fermentation technology: March 2013

Sunday, March 31, 2013

What we learned at GDC 2013: Consoles and PCs merge, but ...

Freemium games are sprouting like weeds. That?s what it looked like as I wandered the show floor at GDC 2013. An indicator that the freemium model (where you get a game for free but end up paying for small upgrades within the game) has become mainstream, it?s also a sign of the importance of mobile and social gaming. Many, many mobile games are free, but they generate revenue with ads or by selling in-app virtual goods.

That?s not to say that traditional AAA console and PC titles are dead. Battlefield 4?s shiny new trailer received a lot of oohs and aahs at the show. Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age 3 are ratcheting up the visual quality for the new console generation, as well. The era of big budget, loud, and glossy games isn?t ending soon, but those types of games are becoming less relevant as gaming moves forward.

The shift to mobile platforms has progressed over the last decade, but this year?s GDC signifies a sea change. The industry is trying to adapt. The number of companies selling online billing services to handle microtransactions is just one metric. The big technology companies are aware, too, and are taking their own steps to address this new market. It?s a measure of the uncertainty and fragmentation of this new market that each of the players seem to be taking in slightly different directions.

Hardware makers get mobile and look to the cloud

Intel?s AOIT extension to DirectX 11.1 makes transparency easier for game programmers.

Intel is working to make its next-generation integrated graphics built into their upcoming Haswell laptop CPUs work more effectively with current generation games. The company is even creating extensions to DirectX to make the platform behave in a more console-like manner.

AMD, howevver, is supporting cloud gaming in a big way with its release of the Radeon Sky server-based GPUs. However, the company is hedging its bets. With AMD?s design win with the PlayStation 4 and a rumored win with the next-gen Xbox, the company is betting a lot of revenue on the success of the new consoles ? the poor sales of the Wii U, which uses AMD?s Radeon graphics, must be worrying. It?s recent release of the budget priced Radeon HD 7790 should help it maintain interest.

Nvidia is also betting on cloud gaming with its GeForce Grid server line, but is still maintaining its release schedule, shipping an updated, better performing budget card with its GTX 650 Boost Edition. Meanwhile, Nvidia is still showing off its Project Shield handheld console, which is meant to attract a gamer who wants it all, but is also on the move, but neither pricing or ship dates have been announced.

Microsoft?s is trying to keep its feet squarely in all trends at once. However, that sometimes comes across as having a lack of focus. Windows 8 has been a less than stellar success for desktop PCs, but, as the new interface takes hold,?touch-enabled laptops and tablets may see interesting new games. The Windows side of the company is aggressively pushing tablet gaming with Windows 8.

Meanwhile, initiatives like Xbox SmartGlass means that the console side of Microsoft is at least dimly aware of the importance of tablets, but only as subsidiary devices ? god forbid you might actually want to play a game on a tablet.

Big studios try to adapt

Bioware?s use of weekend operations kept multiplayer users actively interested.

The big gaming studios are certainly aware of the shifting sands, but with so much capital invested in old-school gaming, they?re still trying to figure out how to make money in the new world of always connected, mobile gamers. Bioware?s attempt at turning Mass Effect 3 into a service, rather than a packaged good, was one of the more interesting, if somewhat flawed, experiments. The new, service-oriented approach kept Mass Effect 3 alive in player?s minds for a year after the launch, but mixed messages and incomplete communication confused both the gaming press and gamers.

The real action is in free-to-play games, but the incremental nature of freemium revenues has been a mixed success for the big players. Star Wars: The Old Republic has seen mixed success as it moves to a free-to-play model, but more nimble companies in the market, like Wargaming.net, have reaped substantial rewards. Free-to-play has become the top business model for mobile gaming. On the MMO side, it?s looking like the subscription model is increasingly moribund, as high profile titles like The Secret World?have moved rapidly to free-to-play after initial attempts at more traditional subscriptions failed to garner enough users to keep the game profitable.

What?s going on?

What does this all mean in the long-term? The rich array of different gaming platforms will attract more users to gaming than ever before, but it also means that major publishers are more risk averse. Addicted to current revenue streams from big budget games, their experiments with mobile gaming and user engagement after games ship has been slow to come. However, mobile hardware and software is also exploding with products ranging from tablet-like phones to extremely Ultrabook PCs stealing sales away from traditional consoles and desktop PCs. The big players will have to evolve to serve this new generation of users, or risk ending up on the scrap heap of technology history.

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/gdc-tech-consoles-and-pcs-merge-but-mobile-is-king/

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Iterations: Calendar Frenzy, Google Now, and Apple's ?Anticipatory Computing? Problem

Now that the Mailbox sale to Dropbox is complete, let?s move on to the next native iOS app that everyone wants to replace: The Calendar. Yes, the calendar. Nearly every other conversation I had this past week included some chatter about all the new calendar apps (see the screenshot of my iPhone). Peeling back the layers on all these calendar apps and the herd-like interest in the space, however, reveals both challenges and opportunities that go much deeper than comparing mobile apps based on product features. For those among us who use Android, Google Now is the type of anticipatory computing, powered by data and algorithmic learning, that enables a machine to guide us in life almost like an assistant would. On Apple?s iOS, however, there is no such thing like ?Apple Now,? and as a result, savvy entrepreneurs are seeking to build that service as a third-party application. And, curiously, they?re using the mobile calendar on Apple to kickstart this game and using calendar "intent" to infer what to send to the user.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/hsTSVSTi5Mc/

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Rymdkapsel bringing minamalist strategy to PlayStation-certified devices

Build a base with Tetris blocks, but don't get too far - those pesky red lines are out to get you

A hidden gem at GDC 2013 was tucked away at the PlayStation booth called Rymdkapsel. This is a minimalistic strategy game with some Tetris-style base expansion mechanics. Players have to collect resources, research new technologies, and defend themselves against the occasional wave of attackers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/D8b1uzMcv6o/story01.htm

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Rights groups slam UK town's under-16 restrictions

LONDON (AP) ? A British police force on Saturday defended its plan to impose nighttime restrictions on youngsters, saying it did not amount to a curfew, after civil liberties activists condemned the move.

Officials in Barnsley, northern England, have given police the power to remove under-16s from the town center between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless they are accompanied by an adult.

The trial rules take effect this weekend and operate for six months.

South Yorkshire Police said the measure would be applied with "discretion" and only target youths engaged in misbehavior.

Rights group Liberty criticized the move, saying the use of age as a basis for removal could face a court challenge. Emma Norton, a lawyer for the group, said "police should target offenders of whatever age, not show disrespect and distrust of a whole generation."

Nick Pickles of the group Big Brother Watch called the measure "a waste of time and resources."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rights-groups-slam-uk-towns-under-16-restrictions-220950011.html

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Penguins win 15th straight; Crosby hurt

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) is helped by referee Ian Walsh (29) after being hit in the face with a puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 30, 2013. Crosby left the game. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Jarome Iginla (12) and center Sidney Crosby warm up before an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tomas Vokoun (92) stops a shot in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 30, 2013. The Penguins won 2-0. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz (14) checks New York Islanders center Josh Bailey (12) into the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 30, 2013. Kunitz was ejected from the game on the play, and Bailey was helped off the ice to the locker room. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

New York Islanders center Josh Bailey, center, is helped off the ice by Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald (47), right wing Kyle Okposo (21) and a team trainer after being checked into the boards by Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 30, 2013. Kunitz was ejected from the game on the play. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) ? Despite losing their captain, the Pittsburgh Penguins found a way to finish the month unbeaten.

Pittsburgh, gearing for a run at the Stanley Cup, welcomed star forward Jarome Iginla to the lineup, but lost Sidney Crosby early in the first period after he was hit in the mouth with a puck.

Still, the Penguins managed to overcome the injury to Crosby on Saturday for their 15th straight victory as Matt Cooke and James Neal scored third-period goals during a 2-0 victory against the New York Islanders.

"It's very tough to see that happen to anybody on the ice, but this is your teammate and Sid's such a great player," Iginla said. "It's a very, very unfortunate play."

Tomas Vokoun made 35 saves as Pittsburgh moved within two wins of the NHL record of 17 straight victories set by Mario Lemieux and the 1992-93 Penguins.

"The shutout is nice, but preserving the winning streak is even better," Vokoun said. "It's been great."

It might be tough without Crosby.

Coach Dan Bylsma said Crosby lost several teeth and needed oral surgery. He did not know if Crosby would miss additional time and wasn't sure if the injury affected his jaw.

"I just know he had some issues with his teeth," Bylsma said. "Just from the replay I know that."

Crosby, with 15 goals and 56 points, has enjoyed a resurgence this season, leading Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos by 10 points in the NHL scoring race.

Another head injury for Crosby, however, has to concern the Penguins.

Crosby has missed considerable time the past two years because of concussions. He was sidelined the final 41 games in 2011 and the Stanley Cup playoffs, and skipped most of the 2012 regular season as symptoms lingered.

"I think every time that type of thing happens to a player you think about it," Bylsma said.

Crosby skated off the ice with a towel covering his mouth after a slap shot by teammate Brooks Orpik deflected off a stick and hit the NHL scoring leader in the face. Crosby, who immediately fell to the ice and tossed his stick in the air, did not return.

"When you see the replay, he had no chance to move," Iginla said. "Guys were definitely checking to see how he was doing."

Pittsburgh went 15-0-0 in March, the first perfect month in league history. The Penguins also won a franchise best 12th straight at home.

The Penguins, with a win at home against Buffalo on Tuesday, will have a chance to tie the record of 17 straight wins the following night at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers.

"It's exciting for our team, exciting for the players," Neal said. "We want to keep the streak going."

Iginla, a six-time All-Star, was acquired by the Penguins from Calgary early Thursday and he arrived in Pittsburgh on Friday night. He was in the lineup a game earlier than originally anticipated.

The move for Iginla, who waived his no-trade clause to come to Pittsburgh, was the Penguins' third big deal in a week. Pittsburgh also obtained former Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow and defenseman Doug Murray from San Jose.

The record crowd at Consol Energy Center responded with a huge ovation when Iginla was announced as part of the starting lineup.

Iginla, who played right wing for most of his career in Calgary, skated the left side on a line with reigning NHL scoring champion Evgeni Malkin and Neal, an All-Star forward.

The excitement quickly turned to concern 1:28 into the game when Crosby left the ice.

Pittsburgh appeared stunned without its captain, and the Islanders took advantage, getting the first eight shots of the game, but came up empty against Vokoun.

Vokoun earned his second consecutive shutout. Vokoun who hasn't been scored on in more than 162 minutes, relieved injured starter Marc-Andre Fleury during a 1-0 victory Tuesday against Montreal.

Vokoun's biggest save came in the third period, stopping Islanders speedy forward Michael Grabner on a breakaway.

Cooke scored his sixth goal of the season at 8:10, picking up the rebound from defenseman Deryk Engelland's shot at the top of the crease, and firing a spinning shot behind Islanders goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

"I went to the net and the puck hit me in the stomach," Cooke said. "I stayed with it, tried to settle it and get it on net."

Neal scored at 13:04, firing a wrist shot past Nabokov. It was his 18th goal.

The Islanders entered Saturday's game tied with the New York Rangers for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Islanders, who handed Pittsburgh one of four losses on home ice, ended up losing for the third time during the Penguins' 15-game winning streak.

"They've proven they can play without Crosby or Malkin, so it's not so much that," Islanders forward John Tavares said. "It's more about us and executing and doing what we need to do to win hockey games."

The Penguins received the biggest boost from their penalty kill.

Chris Kunitz, the team's second-leading scorer, was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct late in the second period for checking Islanders center Josh Bailey from behind.

Bailey initiated contact, but Kunitz got the better of the play, sending Bailey dangerously into the boards. Bailey did not return.

"I saw the hit, I'm not going to comment on the hit," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "Fortunately (Bailey) is OK, but obviously stiff."

The major penalty turned into a two-man advantage for the Islanders three minutes later when Orpik was whistled for tripping, but Pittsburgh successfully killed off both penalties.

"We had blocked shots, clears, we won some battles at the net," Bylsma said. "That's a long time to kill a 5-on-3 against a really good power play team."

"Every time we get a big kill, it's the loudest our crowd has been," Cooke said. "The crowd was intense and it definitely energized us."

NOTES: The Penguins have allowed nine goals in their past 11 games. ... Paul Martin will have surgery Sunday on a broken bone and will miss six weeks. The Penguins are already without Kris Letang, the NHL's leading scorer among defenseman, who is out seven to 10 days with a broken toe. ... Orpik appeared in his 621st career game, tying Ron Stackhouse for fifth on the team's games played list and first among defensemen.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-30-HKN-Islanders-Penguins/id-df1359e8a2204de3a0154c7e1dd337dd

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Gorilla raised by humans: Baby gorilla thriving in Ohio

A two-month old baby gorilla, born to a first-time mother with little maternal instinct, is being raised by humans at the Cincinnati Zoo ? for now.

By Associated Press / March 28, 2013

Ron Evans, team leader with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Primate Team, is one of 10 surrogate mothers to 2-month-old "Gladys", a Western Lowland Gorilla, March 27, in Cincinnati.

Glenn Hartong / The Cincinnati Enquirer / AP

Enlarge

A baby?gorilla?being raised temporarily by human surrogate parents is doing well ? learning to roll over, sit up and getting ready to walk on all fours.

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Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden primate specialists say "Gladys" is in good health, developing and growing quickly with loving care from 10 humans imitating a?gorilla?mom's behavior. This week she began supporting herself on all fours.

"The next step, she'll be able to walk around by herself," said Ron Evans, primate team leader.

Gladys also is teething and has begun eating some cooked foods, such as sweet potatoes and carrots, besides being bottle-fed five times a day.

"She's at the age now where she really starts growing by leaps and bounds," Evans said.

She came to Cincinnati last month from Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, after she was born there Jan. 29 to a first-time mother who showed little maternal instinct. It was decided to move her to Cincinnati's zoo because of its extensive experience in raising?gorilla?babies and its availability of experienced?gorilla mothers.

Human surrogates dress in black, wear furry vests and kneepads and make?gorilla?sounds to help prepare Gladys for the transition to a real?gorilla?family. They have been showing her to other?gorillas?and letting them touch her.

The Cincinnati Enquirer (http://cin.ci/WYwKZK?) reports that zoo specialists think she will be ready within a few months, and there are four potential adoptive moms among their?gorillas.

"The?gorillas?have to decide who this baby's mom is going to be," Evans said.

"That will be the day that all this hard work pays off," said primate keeper Ashley O'Connell, crawling around with the 9-pound?gorilla?riding on her back.

O'Connell just had her own first child five months ago.

"I feel like I'm the mother of two right now," she said. "If I have to be away from my own child, this is where I want to be."

Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer,?http://www.enquirer.com

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/mXrsuga4nYU/Gorilla-raised-by-humans-Baby-gorilla-thriving-in-Ohio

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Soft-Boiled Science: Egg-cellently Cooked Eggs

Cooking up science: How do you boil the perfect egg? Use science to help--and learn about proteins in the process Image: George Resteck

Key concepts
Food science
Proteins
Heat
Eggs

Introduction
Have you ever been in such a rush in the morning that you barely had time for breakfast? Eggs can be a good breakfast choice because they can be cooked quickly and in many different ways. Eggs have been eaten for thousands of years, all over the world. Hard-boiled eggs are commonly used for dying Easter eggs, but a soft-boiled egg can make a yummy breakfast or snack. How does different exposure to heat at different times change the way an egg cooks? In this activity you'll determine the best recipe for producing consistent, soft-boiled eggs that will get your day off to a great start no matter what time of year!

Background
The typical egg packs a big punch in a small package. One large egg has about 75 calories, many essential nutrients, lots of high-quality protein, various vitamins, multiple minerals, choline, folate and riboflavin. Eggs can help you maintain muscle strength as well as promote a healthy brain and eye function. The yolk contains the fat of the egg, most of the vitamins and minerals, and about half of the protein. The albumen (egg white) is mostly water (about 90 percent) and protein (about 10 percent).

There are several methods for preparing eggs. They can be scrambled, poached, fried, pickled, hard-boiled and soft-boiled. In a raw egg the proteins in the egg are folded and curled up tight. But when you cook an egg, the heat causes its proteins to uncurl so that they interact with one another, forming a network of connected proteins. In a soft-boiled egg the white is firm but the yolk is between runny and solid?in other words, the yolk should be viscous, or thickened and sticky.?

Materials
? Three raw eggs
? Pot with lid
? Ice cubes
? Water
? Large bowl
? Stove top (adult supervision is recommended while using the stove and handling any hot items)
? Slotted spoon
? Timer
? Plates

Preparation
? If the eggs are being stored in the refrigerator, take them out and let them warm to room temperature. This may take about an hour.
? Remember to always wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling uncooked eggs because they can carry salmonella. For this same reason, it is not recommended that you eat any uncooked eggs you prepare in this activity.
? Gently place an egg in a pot and add water. Fill the pot so that the egg is covered by about an inch of water.
? Put several ice cubes in a large bowl and fill it with enough water to cover an egg. This will be your ice water bath. If many of the ice cubes melt during the activity, add new ones to the bowl.

Procedure
? Place the pot of water with the egg in it on the stove top, put the lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil. (Please have adult supervision when operating the stove and handling hot items.)
? Once the water is vigorously boiling, let the egg cook for five minutes. Keep the lid on the pot during this time.
? After boiling for five minutes, carefully remove the egg using the slotted spoon and place it into the ice water bath.
? Let the egg sit in the bath for one minute, then remove the egg, peel it and place it on a plate.
? Observe the egg. Is the white firm or watery? How thick is the solid white? Is the yolk slimy, viscous or hard? Overall, does it seem like the egg is soft-boiled?
? Bring the water in the pot back up to a vigorous boil and use the slotted spoon to carefully place a new raw egg into the boiling water. Let the egg boil for five minutes (with the lid on the pot).
? After five minutes, carefully remove the egg and place it into the ice water bath. Let the egg sit there for one minute, then remove it, peel it and place it on a plate.
? Observe the egg. Is the white firm or watery? How thick is the solid white? Is the yolk slimy, viscous or hard? Overall, does it seem like the egg is soft-boiled?
? Bring the water in the pot back up to a vigorous boil and carefully place a new raw egg into the boiling water. Once the egg is submerged, turn off the stove and move the pot to a cool burner. Let the egg steep in the just-boiled water for five minutes. Leave the lid off the pot while the egg steeps.
? After five minutes, carefully remove the egg and place it into the ice water bath. Let the egg sit for one minute, then remove it, peel it and place it on a plate.
? Observe the egg. Is the white firm or watery? How thick is the solid white? Is the yolk slimy, viscous or hard? Overall, does it seem like the egg is soft-boiled?
? Which cooking method seemed to lead to the best soft-boiled egg: bringing the egg and water up to a boil together, just cooking the egg in already boiling water or steeping the egg in just-boiled water? If they showed similar results, which method seemed to use less energy?
? Extra: Eggs come in different sizes. You could try three different sizes of eggs with the method that worked best for you in this activity. Does the size of the egg affect how well the best soft-boiling recipe works?
? Extra: You could try this activity again but increase or decrease the amount of time that the egg is in hot water. Can you perfect the soft-boiling recipe?

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=d84f9f03806f7bd7487e361a4edd56fd

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How SMEs can build a successful online presence | Blog of the ...

In order to build a successful presence online it?s the little extras that make all the difference.

At the end (hopefully) of a five-year recession, it?s understandable if social media has been low on most companies? lists of priorities. It?s something that lots of business owners have a go at, but an area where few achieve real success. Despite being a low cost way of getting in direct contact with customers, without a carefully planned and executed strategy, the truth is that it?s probably not worth your time. Good social media usage can result in great customer relationships that build your brand and an excellent driver for traffic to your website. Here?s our very basic guide to getting social media right.

A good goal for your social media efforts is to increase your ranking in search results on engines Google and Bing. Your website appearing on page one of a search for your relevant terms means that you will be the first port of call for potential customers seeking your products or services. You can?t wave a wand and get there overnight, but social media is a bag of tricks that will get you on your way.

Google?s search algorithm was overhauled last year and the changes mean that a blog is now the best method of reaching customers and attracting new ones on social media. As a small business, a blog carves out a slice of the internet for you to provide customers with interesting and useful information that they will then share with their friends and followers on social media like Facebook and Twitter.

The aim of your blog should be to supply customers with useful content that acts as an added bonus on top of the services or products you already provide. If you are a florist, you might want to offer your customers free tutorials on putting together basic party centrepieces, or offer advice on ordering flowers for a wedding (also warning brides of how to know when they?re being ripped off). If you run a handyman service, your blog could focus on a series on DIY based on your most common requests such as ?How to rewire a plug? or ?How to bleed a radiator?. You may feel like you?re giving away too much, but by providing genuinely helpful tidbits of information online, you have already built credibility and trust that customers will remember in future.

Now that your content is sorted, it?s pretty important to make sure that what you put out online will be easily picked up. Key word optimisation and hashtags will make your blog posts search engine and social media friendly, but don?t fret if those two terms mean absolutely nothing to you. There?s plenty of free advice on using social media, including breakdowns on using each network correctly ? or any 14 year old could probably give you the run down. Trickier still is keyword optimisation, which is an important function of search engine optimisation (SEO), but in a nutshell it involves making your outgoing content fit a mould so that it?s easily recognised and prioritised in a Google search.

When sharing on social media, more is more, but don?t be too promotional. This is one area where spreading yourself thinly is a good thing. Sign up to every social network available and learn how to use each one correctly. Have their corresponding buttons on your blog posts to make online sharing a ?one-click? affair and easy for your readers. Remember, there?s more to social media than just Facebook and Twitter. Google Plus is hardly the coolest social media kid on the block at the moment, but it is surprisingly good for SEO. There?s also Squidoo and a host of scrapbooking and photosharing networks like Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Flickr that are a great way of creating links back to your website.

Wherever your first foray into social media takes you, as a business you must follow a single rule ? Be interesting and useful, not promotional. Traditional incentives like online discounts don?t hurt of course, but if over time you consistently give a little extra back through social media, you?ll reap the rewards later. What you give away to your customers in the name of good social media, you?ll get back in visits to your website, inquiries, and repeat custom.

270958_394786620557898_2125962206_n Niamh Kinsella is an account manager at digital marketing agency TopLine Communications. TopLine Communications is based in London and provides B2B video, social media, PR and online marketing services to businesses in the technology, education and recruitment sectors. The agency is renowned for its two B2B blogs, the B2B PR Blog and the B2B Guide to Social Media, both of which give free advice to businesses and digital marketing professionals.

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Source: http://insme.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/how-smes-can-build-a-successful-online-presence/

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No vaginas please, it?s Idaho (Americablog)

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Multiple moves found harmful to poor young children

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Poor children who move three or more times before they turn 5 have more behavior problems than their peers, according to a new study by researchers at Cornell University and the National Employment Law Project. The study is published in the journal Child Development.

Moving is a fairly common experience for American families; in 2002, 6.5 percent of all children had been living in their current home for less than six months. Among low-income children, that number rose to 10 percent. In addition, in 2002, 13 percent of families above poverty moved once, but 24 percent of families below poverty moved. Research has shown that frequent moves are related to a range of behavioral, emotional, and school problems for adolescents.

Using national data on 2,810 children from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal, representative study of children born in 20 large U.S. cities between 1998 and 2000, researchers sought to determine how frequent moves relate to children's readiness for school. Parents were interviewed shortly after the birth of their children, then again by phone when the children were 1, 3, and 5; in-home assessments were done when the children were 3 and 5. The study also looked at the children's language and literacy outcomes, as well as behavior problems reported by mothers.

The study found that 23 percent of the children had never moved, 48 percent had moved once or twice, and 29 percent had moved three or more times. Among children who moved three or more times before age 5, nearly half (44 percent) were poor; poverty was defined based on the official federal threshold. Moving three or more times was not related to the children's language and literacy outcomes.

But children who moved three or more times had more attention problems, anxiousness or depression, and aggressiveness or hyperactivity at age 5 than those who had never moved or those who had moved once or twice. These increases in behavior problems occurred only among poor children, the study found, suggesting that frequent moves early in life are most disruptive for the most disadvantaged children.

"The United States is still recovering from the great recession, which has taken a major toll on the housing market," notes Kathleen Ziol-Guest, postdoctoral associate at Cornell University, who led the study. "As housing markets have collapsed across communities, highly mobile low-income families have moved in search of work and less expensive housing.

"The findings in this study suggest that the housing crisis and its accompanying increase in mobility likely will have negative effects on young children, especially poor children."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Society for Research in Child Development, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Kathleen M. Ziol-Guest, Claire C. McKenna. Early Childhood Housing Instability and School Readiness. Child Development, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12105

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/Y4-8E5yDj7Y/130328080229.htm

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

American Idol Results: Who Got Ousted?

Source:

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Boeing CEO urges FAA to return 787 to service, delays continue

By Alwyn Scott

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - - Boeing Co Chief Executive Jim McNerney on Thursday urged regulators reviewing battery problems on the company's grounded 787 passenger jet to let the plane back into service, saying he was confident the redesigned battery was safe.

He would not specify when he expected the jet to be flying customers again other than saying "sooner rather than later."

Separately, the airplane leasing company that is the world's biggest buyer of 787s said it expects its first delivery of the high-tech jet to be delayed to summer from spring, but that getting the plane restored to service will "go quickly."

The Federal Aviation Administration and its administrator Michael Huerta "have been champs here," McNerney told a U.S. Chamber of Commerce aviation summit in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. (For event video, click: http://link.reuters.com/juf96t )

"They have put us through our paces and they have America's best interests in mind. They have the safety of the public in mind as I hope we do, which I think at this point means let's get this thing back into service and get on with it."

Regulators worldwide banned flight of the 787 after lithium-ion batteries overheated on two of the aircraft in January. The grounding is costing Boeing an estimated $50 million a week in lost income and compensation payments to airlines.

McNerney said the grounding has been a "frustrating experience," but he had high confidence that the proposed fix for the battery system will work. Boeing is now running test flights to prove the safety of the system, which includes a steel box to prevent fire and contain explosion. McNerney said he expected the plane to be in service "sooner rather than later," though he was not more specific.

Shares of Boeing fell 0.5 percent to $85.76 in morning trading. The stock is up 16 percent since the plane was grounded, most of which came over the last month as the 787 moved closer to flying again.

Meanwhile, speaking in the sidelines of the conference, the president of Boeing's biggest 787 customer said he expects approving and installing a fix for the battery will "go quickly."

"I think it is going to go quickly now," said Fred Cromer, president of International Lease Finance Corporation, which has ordered 74 Boeing 787s. "The FAA is interested in getting the plane back in the air as soon as possible."

Boeing and the FAA have "a very good partnership," he said, and are working to make sure the fix "is a solution that all sides agree is the right thing to do."

AIG unit ILFC is due to receive its first five 787s this year. Cromer said there was no formal word from Boeing about when the first of the jets would be delivered, but that the schedule had shifted to summer from spring. The first jet is leased to Norwegian Air Shuttle , he said.

McNerney said recent corporate changes at Airbus parent EADS would make the European competitor a "stronger company."

"Airbus can figure out for themselves what they want to be, but I think the model does move a little closer towards -- I think the word (EADS chief executive) Tom (Enders) uses is -- a normal company. I know that has a special meaning in Germany, but I think that will create a stronger competitor, which I think is good for the industry."

EADS shareholders on Wednesday approved sweeping changes in control that the company says will prevent interference, despite coinciding with a rise in European state shareholdings triggered by Germany's decision to buy a stake from carmaker Daimler

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Tim Hepher, Ben Berkowitz and David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-ceo-urges-faa-return-787-delays-continue-182220187--finance.html

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Dutch coffee company DEMB in buyout talks

AMSTERDAM (AP) ? D.E. Master Blenders 1753, the Dutch coffee company that was spun off by Sara Lee Corp. last June, says it is in talks to be acquired by a group led by private German investment company Joh. A. Benckiser GmbH for around ?7.6 billion ($9.7 billion).

Benckiser owns stakes in Peet's Coffee & Tea Inc. and Caribou Coffee, among others.

Master Blenders said in a statement Thursday the potential buyers are looking at a price of ?12.75 per share, a 33 percent premium to Wednesday's closing price. But they haven't made a formal offer.

The company's shares soared 26 percent to ?12.14 in Amsterdam trading Thursday.

Master Blenders had a poor start as an independent company, with profits and estimates falling, and accounting irregularities uncovered at its Brazilian arm.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dutch-coffee-company-demb-buyout-talks-105627556--finance.html

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