouldn?t come across as much on stage. It?s an interesting dichotomy, I think.

It?s always about telling a story. Saying your lines on cue, arriving on cue and telling the story. I always feel like that?s the same no matter what kind of acting you?re doing. Certainly you don?t have to project when you?re doing film like you do on stage, but even on stage nowadays you?re heavily miked so you don?t have to work as hard vocally on stage anymore, either.

And what are you doing next?

Well, just last night, I did a cabaret show in town, which I worked on all year. There?s a bunch of music that I?d never done before and it was with a band?it was so much fun.

I just did a film called Lady Peacock, which was shot in August. It?s a small, independent film and so I don?t know what?s going to go on with it or when it?s going to come out?or if it will even be called Lady Peacock whenever it comes out, since titles change.

I?m in New York right now, but I?m going to go back to L.A. for pilot season and try to get another series. That?s my next goal.

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Reconnecting With Bones?s Lost Doc, Eric Millegan, 10.0 out of 10 based on 3 ratings

Source: http://comicbook.com/blog/2012/10/28/reconnecting-with-boness-lost-doc-eric-millegan/

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Self Esteem | The Approval Trap - Being an "Approval Junkie" is ...

You are here: Home / Featured / The Approval Trap ? Being an ?Approval Junkie? is Harmful to Your Mental Health and Happiness

Posted by Dr. Irene on October 29, 2012 ? Leave a Comment?

By Sharon S. Esonis, Ph.D. -

There is a rarely discussed addiction that can be as enslaving as drugs and as devastating to self-respect, self-confidence and healthy functioning as alcoholism. The obsessive need for approval brings with it a lot of baggage! It promotes failure and disappointment, wastes time, energy and money, and fosters dependence, anxiety, depression and exhaustion. If this is your drug of choice, you can expect a life where you are trapped in the stress zone.

In this type of existence you are not the architect of your own life. Rachel Naomi Remen, physician and early pioneer in the mind/body field, asserts, ?To seek approval is to have no resting place, no sanctuary. Like all judgment, approval encourages a constant striving. It makes us uncertain of who we are and of our true value. Approval cannot be trusted. It can be withdrawn at any time no matter what our track record has been. It is as nourishing of real growth as cotton candy. Yet many of us spend our lives pursuing it.?

When you care too much about the acceptance and applause of others, you give your power away. Just as the junkie who craves drugs is controlled by dependence on the substance, the approval addict who craves validation and appreciation is dependent on the whims of other people. Trouble for sure. Dependence is a slippery slope. You find yourself relying on others, hoping they will treat you with the same kindness and consideration they wish for themselves. Dependency enslaves you, giving others the ultimate power over how you perceive and feel about yourself. Do you really want to surrender something so personally vital to others?

This is dangerous territory. People often have their own agendas and prejudices that may serve neither to assuage your fears nor promote your best interests. Or they may tell you the truth, something you probably don?t want to hear if you?re struggling with this particular affliction. The truth might crush you because you seek only approval and are wholly unprepared for anything else. You may believe that you are unable to be okay when the feedback you receive is critical or disapproving. But worst of all, by not being your own primary source of approval, by depending on others for what you should be providing for yourself, you make it supremely difficult to be healthy, happy and prosperous.

How Does This Happen?

Just how does this ineffectual, paralyzing approach become a way of life? There?s a very good chance that you developed this as a result of messages from significant people in your formative years. They may have reinforced you for seeking approval, or they may have criticized you unduly or inappropriately, resulting in feelings of fear, helplessness and inadequacy. Or they may have lived their lives in their own approval trap, thus modeling the behaviors and thinking that are inherent in that particular pattern of dysfunction.

Sometimes parents, often unwittingly, reinforce approval-seeking behaviors beyond what is healthy. Why would they do this? Well, it can be very rewarding for them. They look like great parents because the child is so compliant. They find the child?s interactions to be very pleasing. And the parenting job is so easy with a child like this! The child, however, is learning to wear the shackles of the approval trap, often interpreting what is occurring as a successful way to approach life, both within and outside the family. Perhaps your parents or other important people in your life expected too much. And when you were not able to meet those expectations you were criticized and ridiculed.

When individuals are subjected to a steady diet of criticism, especially as children, they become fearful of being criticized, so they may put inordinate amounts of energy into findings ways to avoid the slings and arrows. To avoid criticism the child may find ways to hide from the source or may direct the lion?s share of his energy to garnering approval and applause. This approach is so exhausting. Children also can learn to make approval-seeking a way of life when they see these behaviors modeled by important people in their lives. When parents, older siblings and other significant people in a child or adolescent?s life are approval junkies, youngsters often conform to the behaviors, expectations and thinking processes of those they love, need, admire or fear.

The Benefits of Getting Out of the Approval Trap

You have much to look forward to when you emancipate yourself from this unhealthy addiction. And though it may take some time and a heap of persistence, if you choose this route you are going to like yourself and your life so much more! Among the many gifts you can anticipate:

* Independence, self-reliance You choose for yourself. You become your own cheerleader. You decide what things matter and what things don?t. People are far less likely to be able to take advantage of you when you are the primary source of your own approval. You no longer believe that others have a right to judge you. You believe that the control of your life comes from an internal place and not from the opinions of those outside of you. You believe you have the right and the responsibility to decide how the behavior and opinions of others will affect you.

* Self-confidence and self-respect. Self-confidence and self-respect come from believing in your abilities and taking responsibility for your own life. You accept yourself, warts and all. You are able to emancipate yourself from the expectations of others, opening up so many ways to get to know and respect yourself.

* Healthier, more robust relationships. When you?re not ensnared in the approval trap, you?re far better able to develop the fundamental building blocks of flourishing personal relationships: trust, mutual respect, self-respect, appropriate boundaries and a balance of power.

* Increased ability to problem-solve and reach your goals. When the approval of others takes a back seat, you are able to face the challenges in your life from a position of power. Of course, it is often wise to consult with specific people about problems and goals, but this is a far cry from depending on others to dictate what you should do. You understand that your decisions, beliefs and behaviors are powerful in determining the outcomes in your life.

* Increased ability to tolerate conflict and rejection. Because you do not consider others to be your ultimate judges and because you believe others have their own issues, you are able to respond to conflict and rejection in more adaptive ways. And with each conflict or rejection, you learn that you can become stronger.

* Decreased vulnerability to depression and anxiety. You will be less susceptible to the learned helplessness that so often factors into depression and anxiety. Learned helplessness is the state in which you believe your actions do not affect what happens in your life. The person dependent on the opinions of others so often is beset by this belief. Your own self-approval is contingent on the approval of one or more persons in your world.

The Way Out of the Trap

Okay, so you?re up to your neck in the sludge of the approval trap. Please don?t despair. Instead, let me encourage you, no matter how long you?ve been in the sludge or how deeply you?re in it, to make the changes that will set you free and keep you from returning to your own personal hell. To accomplish your escape from the trap, you will need to develop approval-free beliefs, expectations, self-talk and behaviors.

Beliefs. You need to replace old, ineffective beliefs with those that are antithetical to the approval trap.

* You are responsible for your own life. This is a key belief in living a healthy, prosperous and happy existence. When you believe that you are the center of your own life, that you are the one who decides what is important for you, and that what you think and do affects the outcomes in your life, then you make it unlikely that you?ll be addicted to approval.

* Your happiness is something only you can make happen.

* You can gain control over your reactions to the behaviors of others.

* The approval that is most important is your own.

* You get to decide what the approval of others means to you.

* The opinions of others do not have to influence what you think of yourself.

* Just because others tell you such as you are inept, lazy, stupid, a failure, a disappointment, etc., does not mean it is so.

* You can overcome the fear of disapproval.

* You are capable of making good decisions for yourself.

* Mistakes, failures and criticism need not be an indictment of you and your abilities.

* Your goals and successes are your responsibility.

* Disappointing others is not a catastrophe.

* The judgment of others does not have to be how you see yourself.

* It is counterproductive to be preoccupied with how others react to you.

* Positive relationships are based on a balance of give and take from involved parties.

* Paying attention to your own needs is at least as important as the paying attention to the needs of others.

* You are not ultimately responsible for the feelings of others. If someone else is unhappy, it is not necessarily your fault or responsibility.

* Self-criticism should be limited and constructive.

Expectations

* You don?t expect to be perfect.

* You?re realistic about what you expect from others.

* You don?t expect others to approve of everything you do.

* You expect criticism, failure, mistakes, etc., all along the way.

* You don?t expect others to appreciate the things you do for them.

Behaviors

* You identify, communicate and enforce boundaries between you and others.

* You practice assertiveness.

* You make decisions for yourself.

Just as in other addictions, extracting oneself from the Approval Trap takes information, a well-developed plan, support and a whole lot of tenacity. The rewards are most definitely worth the effort!

c Copyright 2009. Sharon S. Esonis, Ph.D.

Sharon S. Esonis, Ph.D., has spent close to three decades helping individuals thrive and improve their lives through her work as a licensed psychologist, author and life coach. An expert in human behavior and motivation, Dr. Esonis specializes in the burgeoning field of Positive Psychology, the scientific study of optimal human functioning and the core strengths that can lead to the achievement of one?s personally-defined goals.

Her most recent book, ?It?s Your Little Red Wagon? 6 Core Strengths for Navigating Your Path to the Good Life,? is Dr. Esonis?s contribution to the field of Positive Psychology, presenting proven success factors and strength-building techniques that can lead individuals to a life of purpose, motivation and happiness. It is available on Amazon.com.

Dr. Esonis earned her doctoral degree at Boston College and currently maintains a life coaching practice in the San Diego area. She also teaches Positive Psychology in the Extended Learning Program at California State University San Marcos. To learn more about the power of Positive Psychology and to order her latest book, visit her website at http://www.PositivePathLifeCoaching.com

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Ukrainian President Yanukovich's party set to win poll

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich's pro-business ruling party seems likely to win parliamentary elections on Sunday, but will face a re-energized opposition which has vowed to fight growing authoritarianism and corruption.

The former Soviet republic of 46 million is more isolated internationally than it has been for years. The imprisonment of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Yanukovich's main rival, has put it at odds with the United States and European Union, while Russia turns a deaf ear to Kiev's calls for cheaper gas.

At home, the government's popularity has been hit by tax and pensions policies and a failure to stamp out corruption, prompting it to shy away from painful reforms that could secure much-needed IMF lending to shore up an export-driven economy.

Despite this and growing apathy among an electorate tired of political bickering, opinion polls have shown Yanukovich's Party of the Regions leading the joint opposition, which includes Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party, and a liberal party headed by boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko.

Commentators expect Regions, bankrolled by industrialists and drawing on state resources, to keep a majority in the 450-seat assembly with support possibly from communists and some independents.

"We have rebuilt the country, we have achieved stability," Mykola Azarov, prime minister and formal leader of the Regions, told a close-of-campaigning rally on Friday.

Even if it wins, Regions faces a tougher time in parliament.

Klitschko, WBC world heavyweight champion, who heads the UDAR (Punch) party, says he will team up with the opposition led by former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk to fight corruption they say deters entrepreneurial spirit and foreign investment.

From her jail in Kharkiv in Ukraine's northeast, Tymoshenko issued a statement that Yanukovich, who comes up for re-election in 2015, would set up a "dictatorship and never again give up power by peaceful means".

Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last year for abuse of office relating to a 2009 gas deal with Russia she made when she was prime minister. The Yanukovich government says the agreement saddled Ukraine with an enormous price for gas supplies.

RUSSIAN LANGUAGE PROMISE

The government raised public sector wages and pensions ahead of the vote, recovering some of its lost support at the cost of widening the budget deficit which tripled to $2 billion for the period of January to August year-on-year. Ukraine's economy is vulnerable to falling demand for steel and other exports.

The Regions has also promised to make Russian an official state language alongside Ukrainian - a move aimed at winning back disenchanted supporters in Russian-speaking areas of the east and south but which alienates many voters elsewhere.

Polling stations will open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m (1800 GMT) with exit polls following swiftly afterwards.

Of 450 seats in the single-chamber parliament, 225 will be filled by voters casting ballots for parties to send candidates from a list.

The other half will be decided by voting for individual candidates on a first-past-the-post basis - a feature re-introduced by the Regions which is assumed to favor the party.

Though results will begin to trickle in almost immediately, an accurate overall picture will emerge only much later on Monday since counts in individual constituencies takes longer.

International observers from the OSCE European security and human rights body are due to give their judgment on Monday on how fair and free they perceived the poll to have been.

A positive assessment could improve Yanukovich's image before Ukraine takes over the organization's chair in January.

(Writing by Richard Balmforth; Editing by Jon Hemming and Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-president-yanukovichs-party-set-win-poll-221432378.html

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SYMPTOMETRY - CURING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS & SICKLE ...

Grab your favorite beverage, settle in & join Jammin Jukebox as they play some of the best Indie music they've uncovered anywhere. The perfect compliment to the Fall season.

Lee Hawkins has interviewed some of the most influential people in the world of entertainment, sports and politics such as Lady Gaga, 50 Cent, Michael Vick, Dana White, Magic Johnson, Kelly Clarkson, Al Roker, Adrian Grenier, Soulja Boy & the list just goes on

James Yardley, contributor to American Thinker, and I will discuss Libya and the political impact on Pres Obama and the upcoming election.

The Chefs welcome David Shields, Author of over a dozen books to discuss his new book entitled, Baseball is just Baseball. David has recently won two PEN awards.

Rosarian & educator on rose culture, Paul Zimmerman join us to talk about the recent results of the Rose Hills Rose Trials and will also have an update on the Rose Trials at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC

"Those Diner and Motorcycle Guys" Garrison Leykam and Scot Doane rev up your Saturday morning with guests former Kawasaki PR exec Jan Plessner who is now a headhunter for the motorcycle industry and Peter Catucci of the band KillSmith.

Tune into the show today at Noon ET for our live broadcast from Arizona where I will be speaking at the Yavapai Tea Party pre-election rally. We will also have former SNL star Victoria Jackson on to discuss being an outspoken conservative in Hollywood.

Paul Gant's GO4IT radio(@goforitgant) will be joined by Tennessee Titans Kicker Rob Bironas who will discuss his season and more. Also, we will be joined by Hall of Famer Willie Roaf who discuss all things NFL.

The return of Dale Earnhardt Jr. has NASCAR buzzing, but questions remain as to how NASCAR will look into head injuries remain. This will be a big topic in this week's episode.

Running into the Callywood Nation 2012 Silver Medal Angelo Taylor & #1 Best selling author Suzy Duffy join the Callywood Nation.

Nicholas Snow reports live from a rally in support of Dr. Raul Ruiz for Congress. Dr. Ruiz is running neck and neck against Mary Bono Mack in the 36th Congressional District.

Join us on Your15Minutes Radio as we welcome Law & Order: "SVU? star Tamara Tunie discussing her role in "Flight" with Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle opening in Theaters Nov.2. Join the conversation on Twitter @your15minradio

Linux has proven itself to be an important operating system and is used today by millions. However, it's up against Windows and Apple's OS X. And now with both Windows 8 and OS X Mountain Lion, the pressure is on to upgrade! Or is NOW the time to try Linux?

Chris Mascaro and Angelo Cane welcome former Colts All-Pro LB Jeff Herrod back to Thursday Night Tailgate. We'll talk with Jeff about his warrior mentality that led to multiple concussions and upcoming surgery to repair his disfigured hands wrists and elbows.

Guy Kawasaki returns! This time around Guy will talk about his new book, What the Plus.

Hosts Ken, Monica & Brenda Brown of Brenda Brown Entertainment welcome Fantasy Fiction author Dawn Tevy & London's musical sensation Barb Jungr to discuss Dawns' release 'Angels & Warriors' and Barb Jungr's song 'Stockport to Memphis

WWF World Wrestling Champion Diamond Dallas Page also known as @RealDDP will be doing it The EZ Way on ExWayBroadcasting. Be sure to tune in to hear his story!

Nick Bryant, author of two books on the precarious status of America?s children and an expert on child trafficking and sexual abuse, says the latest child abuse cover-up by the Boy Scouts, as reported in the Los Angeles Times, is bunfortunately only the latest

Oku Nagba Ozala Onuora (born Orlando Wong, March 1952), known as the "father of Jamaican dub poetry" is a Jamaican dub poet and performer. Orlando Wong was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1952. He grew up in the slums of Eastern Kingston's Franklin Town.

Source: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/khayr/2012/10/31/symptometry--curing-multiple-sclerosis-sickle-cell-1

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