Thursday, January 31, 2013

Google Science Fair 2013 kicks off, uses Hangouts to help inventive teens (video)

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The Google Science Fair began in 2011 as a way to spur a love of science among teens and, just possibly, spark a few breakthroughs for science as a whole. It's back for a third year, and there's big improvements to both the competition's technology and rewards. The 2013 Fair will have Google+ Hangouts on Air for help and motivation, as well as to introduce us to the 15 finalists during the vote for a public-chosen award in August. The early talks will include Segway pioneer Dean Kamen and sea explorer Fabien Cousteau, among others. Finalists once again get prizes from Google itself, Lego, National Geographic and Scientific American, but there's extra bonuses this year for the grand prize winner: along with the $50,000 scholarship, Galapagos Islands trip and other individual gifts, the winner's school will get both $10,000 and a Hangout session with CERN. Young inventors have until the end of April 30th to submit their projects, and we'll learn about the very cream of the crop on September 23rd.


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Via: Google Official Blog

Source: Google Science Fair

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/30/google-science-fair-2013-kicks-off/

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Public Speaking Marketing - No Pitch Webinars - Great Public ...

We love webinars. Public speakers and other small business people love doing them and people love watching them. Why? Because they are visually interesting and dynamic. The marriage of an audio presentation and powerpoint presentation brings the live seminar feel to the small screen.

Most of us have seen a webinar or two. They usually start out with good, high-value content and then lead to a pitch for a product or training at the end. Most people know the pitch is coming and put up a wall of sales resistance in their minds. Proper content and clever sales closes help relieve the resistance and open them up to buy.

A?'no pitch' webinar is a bit different. The presenter states up front that there will be no pitch for a product; no selling at all, just good content. At the end of the webinar, the presenter offers the audience a chance to ask questions, leave comments or state their challenges with implementing the lessons that were taught in the webinar. They can do that via a web form that the presenter asks them them to go visit. There, the form will ask for their name, email and phone number, plus a form where they can write their questions or concerns.

Being able to personally chat one-on-one with a prospect can lead to a big sale. There are no distractions of a webinar taking place, no sales resistance. You're 'helping' them with a problem in an email or phone call and then prompting them to work with you while they are captive. This works great with more expensive training such as a mentorship program, where you need the one-on-one interaction between just you and your client. Learn other great tips from professional speakers...

Source: http://greatpublicspeaking.blogspot.com/2013/01/public-speaking-marketing-no-pitch.html

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UK unveils ?159 billion defence equipment plan, but doubts remain

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain published on Thursday a 159-billion-pound long-term defence equipment spending plan, a move aimed at reversing decades of mismanagement but which drew only qualified praise from experts.

The plan covers spending from 2012 to 2022, the first time the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has outlined defence equipment spending over such a long period, reflecting the gestation time of major military projects.

Equipment covered in the plan contained no surprises, having been outlined in the MoD's last major planning exercise, the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), which charted a course for British security needs by 2020.

British arms firm BAE Systems, Europe's largest defence contractor, is behind most of the large projects outlined in the plan, including submarines, ships, aircraft carriers and the Typhoon fighter jet.

The MoD has for years been criticised by spending watchdogs for over-optimistic cost and time forecasts for equipment projects, a matter that has grown in importance as Britain slashes spending to fix a budget deficit.

The spending plan includes a 4.8 billion pound contingency allowance to manage unexpected cost increases, as well as an unallocated 8 billion pounds for future equipment needs.

"Step by step, we are clearing up years of mismanagement under the last government by ending the culture of over-promising and under-delivering," Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, a Conservative, said in a statement, referring to the opposition Labour party.

Labour labelled Hammond "hubristic" and said his claims to have balanced the defence budget were "wild".

The MoD said the spending plan addresses what had been estimated to have been a 74 billion pound equipment funding gap, and that it had received the backing of the National Audit Office (NAO), parliament's spending watchdog.

OVER-OPTIMISM

However, the NAO said in a report reviewing the MoD's spending plan that while the ministry was approaching defence spending on a "more prudent basis" and had "taken significant positive steps", uncertainty remained.

"There is systemic over-optimism inherent in the department's assumptions around the costing of risk and uncertainty .... which may not be sufficiently mitigated by the contingency provision," the NAO said.

It stressed that its assessment of the spending forecast only took into account equipment procurement and not equipment support costs, which at 86 billion pounds makes up more than half of the spending plan.

The NAO also said the plan was "unlikely to be realistic" without a comprehensive analysis of risks and uncertainties.

John Louth, director for defence, industries and society at the Royal United Services Institute defence thinktank in London, said the MoD's plan lacked detail and was vulnerable to shocks.

"Whilst they should be applauded for publishing a 10-year plan, the information we have is very thin. It doesn't really talk about any accounting assumptions or anything that gives an understanding of how the numbers were generated," he said.

"If you have a 10-year forecast, you're making an awful lot of assumptions over how the world will be over that 10-year period .... We haven't been able to forecast any of the operations we've been involved with," he added.

An MoD spokesman said future "wider economic conditions" could have an impact on the plan, as well as another SDSR planned for 2015.

PROJECTS COVERED

The major defence equipment projects covered in the MoD spending plan are:

* 35.8 billion pounds on seven BAE-built Astute-class submarines and developing a replacement for the four Vanguard-class submarines used for Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent.

* 18.5 billion pounds on fighter jets, and UAVs, or drones, including the Joint Strike Fighter built by U.S. firm Lockheed Martin Corp, of which Britain has so far committed to buy 48, and the Typhoon, built by a consortium of BAE, Italy's Finmeccanica and European aerospace group EADS, of which Britain has ordered 160.

* 17.4 billion pounds on two aircraft carriers, six new Type 45 destroyers and the development of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship, all built by BAE.

* 13.9 billion pounds on air-to-air refuelling, passenger and heavy lift capability by leasing Airbus aircraft through the EADS-led AirTanker consortium.

* 12.3 billion pounds on armoured fighting vehicles, including the Scout - built by General Dynamics - and the Warrior, built by GKN.

* 12.1 billion pounds on helicopters, including the Boeing-built Chinook and Apache, and the AgustaWestland-built Wildcat.

* 11.4 billion pounds on assorted missiles, torpedoes and bombs.

(Editing by Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-unveils-159-billion-defence-equipment-plan-doubts-001750291--sector.html

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Obama Lays Out Key Principles For Immigration Reform | TPM ...

President Obama laid out a list of key principles that he wants to see in a comprehensive immigration reform bill, during a speech in Las Vegas, Nev., Tuesday.

Continuing to Strengthen Border Security

????????? Strengthen border security and infrastructure.? The President?s proposal strengthens and improves infrastructure at ports of entry, facilitates public-private partnerships aimed at increasing investment in foreign visitor processing, and continues supporting the use of technologies that help to secure the land and maritime borders of the United States.

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????????? Combat transnational crime.? The President?s proposal creates new criminal penalties dedicated to combating transnational criminal organizations that traffic in drugs, weapons, and money, and that smuggle people across the borders.? It also expands the scope of current law to allow for the forfeiture of these organizations? criminal tools and proceeds.? Through this approach, we will bolster our efforts to deprive criminal enterprises, including those operating along the Southwest border, of their infrastructure and profits.

????????? Improve partnerships with border communities and law enforcement.? The President?s proposal expands our ability to work with our cross-border law enforcement partners.? Community trust and cooperation are keys to effective law enforcement. To this end, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will establish border community liaisons along the Southern and Northern borders to improve communication and collaboration with border communities, boost funding to tribal government partners to reduce illegal activity on tribal lands, and strengthen training on civil rights and civil liberties for DHS immigration officers.?

????????? Crack down on criminal networks engaging in passport and visa fraud and human smuggling. The President?s proposal creates tough criminal penalties for trafficking in passports and immigration documents and schemes to defraud, including those who prey on vulnerable immigrants through notario fraud. It also strengthens penalties to combat human smuggling rings.

????????? Deporting Criminals. The President?s proposal expands smart enforcement efforts that target convicted criminals in federal or state correctional facilities, allowing us to remove them from the United States at the end of their sentences without re-entering our communities. At the same time, it protects those with a credible fear of returning to their home countries.??

????????? Streamline removal of nonimmigrant national security and public safety threats.? The President?s proposal creates a streamlined administrative removal process for people who overstay their visas and have been determined to be threats to national security and public safety.

????????? Improve our nation?s immigration courts.? The President?s proposal invests in our immigration courts. By increasing the number of immigration judges and their staff, investing in training for court personnel, and improving access to legal information for immigrants, these reforms will improve court efficiency.? It allows DHS to better focus its detention resources on public safety and national security threats by expanding alternatives to detention and reducing overall detention costs.? It also provides greater protections for those least able to represent themselves.

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Cracking Down on Employers Who Hire Undocumented Workers

????????? Mandatory, phased-in electronic employment verification. The President?s proposal provides tools for employers to ensure a legal workforce by using federal government databases to verify that the people they hire are eligible to work in the United States.? Penalties for hiring undocumented workers are significantly increased, and new penalties are established for committing fraud and identity theft.? The new mandatory program ensures the privacy and confidentiality of all workers? personal information and includes important procedural protections.? Mandatory electronic employment verification would be phased in over five years with exemptions for certain small businesses.

????????? Combat fraud and identity theft.? The proposal also mandates a fraud?resistant, tamper?resistant Social Security card and requires workers to use fraud?and tamper?resistant documents to prove authorization to work in the United States. The proposal also seeks to establish a voluntary pilot program to evaluate new methods to authenticate identity and combat identity theft.?

????????? Protections for all workers. The President?s proposal protects workers against retaliation for exercising their labor rights.? It increases the penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers to skirt the workplace standards that protect all workers.? And it creates a ?labor law enforcement fund? to help ensure that industries that employ significant numbers of immigrant workers comply with labor laws.

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Pathway to Earned Citizenship

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????????? Create a provisional legal status.? Undocumented immigrants must come forward and register, submit biometric data, pass criminal background and national security checks, and pay fees and penalties before they will be eligible for a provisional legal status.? Agricultural workers and those who entered the United States as children would be eligible for the same program.? Individuals must wait until the existing legal immigration backlogs are cleared before getting in line to apply for lawful permanent residency (i.e. a ?green card?), and ultimately United States citizenship. Consistent with current law, people with provisional legal status will not be eligible for welfare or other federal benefits, including subsidies or tax credits under the new health care law.

????????? Create strict requirements to qualify for lawful permanent resident status.? Those applying for green cards must pay their taxes, pass additional criminal background and national security checks, register for Selective Service (where applicable), pay additional fees and penalties, and learn English and U.S. civics.? As under current law, five years after receiving a green card, individuals will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship like every other legal permanent resident.

????????? Earned citizenship for DREAMers. Children brought here illegally through no fault of their own by their parents will be eligible for earned citizenship.? By going to college or serving honorably in the Armed Forces for at least two years, these children should be given an expedited opportunity to earn their citizenship.? The President?s proposal brings these undocumented immigrants out of the shadows.

????????? Create administrative and judicial review. An individual whose provisional lawful status has been revoked or denied, or whose application for adjustment has been denied, will have the opportunity to seek administrative and judicial review of those decisions.??

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????????? Provide new resources to combat fraud. The President?s proposal authorizes funding to enable DHS, the Department of State, and other relevant federal agencies to establish fraud prevention programs that will provide training for adjudicators, allow regular audits of applications to identify patterns of fraud and abuse, and incorporate other proven fraud prevention measures.

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Streamlining Legal Immigration

????????? Keep Families Together. The proposal seeks to eliminate existing backlogs in the family-sponsored immigration system by recapturing unused visas and temporarily increasing annual visa numbers.? The proposal also raises existing annual country caps from 7 percent to 15 percent for the family-sponsored immigration system.?? It also treats same-sex families as families by giving U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents the ability to seek a visa on the basis of a permanent relationship with a same-sex partner. The proposal also revises current unlawful presence bars and provides broader discretion to waive bars in cases of hardship.

????????? Cut Red Tape for Employers.? The proposal also eliminates the backlog for employment-sponsored immigration by eliminating annual country caps and adding additional visas to the system.? Outdated legal immigration programs are reformed to meet current and future demands by exempting certain categories from annual visa limitations.

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????????? Enhance travel and tourism.? The Administration is committed to increasing U.S. travel and tourism by facilitating legitimate travel while maintaining our nation?s security.? Consistent with the President?s Executive Order on travel and tourism, the President?s proposal securely streamlines visa and foreign visitor processing.? It also strengthens law enforcement cooperation while maintaining the program?s robust counterterrorism and criminal information sharing initiatives.? It facilitates more efficient travel by allowing greater flexibility to designate countries for participation in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens of designated countries to visit the United States without obtaining a visa. ?And finally it permits the State Department to waive interview requirements for certain very low-risk visa applicants, permitting resources to be focused on higher risk applicants and creates a pilot for premium visa processing.

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????????? ?Staple? green cards to advanced STEM diplomas.? The proposal encourages foreign graduate students educated in the United States to stay here and contribute to our economy by ?stapling? a green card to the diplomas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) PhD and Master?s Degree graduates from qualified U.S. universities who have found employment in the United States.? It also requires employers to pay a fee that will support education and training to grow the next generation of American workers in STEM careers.

????????? Create a ?startup visa? for job-creating entrepreneurs.? The proposal allows foreign entrepreneurs who attract financing from U.S. investors or revenue from U.S. customers to start and grow their businesses in the United States, and to remain permanently if their companies grow further, create jobs for American workers, and strengthen our economy.

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????????? Expand opportunities for investor visas and U.S. economic development.? The proposal permanently authorizes immigrant visa opportunities for regional center (pooled investment) programs; provides incentives for visa requestors to invest in programs that support national priorities, including economic development in rural and economically depressed regions ; adds new measures to combat fraud and national security threats; includes data collection on economic impact; and creates a pilot program for? state and local government officials to promote economic development.

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????????? Create a new visa category for employees of federal national security science and technology laboratories.? The proposal creates a new visa category for a limited number of highly-skilled and specialized immigrants to work in federal science and technology laboratories on critical national security needs after being in the United States. for two years and passing rigorous national security and criminal background checks.

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????????? Better addresses humanitarian concerns. The proposal streamlines immigration law to better protect vulnerable immigrants, including those who are victims of crime and domestic violence.? It also better protects those fleeing persecution by eliminating the existing limitations that prevent qualified individuals from applying for asylum.

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????????? Encourage integration. The proposal promotes earned citizenship and efforts to integrate immigrants into their new American communities linguistically, civically, and economically.

Source: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/obama-lays-out-key-principles-for-immigration-reform

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

10 Instagram Tips For Business Owners and Online Entrepreneurs ...

instagram tipsInstagram is no longer an option but a MUST for business owners and online entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their brand, attract new customers and increase their profits. With 8500 likes & 1000 comments per second, Instagram has not become a necessity! Boasting 90 million active users who upload 40 million photos a day, Instagram is growing like crazy!! In today?s post I am going to share with you 10 Instagram tips you can being implementing immediately to increase profits and brand awareness!

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a fun way to share your life, experiences and business through pictures. Downloadable as a mobile application, you can snap a photo with your mobile phone, then choose a filter to transform the image into a picture you can share with the world. Instagram in essence is the the world through pictures. Pretty cool huh?

But you may be wondering ? How exactly can I use this online platform to grow my business. Well I am glad you asked, because I am going to share with you 10 Instagram tips for business owners and online entrepreneurs!!

But before we start make sure to follow me at http://www.instagram.com/andreabolder?as?I share through photo the tips I am teaching you today!!!

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10 Instagram Tips For Business Owners and Online Entrepreneurs

Instagram Tip #1:

Find out exactly what your customers like and don?t like. You have to be aware of what people are attracted to. Take note of likes, comments, and popular hashtags. This will provide for you a great jumping off point on what type of content you should be focusing on publishing!

Instagram Tip #2:

You always want to lead with content that inspires, uplifts, encourages, serves and praises others. You goal is to create action with your pictures. Share a tip, give some value, help someone feel better. Your Instagram feed should be one worth following! (This applies to Facebook, Twitter and all the other social networks as well). If you provide value, lead with a serving spirit and give people want they want, you will never have a shortage of followers. You want to be the Instgram user that others can?t wait to read, people are excited about your next post and proud to be able follow your updates. You want to be the diamond in their news feed, shiny bright and standing above the rest!

Instagram Tip #3:

Be unpredictable! Have fun! Be different! You want to show people who you are through your pictures. Don?t be afraid to express your personality and uniqueness. Nobody likes boring! So switch up your post. Keep it fresh and give your followers lots of variety so they never quite know what to expect. People want to connect with other people so open up and show them your life. Share all facets of your life not just the business side.

Instagram Tip #4:

Use hashtags # for followers. As we all know from Twitter hashtags are a powerful way to connect people to you. Search out popular # signs that go outside your product or service but align with who you are as a person and marketer. #laptopincome #winning #entrepreneurship, #business, #life, #family, etc expresses me and aligns with my biz philosophy! Instagram is a search engine, so remember to add # that other people are actively searching for. Your goal is to let people see you and what your lifestyle represents. Stay true to who you are and engage on a broader level with others.

Instagram Tip #5:

Share ALL of your interests and talents on Instagram. Just because you are a business owner, marketer or work from home mom doesn?t mean you can?t connect with others outside of your niche. Do not niche yourself so tightly that only a small group of people can relate to you. Your focus is to reach as many people as possible. Share examples of your work. Show stories of others. You want people to experience what you do through your pictures. Show that people can ?do it? and that what you are doing ?works?. The people who impact the most lives are those that others can look up to, be encouraged by and aspire to be like!

Instagram Tip #6:

Use Instagram just as you would use an email, tweet, or facebook post. Educate, Inform, and Entertain your prospects and clients, announce new events, send inspirational messages. Remember you pictures are worth 1000 words. You can to show people you care, you are here to help and support them. Share your expertise, share your knowledge and insights. Not only will people follow you they will tell their friends and network to do so as well. Your #1 goal is to get good as using Instagram and using it daily.

Instagram Tip #7:

SEO your Instagram posts. Hashtags have been the driving fore behind Twitter, they feed into Google and we even use them on Facebook. Hashtags will increase your following as well as drive organic traffic to your blog or website. Make sure you are using hashtags that relate the the content your ideal prospect is searching for on Google and in the search engines. Use hashtags exactly as you would on your blog or video uploads.? We teach you how to make money blogging. It?s free!! Be sure to drive your message and steer people? to you. This will create momentum and buzz in your business and you?ll be surprised by just how quickly things begin to grow!

Instagram Tip #8:

Keep your Instagram profile and bio in line with your other social networking sites. Your bio should be professional, keyword rich and include a link to your blog or lead capture page. Give people a central hub where they can connect and learn more about what you do online. If you present yourself professionally, with style and tact, it will automatically increase your results!

BTW you?ll want to make your profile NOT private as a business owner on InstaGram or others can?t see what you post! That won?t change the world!!

Instagram Tip #9:

Be consistent. This is a HUGE one. Posting regularly is what drives results. You can?t post 3 pictures today and none for the next 3 months. It will not do anything for your overall marketing strategy. Make time to post daily, it only takes a few seconds to do. Consistent marketers will always win rather than those who focus on sporadic impulses ad work on a whim. Be consistent!!

Instagram Tip #10:

Do not overly promote your services and products. One out of every ten picture posts (10%) should mention your product or service. But when you do want promote do it with eye-catching pictures that grab peoples attention. Take a picture of the products cover, the sales page, or a screenshot of the inside of the product. If you are promoting a launch, do a countdown with an ending date. It?s all about being creative, being fun, and engaging your audience to drive results.

So hopefully you have a better handle on how to use Instagram to boost your online presence and business.? Do you have any tips you want to share on how you use Instagram? Share them in the comments below.

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Source: http://andreabolder.com/2013/10-instagram-tips-for-business-owners-and-online-entrepreneurs/

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Off-desk mousing is possible with the Genius Pen Mouse

The newly re-designed Pen Mouse from Genius doesn’t keep you tied to a desk. ?With the 2.4GHz Pen Mouse, you can mouse on any surface – your hands, your jeans, or almost anything else you find. ?The mouse has been redesigned for a more comfortable grip and a pen clip has been added. ?Three DPI [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/01/30/off-desk-mousing-is-possible-with-the-genius-pen-mouse/

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Bollywood star Khan caught in India-Pakistan spat

NEW DELHI (AP) ? Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan appeared to be caught in a verbal slugfest between India and Pakistan after he wrote a magazine article that led to heated exchanges between the rival nations.

The controversy erupted after Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik suggested that New Delhi beef up the actor's security after Khan wrote an account of how it felt to be a Muslim in India.

In the article, Khan wrote that sometimes he became "the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India."

New Delhi reacted sharply to Malik's comments with Indian politicians and officials suggesting he should concentrate on the security of Pakistani citizens.

"Malik would be better served bothering about the internal situation in Pakistan and introspecting about the minorities there," said Manish Tewari, India's information and broadcasting minister.

India's Home Secretary R.K. Singh said India was capable of looking after its citizens. "Let him (Malik) worry about the security of his country's security," Singh told reporters.

Khan responded to the exchange late Tuesday by saying he was extremely safe and happy in India. He said it was "irksome for me to clarify this non-existent issue."

He said the article did not "even vaguely say that I am ungrateful for the love I have received in a career spanning 20 years. On the contrary, the article says that in spite of the bigoted thoughts of some of the people that surround us, I am untouched by skeptics because of the love I have received from my countrymen and women," he said, reading from a prepared statement.

The 47-year-old actor is popularly known as 'King Khan' in the Indian film industry. He has acted in around 75 Hindi feature films, including many box-office hits. He has also hosted a season of the Hindi version of the game show, "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?"

Khan is immensely popular in Pakistan as well. His father was born in the Pakistani city of Peshawar and moved to India in the 1940s.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947. Their relations have been marked by distrust and acrimony in the decades since, although both countries are trying to promote trade and closer cultural ties.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bollywood-star-khan-caught-india-pakistan-spat-062137257.html

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Apple's 128GB iPad shaping up to offer better value than MS Surface Pro

Equivalent models have a $200 price difference.

By Khidr Suleman, 30 Jan 2013 at 11:03

Apple has announced that its 128GB iPad will start shipping on 5 February, with the device set to offer more storage at a cheaper price than the equivalent version of Microsoft?s forthcoming Surface Pro.

Cupertino claims its iPad will have double the storage of the 64GB edition, which currently ships with 57GB of usable space.

A quick calculation suggests the 128GB iPad should have somewhere in the region of 114GB usable space.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has confirmed that its 128GB Surface Pro, which ships with the fully featured Windows 8 OS, will have 83GB of usable space out-of-the-box. This is due to the Windows 8 OS, built-in apps and a recovery partition taking up a third of the space.

The 128GB model starts at $799, making the iOS device $200 cheaper than the Surface Pro.

Users will be able to create a USB and delete the recovery partition to boost the Surface Pro's storage ? and will also be able to plug in external storage via the USB or microSD card slots, something that is not possible with the iPad.

The only way to bolster storage on the iPad is to use the cloud or transfer data to another machine.

In terms of pricing, the Apple device could attract business users as there is a steep price difference between the 128GB iPad and Surface Pro.

The Wi-Fi only 128GB iPad will start at ?639 inc VAT (?532.50 ex VAT). This rises to ?739 (?615.83 ex VAT) if users require a 4G connection.

UK pricing for the Surface Pro hasn?t been released yet, but US pricing suggests the Windows 8 device will be more expensive in the UK.

The 64GB Surface Pro will start at $899 (64GB) and the 128GB model will cost $999. In comparison the 64GB iPad costs $699 and the 128GB model starts at $799, making the iOS device $200 cheaper.

It remains to be seen if the ability to boost storage and use legacy apps on the Windows 8 device will be able to sway to business users towards the Microsoft product.

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Source: http://feeds.itpro.co.uk/~r/ITPro/Server/~3/dw5m2StZOFo/apples-128gb-ipad-shaping-up-to-offer-better-value-than-ms-surface-pro

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Cheap Small Business Marketing | SEOBulldog

small business marketing strategy

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If there is one thing that nearly every business needs more of, it is exposure. With dozens, or hundreds or even thousands of competitors offering the very same service as you, you have to stand out, stand above the crowd. One way to do so is to have a USP. But what good is having a USP if nobody knows who you are. Let?s discuss five different marketing strategies that are free or cheap.

Networking

With networking, you?ll establish connections with other businesses owner as well as potential customers. Be a friend first, don?t try and sell first.

You can network through a wide array of methods. Local Chamber of Commerce, LinkedIn, Meetup, even BNI (though it is much more expensive). Or, you can even start your own networking group. The key, just like everything else, is consistency. If you aren?t connecting on a consistent basis, you will be frustrated with the results.

Business Cards

Order some ?business cards and hand them out everywhere. Gas station, business meetings, through friends, etc. While I don?t recommend VistaPrint cookie cutter websites, they have good prices on business cards. You can get 250 of them for $10.

Be sure your business cards have all the pertinent information on them including website, phone number, email, company name, etc.

word of mouth marketing small businessOYM (Open Your Mouth) Some of the greatest opportunities I have had, I gained simply from talking to somebody. Open your mouth wherever you go and just chat. Take a genuine interest in people and if appropriate give them your business card. This is hard for those that aren?t big talkers, but would you rather have to get out of your shell and make more money or stay in your shell and not make more money?

You can also go out and knock doors. Go into small businesses, introduce yourself and drop off your information. No hard sales needed.

Cold calling is also another great way to market your business. While tough, and mentally taxing, for many businesses it is the most effective marketing method.

Social Media

I hope by now you understand the importance of social media. I?ve written a few articles on it, including how a small business can get started in social media. Use this largely free tool to market your business and promote your USP.

As your business grows you?ll be able to afford multiple marketing methods, but with these cheap but effective tactics, you can build your customer base and move customers through the sales cycle, increasing your referral base as well as chances for repeat customers.

Source: http://www.seobulldog.com/2013/01/cheap-small-business-marketing/

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Massive melting of Andes glaciers

Glaciers in the tropical Andes have shrunk by 30-50% since the 1970s, according to a study.

The glaciers, which provide fresh water for tens of millions in South America, are retreating at their fastest rate in the past 300 years.

The study included data on about half of all Andean glaciers and blamed the melting on an average temperature rise of 0.7C from 1950-1994.

Details appear in the academic journal The Cryosphere.

The authors report that glaciers are retreating everywhere in the tropical Andes, but the melting is more pronounced for small glaciers at low altitudes.

Glaciers at altitudes below 5,400m have lost about 1.35m in ice thickness per year since the late 1970s, twice the rate of the larger, high-altitude glaciers.

"Because the maximum thickness of these small, low-altitude glaciers rarely exceeds 40 metres, with such an annual loss they will probably completely disappear within the coming decades," said lead author Antoine Rabatel, from the Laboratory for Glaciology and Environmental Geophysics in Grenoble, France.

Water shortages

The researchers also say there was little change in the amount of rainfall in the region over the last few decades and so could not account for changes in glacier retreat.

Without changes in rainfall, the region could face water shortages in the future, the scientists say.

The Santa River valley in Peru could be most affected; its hundreds of thousands of inhabitants rely heavily on glacier water for agriculture, domestic consumption, and hydropower.

Large cities, such as La Paz in Bolivia, could also face problems. "Glaciers provide about 15% of the La Paz water supply throughout the year, increasing to about 27% during the dry season," said co-author Alvaro Soruco from the Institute of Geological and Environmental Investigations in Bolivia.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has pointed to the importance of mountain glaciers as sensitive indicators of climate change.

Globally, glaciers have been retreating since the early 20th Century, with a few exceptions. Himalayan glaciers are relatively poorly studied and there are suggestions that some are actually putting on mass.

Some scientists say the Chacaltaya glacier in Bolivia, which used to be the world's highest ski run, has already nearly disappeared.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21163386#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

WHAT RISING GRADUATION RATES TELL US | assailedteacher

Which world is closer to the one the new graduates are inheriting?

Which world is closer to the one the new graduates are inheriting?

So the news has been flooded with headlines about how national graduation rates from public schools are up to a level not seen in nearly 40 years:

More than 3.1 million high school students received their diplomas in spring 2010, with 78.2 percent finishing in four years, the?National Center for Education Statistics?(NCES) reported Tuesday. The rate is a 2.7-percentage-point increase over the previous year, and those two rates are the highest since the 75 percent rate in 1975 and 1976.

This is not the cause for celebration that the media is making it out to be. If we look at the cheating scandals in D.C. and Atlanta we see the greasy underbelly of the motor driving these graduation rates.

Public schools have been bludgeoned into accepting so-called ?accountability? programs that have held teachers responsible for tests scores and pass rates. We drill and kill for exams that seem to get just a tad easier every year. We overlook behavior issues and shoddy scholarship as a shortcut to getting kids to pass. Our jobs as teachers have increasingly involved getting students to fill in the correct bubbles in a certain 3-hour span, the rest of the education process be damned.

This isn?t due to anything we have done as teachers. Our educational leaders, from the Secretary of Education on down, have done everything in their power to put this system into place. With their myopic interpretation of what counts for ?achievement?, they have reduced the learning process to a series of numbers and the teaching profession to a series of steps to color within these numbers. So now we focus on the ?data? instead of the child; the ?value? we ?add? instead of what our communities teach our children to value.

Of course we would have high graduation rates in this type of environment. We have become adept at manipulating numbers because our jobs depend on it. The Secretary of Education, the governors, mayors, chancellors, superintendents and principals all need the numbers to go up. The testing companies and data-collection companies need to show that the numbers are going up. All of these entities require the numbers to go up in order to justify their influence. They have been in control of America?s education systems for so long that the numbers better have gone up by now.

The fix was in ever since the appearance of this thing called ?education reform?. They came to us and said schools were not doing our jobs. They said they were taking over the schools and running them like businesses. They expected results and they were going to get them. It was foreordained that graduation rates would reach such high levels. They made all of us conspirators in their game of reform. The teachers were taken into a shotgun marriage that tied the survival of the educational leaders to the survival of teachers.

?If these test scores don?t rise, we won?t be around long. But we will make sure that you also will not be around long.? This was the Faustian bargain with which reformers presented teachers. Stand up against the system by not teaching to the test or by exercising your union rights and you go down. Play the game and get the numbers up and we will feature you as one of our success stories, as one of the ?good ones?. Everyone wins. Teachers get to keep their jobs. Reformers get to say that their policies work.

And what type of graduates do we have? We have graduates who have been trained to bubble in answers. We have graduates that need an increasing amount of remedial classes once they get to college. This is exactly the type of graduate one ?would expect from a school system run on the business model: ?one-dimensional, unskilled and mass produced. They are light plastic cogs to be used in a giant machine, easily tossed aside and replaced when they get used up.

And what type of world are our graduates entering? One with proliferating low-wage jobs touted as ?job recovery?. One where food stamp rolls, college debt and poverty are rising. This isn?t the bright open future baby-boomers saw on the horizon. Today?s graduates are inheriting a world of diminishing limits. The future is dark and small.

What more can we expect? We have concentrated on getting ?achievement? as measured in ?data? so much higher because the schools weren?t preparing children for ?the future?. In the process, we have neglected to prepare a future for our children to inherit. The ones who would create the future for our children took over the school system and prepared them for exactly the type of future they had in store.

Blank graduates for a blank future.

Education reform is not about improving schools. It is about hollowing out the schools because the future will be hollow. These new graduation statistics are just the results of that.

So no need to be happy. It is the low tide of education reform leaving behind the effluvia they created.

Source: http://theassailedteacher.com/2013/01/22/what-rising-graduation-rates-tell-us/

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Letter Of Credit Financing Explained Without All The Technical Bang ...

Today?s topic is Letter Of Credit financing without all the technical?jargon!

Find out what it is, how it works and more importantly what the requirements are.

Click below to find out exactly why you would use a letter of credit.

Watch the video and/or read the transcript below.

?

About the author

Julia is AR Cash Flows Sales and Marketing Manager, with a background in Advertising; she joined the team in 2011. Along with managing the sales department, she's is in charge of implementing all aspects of Marketing. With a passion for all things social, Julia is keen to keep you updated with the latest and greatest from the AR Cash Flow HQ. Need to ask Julia a question? email her at julia@arcashflow.com.au or leave a comment below.subscribing to my RSS feed. View all my articles.

Source: http://www.arcashflow.com.au/letter-credit-financing-explained-technical-bang/9212

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Feisty Clinton: US strengthening embassy security

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, at times emotional and fierce, insisted on Wednesday that the department is moving swiftly and aggressively to strengthen security at U.S. missions worldwide after the deadly Sept. 11 raid on the consulate in Libya.

In her last formal congressional testimony on Capitol Hill as America's top diplomat, Clinton once again took full responsibility for the department's missteps leading up to assault at the U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

Her voice cracking at one point, Clinton said the experience was highly personal.

"I stood next to President Obama as the Marines carried those flag-draped caskets off the plane at Andrews. I put my arms around the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters," she told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a jam-packed hearing.

Her voice rising at another point, she defended U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, who was vilified for widely debunked claims five days after the attack that protests precipitated the raid rather than terrorism. She challenged the GOP focus on Rice's comments, which were based on intelligence talking points.

"The fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest? Or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans? What difference, at this point, does it make?" a clearly exasperated and angry Clinton told Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. "It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, senator."

She insisted that "people were trying in real time to get to the best information," and that her focus was on looking ahead on how to improve security rather than revisiting the talking points and Rice's television appearance.

Clinton said the department is implementing the 29 recommendations of an independent review board that harshly criticized the department as well as going above and beyond the proposals, with a special focus on high-threat posts.

The review board report faulted "systematic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the State Department" and four employees were put on administrative leave.

"Nobody is more committed to getting this right," she said. "I am determined to leave the State Department and our country safer, stronger, and more secure."

Three weeks after her release from a New York hospital, Clinton was at times defiant, complimentary and willing to chastise lawmakers. She will appear before the committee on Thursday to introduce her likely successor, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

Clinton refused to back down from withering GOP criticism of the Obama administration's shifting explanations about the assault.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a Clinton friend in the Senate, offered praise along with harsh complaints.

"It's wonderful to see you in good health and combative as ever," McCain told a visibly slimmer Clinton, whose planned testimony last month was delayed because of her illness.

In the same breath, he dismissed her explanation of events, the administration's response to warnings about the deteriorating security situation in Libya and even the attention paid to Libya after rebels toppled strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

For her part, Clinton complained about the congressional holds placed on foreign aid and bilateral assistance. "We have to get our act together," she told the panel.

Her testimony focused not only on the attack but the growing threat from extremists in northern Africa, pointing out that Libya was not an isolated incident.

"The Arab revolutions have scrambled power dynamics and shattered security forces across the region," she said. "And instability in Mali has created an expanding safe haven for terrorists who look to extend their influence and plot further attacks of the kind we saw just last week in Algeria."

She said the Obama administration is pressing for a greater understanding of the hostage-taking there and rescue effort that left three Americans dead.

Clinton parried tough questions from Republicans, offering a detailed timeline of events on Sept. 11 and the Obama administration efforts to aid the Americans in Libya while simultaneously dealing with protests in Cairo and other countries.

GOP lawmakers repeatedly questioned Clinton about whether she had seen earlier requests for beefed-up security.

"I did not see these requests. They did not come to me. I did not approve them. I did not deny them," she said.

That provoked a testy response from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a potential presidential candidate in 2016. He excoriated Clinton and expressed disbelief that she hadn't read the cables about security concerns.

"Had I been president at the time and I found that you did not read the cables from Benghazi, you did not read the cables from Ambassador Stevens, I would have relieved you of your post," Paul told Clinton. "I think it's inexcusable.

Clinton took Republicans to task, chiding House GOP members for recently stripping $1 billion in security aid from the hurricane relief bill and the Senate panel for failing for years to produce an authorization bill.

In northern California, Stevens' stepfather, Bob Commanday, said the family has avoided discussions of whether security was adequate. He said Clinton had been in contact with the family on several occasions since the attack.

"We're very aware of her sympathy because of our contact with her and the way she has connected with us and written to us," he said. "It's a tragedy and nothing that is said or done can bring him back, so we are just going on with life."

In something of a valedictory, Clinton noted her robust itinerary in four years and her work, nearly 1 million miles and 112 countries.

"My faith in our country and our future is stronger than ever. Every time that blue and white airplane carrying the words "United States of America" touches down in some far-off capital, I feel again the honor it is to represent the world's indispensable nation. And I am confident that, with your help, we will continue to keep the United States safe, strong, and exceptional."

Clinton was the sole witness at back-to-back hearings before the Senate and House foreign policy panels on the September raid.

Clinton had been scheduled to testify before Congress last month, but an illness, a concussion and a blood clot near her brain forced her to postpone her appearance.

Absent from the hearing was Kerry, the man tapped to succeed Clinton. His swift Senate confirmation is widely expected, with his confirmation hearing scheduled for Thursday. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the incoming chairman, presided over the hearing.

Clinton's testimony was focusing on the Libya attack after more than three months of Republican charges that the Obama administration ignored signs of a deteriorating security situation there and cast an act of terrorism as mere protests over an anti-Muslim video in the heat of a presidential election. Washington officials suspect that militants linked to al-Qaida carried out the attack.

Politics play an outsized role in any appearance by Clinton, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and is the subject of constant speculation about a possible bid in 2016. The former first lady and New York senator ? a polarizing figure dogged by controversy ? is about to end her four-year tenure at the State Department with high favorable ratings.

A poll early last month by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found 65 percent of Americans held a favorable impression of Clinton, compared with 29 percent unfavorable.

On the panel at the hearing were two possible 2016 Republican presidential candidates ? Florida's Marco Rubio and Paul, a new member of the committee.

Clinton did little to quiet the presidential chatter earlier this month when she returned to work at the State Department after her illness. On the subject of retirement, she said, "I don't know if that is a word I would use, but certainly stepping off the very fast track for a little while."

__

Associated Press writers Bradley Klapper and Andrew Miga in Washington, and Garance Burke in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/feisty-clinton-us-strengthening-embassy-security-165255442--politics.html

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Key parties in incoming Israeli parliament

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman greet their supporters in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. According to exit polls Netanyahu's Likud Party emerged as the largest faction in a hotly contested parliamentary election on Tuesday, positioning the hard-liner to serve a new term as prime minister. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman greet their supporters in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. According to exit polls Netanyahu's Likud Party emerged as the largest faction in a hotly contested parliamentary election on Tuesday, positioning the hard-liner to serve a new term as prime minister. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Israel's parliamentary election left the two main blocs deadlocked with 60 seats each, based on nearly complete official vote counts. There could still be some minor changes:

HARD-LINE AND RELIGIOUS BLOC

?Likud-Yisrael Beitenu (31 seats): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud teamed up with the far-right, secular Yisrael Beitenu for the election. Likud is a veteran hawkish party known for opposition to compromise with the Palestinians, though during its long years in power it has moderated its policies. Yisrael Beitenu represents immigrants from the former Soviet Union and takes a hard line on the Palestinian issue. The two parties have not formally merged.

?Jewish Home (11 seats): Representing modern Orthodox Jews, the party surged on the back of a strong pro-settlement message and the appeal of its leader, high-tech millionaire Naftali Bennett, to both Orthodox and secular Israelis.

Shas (11 seats): Represents Orthodox Jews of Middle East origin. Its followers tend to be hawkish, working class, and the party traditionally has been a Likud ally.

?United Torah Judaism (7 seats): The party represents ultra-Orthodox Jews of European ancestry. It has served in both dovish and hawkish governments, focused primarily on obtaining government funds for its religious institutions.

CENTRIST AND DOVISH BLOC

?Yesh Atid (19 seats): Founded by former TV personality Yair Lapid, the new party represents secular, middle-class interests and says less money should be spent on West Bank settlements and stipends for the ultra-Orthodox. Yesh Atid becomes the second-largest party in parliament.

?Labor (15 seats): Led now by former broadcast journalist Shelly Yachimovich, Labor governed the country from its founding in 1948 until 1977 and twice since. This time Labor emphasized domestic issues over its traditional moderate approach toward the Palestinians.

?Israeli Arab parties (12 seats): Three parties represent the interests of Israel's minority Arab citizens. Identifying with the Palestinian cause, they vote consistently against hawkish governments and often support dovish coalitions from the outside.

?Hatnua (6 seats): Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni formed the party less than two months ago to present an alternative to voters distressed by the stalemate in peacemaking during Netanyahu's four-year tenure.

?Meretz (6 seats): Traditional dovish, secular party.

?Kadima (2 seats): Largest party in outgoing parliament, broke apart and appears to have barely made the minimum for seats in the new parliament.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-23-Israel-Election-Parties-Glance/id-646a317f583845c8aa8c6410adad00d9

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The Daily Roundup for 01.21.2013

DNP The Daily RoundUp

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Atari files for bankruptcy

Atari Inc. has filed for bankruptcy protection, looking to separate from its not-so-profitable French owners...

Samsung exec confirms 8-inch Galaxy Note

The internet has been quietly discussing the possibility of an 8-inch Galaxy Note for a while now...

HTC M7 purportedly spied brandishing Sense 5.0

It's that special time again -- that time when Mobile World Congress looms...

Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/1YxNneIM8dY/

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Is Physical Therapy Ready for Innovation & Integration?

Is Physical Therapy Ready for Innovation & Integration?

Posted by Will Hicklen on Mon, Jan 21, 2013 @ 09:46 AM

Physical Therapy Software APTA

The following article originally ran on 12/16/11 in the APTA Moving Forward feature, titled?Health Care Reform's Triple Aim: Is Physical Therapy Ready for Innovation and Integration??

Coauthored by R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD, APTA president; Paul Rockar, Jr., PT, DPT, MS, APTA vice president and chair of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee; John Barnes, APTA CEO; and Justin Moore, PT, DPT, APTA vice president of Government Affairs and Payment Advocacy.?

Yesterday, a message was sent to association members regarding the recent Board of Directors meeting that references the "Triple Aim" of health care and its influence on policy. We'd like to take this opportunity to further explain the Triple Aim and discuss physical therapy's role in what has become a major focus in the post-health care reform debate.The Triple Aim originates from the?Institute for Healthcare Improvement, a think tank founded by Donald Berwick, MD, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This philosophy permeated the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) during Berwick's tenure as its administrator, and is now linked to implementation efforts associated with taking the more than 2,400 pages of health care reform legislation and turning them into volumes of new regulations, programs and federal efforts required to operationalize the Triple Aim. Berwick's tenure ended on December 2, but the Triple Aim is now part of his legacy to reform our health care system.What is the Triple Aim? To start, it is a proposed solution to our health system's ills. It is well documented that the United States' health care system is the most expensive in the world, disparate in its access, and often doesn't impact or improve one's health status. On November 4, CMS announced that US health care spending growth was 4.0% in 2009, reaching $2.5 trillion in expenditures, or $8,086 per person or 17.6% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, up from 16.6% in 2008.1?The Triple Aim was outlined in?Health Affairs?in 2008 as an effort to reverse this trend and simultaneously pursue the 3 objectives of:

  • (1) improving the experience of care;
  • (2) improving the health of populations; and
  • (3) reducing per capita costs of health care.2?

The Triple Aim builds upon the 3 goals of the "iron triangle" of health policy, which call for enhanced quality of care, improved access to the right provider at the right time, and reduced health care costs to manage a person's health status. Can physical therapy achieve the Triple Aim and, if so, how? We believe that we can because the Triple Aim is connected to what we do as physical therapists. The task before us now is delivering this message to policy makers. APTA continues to position and align its organization and priorities to meet the demands of the changing health care landscape, achieve the Triple Aim or contribute our proper role to the Triple Aim for delivery systems, and to demonstrate the essential value of our profession and the services we provide to the public. Connecting these to the health policy environment with which we interact is essential to move the profession forward as a leader in health care delivery. As 2011 comes to a close, there are several critical initiatives ongoing to leverage physical therapists as essential to achieving the Triple Aim.To improve access, APTA is working to secure a commitment from the new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to invest in the early access or direct access to physical therapists for musculoskeletal conditions as part of its search for more efficient and effective models of care delivery. APTA's proposal has been submitted and is under consideration by CMMI at this time. Also in this area, APTA saw the completion of a multi-year project on direct access with the publication of anarticle?published in the journal?Health Services Research?that suggests that "the role of the physician gatekeeper in regard to physical therapy may be unnecessary in many cases." This work by Jane Pendergast, PhD, Stephanie A. Kliethermes, MS, Janet K. Freburger, PT, PhD, and Pamela A. Duffy, PT, PhD, OCS, CPC, should help our state and federal efforts prove the value of direct access to physical therapy in the coming years. APTA also has assembled an issue team led by Roshunda Drummond-Dye, JD, APTA's regulatory and payment counsel, to spearhead our role in integrated models of care delivery. These models, ranging from?Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)?to patient centered medical homes, will have key access issues as they become part of our reformed health care system. APTA's work is to demonstrate the value of physical therapy and our role in these models.To improve quality, APTA hired a full-time policy expert in 2011 to lead the development of a quality work plan and focus on the policy efforts that the federal government is involved in to enhance quality care. This has resulted in a coordinated and consistent approach to position APTA in the quality area and incorporate quality into areas such as a reformed model for payment, the development of a national registry, and health information technology in physical therapy. Just last week, CMS released the?updated measures?specifications for the Physician Quality Reporting System for the 2012 reporting year, allowing physical therapists to report for an additional individual measure in the 2012-Measure #182: Functional Outcome Assessment. Our work with CMS in this area can be seen each year as physical therapists are included in reporting on new measures.To reduce costs, APTA continues to seek needed reforms to physical therapy services. As mentioned in yesterday's message to members, APTA is exploring a reformed payment system model, which could include direct billing for physical therapists, and embarking on a regional payment pilot project in the New England area. Also essential to this objective is establishing strong term protection for physical therapy and title protection for the physical therapist. APTA will submit its review of the current status of term and title protection to the 2012 House of Delegates and begin an action plan to improve term and title protection where gaps lie. In addition, we continue to seek policy support through the health service research pipeline to advance our public policy priorities. Work in 2011 began on referral for profit, billing patterns of health care professionals who use the 97000 CPT series (physical medicine and rehabilitation), and bundled payments and the role of physical therapists.These are just a few of the areas where APTA is working for you and with you to achieve a Triple Aim that advances physical therapy. The key words in health care today are "integration" and "innovation." We are reminded of this daily with announcements such as the following from CMS:

News Alert: The Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the Health Care Innovation Challenge from the CMS Innovation Center, a new initiative designed to test creative ways to deliver high quality medical care and reduce costs across the country. The Challenge will award up to $1 billion in total grants to applicants who can rapidly implement the most compelling new ideas to deliver better health, improved care and lower costs to people enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, particularly those with the highest health care needs.?

APTA is a key messenger in this transformation from independent and often fragmented care to more interdependent models. The key message will be the work that physical therapists do daily, our record of compliance, and our value to the health care system in reducing costs while raising the bar on quality. We can have a positive impact on the nation's health-and do so already. Illustrating this by adapting to the current realities of health care and accepting the challenge of innovation and integration will best convey our message.2011 was a year in which we saw the start of the transformation of our health care system through rules on ACOs, a?proposal on the essential benefits program, and payment innovations such as the CMMI bundling project. 2012 promises more transition to a health care system where transparency, accountability, and integration are valued. To deliver the message of physical therapy's role in this transformed health care system that meets the Triple Aim, we need you to participate and build on the successful grassroots efforts and Capitol Hill activities we demonstrated in 2011. It was just 6 months ago when almost 1,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students stood in the heat on?Capitol Hill?ready to share the Triple Aim value proposition that physical therapy is prepared to accept and deliver. We look forward to continuing the momentum in 2012. Have you thought about your role in achieving the goals of the Triple Aim? Do you see opportunities and challenges to implementing programs in your practice that can improve access and quality and decrease costs? How can APTA's initiatives help support your efforts?

References

1. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Historical National Health Expenditure Data.https://www.cms.gov/nationalhealthexpenddata/02_nationalhealthaccountshistorical.asp. Accessed December 12, 2011.2. Berwick DM, Nolan TW, Whittington J. The triple aim: care, health, and cost.Health Aff. 2008;27(3):759-769.

2. Berwick DM, Nolan TW, Whittington J. The triple aim: care, health, and cost.Health Aff. 2008;27(3):759-769.

Source: http://www.ankota.com/blog/bid/93983/Is-Physical-Therapy-Ready-for-Innovation-Integration

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Monday, January 21, 2013

iMore show. Tonight. 5pm PT. 8pm ET. Be here.

iMore show. Tonight. 5pm PT. 8pm ET. Be here.

The iMore show is coming your way one full hour earlier tonight. If you have any questions you want answered, drop them in the comments below or better yet, show up and join me in the chat! We'll be talking everything Apple from the week before, and looking ahead to what's next.

5pm PT / 8pm ET. Be here.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/NsFrJls9yN4/story01.htm

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Take This Advice If You Want To Improve Self Improvement | Samuel ...

Is living a better life something that you would like to accomplish? If you are ready to get started on a focused personal development campaign, the tips below will be a big help.

There is no way to make everyone in your life happy, so it is best to focus on first pleasing yourself. This means that you are accountable for your satisfaction with life, not that you should sacrifice other people?s happiness for the sake of your own. Stay true to who you are as well as your moral compass.

Avoid making a personal development goal that is unnecessarily complicated, or not well defined. Create specific goals. If you create a clear goal, you will achieve the results you want.

TIP! You should always have an idea as to what you personal values are before you develop a plan for personal growth. When you focus on things that don?t matter to you, your goals will never truly make sense.

You should try to find and read books that tell you about self improvement. When you read a really good self improvement book, you may come away with life-changing advice and ideas. Books on the topic of personal development can be poorly written. To avoid this, make sure you read books that have been reviewed well.

People who have particularly intractable problems should try therapy. An in-the-flesh therapist can provide much more insight than a clinical self-help book can. Simply talking can help motivate you to succeed. Books cannot have a dialog with you to discuss any questions or concerns you might have, the way a therapist or psychiatrist can.

One way to overcome anxiety is to go see a movie with a friend or family member. This allows you to be in a social setting without the added pressure of talking to a lot of people. It will help you get used to the social scene.

TIP! Pick a single key aspect of your life that needs changing, and work on it. Even if you have more than one area on which you wish to work, focusing on one area at a time will make it easier to succeed.

Organization should be central in your life. Not only will being organized make you feel accomplished, but it will also boost your confidence. This will also lead to less stress because the disorganization contributing to it will be eliminated. It is soothing to know that everything is where it belongs.

Get together with others that share your point of view. This helps strengthen your resolve, reinforces positive thinking and keeps you away from toxic people that harm your dreams and goals.

Learn to deal with stressful situations without reacting in an emotional way. If you learn to stay calm during stressful times, you will have the confidence you need to face almost anything in your life. Take some time during your day to stop and take breaths.

TIP! Don?t push your body too hard when you are striving towards a goal. Take your best shot, but know when you have reached your limit.

Learn what habits successful people do and try practicing them and applying them to your life. Focus on doing a few fundamental things, and work on them until they are part of your every day life. It can take up to three weeks to acquire a new habit, so it is important to keep trying.

Learn to not worry! Worrying can cause you undo stress about situations that have no guarantee of ever happening, resulting in negative consequences to your well-being. Instead of worrying, think about the worst thing that could happen, and prevent it. This provides you with the relief of having a game plan, so you can can feel less anxious and focus on other important matters in your life.

Write down your goals to help you grow on the inside. Write it down if you want to achieve a certain goal. Then, think of things you can do, or might have already done, to build your confidence. Follow through on your goals by allowing yourself to use those ideas and resources. If you keep at it, you will be more likely to succeed.

TIP! When angry, simply count to ten without speaking. Take a cleansing breath and focus on something positive.

If the quality level of today is 2000, try to make tomorrow?s quality level 2001 or higher. You should always try to improve yourself. Whatever you did yesterday, do it that much better today.

Wisdom and modesty are two integral components of life. Look for opportunities to learn something new every day, and always be willing to admit when you simply cannot change something. Once you know your limits, be modest and be satisfied to work within them. The wisdom gained from mistakes in the past will shine a beacon on your future.

TIP! Sometimes a little risk could equal great happiness for you. Do not allow yourself to fear failure more than you desire success.

When considering your own self improvement, focus on leadership. Most people believe that leadership and influence are synonymous. Evaluate your leadership skills honestly. What are the significant events in your life that have shaped you into who you are today? In what ways have you changed due to these events? How do you make yourself an important part of a team? By asking yourself these questions, you can become more aware of how you best fit into a team.

To become a better person, you have to actively decide to start growing and changing. Accepting change will allow you to grow on your path to self development.

See what habits successful people have in common, and adopt them. Begin by identifying a few basic behaviors, then focus on making the necessary improvements one step at a time until they become fully integrated into your daily life. You need to give yourself a bit of time to make your new habit a permanent one. So don?t give up on it until you have continuously used it for at least 21 days.

TIP! Everyone makes mistakes, one of those is poor food choices every now and then. Stress can have a negative effect on your health.

There?s an idea of the ?Law of Threes,? which means that anything, good or bad, that you do to other people will return to you threefold. The idea here is that you should act toward others with a positive attitude. Thinking positively can decrease the burden of negativity.

Know the obstacles you face before you hit them. This is very hard for many people to do. Even so, identifying personal weak points is a critical initial step in order for them to be dealt with. By eliminating things that stand in your way, you can walk on the path to your future with less stumbling blocks on the way.

Having a degree and the ability to do the job is usually more important than which school you attended. Finance jobs are one of the few exceptions, as your school will matter a great deal. It is more important to have a degree since it can provide you with many opportunities.

TIP! Become awesome at something you?re passionate about. That said, you should always possess an intense passion to achieve the greatness that you are capable of.

You need to decide what type of lifestyle would suit you best, then you can set goals that can realistically be attained. If you find what your weaknesses are, you can work to eliminate them and become a better person.

Most employers don?t care about your school or college, they care about the degree you earned and if you can complete the work. Some employers, such as banks or other financial institutions, do put more weight on which school you attended, but these are rare exceptions. Truthfully, it?s more crucial that you have obtained a degree and expanded your horizons.

If you experience trouble meeting the personal development goals you set for yourself, do not be afraid to stop and make a frank assessment of the problem. One way to check yourself is to go online and read what others have experienced when aiming for the same kind of achievements. You can compare your experience with theirs, and perhaps learn a better approach. The problem might be that your expectations were set too high, important steps were not taken, or inadequate resources were allocated in working toward your goals.

TIP! Be prepared to write down ideas as they come to you, no matter where that may happen. Carry paper and a pen around with you.

Becoming more healthy is an important part of developing personally. In order to maintain a healthy body, you have to stay motivated to practice healthy eating habits and exercise. When your health is an important aspect of your lifestyle, it will lead to general overall well being and will help you feel good about yourself in every area of your life.

Determine which aspects of your life you truly value, and concentrate solely on those. The key to attaining inner peace is knowing what really matters and finding the good in what you have.

Keep notes on your progress (or backsliding) in order to stick to an organized plan. When you can break down your goals, it becomes much easier to achieve them. Use a notepad or a daily planner to write down tasks and goals for everyday.

TIP! Challenges should always be undertaken. Finding a new challenge will open up new possibilities.

Those who want to succeed often look to mentors for help. All champions have great coaches and mentors, and it is important to have them. Everyone should be able to help others find the way. Without mentoring, there is no way people can truly perform to the best of their abilities. All champions have a fabulous coach.

Write something to pep yourself up. Write down all of your positive traits on a postcard. You can take this with you wherever you go, and review it when you want motivation. You can even record yourself reading it aloud and listen to it often. Why not?

Someone might have told you that listening skills are just as essential as speaking skills. This rule is equally important to personal development. You should make sure you are always listening when talking to yourself. Listening to what you tell yourself will help you know what you need and how to best improve yourself.

TIP! Establish a rainy day fund. This can help you to avoid always turning to your credit cards every time something unexpected arises.

Try to read encouraging books. Whether it is a religious book or a favorite novel, find a book that inspires you. Having something that you can easily turn to when times get tough and you need encouragement gives you a better mind set, and helps you handle your life better.

Personal growth is something we all strive for, even if it seems scary at first. If you are able to take control of your life and improve yourself, you will see a huge improvement in your quality of life.

Your reaction to a situation can determine your level of stress. Find ways to deal with distressing situations, and take the time to think things through. It?s always possible to fix any mistake you have made, or manage a way to deal with it. Be thankful for what you have and not for what you?ve lost.

TIP! Paying attention to your body is a good personal development practice. Listen to what your body is saying to you, so if it is exhibiting hunger, thirst, etc.

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