Local Voices ? You Should Ask Friends And Family For References ...

The person doing home improvement tasks can easily be discouraged. Bad planning, substandard contractors and biting off more than you can chew are all possibilities. This article will provide you with advice to ensure your home improvements are completed without a hitch. Keep reading!

Before selecting a contractor, interview several companies and learn everything you can about them. Make sure that your contractor has experience with job like you are looking to have done. Are their prices and the scope of their projects on a par with what you have in mind? Ask to see a examples of their work before hiring them to do your home improvement project.

Replace the cupboard doors you have! Not everyone can go out and buy new cabinets. If we just change out the doors, however, we get a new look for a very reasonable price. Measure everything out and get what you need beforehand. Installation can be very simple. You just need to put in a couple of screws!

Fun is an important part of any project. It is vital that you are seriously careful when you are working, but you should also be having fun. If you are not enjoying yourself, you will make some mistakes. If this is what your experience turns into, ask a professional for help.

If you are buying new appliances, it?s important to think about how long they will last. Look for a life expectancy of at least 20 years for a refrigerator and 10 years for a clothes dryer and washing machine. Choose your appliances carefully when updating the rooms in your home.

Don?t get too crazy with color when painting. This will make your rooms look bigger. To increase the amount of space that your room looks like it has, you can add broader, bigger baseboards. Both options are able to be done for little money and make a home look a lot better. mold online

If you are hiring someone to perform your home improvement work, make sure to ask for their references. Think of this in terms of importance as you would when looking to hire an employee. Make sure you run a thorough background check and consider whether or not other have been happy with the services rendered.

If a contractor you?ve hired tells you something, you ought to believe him or her. You have already done the research you need and you?ve found a good contractor. It is in your best interest to believe what he is telling you. If he states that your changes will not work, listen. Or, if he says something will go over-budget, it will. Take the advice given to you by your contractor.

Have fun while you are repairing or upgrading your home. Get some help from friends, siblings or your kids to make it a fun experience. The sense of accomplishment you receive upon completion will be magnified by having people to share it with.

When you imagine your completed outdoor home improvement project, ask yourself if the changes you?re making will look out of place in the neighborhood. If your style won?t mesh well with nearby homes, do you really want your house to stand out in a way that may not be very appealing as a result? You need to consider if the changes you envision will stand out in a good way or just look strange in the surroundings.

If your home is looking a little worse for wear, it might be time to do a little updating. You can make your home improvement projects more effective and less stressful if you give this article?s suggestions a try.

Source: http://www.packetinsider.com/blog/localvoices/?p=116

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Account Executive Travel Job for Insurance Sales Web.com at ...

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var error = "";
if(!form.email.value) error += " - Please enter the email address to which you would like to send this job.\n";
else if(!form.email.value.match(/^[\w\d\.\&\-_+']+@[\w\d\.\-]+[\w\d]{2,4}$/i)) error += " - Please enter an email address in the form abc@xyz.com.\n";

if(!form.your_email.value) error += " - Please enter a reply to email address.\n";
else if(!form.your_email.value.match(/^[\w\d\.\&\-_+']+@[\w\d\.\-]+[\w\d]{2,4}$/i)) error += " - Please enter an reply to email address in the form abc@xyz.com.\n";

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else {
document.getElementById('submitting').disabled = true;
document.getElementById('submitting').value = 'Sending...';
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emailJobRequest.send("job=" + job + "&" + formAsString(form));
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return false;
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Account Executive Travel

Job ID: 11261263 Position Title: Account Executive Travel Company Name: Chartis Location(s): Jakarta, Other / Non-US, Indonesia ?

Posted: October 30, 2012 Entry Level: No Job Type: Full-Time

Research Tools:

See Location on Map Learn More About Location


Job Purpose
Generates revenue/profit margin selling Chartis insurance, services, or products directly to consumers, organizations, or third parties including brokers, agents, or other distribution channels

Key Accountabilities
? Monitoring and maintaining strong relationship with the Travel agent staff, manager and owner or high level management
? Regularly visit to make sure that we are at their service
? Training & coaching of Travel agent staff of Travel Insurance product and others related to Travel product (work together with Claim and F&A Department)
? Setting up strategy for expanding travel agent network
? Targeting the 2nd Layer Travel Agent / Potential Travel Agent
? Increase budget/production of Travel Agents channel by 15% - 20% every month
? Explore business opportunity from Travel agents for Groups & Individuals both Holiday or Business (Leisure, Incentive, Corporate and FIT)
? Exploring the corporate travelers in collaborating with the Business Travel Agent Specialist
? Monitoring closely the competitor activities in the travel agents market and come up with a strategy in anticipating the possibility of loosing market share
? Get used to with daily report team activity

Position Requirements
Job Qualifications
? At least bachelor degree in any discipline from reputable universities
? Min 3 ? 5 years experience (in Airline, Hotel, Travel or Tourism Industry) which demonstrating an outstanding track record of performance in account management and penetration
? Strong presentation skills and Fluent in both oral and written English
? Familiar & skilful with computer applications (MS Office)
? Highly motivated, team player, ?have a strong interpersonal skills and competent of dealing with people

About Us
Chartis is a world leading property-casualty and general insurance organization serving more than 40 million clients in over 160 countries and jurisdictions. With a 90-year history, one of the industry?s most extensive ranges of products and services, deep claims expertise and excellent financial strength, Chartis enables its commercial and personal insurance clients alike to manage virtually any risk with confidence. For additional information, please visit our website at http://www.Chartisinsurance.com.

At Chartis we support and encourage a diverse work environment. ?EOE.

Requisition #: 78896

Source: http://jobs.insurancesalesweb.com/c/job.cfm?site_id=1636&jb=11261263

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What Do The State Fair and Facebook Have In Common? | The ...

A lot, actually, but here?s the point: People go there to get free stuff. That unrestricted access may be changing, but businesses are increasingly finding leads and making sales on Facebook.

In the early internet days, a friend of mine who knew I worked in the technology field asked, You mean you can just get into it for free? Who?s paying for all of this?

The gravy train may be pulling out of the station, according to a recent article in The Atlantic. The social media revolution is about to get a little less awesome, it states.? Where maximizing users? delight was the, ?only currency that mattered,?? in the first few years, that currency is about to change from attention to profit.

Not a Huge Surprise

We knew this was coming. Social media is starting to grow up, as Facebook?s less-than-stellar IPO reminded us. And with its maturing comes greater expectations, pressure and the obligation to face the same scrutiny ? and shareholder expectations ? that other businesses do.

There may have been a lot of long faces in Menlo Park as the stock price dropped, but the reality check was a relief to anyone who lived through the turn-of-the-century tech bubble. No social media bubble, no heartbreaking crash.

Still, businesses are claiming victories on Facebook, both in lead generation and sales, in both B2B and B2C organizations. The results of two recent studies may surprise you.

First, the Bad News?

Online marketing giant Hubspot reported recently that marketers claim increased exposure, increased traffic and improved market insight are the top three benefits they get from Facebook. Lead generation is a dismal fourth. The Facebook audience also isn?t rushing to share content: The ratio of views to shares is 9:1. And if you auto-post, your likes and comments decrease by a whopping 70 percent.

On the other hand, in 2009, 24 percent of businesses said that Facebook was critical or important to their business. That number has jumped to 42 percent in 2012. 80 percent of social network users in the U.S., ??prefer to connect to brands through Facebook.? And user engagement has increased by 46 percent since the business Timeline launched.

Consumers More Responsive

The conventional thinking is that B2C has more quantifiable success on Facebook than B2B. Hubspot?s survey confirmed that, finding that B2C (77 percent) still leads B2B (43 percent) in terms of customer acquisition.

Webmarketing 123?s recent State of Digital Marketing Survey made a comparison based on both lead generation and sales. It reported that:

Bad Buzz

A rumor that Facebook will begin charging for access pops up occasionally and is quickly denied. Fact is, though, we don?t know whether what?s free for your audience now will be in the future. Which is all the more reason for you to keep honing your online strategy and keeping your content fresh, compelling and in line with your customers? needs.

Stock images courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Source: http://www.nimble.com/blog/2012/10/30/what-do-the-state-fair-and-facebook-have-in-common/

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Epoxy Flooring Is The Procedure Of Applying Layers Of Epoxy Resin ...

Epoxy flooring is the procedure of applying layers of epoxy resin on a floor?s surface, usually up to two mm thick. There are two definitions of the process, one from the manufacturers of the item and that of the contractors who apply them. The cause for the differing colleges of believed lay in the manufacturer?s directions and the manner in which the contractors use the item and their experiences with it.

How Does It Function?

Coating a floor requires four steps, planning of the surface to be floored, priming, coating and sealing. If correctly applied, it is completely hygienic and non slippery surface even when it is wet.

It lays well on numerous types of surfaces like metal, concrete, tile and wood and is resistant to most harsh chemicals making for a sturdy and long-lasting surface area and some color might even be additional to the epoxy for a little bit of flare. Although extensively used commercially, it also appeals to property owners for its simple maintenance and sturdiness, it is not uncommon for somebody to have it laid in their garage, basement or laundry space.

Types

There are a few types, self-dispersing, which is used for areas with forklifts and other heavy equipment that is operated usually in a warehouse setting. Self-dispersing with quartz sand is utilized is utilized in meals processing plants because it produces a non slip surface. Places like diners and storage amenities use self leveling kind because of its simplicity of upkeep. Mortar flooring is used in hefty obligation industries. The checklist goes on and on, you have ornamental epoxy, practical epoxy and there is even anti-static epoxy that is used in hospitals and labs!

Expenses

Epoxy flooring is not affordable and the cost of a flooring depends on the dimension of the surface area to be coated, normally. Of course the cost of this type of flooring is justified by its sturdiness because as soon as it?s been affreux it will final a life time. Epoxy flooring is usually done by a contractor if it is a industrial occupation, but there are many various kits out there that property owners can buy to epoxy their basements and garages. Some of the kits come with flakes to include to or scatter more than the epoxy once it?s been utilized. They arrive in all various colours so matching is not a issue and you will get the same lengthy long lasting sturdiness that commercial industries get.

For more on hard wearing office carpet and carpets please see our website

?

Source: http://www.niutranslations.com/epoxy-flooring-is-the-procedure-of-applying-layers-of-epoxy-resin-on-a-floors-surface-usually-up-to-two-mm-thick.html

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N.Y. mom finds 2 kids dead in tub, nanny nearby

NEW YORK (AP) ? A mother returned home to her luxury apartment building near Central Park on Thursday to find two of her small children stabbed to death in a bathtub and their nanny, with self-inflicted stab wounds, lying near them, police said.

The nanny, Yoselyn Ortega, was found near a knife. She was hospitalized in critical condition and was in police custody, and authorities said she is suspected of killing the children, who were pronounced dead at a hospital.

The children's father, CNBC digital media executive Kevin Krim, who had been away on a business trip, was met by police at the airport on his return and was given an escort to the hospital where his loved ones had gathered.

The couple's apartment building sits in one of the city's most idyllic neighborhoods, a block from Central Park, near the Museum of Natural History and blocks from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The neighborhood is home to many affluent families, and seeing children accompanied by nannies is an everyday part of life there, making the idea of such violence even more disturbing to residents.

Music therapist Rima Starr, who lives on the same floor as the Krim family, said she heard screams coming from the family's apartment at around 5:30 p.m.

"There was some kind of screaming about, 'You slit her throat!'" she said. "It was horrible."

The children's mother, Marina Krim, had entered the dark apartment with her 3-year-old and initially thought her other two children were out with the 50-year-old nanny, police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. She went downstairs and asked the doorman at her building, La Rochelle, on Manhattan's Upper West Side, whether he'd seen them leave. When he said no, she went back upstairs and discovered her 1-year-old son, Leo, and her 6-year-old daughter, Lucia, known as LuLu, in the bathroom, Kelly said. It's unclear how many times the children were stabbed.

The nanny was found on the bathroom floor with stab wounds to her neck, and a kitchen knife was close by, police said. There was no water in the bathtub, they said.

Kelly said it's unclear how long the nanny had worked for the family and the police investigation was ongoing. No charges had been filed.

Starr, the family's neighbor, said she believed the nanny had been hired just recently.

"I met her in the elevator, the day before yesterday, and was making small talk," she said.

After police arrived, she said, the mother remained in the building's lobby, screaming hysterically and clutching her surviving child.

On a webpage devoted to a recent family wedding, the eldest of the children, LuLu, is described as loving "art projects, ballet, and all things princess." The youngest, Leo, was said to be just learning how to walk.

The family had moved to New York from San Francisco within the last few years. The children's father was named general manager of CNBC's digital media division in March, after working previously in digital media at Bloomberg. Their mother had a cooking blog and taught art classes to young children.

The family lived in a stately, late 19th-century apartment building where one three-bedroom unit currently available for rent has an asking price of $10,000 per month. They had a greyhound, retired from racing, named Babar.

___

Associated Press writer David B. Caruso contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kids-stabbed-dead-nyc-home-nanny-knife-nearby-014149517.html

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Is De Rosario close to a return?

News that Dwayne De Rosario is ahead of schedule and could return to practice for D.C. United as early as next week adds even more importance to the team?s drive for a result Saturday in Chicago.

If D.C. loses to the Fire in both teams? regular season finale at Toyota Park, there is a reasonable chance the bunch from RFK Stadium could fall from second place all the way to fourth.

United has done quite well without De Rosario, finishing the season strong and clinching its first playoff berth since 2007 without the services of its top attacker. Still, everyone around RFK Stadium would surely love to have their Canadian international back for the post-season.

So here?s the thing: by falling from second to fourth, the post-season would become significantly more complicated and perilous. It would add one addition match, which means one more opportunity to be eliminated.

And since De Rosario says he might return to practice next week, but probably wouldn?t be able to play in a mid-week contest, any contest United plays before next weekend would almost surely be without its top playmaker.

If they can push back their playoff until next weekend, chances seem to be growing that De Rosario might be involved.

Here?s what De Rosario told the Washington Post?s Steven Goff about his ongoing recovery:

It is coming along. It feels good today. I am doing a lot of work on it to get the strength back. It?s starting to get there. I am able to run, bike work, cardio work. I have been doing some lateral movement. So far it feels good. It?s still a little ways to go. I got back outside toward the end of last week to do sprints, controlled lateral movement, some ball work.?

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/25/is-dwayne-de-rosario-close-to-a-return-for-d-c-united-lets-talk-about-what-that-means/related

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Pigs may look healthy but can test positive for flu at fairs

ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2012) ? More than 80 percent of pigs that tested positive for influenza A virus at Ohio county fairs between 2009 and 2011 showed no signs of illness, according to a new study.

Ohio State University researchers tested 20 pigs each at 53 fair events over those three summers and found at least one flu-positive pig at 12 fairs -- almost a quarter of fairs tested.

The influenza strains identified in pigs in this study include H1N2 and H3N2 viruses -- strains that have been circulating in pigs since 1998. In 2011, all of the H3N2 and H1N2 isolates found in pigs at the fairs contained a gene from the 2009 pandemic strain of H1N1, which is similar to the H3N2v strain causing human illness this year.

Though this finding alone is no cause for panic, it does show how quickly influenza viruses can change, said Andrew Bowman, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate in veterinary preventive medicine at Ohio State.

In a second study led by Bowman, researchers compared the genomic sequences of influenza A viruses recovered in July 2012 from pigs and people. The analysis, showing a greater than 99 percent genetic similarity among the viruses, confirms that pigs and humans were infected with the same virus, indicating interspecies transmission.

As of Sept. 25 this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had confirmed 107 human cases of H3N2v influenza in Ohio since July 2012, with the majority linked to exposure to pigs at agricultural fairs. While most of the human illness caused by H3N2v has been mild, one person, who had a compromised immune system, has died.

The more often that flu viruses are transmitted, the better their chances are of evolving into a strain to which humans are not immune, which is the big-picture concern among scientists monitoring these viral infections.

"Pigs can be infected with human-, avian- and swine-origin influenza viruses, making it possible for these viruses to easily swap their genetic material, which could allow for a new strain to emerge," Bowman said. "The potential is there for newly emerged strains to be the next pandemic we never saw coming."

Bowman and colleagues will continue to investigate strategies to protect swine and public health. In the meantime, the research group has offered potential risk mitigation strategies for fairs with swine competitions to consider: shortening the pig exhibition period, avoiding movement of pigs from one fair to the next, and vaccinating exhibition swine for appropriate influenza A viruses. In addition, the CDC recommends that people with compromised immune systems avoid pig displays at fairs.

Both studies appear online and are scheduled for later print publication. The three-year surveillance at Ohio fairs is published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the analysis of human and pig viruses appears in Emerging Microbes & Infections.

Each summer, agricultural fairs bring together animal and human populations that normally don't spend much time in the same place. Pigs are susceptible to multiple strains of influenza A viruses, and the three-year surveillance suggests that the daily visual inspection of pigs at fairs isn't effective at identifying pigs infected with influenza A viruses. This combination of facts adds up to an environment conducive for the transmission of influenza A viruses among pigs and between humans and pigs, potentially in both directions.

"The prevalence of flu in market-weight pigs in commercial swine-production settings is pretty low. But finding flu at the fair shouldn't be that surprising. If you bring 200-plus pigs together from multiple locations and house them with new neighbors for a week in a new environment, they are all bound to share pathogens," Bowman said. "But we were surprised to find as much flu as we did subclinically, when pigs weren't showing any signs of illness."

Bowman and his colleagues, members of the College of Veterinary Medicine's Animal Influenza Ecology and Epidemiology Research Program, tested pigs at 15 Ohio county fairs in 2009, 16 in 2010 and 22 in 2011, using nasal swabs to collect their samples.

The scientists found influenza A virus in at least one pig at 12 (22.6 percent) of the 53 fairs. At the fairs where flu was detected in the pigs, the average frequency of virus detection was 63 percent. Pigs showing signs of illness were observed and tested positive for flu at two fairs, and pigs without signs of illness but positive for flu were found at 10 (18.9 percent) of the 53 fairs. That means pigs at 10 of 12 fairs with positive flu cases, or 83.3 percent of flu-positive pigs, actually didn't appear to be sick. A total of 1,073 pigs were tested over the three-year period.

"This is an explanation of why people were becoming infected in 2012 -- because a high percentage of infected pigs with no clinical symptoms are exhibited at fairs," said Richard Slemons, professor of veterinary preventive medicine at Ohio State and senior author of both studies. "There is potentially high exposure. Therefore, this is something we hadn't seen before or did not know was going on because no one had systematically examined fairs."

Influenza A virus usually infects the respiratory tract, and pigs can "shed" the virus into the air. Slemons described flu-positive swine areas as potentially under a "cloud" of flu particles that would be difficult to avoid. Swine infected with flu typically show clinical signs similar to those in humans: nasal discharge, cough, fever, lethargy and poor appetite.

In the second study, the researchers used swine-origin virus isolates collected during fair surveillance that had continued into the summer of 2012, and obtained the genetic sequences of human-origin influenza A virus isolates from GenBank, the National Institutes of Health genetic sequence database. The human viruses had been recovered from people with flu-like illness following exposure to pigs at an Ohio fair in July 2012.

The timing of the illnesses and the proximity of humans and pigs suggested the viruses were the same, but it was the higher than 99 percent similarity in the viruses' genetic sequences that confirmed interspecies transmission, Bowman said.

"This study presents clear molecular evidence that pigs and humans were concurrently infected with the same strain of influenza A virus at an Ohio county fair in July 2012," he said.

Bowman noted that the results of the two studies create new questions: How do these viruses get to the fair, what can be done to lessen the risk to animals and people, and are the infections going in only one direction, from pigs to humans?

The research program members are continuing to monitor the antigenic and genomic properties of type A influenza viruses in swine.

"It is possible that humans are infecting the pigs. The lineage of the H3N2 strains we see in pigs can be tracked back to the human seasonal flu of the 1990s," Bowman said. "Human-to-swine transmission of influenza viruses has the potential to significantly impact swine health."

He noted that influenza A virus is not considered a food-safety risk as long as pork is cooked properly.

This work was supported by the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

Jacqueline Nolting and Sarah Nelson of Ohio State's Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine were co-authors on both papers. Additional co-authors of the Emerging Microbes & Infections paper include Srinand Sreevatsan and Carol Cardona of the University of Minnesota, Mary Killian of the USDA and Shannon Page of the Ohio Department of Health.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Ohio State University.

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

---

Journal References:

1. Andrew S. Bowman, Jacqueline M. Nolting, Sarah W. Nelson, and Richard D. Slemons. Subclinical Influenza Virus A Infections in Pigs Exhibited at Agricultural Fairs, Ohio, USA, 2009?2011. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2012 [link]
2. Andrew S Bowman, Srinand Sreevatsan, Mary L Killian, Shannon L Page, Sarah W Nelson, Jacqueline M Nolting, Carol Cardona, Richard D Slemons. Molecular evidence for interspecies transmission of H3N2pM/H3N2v influenza A viruses at an Ohio agricultural fair, July 2012. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 2012; 1 (10): e33 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2012.33

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/hWZQV_uyXe4/121024164622.htm

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GenreTainment! With Writer/Director of Blood and Bone China 10/25 ...

On his show, Comedian Rodney Perry covers arts and entertainment, everything from comedy and politics to music and acting, with his signature comedic slant.

MashUp Radio is a 30-minute podcast that discusses the fusion of technology, life, culture and science. Host Peter Biddle, engineer and executive for Intel?s Atom Software, dishes up a thought-provoking discussion.

Deepak Chopra Radio provides an online forum for compelling and thought provoking conversations on success, love, sexuality and relationships, well-being and spirituality.

The Bottom Line Sports Show is hosted by former NBA stars Penny Hardaway, Charles Oakley, Mateen Cleaves. Tune in to get the inside scoop on what's happening in sports today.

Joy Keys provides her listeners with insight to improve their lives mentally, physically, monetarily and emotionally. Past guests on the show have included Meshell Nedegeocello, Blair Underwood, in addition to an impressive list of CEOs, humanitarians and authors.

Hits Radio covers basketball, sports culture and entertainment with past guests including Jason Kidd, Robin Lundberg and Chris Herren.

Listeners get an earful on The Halli Casser-Jayne Show, Talk Radio for Fine Minds. Whether it?s the current political cocktail or the latest must-read award-winning book, Halli tackles all topics and likes to stir ? and sometimes shakes ? things up.

Award-winning World Footprints is a leading voice in socially responsible travel and lifestyle. Hosts Ian & Tonya celebrate culture and heritage and bring a unique voice to the world of travel.

Football Reporters Online is a group of veteran football experts in the fields of coaching, scouting, talent evaluation, and writing/broadcasting/media placement. Combined, the group brings well over 100 years of expertise in sports.

Host John Martin interviews the nation's leading entrepreneurs and small biz experts to educate small business owners on how to be successful. Past guests have included Emeril Lagasse and Guy Kawasaki.

The Movie Geeks share their passion for the art through interviews with the stars of and creative minds behind your favorite flicks and pay tribute to big-screen legends. From James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola to Ellen Burstyn and Robert Duvall, The Geeks have got'em all.

Sylvia Global presents global conversations pertaining to women, wealth, business, faith and philanthropy. Sylvia has interviewed an eclectic mix from CEOs and musicians to fashion designers and philanthropists including Randolph Duke and Ne-Yo.

Seasoned entertainment reporter Robin Milling gets up close and personal with the world's most compelling celebs. From Michael Douglas to Katie Holmes to Kevin Kline to Ashley Judd to America Ferrera, she sits down in person each week with each and every A-lister.

Mr. Media host Bob Andelman goes one-on-one with the hottest, most influential minds from the worlds of film, TV, music, comedy, journalism and literature. That means A-listers like Kirk Douglas, Christian Slater, Kathy Ireland, Rick Fox, Chris Hansen and Jackie Collins.

Paula Begoun, best-selling author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, separates fact from fiction on achieving a radiant, youthful complexion at any age. She?s regularly joined by health and beauty experts who offer the latest on keeping your skin in tip-top shape.

Source: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/scifipulse/2012/10/25/genretainment-with-writerdirector-of-blood-and-bone-china

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3i Debt Management prices $461M CLO via Citi | LeveragedLoan.com

content

Citigroup has priced a $461.2 million CLO for 3i Debt Management U.S., according to sources.

Terms of the transaction are as follows:

This is first CLO to price under the newly created 3i Debt Management U.S. platform, which was established earlier this year through an alliance between 3i Group and WCAS Fraser Sullivan Investment Management (For more details on that transaction, see ?3i allies with Fraser Sullivan to establish U.S. presence,? LCD News, Aug. 2).

The 12-year deal has a four-year reinvestment period, sources noted. ? Kerry Kantin

Source: http://www.leveragedloan.com/3i-debt-management-prices-461m-clo-via-citi/

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Website Pitches Scientific Solutions In Search of Problems

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/n7cev_ZMNIg/website-pitches-scientific-solutions-in-search-of-problems

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When negative political ads work

Public release date: 24-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Barbara Gutierrez
bgutierrez@miami.edu
305-284-5500
University of Miami

University of Miami professor examines when and how negative campaigns ads are effective

Televised political advertising takes up a large portion of campaigns budgets. Much of it is spent on negative political ads. But do these negative ads work? A new study by Juliana Fernandes, assistant professor of strategic communication at the University of Miami (UM), shows that a negative political ad is most effective when it's shown in moderation. The findings reveal that massive exposure to a negative ad has a backlash effect on the evaluation of the sponsor candidate.

"People will be more likely to appreciate and vote for the candidate that is sponsoring the negative advertisement, if the ad is presented in a spaced-out manner, over time," "says Fernandes, a UM School of Communication professor. "A candidate that doesn't have a large budget for political advertising can use the same advertising over and over again; but in a way that is more strategic."

In the study, university students participated in two separate tests. First, 150 participants watched the repetition of a 30-second negative political ad of candidates that were likely unknown to participants (one, three, or five exposures). The ads were presented sequentially, characterizing the presentation as massive. The results show that evaluation and the likelihood of voting for the sponsor candidate was highest when the participants were exposed to the ad three times and lowest when they were exposed to the ad five times.

In the second test, 306 university students watched advertisements of unknown candidates within a 30 minute television program, with varying time intervals between ad repetitions. Afterwards participants filled out questionnaires to evaluate the sponsor and the attacked candidates, as well as the likelihood of voting for them.

The results indicate that larger time intervals between repetitions of the ad favor the evaluation of the sponsor candidate and disfavor the evaluation of the target candidate. This was true even with increased repetition, suggesting that the sponsor candidate can avoid the backlash effect by allowing larger time intervals between ad exposures.

"In my study I show that negative political ads do work under certain conditions," Fernandes says. "I think they can help the political process, because people can look at some facts, process the information more carefully and later on--when people cast their votes--they can make an informed decision."

The study is titled "Effects of Negative Political Advertising and Message Repetition on Candidate Evaluation" The findings will be published in March of 2013, in the journal Mass Communication and Society.

In the future Fernandes would like to investigate valance variation, such as what happens when there are repeated negative and positive political ads and when there are negative ads sponsored by opposing candidates. She would also like to analyze the possible effects of individual variables, such as gender and party affiliation.

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The University of Miami's mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of our diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world. www.miami.edu

The School of Communication prepares forward-thinking, analytical and responsible communication professionals for success in a global society. The School offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in advertising, cinema, communication studies, interactive media, journalism and public relations, with a total current enrollment of approximately 1100 students and 58 full-time faculty members

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Public release date: 24-Oct-2012
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Contact: Barbara Gutierrez
bgutierrez@miami.edu
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University of Miami

University of Miami professor examines when and how negative campaigns ads are effective

Televised political advertising takes up a large portion of campaigns budgets. Much of it is spent on negative political ads. But do these negative ads work? A new study by Juliana Fernandes, assistant professor of strategic communication at the University of Miami (UM), shows that a negative political ad is most effective when it's shown in moderation. The findings reveal that massive exposure to a negative ad has a backlash effect on the evaluation of the sponsor candidate.

"People will be more likely to appreciate and vote for the candidate that is sponsoring the negative advertisement, if the ad is presented in a spaced-out manner, over time," "says Fernandes, a UM School of Communication professor. "A candidate that doesn't have a large budget for political advertising can use the same advertising over and over again; but in a way that is more strategic."

In the study, university students participated in two separate tests. First, 150 participants watched the repetition of a 30-second negative political ad of candidates that were likely unknown to participants (one, three, or five exposures). The ads were presented sequentially, characterizing the presentation as massive. The results show that evaluation and the likelihood of voting for the sponsor candidate was highest when the participants were exposed to the ad three times and lowest when they were exposed to the ad five times.

In the second test, 306 university students watched advertisements of unknown candidates within a 30 minute television program, with varying time intervals between ad repetitions. Afterwards participants filled out questionnaires to evaluate the sponsor and the attacked candidates, as well as the likelihood of voting for them.

The results indicate that larger time intervals between repetitions of the ad favor the evaluation of the sponsor candidate and disfavor the evaluation of the target candidate. This was true even with increased repetition, suggesting that the sponsor candidate can avoid the backlash effect by allowing larger time intervals between ad exposures.

"In my study I show that negative political ads do work under certain conditions," Fernandes says. "I think they can help the political process, because people can look at some facts, process the information more carefully and later on--when people cast their votes--they can make an informed decision."

The study is titled "Effects of Negative Political Advertising and Message Repetition on Candidate Evaluation" The findings will be published in March of 2013, in the journal Mass Communication and Society.

In the future Fernandes would like to investigate valance variation, such as what happens when there are repeated negative and positive political ads and when there are negative ads sponsored by opposing candidates. She would also like to analyze the possible effects of individual variables, such as gender and party affiliation.

###

The University of Miami's mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of our diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world. www.miami.edu

The School of Communication prepares forward-thinking, analytical and responsible communication professionals for success in a global society. The School offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in advertising, cinema, communication studies, interactive media, journalism and public relations, with a total current enrollment of approximately 1100 students and 58 full-time faculty members

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/uom-wnp102412.php

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The Best Way To Know If A Cash Advance Is ... - Strategic Planning

Get instant $ 400 payday loans online Dallas, TX direct lender.

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Source: http://tapgallery.org/291-the-best-way-to-know-if-a-cash-advance-is-right-for-you.html

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iPad mini vs. Kindle Fire HD - Know Your Cell

The iPad mini?was just announced and it's an exciting portable tablet but how does it compare to devices like the Amazon Kindle Fire HD? We break it down for you.??

Screen size

The iPad mini will feature a 7.9-inch display with a 1024 x 768 display and that's the same resolution as the iPad 2. That resolution means it will be able to easily run the existing apps in the App Store.?

Much like the full iPad lineup, the Amazon Kindle HD tablets will give you the choices of screen sizes: You can pick up a tablet from Amazon with a 7-inch screen or an 8.9-inch display. We'll focus on the 7-inch tablet for now since the 8.9-inch version isn't on the market yet.?

The Kindle Fire HD has a nice 7-inch screen with a 1280 x 800 resolution and it's quite a nice display. Watching videos is a delight and it's quite responsive to your touch. Amazon has done a really nice job with this one and it actually outdoes the iPad mini when it comes to pixels per inch. ?

Other specs

Apple is claiming that the iPad mini is every bit an iPad, just smaller. That means you can expect a dual-core A5 processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, multiple cameras, the option for 4G LTE and also things like the gyroscope inside (key for gaming). While the processor isn't the most powerful that Apple offers -- that would be the A6X), it's still going to be more than enough to power your Web browsing, games and more.?

Once again, Amazon has done a nice job of making sure its Kindle Fire HD didn't lag behind the competition when it comes to specs (not really the case with last year's Kindle Fire). The latest Kindle Fire HD tablets sport a 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4470 processor, two Wi-Fi antennas for a better connection, Dolby audio and a front-facing camera.?

The Kindle Fire HD performs well and operates like a modern tablet should. If you pick one up, it should deliver a high-quality experience.?

Software

The iPad 4th generation will launch with iOS 6 and despite the hubbub over the Maps app, it's the best version of Apple's software yet. If you haven't used iOS before, you should know that it's very intuitive and easy to pick up and understand.?

Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's not powerful, as iOS 6 features a host of useful features. It now has Facebook and Twitter built in, so sharing photos, links and more on your social network only takes a few clicks. E-mail, browsing, taking photos and everything else you'd expect is very simple to do with iOS 6.?

The App Store may be the best thing about iOS 6, as it's filled with more than 700,000 apps that can run on this tablet. Sure, not all of those are custom built for this size but you probably won't have to wait too long until you see a variety of high-quality programs built specificially for this iPad.?

The Amazon Kindle Fire HD is based on Android Ice Cream Sandwich?but don't expect to see the Google Play store on this thing because the Amazon tablet has its own custom user interface. Amazon has skinned its tablet to include a carousel-like interface and this makes finding your apps and content pretty easy.?

This customized version of Android is good and bad. It's good because it's cleaner and prettier than stock Ice Cream Sandwich and it also includes Amazon-specific software like FreeTime, which lets you limit how much time a kid can spend on certain programs.?On the negative side, the Amazon App Store for Android?will give you a free premium app each day but it's not as filled with content as the Google Play Store. ?

Ecosystem

Apple is still the clear leader when it comes to having a complete tablet ecosystem but Amazon isn't as far behind as you may think. The iPad mini will be able to hook into the vast iTunes ecosystem for a variety of songs, movies, television shows and apps.

It's not just the content, as Apple has done a solid job of building out its online services. The iPad ?will be compatible with the iCloud?and this makes it easy to keep your content backed up in a seamless way. This also makes file management between your iDevices very simple.?

Apple is also dominant in an area that doesn't get spoken about often: the accessories. Sure, the Lightning cable?may cut into how many interesting third-party accessories there are at launch but you can be sure the market will soon have a variety of covers, docks, Kickstarter products and more.?

Amazon has a few cases for its Kindle Fire HD and we'll see some from third-party providers but it's not in the same class as the iPad XYZ. Luckily, Amazon matches or exceeds Apple is other ecosystem categories.?

The Amazon Music store and its movie and television selection is quite stellar. If you're on Amazon Prime, you'll also get free streaming access to a (somewhat limited) selection of free TV shows and movies. The Amazon Cloud Player?is also an incredible way to get all your music on your device without having to eat up your internal storage space.?

Price

The iPad mini will start at $329 for the 16GB version and getting more storage or 4G LTE data will increase the costs. Basically, expect to pay $100 more for each storage update you want and 4G LTE support will cost even more.?

The Amazon Kindle Fire HD has the Apple tablet beat on price, as you can get a 16GB Amazon tablet for $199 and the 32GB version will cost $249. Keep in mind these prices also mean you'll get the "special offers" or ads but you can pay about $20 to get rid of those.?

Bottom line

By this point, you should know what you're going to get with an Apple product. The Apple mini is going to be a well-built device that's intuitive to use, has a robust app, content and accessory ecosystem and it will fit in nicely with your other Apple products. The latest iPad will be much more portable than the larger version but it will still give you that iPad experience you want. It's not going to be as cheap as the competiton, but that premium may be worth it when you consider the apps and ecosystem.?

The Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablets may be geared toward those who want to spend a bit less on a device but don't want to compromise on quality or performance. The Kindle Fire HD provides a good experience filled with a wealth of content but the app and accessory selection may lag behind Apple's latest tablet.?

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Source: http://www.knowyourcell.com/news/1646921/apple_ipad_mini_vs_kindle_fire_hd.html

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Aleppans stretched to limit in war for Syrian city

ALEPPO, Syria (AP) ? The rumble of engines in the sky immediately set the Aleppo neighborhood below on edge. Men peeked from shops anxiously at the Syrian warplane circling slowly overhead. Housewives emerged on balconies to gauge whether they were about to be hit. But the kids hanging out on the street were unfazed. One kept dribbling his basketball.

Finally, the jet struck. Engines revving louder, it dove and unleashed a burst of heavy machine-gunfire into a nearby part of the city. It soared back up under a hail of rebel anti-aircraft fire, then swooped back down for a second strafing run.

The women on the balconies broke into tears, fearing for the children in the street. But the boys just pointed at the jet, shouting "God is great" in challenge. "God send you to hell, Bashar," one boy yelled as the jet flew away.

With death lurking around every corner, the survival instincts of Aleppo's population are being stretched to the limit every day as the battle between Syria's rebels and the regime of President Bashar Assad for the country's largest city stretches through its fourth destructive month. Residents in the rebel-held neighborhoods suffering the war's brunt tell tales of lives filled with fear over the war in their streets, along with an ingenuity and resilience in trying to keep their shattered families going.

And while residents of the rebel-held areas express their hatred of Assad's regime and their dream of seeing him go, they also voice their worries over the rebels and the destruction that their offensive has brought to their city. Graffiti on the shutter of a closed store declares the population's sense of resignation: "God, you are all we've got."

Since the rebels launched their assault in July to drive government forces from Aleppo, the two sides have fought to a stalemate. Each holds about half the city of 3 million people and neither is able to deal the other a decisive blow. While government-held areas have seen some fighting from occasional rebel forays, the opposition districts are hit daily by artillery, mortars, sniper fire and airstrikes. Hundreds of civilians have been randomly killed by shells or mortars while waiting in bread lines, shopping for food or in their homes.

Rebels drive the dusty streets at breakneck speed, ferrying the wounded to a field hospital. Thoroughfares packed with cars one moment abruptly empty out? a sign that up ahead a sniper is active.

Men methodically scavenge in the city's heaps of garbage, many of which smolder from unsuccessful attempts to completely burn them. Entire city blocks are eerily deserted, the mounds of debris from the apartment buildings a testimony to bombardments that drove residents to flee. Grim-faced families piling up belongings onto a pickup truck or a taxi to ferry them to a new home and a new life away from danger are a common sight.

Signs around the city advertise basements for rent, where many families crowd for relative safety.

Bab el-Sheaar Square, located near one of the city's many front lines, shows the destruction to the once vibrant life that distinguished Aleppo, Syria's capital of commerce.

Oblivious to the rattle of machine-gun fire and the whistle of mortar rounds landing only 100 or 200 meters away, a 12-year-old boy bicycled across the square, heading home from a visit to his cousins just as the shelling picked up. "I am not afraid," the boy, Younis, declared. "I only fear God."

Another boy, 14-year-old Ahmed, pushed his cart selling sahlab, a hot, milky drink with nuts. With few people in the square, he wasn't finding many customers.

"I want to live, that's it," he said. "I have younger siblings and they need to eat too." He and other residents refused to give their last names or asked that names not be used for fear of retaliation from the regime.

The owner of a household goods store near the square was looking to salvage his business.

"I am renting a new store in an area under government control," he declared as he cleaned his shelves of blenders, juice makers and water boilers that an employee loaded onto a car. "No one likes to see this destruction, but no one wants the regime to stay either."

Corrugated-iron store shutters litter the square, blasted off in the fighting. Electrical cables dangle from damaged buildings. Air conditioners hang off their hinges, waiting to take a fatal plunge to the street below. Bullet-riddled shop signs paint a picture of what was once available: "Al-Zein frozen goods. All types of Arabic ice cream" and "Al-Moayed's cheeses and milk. Natural flavors, perfect quality and nutritional value."

A poster torn to the ground advertises South Korean mobile phones that come in pink and sky blue, proclaiming, "Add a spark to your life. Your first love."

Standing in the relative safety beneath the large overpass running through the square, a group of men discussed the war's impact on their city, from the frequent and lengthy power and water cuts to the steep rise in the price of basic goods like bread, fuel and sugar.

As the men denounced Assad's regime, 46-year-old agricultural engineer Abdul-Jalil, listened quietly. Then he followed an AP reporter into a side street.

"If you have time, I want to tell you my version of what is going on," he said in a conspiratorial tone.

"I don't support the regime, but I am crying rivers of blood for my country," he began. He described what he called the unruliness of the rebels. The fighters damage people's homes by knocking down walls to make passages they can move through without exposing themselves to snipers. They steal electrical cables and furniture.

He said rebels had forced him from his home to use as a base ? and that they had done the same to others. He now lives elsewhere with his in-laws.

One of his sons is an army soldier based in Damascus, and Ali had to spend a small fortune by the family's standards ? 3,500 liras, or about $50 at black market rates ? to fly him home to Aleppo to see his family, he said. Coming by road would have risked being abducted or worse at rebel checkpoints.

"I have not had a single day of work since July," he lamented. His family lives off the debts he collects from farmers he supplied with irrigation pipes on credit.

"What we have now is destruction and theft. Maybe, it is divine punishment for not observing the teachings of our faith," said Abdul-Jalil, a Muslim.

Amid the carnage, there are refreshing signs of cheer.

In his salon, barber Bashar Khatab chatted happily with his customers and joked as he negotiated the price with a mother who brought her two small boys for a haircut. "You come now and you wait a few minutes for your turn," he joked to one client. "Before all this started, your wait could be two hours."

When the man in his chair asked for his hair to be washed, Khatab led him to an outside sink used by the neighboring grocer because the water was out in his salon.

"You will never forget this haircut," he told the man with a laugh. "Where else in the world can you get a haircut and then have your hair washed in a grocer's sink?"

With his ginger red hair fashionably spiked up and wearing trendy jeans and a T-shirt, the 35-year-old father of three daughters even claimed to find the thud of artillery shells and the crackle of gunfire soothing.

"They help me go to sleep at night. Even my girls now are not bothered. They used to be scared. Not anymore."

Others find comfort in unusual places. Ali, a father of two boys aged 4 and 18 months, draws his happiness from his birds.

The 33-year-old Ali has moved with his family to a basement after an airstrike in July partially damaged his small apartment. He can no longer commute to the factory where he worked because of the fighting. So he is on the sidewalk near Bab el-Shearr trying to sell his 14 canaries.

Passers-by ridicule him for trying to sell birds when most of them are struggling to make ends meet. But Ali, in a tracksuit and plastic flip-flops, is not discouraged. Birds have been a hobby since childhood and he seems as happy talking about them as selling them. He boasts his canaries give passing children something pleasant to look at and he answers their questions about the birds' original habitat, mating habits and food preferences.

"They ask me hundred questions and then they leave without buying, of course," he says without a hint of bitterness. "It's like a free lecture on birds."

"That bird in a cage by himself is a promising male," he explains enthusiastically. "He is alone to eat a lot and grow stronger. When he is ready, I will introduce a female to his cage so they can marry and start a family."

His last sale was a week ago.

So, how does he survive? Ali balks at saying the truth directly? that he lives off the charity of relatives and friends.

"Do you want me to beg on the streets? Let us just say that kind people don't forget me or my family," he said, sighing as his eyes welled up.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/aleppans-stretched-limit-war-syrian-city-184728247.html

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How to Manage Your Career While Managing Your Job | Graziadio ...

Last month, I did something that caught some people by surprise: I left my job as editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the most successful women?s magazine in the world.

That?s a lot to give up?including free access to the fabulous Cosmo beauty closet. But a year and a half ago, as I looked down the road, I saw that I was approaching a key turning point in my career. If I wanted to try something bold and different, I had to grab the chance sooner rather than later. In other words, it was time for me to do some serious career management. In January, I told my boss I would be leaving towards the end of the year to focus on being an author, speaker and entrepreneur.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in doing our job that we lose sight of our overall career. But you need to be a relentless architect of your career. You have to manage your career?and your success?as well as you manage your job.

You may have thought that by doing your job really well, you were also taking care of your career?and to some degree that?s the case. But in many ways, they call for different skills and tasks.

Here are some key strategies to make sure you?re managing your career brilliantly:

1. Demonstrate your upward mobility.

Try to imagine how your boss might describe you to someone. If the description is less than fabulous, consider why and then kick your butt quickly into gear.

Start going to meetings with big, bold ideas, give your full attention to projects, volunteer for new assignments or stuff your boss is too busy for?and then knock it out of the park. Get a new haircut and a couple of great outfits to signal that you have your mojo back.

And don?t be afraid to verbalize your intentions to your boss. I got a note from a staffer after she received a promotion, and she ended it with the phrase, ?Someday I want to be you.? It was the first time I realized how fiercely ambitious she was?and I liked that.

2. Be ready.

If you don?t have the right skills (public speaking, social media, whatever) for the next big job in your sights, get them.

Also, check out online the jobs you think you want. What are the full descriptions and necessary requirements? How can you position yourself to be a better candidate for those jobs?

3. Get out there?in person.

When you?re starting out, you network out of necessity to find a job. But further along in your career, it?s easy to let networking fall off because of time constraints. You need to keep it going at full throttle.

Ahead of any event, research key people who might be there. Approach them with specific talking points. (For instance, start with ?Your article in X trade publication was terrific? and then ask a question about it.) Join conversations by first listening to what?s being talked about and then being inquisitive. Later, send new contacts links to info relating to what you discussed.

4. Volunteer to be on panels at events.

This is a great way to show people how much you know. (But be super-prepared and get media trained.)

5. Think ?sponsor,? not just ?mentor.?

A mentor gives you advice. A sponsor opens doors.

A mentor can also be a sponsor, but the bottom line is that you need to cultivate relationships with people who will make key introductions for you and not just dispense wisdom. (Studies, by the way, have shown that men are more likely to have sponsors than women.)

And you can?t wait for a sponsor to drop into your life. You need to cultivate these relationships. And you then have to be gutsy enough to ask for help?such as requesting an email introduction to a potential boss.

6. Take on one thing a week that nurtures your success.

For instance, attend a speech by someone in your industry or write a blog about your field. Go on YouTube to hear a motivational speech by someone wickedly successful, like Facebook?s Sheryl Sandberg. And use this kind of time, too, to develop your ?Big Mouth list? (all the people you email with important professional news about yourself).

7. Do the math?and then be strategic.

In many fields, there are points when you need to reach a certain level of achievement, or it?s not gonna happen. As a senior editor in my early 30s, I did the math and began to see that in the magazine field, if you didn?t make it to an editor-in-chief job by your late 30s or early 40s, the chances got really slim. That helped me start focusing on how much time I had and laying the foundation for it to happen.

8. Tap into your envy.

Let?s pretend for a second: A colleague just got offered a great job somewhere else. How irritated are you, really?

If you?re still thriving at your job, you probably will not be bothered by the person?s departure. But if you find yourself hating the person, it?s a warning. Allow your envy to point you to the fact that you?re overdue for a change.

9. Go for it.

When the right job comes up, you must ferociously go after it?even if it?s in your company. Tell them why you want it and what you will do for them.

I know of an executive magazine editor who heard about an editor-in-chief job when the company was in the final round of interviews. She called the contact person and was told that the company president was leaving that day for an overseas trip and wouldn?t be able to squeeze in an interview with her. The editor said she would be willing to accompany the president in the limo to the airport and maker her pitch on the drive. She did?and she got the job. Now that?s going for it.

Kate White is a world-renowned bestselling author, career expert, motivational speaker and consultant to Hearst magazines. Longtime Editor-in-Chief of Cosmo, her newest book, I Shouldn?t Be Telling You This: Success Secrets Every Gutsy Girl Should Know, is on sale now.

Brazen Life is a lifestyle and career blog for ambitious young professionals. Hosted by Brazen Careerist, we offer edgy and fun ideas for navigating the changing world of work -- this isn't your parents' career-advice blog. Be Brazen.

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Source: http://bschool.pepperdine.edu/studentblog/index.php/how-to-manage-your-career-while-managing-your-job/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-manage-your-career-while-managing-your-job

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This Soviet Bunker Looks Like a Buried Alien Spaceship... with a Strip Club

Back in 1951, the Soviet Union started the construction of the Tangansky Protected Command Point, a secret 75,000-square-foot (7,000 square metres) military complex located 213 foot (65 meters) under Moscow's streets, near the Taganskaya subway station. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/s_BY-WsVRTs/this-soviet-bunker-looks-like-a-buried-alien-spaceship-with-a-built+in-strip-club

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6 Signs Your Marriage Will End In Divorce [EXPERT] | Leslie Petruk ...

Divorce ahead?

Is your marriage on the fast track to divorce? Find out!

Maintaining a marriage requires intentionality. Just like other relationships, if your marriage doesn't receive the necessary time and attention, it will deteriorate.

More from YourTango: Help! I Sound Just Like My Mother [EXPERT]

Couples tend to enter marriages with great expectations, bringing both their own histories of hurt and unmet needs. The unspoken expectation that your partner will finally love you the way you desire to be loved is often a setup for failure.

Apathy and contempt in a marriage are warning signs that your marriage needs your attention, and the number one predictor of divorce is conflict avoidance. So, if you and your partner avoid conflict and lack the skills of conflict resolution, your marriage may be in jeopardy.

Dr. John Gottman, marriage & family therapist and leading researcher on marriage, has conducted studies over the span of 40 years to determine the predictors of divorce. His studies showed that these six characteristics of communication predict the likelihood of divorce with 91% accuracy.

If the dynamics in your marriage fit these patterns, your chance of divorce is great:

1. Harsh start-ups. Approaching a conversation or conflict with sarcasm, accusations, criticism or derogatory comments is dangerous for a marriage. Initiating a conversation harshly, will likely result in an acrimonious ending without resolution.

2. The four horsemen. Gottman identifies these as contempt, criticism, defensiveness and stonewalling.? His research shows a correlation between these characteristics of communication with your spouse drastically increase likelihood to divorce.

3. Flooding. You and/or your spouse overwhelm each other with negativity that causes an emotional shut-down and detachment from your relationship. When you or your partner suddenly barrages the other with criticism or contempt, leaving the other feeling shell shocked, this results in disengagement and often, over time, leads to contempt.

4. Body language. When one or both partners become overwhelmed and flooded, it results in physiological changes in the body. Increased heart rate, a secretion of adrenaline and an increase in blood pressure occur and these physiological responses preclude the ability to effectively resolve conflict. Flooding triggers a fight or flight response, resulting in disengagement and/or stonewalling by your partner.

5. Failed attempts to repair. If conflict is not resolved or stonewalled by one partner, the likelihood of divorce increases. Conflict resolution is imperative in maintaining a healthy relationship. Stonewalling is the lack of willingness to engage in conversation and resolution around a conflict.

Want to learn more? Check out Divorce Survival Guide!

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Source: http://www.yourtango.com/experts/leslie-petruk/6-signs-your-marriage-will-end-in-divorce

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