text:
Giants joust in the cold
A new giant was born recently in the coastal waters of Antarctica. A series of images captured from May through the beginning of this month by ESA's Envisat satellite shows the subsequent duel between the new iceberg and another as it breaks free of the Ross Ice Shelf and tries to move north.
Christened C-19 by the US National Ice Centre in Maryland, the new iceberg measured 200 x 32 km, and about 200 m thick.
As seen in the accompanying animation of images acquired by Envisat's Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) from 3 May through 7 October, C-19 jostles for position with an older iceberg, B-15a, resting aground in shallow water off Ross Island. C-19 scrapes along the side of B-15a and, failing to move its firmly anchored adversary, finally heads off into open sea and an eventual demise in warmer waters.
Iceberg "calving"
Several different processes are important in causing an iceberg to form, or "calve" as it is conventionally known, according to Dr David Vaughan, principal investigator of the physical sciences division of the British Antarctic Survey, based in Cambridge, UK.
"They can form as a result of the action of wind and waves, or simply because the ice shelf has grown too large to support part of itself," Vaughan explained. "Once in a while, an older iceberg collides into an ice shelf and breaks off a new iceberg."
The ASAR imagery also clearly outlines that the C-19 berg is not moving through open water. The white swirls captured in the image represent sea ice, offering more resistance to the movement of the iceberg, but winds and ocean currents finally prove too strong to overcome. Also evident in the radar image is the difference between Antarctic ice that is resting on land or water. The Ross Ice Shelf, for instance, is seen as a smooth surface. To the left-hand side of the images, however, the radar image shows the rougher terrain of Antarctic ice resting on land.
Part of the normal Antarctic ice cycle
Such iceberg calving like this one occurs in Antarctica each year and is part of the natural lifecycle of the ice sheet. Scientists are eager to understand if the mass of ice lost in such events is balanced by new snowfall accumulating on the continent. Any imbalance would imply a change in world sea level.
Since C-19 was already floating before it calved, however, it will not cause any rise in world sea level, according to the British ice expert. In addition, since this ice shelf has shown no progressive retreat in recent years, scientists are expected to view this event as part of the natural lifecycle of the Ross Ice Shelf.
"However, if similar events continue to occur then we may begin to believe that this is a result of climate change," Vaughan cautioned. "For the moment, the jury is still out."
Envisat's ASAR sensor has several key advantages over optical sensors: it can penetrate cloud cover, which is especially useful in studying polar regions, and can capture imagery at night. ASAR is the first permanent spaceborne radar to incorporate dual-polarisation capabilities - the instrument can transmit and receive signals in either horizontal or vertical polarisation. This Alternating Polarisation (AP) mode can improve the capability of a SAR instrument to classify different types of terrain. The sensor also can record imagery on-board the spacecraft and the images can be made available a few hours after acquisition.


text:
Never underestimate first-graders.
Jonah Pournazarian, 7, is best friends with Dylan Siegel, 6. Jonah has been diagnosed with glycogen storage disease type 1B , a rare liver disorder that doesn't have a cure. Dylan decided to raise money for research to help his friend. Late last fall, he hatched a plan and approached his parents.
"We said, 'Let's do a lemonade stand, the typical thing,'" David Siegel, Dylan's dad, told ABCNews.com. "He looked at us and said, 'I want to write a book.'"
After just two months on the market, sales of the handwritten and illustrated book and chocolate bars have raised $30,000 and counting, David Siegel said.
Now Dylan's goal is $1 million, his father said.
The 16-page book "Chocolate Bar," uses the term to mean "cool." "Disneyland is so chocolate bar," the book starts out. The ending? "I like to help my friends. That is the biggest chocolate bar."
Jonah's parents, who live in Los Angeles, set up a fund for their son six years ago that has raised $400,000, but now, "Chocolate Bar" looks set to exceed that sum, his father, Rabin Pournazarian, told ABCNews.com.
Whole Foods has donated hundreds of chocolate bars. A local Barnes & Noble bookstore hosted a book signing that drew 200 people, Dylan's father said. People from states including Tennessee and Missouri have donated money to the cause via Facebook and a website. The boys appeared on CBS television show "The Doctors" last week, pinching each others' cheeks as they told their story.
Jonah's genetic condition afflicts one in a million children, his father said. Most days all he eats is cornstarch mixed with chicken soup with vegetables that his mother makes and feeds him through a tube, his father said.
His feeding schedule is sensitive — the couple keeps an alarm in the bedroom set for 3:30 a.m., his father said. At school, Jonah's parents have had to ask parents of other children to keep their child home if they get sick or to at least notify Jonah's parents so they can keep him home.
"What could be a common cold … will land Jonah in the hospital for five to six days," his father said. "It happened last month."
Jonah was diagnosed with his illness when he was a baby and suffered from night sweats and low blood sugar, his father said. The existing fund has been "very grassroots" and mostly friends and family have contributed to it, Rabin Pournazarian said.
Jonah, who has a fraternal twin brother Eli who does not suffer from the condition, "gets the importance of finding a cure as much as a 7-year-old can," his father said. "He doesn't want his (feeding) tube forever."
The money from the fund and book and chocolate sales have been sent to the University of Florida School of Medicine in Gainsville where research is taking place under Dr. David Weinstein, who is working with 200 families, he said.
It's the first time the rare disease has gotten national attention, Pournazarian said.
Jonah and his family couldn't be happier.
"We never dreamed that this was going to happen," David Siegel said. "It's just struck a nerve and now we don't want to stop until we've hit our mission."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Veterinary Clinic
SEAACA's Veterinary Division monitors and maintains the health of all animals sheltered at the Animal Care Center. When dogs, cats and rabbits are adopted, SEAACA spays and neuters them before they go home or sets an appointment for the adopted animal to be altered at a future date. The altering is included in the adoption fees. New owners are responsible for emergency medical care or after hour veterinarian services after the adoption.
Vaccination Clinics:
All owners and their animals can come to SEAACA Tuesday through Saturday for the vaccination clinic which provides low-cost vaccinations for dogs and cats. Hours are posted on this site.


text:
Family physicians have a unique opportunity to earn CME credit for tuning in to a documentary film(cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com) that examines the patchwork of health facilities, health care professionals and insurers that passes for health care in America; viewing a subsequent round-table discussion that features AAFP President Jeff Cain, M.D., of Denver, and other health care leaders; and completing an online assessment.
Recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival, "Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare(www.escapefiremovie.com)" focuses on the problems facing America's broken health care system and attempts to define solutions. The film and round-table discussion initially aired March 10 but will be rebroadcast March 16 on CNN at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. EDT.
The documentary has been reviewed by the AAFP and is eligible for as many as 2 Prescribed CME credits.
According to a release from the filmmakers(www.escapefiremovie.com), Escape Fire focuses on problems experienced by health care providers from all sectors, including primary care physicians such as Erin Martin, M.D., a family physician from Hood River, Ore., who says she "struggles with not enough time for patients and prevention, and too little reimbursement." The documentary also features several health care leaders, including former CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, M.D.
Immediately after the film, viewers can tune in to a round-table discussion that features Cain and other physicians talking with CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
"We know that patients are healthier when they have two things: insurance and … access to a usual source of primary care," Cain says during the discussion. "If we have better primary care that includes nutrition counseling, prevention and care of chronic disease, fewer people get sick."
Cain also notes during the round-table discussion that he is optimistic about the future of family medicine.
"We are in a different era now," Cain says. "People understand that effective primary care gives us higher quality and lower costs, but not only that -- patients are healthier and like that kind of care."
For physicians unable to tune in when the documentary airs, it can be viewed online(www.escapefiremovie.com) with the accompanying round-table discussion at the filmmakers' website. The CME learning assessment(www.surveymonkey.com) can be completed via a page at the same website.
The documentary film alone may be downloaded through iTunes(itunes.apple.com) for $9.99, and an extended version of the documentary -- also minus the round table -- may be purchased as a DVD from the film's website(www.escapefiremovie.com) for $24.99. Physicians who choose one of these latter two options still can receive CME credit by completing the online assessment.
AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award.
Related ANN Coverage
Leader Voices Blog: Growing AAFP's Media Outreach: Responding to CNN
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defining the game and goals
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Topic: defining the game and goals (Read 3752 times)
Brian Hose
Posts: 18
defining the game and goals
April 19, 2002, 10:45:36 AM »
Hi everybody
(all chorus: Hi doctor Nick)
I don't want to steal Wolfen's thunder but I've maybe hit a snag which has something to do with some things in this discussion.
Valamir said:
"First thing, before you do anything, decide what your game is ABOUT, and plan on rewarding that activity."
Well (i hang my head in shame) here's the thing:
I've never found a sci-fi rpg that really inspired me, everything was either good idea - crap mechanics or great mechanics - crap idea. So I said "Well fuck it, I'll make my own!" And I did - and it was crap (totally self indulgent not balanced at all) but I recognised that and the game began to change...so much so that the concept changed. About four times over six years. now I'm happy with the game - mechanics, metagame interaction everything but...and here's the kicker...
I may have lost my game premise. I had one but it may be too vague now.
Its sci-fi, as I've said, but its not completely Gamist and not completely Narativist. Without being aware of the theory, I think that I may have created a game to be played in either style.
Let me provide a little background, there were specific things that I wanted to address in terms of theory:
Context: I have encountered players who couldn't seem to interact with the game because they lacked the contextual knowledge of the game-world. I was determined tha this would not happen to MY game. And I think I may have done that by providing social information and where possible by drawing comparison with real world situations and/or time periods.
I didn't want to limit the players to any one type of (I use the word with caution because it doesn't really say what I mean) adventure. In my game you can play anything (theoretically) from shadowrun-style black ops/corporate espionage games to being itinerant traders wandering Known Space and finding what ever (narrativist-) story they make.
And I think that might be the core of my problem. Am I over-reaching in scope and causing a flow-on thinness in game premise?
Any and all comments and suggestions VERY welcome.
Nervous and worried expecting father of a baby sci-fi rpg,
"Cowards die many times before their deaths:
The valiant never taste of death but once." - Julius Caesar II, 2.
Brian Hose
Posts: 18
Brian's SF game conundrum
Reply #1 on:
April 21, 2002, 05:18:51 AM »
Brian here, I gather that there is some sort of stigma attached to replying to your own posts(?) but...
Well, now that this has its own thread I thought a bit more information might be handy...hmmm...where to start.
The game is called "Distant Worlds".
It began life back in '96 as "Centurion: 2248" about genetically engineered super-soldiers facing an invading alien foe. Sounds pretty generic I know, the twist was that these genetic marvels were basically slaves - no real rights, no ability to procreate. But they had a promise passed round amongst themselves that one day they would be free.
When I realised our hopelessly juvenile the game was it changed to "Sentinel". This was basically futuristic shadowrunners employed by the huge and secretive (but ultimately philanthropic) uber-corporation - Sentinel Inc. But that wasn't really what I had intended (too much shadowrun influence, I guess). So it changed again...
...Into "Dark Paradise", a future on the edge of the collapse that has engulfed the inner sphere of Battletech (but not in the battletech universe). A time and place when things were starting to slide but it wasn't too late for people (player-characters) to make a difference. I just found that the political system of the time was one where the level of nationalist paranoia was such that the players would be restricted to much.
Then I stripped away some of the things I didn't like about "Dark Paradise" including the (I shudder) magic system. Then I found my inspiration all over again - Distant Worlds. I wanted a unvierse where the characters could get out and find and explore what stories came their way or what stories they went looking for.
Basically in Distant Worlds things are like this:
Mankind has been out amongst the stars for about 400 years and we have encountered four alien races:
Hundari - wolfish humanoids with a strong bond to nature without sacraficing their technology.
Kchell - small, hot tempered, vicious when provoked and fast!
Niirue - wise, peaceful and determined, socially more advanced than humans and they can't lie. They are the most
of all the races with six limbs.
Traanib - huge, powerful and beautiful. Honourable friends, terrifiying enemies. They tend to be a bit bound by tradition and not aloways the most original of thinkers.
(they may sound a bit generic but they look suitably alien and when you get into thier culture i believe they are a lot more interesting)
There are five Genesis-states, so-called because these nation-states are centered on the birth-world of each of the five species. Between and around these is Free-Space, a chaotic and often turbulent region of individual planets and small coalitions that acts as buffer between the Genesis-states.
The whole area is roughly 1000 light years across and the fastest ships can do this in little over a hundred days (the slowest take up to half a year). New planets are being discovered and colonised every year. Basically its meant to be a galaxy of possibilities.
Over the various incarnations of the game the core mechanics have remained relatively steady. Mainly just changing numbers to result in a more balanced system. Its pretty simple - just a variant on the attribute + Modifier (skills, situations etc). Right from the outset, I wanted simple mechanics. After playing shadowrun I was heartily sick of rolling d6's, ya know? (I still play - hate the mechanics, love the concept). Dice are d10 and d20.
Whoa! I just realized how big this posting is getting (i know its certainly not the biggest but) I don't want to bore you.
Anywho, to recap, I am happy with the game. Its about fourty-four thousand words at the moment but will be bigger when I finish the three chapters detailing the physical and political lay out of Known Space (although I'n not going to go into absolute detail, I want to leave something up to the imagination of the players, besides there is something like five hundred worlds) and the short introductory adventure.
What is my premise?
Thanks for your time,
"Cowards die many times before their deaths:
The valiant never taste of death but once." - Julius Caesar II, 2.
Ron Edwards
Global Moderator
Posts: 16490
Brian's SF game conundrum
Reply #2 on:
April 21, 2002, 06:27:16 AM »
Hey Bri,
Your final question is my exact concern, which I imagine is not surprising.
I think one variable that isn't very important to me, at least, is "originality." Your very first setting notion is perfectly acceptable - in fact, it is arguably the best of the bunch if we are talking about Premise in a thematic (Narrativist) sense.
However, your current setting is based, as you say, on "go and look at what's out there." It sounds like Exploration of Setting is the priority, in your mind. Please note that Exploration = Imaginative Enjoyment, not "explore" in the expeditionary sense of the word; the latter may lead to the former, which is what it sounds like you're up to. So, we're looking at a Simulationist-oriented game design.
That brings up a very difficult issue with adventure/SF, and my ideas on the subject make many people upset. The issue is: to Explore Setting, do you or don't you write up the setting in detail first?
Arguably, to Explore Setting, you must have one. Equally arguably, by writing up the primary outcome of the game before playing it, you have removed all reason to play. I submit that the goal is
spectacle or insight during play itself
, and that the game author must choose whether the game is about
these things, or about
these things. To pick fantasy examples, Earthdawn is mainly the former, as is Al-Qadim. Glorantha is (surprisingly) mainly the latter, after a substantial start-up that seems like the former.
I also want to be sure that that's really your Premise - "to see all the neat stuff that I've created." If you think you've generated enough spectacular or insightful oomph to keep play going for as long as you want it to (whatever that might be), well and good. Is this the direction you're going?
P.S. I'm not sure where people get their perceptions of what is or isn't a "stigma" at the Forge. Reply to yourself all you want.
Matt Machell
Posts: 477
Brian's SF game conundrum
Reply #3 on:
April 21, 2002, 06:30:47 AM »
Sounds quite a simulationist orientated premise really. Here's a big universe with lots of setting (you mention detailed alien species, political info etc), PCs go and interact with said setting.
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Brian Hose
Posts: 18
Reply #4 on:
April 22, 2002, 03:37:46 AM »
I think that I may have misrepresented my game in a certain light, or maybe I hit it right on the money too.
When I said explore I did mean it in the sense that Ron used the word...
"It sounds like Exploration of Setting is the priority, in your mind. Please note that Exploration = Imaginative Enjoyment, not "explore" in the expeditionary sense of the word;"
I must admit that in the reading that I've done so far I never associated simulationist ideas with elements of the game outside of the mechanics. But I see it, I really do.
The thing is this:
My concerns for creating a depth of background still remain but I feel that by giving the players (and by extension, their characters) a greater hand in creating the game universe they will have a personal investment in the game, and hence, greater desire to play and greater pleasure in playing.
So, is there a way to balance these things?
You know, while I can
that it looks simulationist - to me it
narrativst. Could this be exclusively a function of my role as the creator of this world?
Anywho, thanks muchly for your input,
"Cowards die many times before their deaths:
The valiant never taste of death but once." - Julius Caesar II, 2.
Mike Holmes
Acts of Evil Playtesters
Posts: 10459
Re: conundrum
Reply #5 on:
April 22, 2002, 04:56:20 AM »
Quote from: Brian Hose
You know, while I can
that it looks simulationist - to me it
narrativst. Could this be exclusively a function of my role as the creator of this world?
It could well be.
The thing is that you can make it Narrativist if you want to. Or Sim of any flavor. I think that what everyone here is saying is that you are beginning your design with a few elements of play, but you don't seem to know where you are going. And you want us to tell you where you're going. The thing is, that until you have a goal, you're going in circles.
Get a vision for the game's goals first, then tailor the elements to fit the goal. Not the reverse.
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Paying the price
Leo Bruce, PC nomination contestant in Bay of Islands, just told Bill Rowe, referring to the fact that the incumbent MHA is in opposition, that "the people of the Bay of Islands have paid the price for the past four years."
"The ghost that haunts us", indeed:
"I don't need you," said Smallwood. "I've been elected, but you need me. I'm sitting on top of the public chest and not one red cent will come out of it unless Greg Power is elected. Unless you vote for my man, you'll be out in the cold for the next five years. Those settlements which vote against Greg Power will get nothing, absolutely nothing."
Jeff Webb, professor of history with Memorial University, says William Browne authenticates the quote in his autobiography, 84 Years a Newfoundlander.
Browne ran against and beat out Liberal Greg Power in the district of Ferryland in 1949, taking 2,456 votes of the 3,160 cast, thus securing a seat in Parliament. On five separate occasions during the campaign, Smallwood attempted to bully the people by insisting they would not receive "one red cent" if they defied his demands.
In the end, Joey's threats alienated voters and they subsequently snubbed his man. Webb is equally aghast at Smallwood's heavy-handed threat.
"To be so naked in your partisanship," Webb muses. "Some people say Joey wasn't always corrupt, that it happened over time. But this speech was in 1949 — the very first election after Confederation. It's quite a grievous action."
Someone, perhaps Jeff Webb or Mandy Cook, should ask Leo Bruce: who exacted the price? and why? and how?
As long as personalismo and patronage politics lives — and Danny Williams can out-personalismo- and -patronage-politic Smallwood any day — then Smallwood himself lives.


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How to Update a Delegation in the ENUM (e164.arpa) Domain
If you require a new ENUM delegation, please follow the instructions on our website.
Delegations for countries within the e164.arpa zone are controlled by the contents ("nserver:" attributes) of domain objects within the RIPE Database. In order to make changes to delegations you must update these domain objects.
Example ENUM Domain Object:
domain: 1.3.e164.arpa
descr: Stichting ENUM Nederland
org: ORG-SEN3-RIPE
admin-c: MD6066-RIPE
tech-c: ENT6-RIPE
zone-c: ENT6-RIPE
nserver: ns1.enum.nl
nserver: ns7.domain-registry.nl
mnt-by: ENUM-NL-MNT
source: RIPE # Filtered
The Three Steps to Updating an ENUM Delegation
Step 1: Setup your servers to answer for the zone.
Ensure that the dns servers you are changing the delegation to are configured and answering correctly for the zone. Some automated checks are done when the change is made to ensure the change of delegation does not break the functionality.
Step 2: Submitting the domain object
Once you have set up your server(s) to serve the ENUM zones you are ready to request delegation by submitting a domain object:
1. By using webupdates
First authorise yourself in the authorisation section. Then go to the add section
Select domain, by clicking on 'Create a New Object' and then click on 'Add Object'
Fill in all the available fields
Use the 'Add New Field' feature to add at least two "nserver:" attributes. Here, you supply the names of the name servers that are serving the zones as set up in Step 3 and that you have specified in the NS resource records of those zones
For the "mnt-by:" attribute use the mntner you prepared in Step 1
You need to create a domain object containing information about the zone you need reverse delegation for. For details on creation and authorisation please refer to the RIPE Database Reference Manuals .
These are the basic steps:
Obtain a template using whois -t domain and fill in the details.
domain: [mandatory] [single] [primary/look-up key]
Optional] [multiple] [ ]
Send your domain object to auto-dbm _at_ ripe _dot_ net.
Once you have submitted the domain object you will receive a notification from the database. You should then be able to query for your object in the database (e.g whois -h whois.ripe.net 1.3.e164.arpa). After the object appears in the database it may take between 15 to 60 minutes before the delegation information is available in the DNS. The ultimate test is to query a recursive name server that is not authoritative for your zone for a record from your zone.
Refer to Using dig to Troubleshoot Your Set-Up for more information.
Please contact us if, six hours after the appearance of your domain object in the database, your delegation does not appear. Include the details such as name server addresses and the domain object in your request. Also include the full response, including headers, as received from the database.
Using DNSSEC With Your ENUM Delegation.
It is possible to secure your ENUM zone delegation with DNSSEC. You will first need to make sure you have correctly configured your name server and signed your zone. Please refer to this howto for more detailed information about DNSSEC.
To upload your DS record to the ENUM parent zone (e164.arpa) it is possible to add an attribute to your domain object called "ds-rdata".
Example domain object with a DNSSEC DS record:
domain: 1.3.e164.arpa
descr: Stichting ENUM Nederland
org: ORG-SEN3-RIPE
admin-c: MD6066-RIPE
tech-c: ENT6-RIPE
zone-c: ENT6-RIPE
nserver: ns1.enum.nl
nserver: ns7.domain-registry.nl
mnt-by: ENUM-NL-MNT
source: RIPE # Filtered
ds-rdata: 42307 5 1 e7c5e507b99fb865065100ea7f4ce7a957fbdaa1


text:
SNMMI continues to be an active participant in the Coalition for PET Drugs. The Coalition's purpose is to help the PET community understand requirements related to the implementation of 21 CFR part 212 and the submission process for PET NDAs or ANDAs, and to make a positive impact on the overall implementation process through interaction with the FDA.
Please visit the Coalition website for the most up-to-date information on Part 212: www.CoalitionforPETDrugs.org


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Toxic Chemicals Are Putting Your Children at Risk
Toxic Chemicals Are Putting Your Children at RiskCheck out the startling details in a new health report from Safer Chemicals Healthy Families.
The results of a compilation and analysis of 30 years of environment studies, recently published as a health report from Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, revealed startling details about the increase in disease in the U.S. over the last 35 years, and the link to toxic chemicals.
Here are some of the statistics from the report:
- Leukemia, brain cancer, and other childhood cancers, have increased by more than 20% since 1975.
- Breast cancer went up by 40% between 1973 and 1998 and, while breast cancer rates have declined since 2003, a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer is now one in eight, up from one in ten in 1973.
- The incidence of asthma doubled between 1980 and 1995 and has stayed at the elevated rate.
- Difficulty in conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy affected 40% more women in 2002 than in 1982. For woman aged 18 – 25, the incidence of reported difficulty has almost doubled.
- The birth defect resulting in undescended testes increased 200% between 1970 and 1993.
- Diagnosed autism has increased more than 10 times in the last 15 years.
According to the report, there is a growing consensus that chemicals are playing a role in the incidence and prevalence of these diseases.
The birth defect resulting in undescended testes, for example, as well as other hormonal problems with young boys, could be the result of exposure to phthalates – the plasticizer chemicals used to soften PVC/Vinyl so it can be used as a waterproof covering in crib mattresses – which is one of the reasons three phthalates were banned in baby mattresses and other kids products. One study even found that the school-age boys of women who tested positive for phthalates in their urine while pregnant played in ways that were not typical of young boys – no trucks, rough housing, and so on.
What's being done about the chemical problem?
Although the EPA has admitted they've failed to protect the public from the dangers of toxic chemicals, and is currently making changes, the track record is abysmal: Since the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was enacted 34 years ago, only 200 of the 80,000 chemicals that have since been produced and used in the U.S. have been tested by the EPA, and only five have been regulated.
Health care reform is currently the subject of intense controversy. But real reform will come when we start getting rid of the chemicals suspected of exacerbating, if not causing, illness.
Chemical policy reform would also free up a lot of health care dollars: If reducing exposure to chemicals resulted in healthier people, it would only take one tenth of one percent in health savings to free up $5 billion every year.
Read more details in the report, The Health Case for Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families also has a campaign to help eliminate toxic chemicals. There are many facets to their campaign, including Parents for Non-Toxic Alternatives and several others directly concerned with toxic chemicals and the relationship to child safety. Check them out, you may want to become involved.
If you're concerned about your child's safety and want to do something about it right now, consider getting a Naturepedic toddler or crib mattress, along with our safe child and baby bedding and pillows. Also, check out the book Home Safe Home by Debra Lynn Dadd for thousands of safe alternatives for just about every chemical in your household.


text: Born Travis Lazarus McCoy in Geneva, NY, rapper Travie McCoy first made a name for himself as the lead vocalist of the alternative rap group Gym Class Heroes. Outside of the band, McCoy is an accomplished rapper in his own right, having won the MTV Direct Effect MC Battle as well as having guest spots on tracks by Kelly Rowland and Tyga. After releasing four albums with Gym Class Heroes, McCoy began work on a solo record. In 2010, he released his first album without his band, Lazarus, on Fueled by Ramen. ~ Gregory Heaney


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College journalists from key swing states peppered President Obama with questions on Tuesday as part of the president's push to court young voters this week.
Obama hosted a conference call with student reporters at colleges and universities in swing states, which featured questions ranging from education to job opportunities for recent college graduates.
But the president kept the call on message, answering many of the questions with attacks on Romney featured heavily in his speeches.
"Gov. Romney's message and the whole republican platform basically is: if we cut taxes some more, even if it's paid for by raising taxes on middle class families, even if it means cutting out loan assistance programs, cutting out basic investments in research and science, voucherizing the Medicare program, that somehow we're going to be better off," Obama told students.
While the call was only technically available to student news organizations, NBC News was able to listen in on the conversation.
The president endeavored to explain some of his state-by-state strategy to the students.
One Ohio State University journalist asked why the president was specifically targeting central Ohio, mentioning that the president has visited Ohio State University multiple times in the past few years. The president said visiting the school wasn't just about getting votes.
"Obviously OSU is a huge university and so there's a lot of students there," he said. "So it makes sense for me to make sure I'm going where I can reach as many people as possible."
He continued: "Part of my goal when I go to universities is not only to get votes but also to highlight some of the great work that's currently being done and you know, if Ohio is doing well, then America is going to do well."
He also gave that reporter a little scoop, "I expect if you're not completely tired of me, you're going to see me at Ohio State again."
And Obama wrapped up the call with the overall theme of the three college town stops today and tomorrow, by thanking the reporters informing students of the need to make their voices heard and "know the rules to make sure they're going to be able to vote."
"Regardless of whether you're voting Democrat, Republican, the key here is to make sure that your voice is heard and hopefully people will get educated on the issues," he said.


text: M.J. Nelson - September 23, 2010 The Chesapeake Bay Retriever Strong-willed and not glamorous, a Chessie is a good dog to have in the blind if you're willing to accept him "as is" By M.J. Nelson Am/Can Ch. Sprucegrove's Ruff 'N' Rowdy CCD UD SH CWCX WDQ is an example of a sedge-colored Chesapeake. This particular color blends well with the bright wheat stubble in the Canadian wheat fields where the author hunts geese.Psychologists, behavioral scientists and writers of romance novels all agree a love affair that lasts 45 years is extremely rare. Before long, road blocks such as job demands, seduction by another, physical maladies, recession or war tend to extinguish the passion before such a lengthy span of time has elapsed. Nor, as is often true, has this been a case of unrequited love. Even when stories I've written have stirred such flaming anger and hatred that concerns for my safety were raised, at day's end there was somewhere to go where I would be bathed in love--home to my Chesapeakes. For I will assert that there is no breed of dog that is as devoted to its humans as the Chesapeake Bay retriever. This deep-seated affection for their owner can be downright smothering. Indeed, for more than 45 years, unless I take the precaution of moving very quickly and closing the door with equal speed, I have been unable to make a "head call" unaccompanied. When I do succeed, the four Chessies that currently occupy my house sit outside the door whining and whimpering like they lost their last friend, their bodies pressed so tightly against the door that when I try to exit, it requires immense strength to move the roughly 300 pounds of dog barricade. One of the few benefits of growing old is that you get to tilt your chair back, assume a thoughtful expression and pontificate on a variety of subjects. Most times, folks are at least polite enough to pretend to listen. So, based on slightly more than 45 years of successfully breeding, raising, training, hunting, testing, showing and trialing the Chesapeake, I'm going to pontificate on what is right and what is wrong with the breed.Despite my unabashed affection for these strong-willed and independent animals, right up front you need to know that this is not a breed for everyone. Chesapeakes have definite minds of their own and possess a considerable amount of ability to think for themselves. They are not, and never will be, "Robodogs." It is embarrassing to admit the number of times I have marked the fall of a duck or goose that I was certain fell dead, insisted that the dog swim to that area only to have my Chesapeakes swim 50 yards to the left or right of where I absolutely knew the bird was€¦and come out of the reeds with a quite lively bird. While this ability for independent thought is a trait highly prized by people who actually hunt with their dogs, it frequently gets the dogs in big trouble when it is time for hunt tests and field trials. It also bothers people who have a need to be in control. If your world is not complete unless you have unquestioned obedience from your dog or if your life will be empty unless you own the national field champion, do yourself a favor, get a Labrador. While the breed has done well in hunt tests and has also had some success in field trials--the Chesapeake is the only retriever breed that still consistently produces dual champions, dogs that have both a conformation championship and a field championship--they are at a disadvantage in these "dog games"€¦although in the early years of field trials, and to a lesser degree, hunt tests, when the tests actually concerned themselves with innate abilities, the Chesapeake was a force to be reckoned with.What this means is, if owning a field champion is your primary goal in life, you are better off with a Labrador. Why? First and foremost, we have the matter of sheer numbers. For several years the Labrador retriever has ranked first among all breeds registered with the American Kennel Club. Nearly 145,000 Labs were registered with the AKC in 2003. There were about 3,700 Chesapeakes registered with the AKC that same year. It stands to reason that with the number of dogs Labrador breeders produce, the odds of finding the kind of superstar needed for successful competition in field trials is greatly increased.It is also very important to keep in mind that the rule-making bodies for both field trials and hunt tests are dominated by Labrador fanciers and they create rules that showcase the strengths of the Labrador breed. This is unlikely to change any time soon. It is no secret that where retriever field events are concerned, the Labrador Retriever Club of America "owns" the American Kennel Club. The reason is simple: 145,000 dogs times the $15 registration fee means more than $2 million annually in the AKC's bank account. In the world of field trials and hunt tests, Chesapeakes tend to give you a solid, steady performance but they are not flashy. That is not good enough in the highly competitive world of field trials where style counts more than substance. Sadly, the same can be said for increasing numbers of hunt tests. Chesapeakes will also not tolerate abuse from an over-zealous trainer. They can and will think for themselves. If they are asked to do something that is absurd, they are quick to let you know. Unfortunately, as field trials, and increasingly hunt tests, have evolved into events that evaluate skills that are of little importance in a hunting dog, these positive aspects of the breed for a hunter have become liabilities.There are some other cautions that need to be observed by prospective Chesapeake owners. You have to carefully "pick your battles" with the breed. The most successful Chesapeake trainers are the ones who concentrate on a few things that really matter to them. On these issues, you cannot afford to cut a Chessie any slack because they are very intelligent and always looking for a better way to do something.Then on the other issues, you have to be prepared to compromise because you simply are not going to win every battle with a Chesapeake. Where a lot of folks, particularly professional trainers, go astray with the breed is that they fail to understand that Chesapeakes do not fit well in a regimented training program. This is one breed in which it is essential to adapt your techniques to the individual dog because if the Chesapeake has any moxie at all, he won't adapt to your pre-planned program.They are particularly resistant when you try to apply an intensive, high pressure, one-size-fits-all program that requires a dog to ignore its natural instincts and suppress its natural intelligence. These training techniques simply do not work with Chesapeakes. This does not mean that Chesapeakes won't accept punishment. As long as it is applied judiciously and with restraint when they know they have it coming, they can handle corrections. But do not punish them without justification. They have memories that would shame an elephant, a virtue when you want them to remember where several birds are located but big trouble if you want them to forgive and forget. It is a guarantee that if you punish them without justification, they will eventually get even. This usually occurs when you have the most money or bragging rights on the line. They will smile at you and then proceed to give you the canine version of a "Bronx cheer."Chesapeake breeders have resisted the temptation to breed the sort of hot-wired dogs that win field trials but are almost impossible to live with in the duck blind. Most Chessies are calm, pleasant companions in the field.So how have Chesapeakes changed in the 45 years they have occupied my home and heart? Thankfully, not much. The breed has had the good fortune of never becoming popular, which has proven to be a virtual death knell for a number of sporting breeds--cocker spaniels come immediately to mind. Although in many sporting breeds the split between "show" and "field" types is so enormous that they do not look like the same breed, this is not the case with Chesapeakes.There are many conformation champions in the breed with advanced hunt test titles because Chesapeake breeders have stubbornly preserved the best physical and mental characteristics of this unique breed. In practical terms, this means you can buy a Chesapeake pup with a string of conformation champions in its pedigree and expect it to do a decent job in the field. It is not uncommon for a Chesapeake to go directly from the marsh to the show or obedience ring and be successful in both. There have been some positive changes in the breed. Responsible breeders have made a conscientious effort to eliminate the bad-tempered dogs from the gene pool and they have, for the most part, been quite successful. There are still some Chesapeakes that honestly would have to be described as surly beasts that would love to bite you. But as someone who judged retriever hunt tests for 15 years, I can also tell you that there are Labradors and goldens who would also have to plead guilty to those charges.Indeed, the closest I ever came to being bitten as a judge was by an evil-tempered Labrador that hated the world. The only time I had to step between two dogs to stop a fight, a golden was the aggressor. As with every breed, much depends upon how a Chesapeake is raised. If you heap enough abuse on a dog, you can make the most gentle-mannered dog mean. However, it is important to not lose sight of the fact that the market hunters on Chesapeake Bay originally developed the breed. Not only were the dogs expected to make 150 to 200 retrieves a day from the rough, icy waters of the Bay, but they were expected to guard the hunter's boat and equipment at night. The old-time watermen ruthlessly culled dogs that did not meet those strict standards. As a consequence, most Chesapeakes still retain some of that guard-dog mentality.The breed also has gradually grown more amenable to training than it was 45 years ago. You could absolutely pound the snot out of my early Chesapeakes and they would shrug it off like nothing happened. This is no longer true. If you are heavy-handed with most modern Chesapeakes, they will tell you, "Fetch your own damn ducks"€¦and you have never experienced stubborn defiance until you have had a Chesapeake dig in its heels with you. The Chesapeake's personality simply will not let them surrender to physical abuse. But physical abuse will cause them to abandon their innate loyalty and desire to please you.Despite their enormous physical strength and outward hardiness, most Chesapeakes today are pretty soft dogs when it comes to training. A wise old trainer I knew who had considerable success with the breed summed up Chesapeake training very succinctly. He said, "Chesapeakes aren't so tough. You just have to persuade them that what you want them to do is their idea and you can't push them around because they will push back."The breed remains the premier waterfowl hunter's dog. No other retriever breed can handle the cold, the rough going or the vagaries of wounded waterfowl quite as well as a Chesapeake. They possess a superb coat for their work that ranges in color from the deepest chocolate to a magnificent red-gold, called "sedge" in the breed standard, to light straw, but all the acceptable colors provide camouflage in their working environment.They have outstanding marking ability and have a phenomenal ability to remember marks. They enter the coldest water with a kind of joy that is a sight to behold. I have seen Chesapeakes shrug off weather and water conditions that would send other retriever breeds running for the protection of a heated pickup cab. They are absolutely without peer when it comes to instinctively knowing where to find crippled waterfowl.Without any formal training they will dive after cripples, diving until they ultimately wear the bird down to the point where they can catch it. They seem to take the loss of a crippled bird as a personal insult. They are big enough and strong enough to go to the mat with a wing-tipped Canada goose but gentle enough to return fledgling songbirds intact and uninjured. Chesapeake breeders have avoided, for the most part, the temptation to produce the kind of hot-wired temperaments that win field trials but are nearly impossible to live with in a duck blind. Most Chesapeakes are great companions in the blind or the boat, alert and raring to go when there are birds in the air but calm and pleasant during the inevitable lulls. It is unlikely, however, that you will ever be successful in convincing them that at least half your lunch and all the meatloaf sandwiches do not belong to them. While primarily waterfowl dogs, Chesapeakes also excel at hunting upland birds. It is certainly not as much fun to hunt quail and pheasants over a Chesapeake as it is to hunt those birds over a pointing dog but in the last 10 years, my hunting partners and I have killed many more pheasants and at least as many quail over the Chessies as we have over the pointing dogs.Chesapeakes are wonderful dogs but only for people who are willing to accept them as they are. Just as you would be unlikely to create anything positive by changing a note of Mozart's or a brush stroke on the Mona Lisa or a word of Hamlet, you do not improve Chesapeakes by trying to change them into something they are not. For those folks who love and appreciate them for what they are, no changes are needed. GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing. Sign Me Up


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Man seeking owner of hidden cash found at Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility
More than $20,000 found in scrapbook at dump
He's not a rich man. A Brazilian immigrant who has been in the US for 30 years, he remembers what it was like to live paycheck to paycheck, and as a family man with a child in college, he still has to watch his pennies, our news partners at the Wellesley Townsman reported.
One of his joys is stopping by the book exchange at the Recycling and Disposal Facility when he drops off trash for his Wellesley employer.
He has built a sizable collection of old National Geographic magazines that way, and he picks up other items that catch his eye, like a 1909 scrapbook full of charming cards and other mementos of the era.
That's what he was doing on Oct. 12 – Dumpster-diving near the book shelves. He checked out some children's books, then picked up a bigger book and casually leafed through it. That's when he spotted the cash.
The book had been carefully hollowed out, and inside were stacks of cash. When he counted them, he discovered that they came not to hundreds of dollars, but thousands – more than $20,000.
Perhaps the book's owner had died or gone to a nursing home, and the family had just thrown out the books they didn't want. Perhaps the owner had somehow forgotten the money was inside. There was no way to know, because there was nothing on the outside or inside of the book that would allow the owner to be traced.
The man took the book home to Marlborough, put the money in one place and the book in another, and began thinking about what he should do next. He told his wife, but not his children.
Finally, he contacted the Townsman to tell his story. He wanted, he said, to try to find the owner of the money, but he didn't want his name printed or his face shown. He feared being overwhelmed by people trying to claim the cash.
Instead, he is asking that anyone who wants to claim the money to tell him the name of the book, the approximate amount of money stashed inside, what the hollowed out space looked like and what else was stored with the money.
If no one claims the cash over the next few months, he will probably give a portion of it to his favorite charity, and keep the rest.
Who would ever have known that he found the cash, had he had not come forward?
No one, probably. He could, he readily acknowledges, use the money. But, he says it doesn't belong to him, and he wants to do the right thing. "That's the way I was raised."
If you can identify the book and its contents, email him at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Deja Vu - From Objects to Systems to Clouds
Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 7 - 9pm
Add to Calendar
Syracuse Lecture Series
Lydia Kallipoliti, Asst. Prof. Adj. at The Cooper Union, will present her research on the history of ecological theory as exhibited on the online archive of ecological material experiments that she created, ecoredux.com. A discussion, 'Recycling the Archive,' will follow with Eva Franch i Gilabert, director of the Storefront for Art and Architecture and curator of the upcoming show 'Past-Present-Futures.'
This event will be held at NYC Studio, 171 Madison Avenue, 14th Floor.


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Everyone has their strategies for business travel, and many build theirs on the tips and advice of the wise and experienced.
Business Insider Australia spoke to eight Australian road warriors who regularly spend time in the air on the long jump to Asia and beyond for business.
It asked them for their tips on how to pack, when and what to eat, how to avoid jet lag, how to stay fresh, what they do on the plane, and how they cope when they return home.
Some had similar tactics, some are more unusual than others and many of the practical trips are simple when you know about them.
Steve Shelley
Vice president modular solutions, Emerson Network Power
HOT TIP: Train yourself to sleep on planes
I have two sets of toiletries, one in the bathroom and one in a partly-packed bag which takes me five minutes to pack.
The less fuss the better. Packing shouldn't be a big job and a business trip shouldn't take over your life.
I hardly ever pack a suit and I often don't bother with a sports jacket.
As soon as I buckle up on the plane heading from Sydney to Asia, I'm asleep within 15 minutes.
But this isn't a natural skill, falling asleep on aircraft. When I first started travelling to Asia in 1996 as a finance executive for Emerson, I would return home sleep-deprived.
My wife told me: "If you're going to be grumpy, don't bother coming home."
So the next flight, I lay back in my seat and forced myself to sleep. The trick? I thought about the many weird and wonderful things which could be invented.
And when I wake up, I do a little work for an hour or so, then read a book or watch a movie.
I now return home not quite refreshed, but certainly not grumpy.
John Mollard
Global head of mining, Baker & McKenzie
HOT TIP: Get an APEC Business Travel Card
I first started travelling to Asia in 1993 and have been travelling within Asia continuously for the last 15 years, and more recently to Africa.
Probably due to gender and the fact that a suit is required, I usually get away with a carry-on suit bag and computer case for trips of up to two weeks. This gets me off planes without a trip to the baggage carousel.
And I take enough shirts for a week, and send them to the hotel laundry if the trip is longer.
A spare toilet bag with razor and toothbrush is always ready and packed. Included are spare cuff links, which inexplicably can be easily forgotten out of the limited wardrobe a man needs.
I recommend the APEC Business Travel Card, which helps with visa requirements and immigration queues. Also take plenty of spare business cards. The yellow vaccination card is always in my computer case (this is required in most African states).
On the plane it is a combination of work, reading and movies (a rare chance to watch foreign language films), but not generally too much sleep – especially on day flights.
My tip on dealing with jet lag is to acclimatise on arrival, which typically means staying up late on the first night to force the body clock to the right time. I take the same approach when returning to Australia.
James Bunn
Chairman, TX Australia (also director of Australia-Singapore Chamber of Commerce)
HOT TIP: Take a tablet loaded with music, movies and audio books
I pack as light as possible, generally an hour or so before I depart for the airport helps me to focus. I've one medium-sized suitcase for the longer trips and the biggest carry-on possible. If I am only planning a short two-day trip I try to avoid checking in bags so that I can streamline the process on arrival. It's best to carry a change of shirt in your carry-on bag in case of accidents.
A suit is not required in Asia anymore, but at board level things can be quite traditional.
I have three strategies for staying fresh: hydrating (always water, sparkling preferred); getting some sun (much has been said about vitamin D and it works for me); and, a game-changing refreshing shower.
Jet lag is a bigger issue for me on day three but I find it is remarkable what you can overcome when stimulated by new business opportunities and cultures.
When I can't sleep I like to workout in a deserted hotel gym so 24-hour hotel facilities are important to me. If I've planned the trip well, I'm back on a plane by the time jet lag is an issue. Then it's gin, vodka or red wine … I'm just kidding. It's all about hydration, and alcohol is not a good fit.
I break the flight into three stages – work, relax and rest – and time these for the time zone I'm flying to. After take-off, it's work time and I love the liberation of no interruptions. Catching up on reading, emails, reviewing presentations. Then it could be rest, depending on the flight, sometimes sleep.
I always travel with a tablet loaded with music, movies and audio books so that I can be independent from the aircraft system unless I need to hear safety announcements.
I try to eat light on the flight itself. From experience I know that a heavy meal will weigh me down and interrupt rest. It's harder to stay fresh when you're feeling slow. The preference is salad or soup with a glass of wine, but I have been known to weaken when caviar is available.
No matter how many times I travel, it's always good to come home.
Drop the bags, hot shower and straight back into it. I tend to be fired-up and full of positive excited energy when I get home. I aim to be back in the right time-zone on the same day.
I'm only grumpy if somehow I was bumped into economy. Actually, it's probably more crumpled that grumpy, but it definitely takes more time to recover if you've travelled for eight hours in the back of the bus.
Nick Quin
Managing director, SimCorp Asia
HOT TIP: Take a three-pack of Flyhidrate
Unless I am continuing onto Europe from Asia, I will always only travel with cabin luggage. I have a fantastic North Face cabin trolley piece that, combined with a suit bag, allows me to travel with enough casual, gym, and business clothes for a working week. I keep a clear plastic toiletry bag, packed with 100ml-and-less items, permanently ready to go. I never go anywhere without my Bose Bluetooth mini-speaker. Morning tunes help with the motivation to get into the day. In Asia I always wear a suit and tie, except for Singapore where I lose the jacket, however retain the tie.
To ensure I arrive in the best possible shape, when I travel from Sydney I always buy a long haul three-pack of Flyhidrate. These provide three different drinks for various stages of the flight. Sadly, these are not available at Asian airports yet. In addition, I will always immediately change into a sleeping suit (I take a Qantas pair with me if not flying with them), whether I plan to sleep or not.
I keep a small bag of eye drops and Fess saline nasal spray for hydration, plus ear plugs and eye mask for sleep. Cutting out the constant drone of the engines by using noise cancelling headphones also makes a huge difference to how you feel after eight hours in the air.
I will always start the next day with an early gym session to get the blood moving and energise the body. When I return home overnight from Asia I never eat or drink anything other than water, and I sleep immediately, usually taking a sleeping pill to avoid the frustration of lying awake. When I return to Sydney the best method for clearing any jet lag is a swim in the ocean.
I will typically spend the first hour or two working through work tasks I specifically save up for the plane trip. Once through that, I relax into watching a movie or TV series on the iPad or laptop, while eating and enjoying a red wine or two.
Flying to Asia I will only sleep if I can't hold if off. When returning home I will take a sleeping pill to ensure I sleep all the way back, and avoid eating and drinking altogether.
In general, experience suggests the less you eat the better, as such I will typically eat in lounges before the flight. If hungry on the plane I will always avoid red meat, given the effort to digest. I will, however, consume all possible sources of chocolate, at any time. When flying with Singapore Airlines I have a standing order for vegetarian food that ensures I feel comfortably light after eating.
After several years of trial and error, (and feedback from home), my pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight routines ensure that I arrive feeling well rested, fresh and happy. If in doubt, the solution is either immediate exercise or a quick trip to the beach.
Nikki Parker
Regional director North America and Oceania, Freelancer.com
HOT TIP: Steer clear of alcohol
I have refined the way I pack and am now proud to say I pack light, although I always check in my luggage as I like to only take the bare essentials onboard with me. I pack the minimum, depending on the number of days and the type of work I am travelling for.
Dark coloured clothing in materials that don't wrinkle will make life much easier once you arrive. The age old adage of packing layers is definitely true when travelling in Asia. Multiple layers means you are never caught out due to weather or cultural sensitivities.
A suit is not always necessary and really depends on the types of meetings or events you are travelling for, although a lightweight suit is always good to have on hand.
I have been through several suitcases over the years and found they would not last me more than a few long haul trips. Last year I decided to invest in some strong, high-quality luggage which has so far been a great investment.
I always have cleansing face wipes and moisturiser on hand to keep my face feeling fresh which helps me "fake it till I make it" if I am overtired.
I often struggle to sleep on planes, but I always try to plan my day or night before flying overseas so that I begin to mimic the time zones I am flying into before jumping on the plane. I find being conscious of your flights, time zones and your regular sleep patterns before you even begin your journey makes the whole process and extensive travel feel far more manageable and helps me find my routine easier.
If I can't sleep, I don't fight it and make the most of the uninterrupted time. However, I make sure it is not all about work. I will typically start with any final prep work for the trip ahead and then settle in to watch a movie or two. I don't often find the time to watch TV or movies, so flying lets me indulge a little.
If I am hungry, I eat. It's as simple as that for me. Typically I will eat in the lounge before boarding. However, plane food seems to be improving all the time and I quite like the mystery of what is beneath the foil lid.
Recently on a flight to Asia I had a chilled coconut, which was a fantastic in-flight treat.
My trick is to load up on water. I will have at least a 1.5-litre bottle of water on a seven-hour flight and I steer clear of alcohol. Staying hydrated is the key to feeling good after a long flight. I will always have chewing gum and nuts on hand to battle any food cravings between meals.
I have always enjoyed travelling for work, but nothing beats coming home. I make sure I put clean sheets on my bed before I leave on a trip so that when I get home and I am exhausted I can get into my freshly-made bed.
When I am travelling for work, my exercise regime is often disrupted and replaced with dinners and overindulging. A long walk when I get back is an easy way to get back into my routine and prepares me for the challenge of hitting the gym again that week.
Stuart McCullough
CEO, Australian Wool Innovation
HOT TIP: Sleep when you can. Don't let jet lag torment you
Most of the trips that I make are for business, so I take no more than a small carry-on bag and a suit bag. I always travel with a two-piece suit and a jacket to every destination.
Eight times out of 10 I have little to no issue with jet lag however, every now and then it bites me and I find there are no specific tricks to overcoming it. Some say flying west is worse than flying east, and I would tend to agree. My advice would be to sleep when you can and don't let it torment you. It's usually known that if you are lagged you will wake up at plus or minus 10 minutes either side of 3am.
Long haul flights remain one of life's great freedoms. No one can bother you so sleeping, reading, watching, listening and eating all feature in no specific order.
My dietary requirements are generally red wine and red meat.
I think after an overseas trip, everyone is somewhat in a worse condition than when they departed. Life will get back to normal soon enough. Travel as part of a holiday is a completely different feeling and level of excitement.
David McGregor
Asia-Pacific leader for media, entertainment and telecommunications, Ernst & Young
HOT TIP: Take an iPad Mini and leave the laptop at home
It's stating the obvious to say that packing light is the way to go. I pack light enough that I only need to take a carry-on bag. I can quite comfortably get by for a week with only a carry-on bag.
There are a few tricks to make this work. I avoid any problems with security by making sure my toiletries are in small containers. I only take two pairs of shoes – a casual pair that I wear on the plane, and a pair of black business shoes in my bag.
I always take a suit when travelling in Asia. To save space I put the suit jacket on double duty as a sports coat when I need to go smart casual, and also on the plane.
I leave my laptop at home and rely on my iPad Mini for clearing emails and work-related reading. Not bringing a computer helps me get through security faster and saves a lot of space and weight.
I have a fairly standard routine when travelling. I prefer the overnight flights up to Asia. To gain some flexibility I like to have a good meal in the lounge prior to boarding. This means that if I feel like sleeping right away I don't need to worry about missing out on the meal service.
In my experience jet lag is not a huge factor when travelling to Asia from Australia due to the small differences in time zones. You are only two or three hours out of sync and the body handles this pretty well.
Routine is important for me so I try not to upset my normal routines too much and let my body clock guide me.
When I need to get some work done on the plane I try to get stuck into it in the first couple of hours of the flight. This allows me to get it out of the way before relaxing and switching off to refresh before the inevitably busy day of client meetings on arrival.
I focus on making sure that I am on top of the key themes and issues that are likely to come up in those meetings. EY has an excellent Insights App that has all the latest thought leadership coming out of the firm and I access this from my iPad. I also use the iPad to pass some hours in the lounge, listening to Cold Chisel and watching Scottish Premier League highlights on YouTube.
My top tip when travelling is to tap into your local networks at your destination. I rely on my Asia-based colleagues and the clients that I'm meeting for recommendations about what to see and what to eat.
Part of what makes travelling for work enjoyable for me is getting to enjoy some of the local culture and the local delicacies. Recently I was in Vietnam and the local team was fantastic at knowing exactly where to go to experience the best the area had to offer.
I always try to learn about the culture wherever I travel and I try to build that into my trips when I can. The easiest time to get out and about to experience some of the local sights is usually early in the morning. I'm not a big fan of sitting inside Western-style hotels eating Western-style food. I like to get a feel for what's around me.
Coming back, I go straight into my home routines. For example, after my last two trips I've come off the plane and gone straight to my kid's soccer coaching. Hand luggage and the e-passport means that you can get off the plane and into the car very quickly these days.
Business travellers are sacrificing time with their families for their work so there's no point wasting any time once back on home ground. The quicker I can get back into my family responsibilities, the better.
Andrew Simpson
National product marketing manager, Toshiba
HOT TIP: A beach swim is an instant cure for jet lag
Most of my trips to Asia (such as Tokyo and Shanghai) are usually for the same duration (five or so days) so I pack pretty much the same things each time. The only thing that is permanently packed is my travel toiletries bag. Try to keep it light.
I usually pack one suit but occasionally two suits. A different business shirt for each day. If it is winter I will also throw in an overcoat. I will also have gym gear, one pair of board shorts, then the usual toiletries.
I try to sleep on planes. However, it doesn't always work. I always find the gym when I get to the hotel and do a half-hour gym session. That seems to help.
On the flight, I normally watch a movie then try to rest for a bit. Sometimes I might use the time to finalise and/or run through a presentation.
With food, I actually try to make sure I try something new each trip. However, I always ask the locals for recommendations and certainly stay away from foods that could be harmful to my health.
On coming home, a swim at the beach is an instant cure for jet lag.


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Use this PLR article spinning software for free for 5 days and start creating as much unique content as you need. You can keep all the unique articles you create whether you buy it or not.Read full article
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Please contact us at email@example.com
Please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Microsoft® Project 2016 course is designed to familiarize participants to create a project plan such as working with tasks, making adjustments to tasks, outlining tasks, working with views, assigning cost and resources and assigning baselines so you can use it effectively and efficiently in a real-world environment.
Participants will then able to manage the project with skills learn such as working with calendars, adjusting resources, working with the critical path, using The Team Planner. Finally, participants will be able to execute the plan with skills such as progress tracking, evaluating and distributing data.
Lesson 1: Getting Started with Microsoft Project
Identify Project Management Concepts
Navigate the Microsoft Project 2016 Environment
Lesson 2: Defining a Project
Lesson 3: Creating and Organizing Tasks
Lesson 4: Managing Project Plan Resources
Lesson 5: Finalizing a Project Plan
Lesson 6: Executing a Project
Lesson 7: Monitoring Project Progress
Lesson 8: Controlling a Project Plan
Lesson 9: Reporting on Progress
Lesson 10: Customizing the Application
In this course, you will learn to create and engage in project using Microsoft Project Professional 2016
You will:
This course is designed for anyone who deals with the project and understands the project management concepts and who is responsible for creating and maintaining project plans. The course will give the student a fundamental as well as an advanced understanding of Microsoft Project 2016 necessary to create and save project plans, update a project plan in Project 2016 during the execution, monitoring, and controlling phases of a project.
1. Why need to learn MICROSOFT® PROJECT 2013?
2. Who need to do this course?
3. What is the span of the exam?
4. What are the concentration territories of this exam?
5. What are the prerequisites to be gotten before applying for the certification?
6. Will I get the MICROSOFT® PROJECT 2013 certificate after completing this MICROSOFT® PROJECT 2013 certification training course?
7. Is exam expense incorporated into the course charge?
8. What does the training program offer?
9. How will be the practical done?
10. Where to find more resources about MICROSOFT® PROJECT 2013?
We are suggesting few links. Although there are many resources available online:
11. Why Skopoz?
12. Do I get a receipt or confirmation for the payment made?
13. Does the course fee include the examination fee as well?
14. Are the certification exams papers based or online?
15. Can I take the training now and give exam later point of the time?
16. Do I get a copy of the participation certificate by post or by email?
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Change city
Microsoft® Project 2016 Training in Jeddah


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Fine and Performing Arts
The Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Morgan State University is a vibrant and exciting part of the College of Liberal Arts. Located in the Carl J. Murphy Center Fine Arts Center, classes and performances take place in this state-of-the art facility. Performance spaces include the Gilliam Concert Hall, Turpin-Lamb Theater, Recital Hall and the Outdoor Amphitheater. This facility also houses the James E. Lewis Museum of Art in which faculty and student, as well as guest artists, works are displayed. Please take a closer look at what the Fine and Performing Arts Department at Morgan State University has to offer you!
Contact Us:
Department of Fine and Performing Arts-Music Area
1700 E. Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore, MD 21251


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FFADO 2.0 Release Candidate 1 (1.999.40) available
The FFADO team is proud to announce the first release candidate for FFADO 2.0.
This release candidat is intended to collect feedback about the library under wide-spread usage. The code should be free of major bugs. It is recommended that you have a basic amount of experience with Linux and with building software before you try to install this.
We are looking for packagers that are interested in creating packages for their favourite distro.
An elaborate changelog can be found below.
Please review this package thoroughly in order to spot potential problems. Feedback on distribution aspects and documentation is also welcome.
This release provides the libffado shared library that provides a unified programming interface to configure and use all supported devices. Currently this library is used by the 'firewire' backend of the jack audio connection kit sound server (http://jackaudio.org). This backend provides audio and midi support, and is available both in jackd and it's multiprocessor variant jackdmp. (note: At the moment there is no support for ALSA nor for pulseaudio.)
Access to the device internal configuration (e,g, internal mixer) is exposed using the ffado-dbus-server daemon. This daemon exposes the configurable parameters of all detected devices through DBUS. The ffadomixer application in support/mixer presents a basic GUI to control these parameters (only for officially supported devices).
- 24-bit audio input/output (unlimited number of channels)
- supports for all sample rates a device supports
- MIDI input/output (unlimited number of channels)
- Support for S/PDIF and ADAT/SMUX I/O
- Support for external sync (e.g. Wordclock)
- Internal mixer and device control support for all officially supported
devices (NOTE: no support for internal effects DSP)
- Support for device aggregation (limited to devices on the same bus that are synced externally)
Usage feedback
This release introduces an option where you can identify your device as being used on Linux with FFADO. You will be asked whether you want to submit your device information to ffado.org. The reason this feature is present is to convince the supportive vendors that their cooperation pays off, and to convince the other vendors that Linux users are a market. A secondary advantage is that we can keep track of what versions are used by how many people.
Therefore we would like to ask everyone to perform this registration. No personal data is transmitted (except for an optional email address). The IP address of the submitter is saved to help recovery in case the database is bombed with bogus data. However the address is first processed by one-way MD5 hashing it, such that it is not recoverable and privacy is secured. This usage information is of enormous importance for future device support. The aggregated statistics are available here: http://www.ffado.org/?q=usage.
Beta7 => RC1
- Various packaging improvements and fixes.
- Install both the qt3 and the qt4 mixer when the needed tools are available.
- Add ffado-diag to the installed tools
- Disable the nickname control for devices that don't support it
- Various QT4 mixer improvements
- Increase efficiency while streaming
- Fix some CTR wraparound bugs
- Fix bebob fallback discovery
- Fix AV/C based sync source selection
- Fix Saffire Pro sync source selection
- Fix Saffire Pro and Saffire (LE) samplerate selection
- Fix jack freewheeling bug
- Add workaround for Edirol FA-101 firmware race condition
Beta6 => Beta7
- General code cleanup
- Improve mixers of various devices (especially the MOTU and Edirol mixers)
- Port mixers to QT4 for better usability (QT3 mixers still work but are deprecated)
- Implement support for ECHO session blocks
- Fix Focusrite Saffire Pro clock source selection
- Implement configuration file mechanism to ease run-time configuration
- Improve the behavior when confronted with dying iso transmit handlers
- Reset transmit buffer rate DLL on XRUN.
- Improve bus reset handling
- Improve reliability of ISO streaming on various host controllers
- Fix discovery issues with DM1x00 based devices (especially Edirol devices)
- Remove the dependency on libavc1394 by implementing our own FCP transaction support
- Fix float to int conversion dynamic range bug in the AMDTP StreamProcessor
Beta5 => Beta6
- implement discovery fallback (tries generic support when encountering an unsupported device)
- fix gcc-4.3 compilation issues
- take CC and CXX from the environment if defined there
- implement separate mixer for Phase X24 and Phase 24
- fix saffire mixer
- fix cache issues
- fix clock source segfault
- fix ffadomixer python 2.4 compatibility
- use FocusRite vendor-specific clock selection for the Saffire PRO devices
Beta4 => Beta5
- fix BeBoB flooding issues
- numerous mixer improvements
- fix threading issues
- remove all unused code
- fix clocksource selection bugs
- fix 64bit compilation issue
- improve library behavior in error situations
- improve shutdown of MOTU interfaces
- make dbus server handle busresets cleanly
Beta3 => Beta4
- fix bugs in BeBoB caching code
- extend Saffire PRO26 mixer
- various mixer improvements
- switch back to BeBoB discovery code for FA-101
Beta2 => Beta3
- fix memory corruption bug in saffire LE mixer code
- various debugging code improvements
- create config save directory if not present.
- change registration window looks.
- various MOTU mixer improvements
- workaround MOTU not setting a vendor/model name
- one window for all mixers, tabbed.
- fix CTR reconstruction bug
- Add a generic part for each mixer controlling the nickname and the clocksource.
- Rework/resort the initialization of mixer-widgets...
- fix issues in timestamp usage
- re-enable late transmission
- switched off all extended debugging features by default
Beta1 => Beta2
- Correct issues in the README file
- Remove unneeded ALSA dependency
- Several mixer improvements
- Implement usage statistics gathering
Building and Installing
Please refer to the README document in the package. Not doing so means taking a risk ;).
Binary Packages
This beta release is available through our APT repository.


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We know that nobody is perfect — the evidence is all around us. It's not hard to notice faults anderrors in other people. But we are often less eager to admit our own faults, our own mistakes.
Editor's note: "The Spoken Word" is shared by Lloyd Newell each Sunday during the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast.
We know that nobody is perfect — the evidence is all around us. It's not hard to notice faults and errors in other people. But we are often less eager to admit our own faults, our own mistakes. It's sometimes embarrassing, uncomfortable, even risky. Will others think less of us if we confess to being wrong?
A student once approached his teacher after class to dispute the low score he had received on an essay. Instead of brushing him off, the teacher read the essay again carefully and realized she had undervalued his work — she had made a mistake. After correcting his grade, she not only felt better about herself but made a lasting impression on the student. Rather than resenting her mistake or losing confidence in her abilities, he gained new respect for a teacher who was willing to take responsibility for her errors.
Admitting mistakes is not shameful. It simply means we are learning — that we are now wiser than we were before. Everyone who has achieved anything meaningful — great inventors, scientists, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs — experienced many failures on the path to success. But those failures are only beneficial if we're willing to accept them as such.
Those who are too proud to acknowledge their own imperfections are fooling themselves — and usually nobody else. They are inventing an image that blocks their view of the road to improvement. And they miss the peace that comes from living with honesty — which always means living with imperfection.
When someone admits a mistake, we feel a rush of admiration. We also feel safe acknowledging our own shortcomings and confident that we too can improve. Imagine the effect on a child who learns from observing a parent that when we make mistakes, we own up to them, and we do better next time. How much better that is than pretending that we never make mistakes.
It isn't until we accept that we are all works in progress that we actually do make progress. It's a beautiful paradox that we cannot move forward until we admit that we've been moving backward. Owning our weakness is, in reality, perhaps the best way to show strength.


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The prospect of lower oil revenues in 2013 could see the Saudi government pull back on spending growth.
Saudi policy makers can look forward to a promising year ahead, with only a few clouds to unsettle a generally rosy economic outlook. Age and ill-health issues affecting the senior leadership, and the ensuing uncertainties over the future line of succession (see also page 44), are one clear challenge that will have to be addressed; the likely lowering of the kingdom's average oil production is another, as this is likely to force a scaling back of gross domestic product (GDP) growth performance in 2013.
The ill-health said to be plaguing King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, Salman ibn Abdulaziz, is said to be causing concern at senior level, particularly in light of the deaths of two senior princes – former Crown Princes Sultan and Nayef – within the space of a year. Says one commentator, recently in the kingdom: "We have lost two of the top four men in the past year and people are now a lot more focused on the generational shift. It is commanding more attention and obviously any uncertainty there would have an impact on the economy."
On the positive side of the balance sheet, oil prices continue to be supportive of economic activity – unsurprising in the context of an economy where the oil sector still dominates. The latest economic data reveals some impressive growth statistics. In real terms, the Saudi economy grew nearly six per cent in the third quarter of 2012 over the same period in 2011. Though slightly below the 7.1 per cent average seen in full-year 2011, it is impressive nonetheless, especially when compared to the anaemic figures seen in the European economies.
Domestic demand is buoyant, as shown by the latest Saudi British Bank (SABB) Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data for the month of November, which reveals that new orders continue to expand on the back of investment in education and health infrastructure, utilities, oil, gas and petrochemicals sectors.
SABB's PMI data says the Saudi non-oil producing private sector continued to report strong growth in output and new orders in November with more than one in four respondents reporting an increase in production. The bank suggests one of the main reasons behind the rise was higher volumes of new orders. Export orders for Saudi companies have remained high thanks to increased Chinese demand for Saudi petrochemicals, which are also now more competitively priced thanks to favourable exchange rate developments.
The private sector has become a more vibrant determinant of overall growth, emerging as the main growth driver in the second quarter of 2012, contributing 3.2 percentage points. In 2011 the private sector grew at 8.5 per cent, with the construction and manufacturing sectors contributing the largest increase.
According to Saudi-based Jadwa Investment, private sector growth remains robust supported by public sector investment, strong domestic demand and rising bank lending.
However, government spending is still the underlying engine of growth and will remain so, says James Reeve, deputy chief economist at Samba Financial Group. "The private sector has reasonable momentum for 2013 (though new orders are perhaps beginning to soften) but the domestic environment might become a bit more challenging in 2014-15 when we expect the government to rein in expenditure more markedly. However, I expect the external environment – basically China's demand for petrochemicals – to remain supportive."
Another near-term boost to consumption will arrive in 2013 with an extra month's salary set to be paid. Samba also sees large infrastructure projects, such as the Riyadh metro, along with ongoing investments in the oil, gas, refining and minerals sectors, as underpinning the vital contracting sector.
Domestic demand will benefit from government labour market reforms and the minimum wage. Fahad Alturki, head of research at Jadwa Investment, says: "Labour changes are going to create jobs for Saudis and increase their incomes and this will support domestic consumption."
Private sector lending by Saudi banks, which has picked up from the end of 2011, will help support growth. "Year-to-date lending growth is about 15 per cent year-on-year and that is likely to stay given the liquidity and given the strong fundamentals in the domestic market. Rising credit to the private sector is going to support both private sector as well as domestic demand," says Alturki.
Despite healthier private sector growth, the government is unlikely to become a weaker force in the economy for the simple reason that government spending is the main source of private sector expansion – especially if state oil company Saudi Aramco and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), the two largest corporates in the kingdom – are regarded as the public sector.
"We think government spending growth will ease fairly sharply in 2013-15, and will actually be cut in 2015," says Reeve. "The fiscal outlook is a lot more nuanced than say five years ago: government spending is now running at about 80 per cent of non-oil GDP (up from about 50 per cent in 2002). This leaves the government vulnerable to even a moderate sustained reduction of oil prices. The government is aware of this and I think will act to put the brakes on spending growth," says Reeve.
The consensus is that government spending growth will be softer than in recent years, though most observers say the government will broadly maintain the expansionary fiscal policy seen since 2008. Budgetary revenues are predicated to contract to SR1096 billion in 2013, down from SR1189 billion in 2012. Jadwa sees spending rising by just over SR50 billion to SR897 billion, leaving a fiscal surplus equivalent to eight per cent of GDP – lower than the 14 per cent level expected for 2012.
There are compelling demographic reasons for the government to sustain spending, with an annual population growth rate at 3.4 per cent and stresses on existing infrastructure that is at bursting point in key areas.
"It's more important to look at the budgeted level of spending than the change in spending. Government spending is very high and will remain the main driver of the economy in 2013." says Paul Gamble, an analyst at Fitch Ratings.
Reform efforts in recent years have succeeded in reducing the linkage between the oil price and the level of fiscal spending, and progress has been made on diversifying the economy, notes the IMF approvingly in an assessment of Saudi Arabia published last September. The decline in the link between fiscal spending and oil revenues has yielded significantly lower volatility in fiscal spending.
While oil production will remain the engine of growth, rising Iraqi and US production and demand worries related to weak economies in the West is likely to see reduced output for the kingdom in 2013.
The latest figures show that Saudi Arabia pumped 9.5 million barrels per day (b/d) in November 2012, well down on the 30-year peak of 10.1 million b/d seen in June 2012. Most analysts see production in 2013 averaging around 9.5 to 9.7 million b/d.
Samba expects overall GDP growth is set to fall to 3.9 per cent in 2013 from an estimated 5.7 per cent in 2012, largely reflecting the cut to oil production. Lower oil production will offset the healthy growth in the non-oil sector of five to six per cent.
"We think that oil output will be cut by about three per cent in 2013. Gas output will continue to expand, but overall real hydrocarbons GDP is likely to contract by around two per cent. We think that the non-oil sector will expand by about 5.8 per cent next year, but the topline GDP growth figure will probably ease to around 3.8 per cent," says Reeve.
Lower oil prices will also persuade the authorities to dampen production. However, there may be factors that will push up prices, such as stronger growth in emerging markets.
"Non-OECD growth will keep global oil demand positive and Saudi Arabia is likely to keep oil production relatively higher than in 2011, but of course it's going to be lower than in 2012," says Jadwa Investment's Alturki.
The IMF is urging the authorities to pursue targeted investment alongside labour market reforms in order to facilitate a more dynamic private sector and stimulate job creation for nationals outside of the public sector. Training and skill-acquisition programmes will take centre stage, with the key measures such as the jobseekers' allowance (Hafiz) and the refined version of Saudisation, Nitaaqat, aimed at increasing the number of Saudi nationals in the private sector. The government hopes progress will be made through 2013 in boosting jobs.
The mortgage law, finally passed by the Council of Ministers in July 2012, is also likely to come into full effect in 2013 and provide support to the real estate markets. According to Standard Chartered Bank, the law will provide consumers with purchasing power that did not previously exist, in a market that is racing to build the housing stock needed for an estimated five million Saudis who will be entering the work force between now and 2025.
The government has broken ground on a project to build 1.25 million new homes by 2014, making $4 billion available to undertake the project. However it may be too early to factor in a substantial economic bounty just yet. "The mortgage law needs to be tested, particularly the foreclosure process. Until then, the law is not going to have a huge economic impact, but I'm sure companies are gearing up for it," says Gamble.
Overall, there appear to be few noxious economic surprises in store for the kingdom. Stronger progress on employment generation is perhaps the most pressing issue facing the government, but the kingdom's fundamentals remain generally sound, and sustained non-oil growth, precipitated by the greater willingness of banks to lend to the private sector, is an added bonus as the kingdom attempts to diversify its still hydrocarbons-dominated economy.


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The Print Arcade
AUSTRALIAN SURF POSTER: Vintage Beach Travel Advert
Regular price £ 6.00
A beautiful travel poster from the last century, this reproduction is printed on premium 200gsm satin photographic poster paper. Choose from the following sizes:
A4 size (210mm x 297mm / 8.3" x 11.7")
Fits in A4 picture frame, or mounted in 11" x 14" frame
A3 size (297mm x 420mm / 11.7" x 16.5")
Fits in A3 picture frame, or mounted in 14" x 20" frame, as pictured
- LARGE A2+ size (432mm x 610mm / 17" x 24")
- X-LARGE A1+ size (594mm x 840mm / 24" x 34")
FREE gift with all orders
We are delighted to enclose a free A4 size poster of 'San Francisco' (pictured), one per order. It is printed on lighter 120gsm silk paper stock.
Please note that the frame pictured is NOT included in the sale, it is for illustrative purposes only.


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Prayer, love and compassion are key components in the Jesus Calls ministry. All the endeavors of Jesus Calls portray these major dynamics. The uniqueness of this Global Ministry is that Dr. Paul Dhinakaran and his entire family minister together to various people groups without regard to nationality, ethnicity or socio-economic status. As a result, Jesus Calls necessitates a multi-faceted approach to ministry that extends to men, women, young people, children, the poor and needy, as well as all the partners and donors of the ministry.
Mass evangelistic events are held in the form of Prayer Festivals to pray for the needs of the people as God wipes away their tears and turns it into joy with his loving and healing presence.
Prayer Towers
Prayer Towers are a place of refuge to many around the world as the Jesus Calls intercessors cry out to God for the blessings and miracles on behalf of those who walk in, call or write to the ministry.
Esther Prayer Group
The Esther Prayer Group women's ministry is a global army of faith-filled women carrying the torch of prayer for their families, their society and for the nations of the world.
UTurn Youth Ministry
The youth ministry UTurn led by Samuel, Sharon and Stella captures the tremendous passion of our Christian faith in India and abroad.


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I speak on social media at several conferences throughout the year and have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to booths. Some have interactive TV displays and are buzzing with people while others are nothing more than a generic tablecloth and sterile white sign stating the company name.
The same holds true when it comes to LinkedIn profiles. Think of LinkedIn like a giant tradeshow with thousands of prospects. What does your booth look like? Is your logo and company brand clearly displayed? Do you offer information on your services? Are you talking to people?
In this blog I am going to go over four common LinkedIn mistakes that can seriously injure your chances of landing the leads you want. When it comes to financial advice you are competing for the attention of clients. Make sure you stand out from the competition and are not sitting in the corner, fiddling with your iPhone and not talking to anyone.
MISTAKE #1: Incomplete Profile
Having an incomplete profile can almost be worse than having no profile at all. An updated profile is crucial when trying to appeal to people. Not only should your previous work experience be listed, but your current position, contact info and website should also be included. When people visit your LinkedIn profile they are interested in learning about you. This is your one shot at leaving an impactful impression — so make it a good one.
MISTAKE #2: No Company Page
Creating your own LinkedIn company page gives more exposure and visibility to your business, products or services. If you haven't created a LinkedIn Company Page, now is the time to do so. LinkedIn makes it easy for people to find, follow and engage with your Company Page. Have a good look at your company page… is it really a true reflection of your business? Don't overlook the power of LinkedIn Company pages at they are a great tool to improve your company's online presence and showcase your services.
MISTAKE #3: Not Utilizing Groups Joining
Participating in LinkedIn Groups will grow your network, increase your reach and even create more leads. Search for groups in your field and in your general location for the utmost targeted results and remember, it's great to network with people who are like-minded, but you are also looking for clients. Join groups of people who share your interests. The members of those groups need financial advisors, too!
MISTAKE #4: Not Talking
Don't set up your profile and abandon it in hopes that people will reach out to you. Despite what some people believe, just because you build it doesn't mean that people will come, and if they do show up and you aren't interacting, they certainly won't return. Keep a presence on LinkedIn and make sure that you post regular status updates. Comment on other people's activity and participate in group discussions. Use LinkedIn to position yourself as a thought leader and stay top of mind for clients and prospects when those critical money in motion events occur.
Did we leave any tips out? Let us know if you have other general LinkedIn rules and feel free to reach out to me and connect!