Friday, 30 November 2012

Biden leads tribute to late Sen. Warren Rudman

(AP) ? Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday led a tribute on Capitol Hill to the late GOP Sen. Warren Rudman of New Hampshire, recalling him as "forthright, frugal and fair."

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Supreme Court Justice David Souter, a close Rudman friend from New Hampshire, were among many friends and former colleagues from both parties at the memorial event.

Rudman, who died Nov. 19 at 82, co-authored a ground-breaking budget balancing law, championed ethics and led a commission that predicted the danger of homeland terrorist attacks before 9/11.

The feisty former New Hampshire attorney general went to the Senate in 1981 with a reputation as a tough prosecutor, and was called on by Senate leaders, and later by presidents of both parties, to tackle tough assignments.

"His honesty could be searing," Biden said, but Rudman also showed deep compassion and faith in the dignity and wisdom of ordinary Americans.

McCain praised Rudman's character, his lack of pretense and his willingness to buck his party when he felt Republicans were wrong.

"Besides being gruff, irascible, blunt and impatient ... Warren Rudman, first and last, was a man of integrity."

Souter saluted the independence and courage of Rudman, a combat veteran of the Korean War.

"There was no one on the face of the earth he was afraid of," Souter said.

Rudman, at the same time, never hated those he disagreed with, said Souter.

"What he'd do instead is stick his hand out," Souter said.

Reid said Rudman, who was Jewish, learned to be tough at an early age battling bigots, but added "his rough exterior belied such a soft manner."

"When I think of him, the word irrepressible comes to mind," said Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-11-29-US-Rudman-Tribute/id-9844f49f720b4d8f91834aab2261148f

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Human-caused climate change signal emerges from the noise

ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2012) ? By comparing simulations from 20 different computer models to satellite observations, Lawrence Livermore climate scientists and colleagues from 16 other organizations have found that tropospheric and stratospheric temperature changes are clearly related to human activities.?

The team looked at geographical patterns of atmospheric temperature change over the period of satellite observations. The team's goal of the study was to determine whether previous findings of a "discernible human influence" on tropospheric and stratospheric temperature were sensitive to current uncertainties in climate models and satellite data.

The troposphere is the lowest portion of earth's atmosphere. The stratosphere sits just above the troposphere, between 6 and 30 miles above earth's surface.

The satellite temperature data sets were produced by three different research groups, and rely on measurements of the microwave emissions of oxygen molecules. Each group made different choices in processing these raw measurements, and in accounting for such complex effects as drifts in satellite orbits and in instrument calibrations.

The new climate model simulations analyzed by the team will form the scientific backbone of the upcoming 5th assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is due out in 2014.

In both satellite observations and the computer model simulations of historical climate change, the lower stratosphere cools markedly over the past 33 years. This cooling is primarily a response to the human-caused depletion of stratospheric ozone. The observations and model simulations also show a common pattern of large-scale warming of the lower troposphere, with largest warming over the Arctic, and muted warming (or even cooling) over Antarctica. Tropospheric warming is mainly driven by human-caused increases in well-mixed greenhouse gases.

"It's very unlikely that purely natural causes can explain these distinctive patterns of temperature change," said Laboratory atmospheric scientist Benjamin Santer, who is lead author of the paper appearing in the Nov. 29 online edition of the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"No known mode of natural climate variability can cause sustained, global-scale warming of the troposphere and cooling of the lower stratosphere."

The team analyzed results from climate model simulations with specified historical changes in human and natural external factors, and from simulations with projected 21st century changes in greenhouse gases and anthropogenic aerosols. They also looked at simulations with no changes in external influences on climate, which provide information on the year-to-year and decade-to-decade "noise" of internal climate variability, arising from such natural phenomena as the El Nino/Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

The team used a standard "climate fingerprint" method to search for the model signal pattern (in response to human influences, the sun and volcanoes) in the satellite observations. The method quantifies the strength of the signal in observations, relative to the strength of the signal in natural climate noise.

Other contributors include researchers from Remote Sensing Systems of Santa Rosa; the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, Melbourne, Australia; the Canadian Centre for Climate Modeling and Analysis, Victoria, Canada; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton; the University of Colorado, Boulder; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; the U.K. Met. Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, U.K.; the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Toulouse, France; North Carolina State University; the National Climatic Data Center, Asheville; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder; the University of Adelaide, South Australia; the University of Reading, U.K.; and the Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Camp Springs.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Benjamin D. Santer, Jeffrey F. Painter, Carl A. Mears, Charles Doutriaux, Peter Caldwell, Julie M. Arblaster, Philip J. Cameron-Smith, Nathan P. Gillett, Peter J. Gleckler, John Lanzante, Judith Perlwitz, Susan Solomon, Peter A. Stott, Karl E. Taylor, Laurent Terray, Peter W. Thorne, Michael F. Wehner, Frank J. Wentz, Tom M. L. Wigley, Laura J. Wilcox, and Cheng-Zhi Zou. Identifying human influences on atmospheric temperature. PNAS, November 29, 2012 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1210514109

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/nYJESfc2czQ/121129143504.htm

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5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Landing Page and Boost Conversions

Landing pages are web pages on your website that are used to generate leads for your business. The main purpose of a landing page is to entice visitors to perform a desired action whether it is registering an interest in one of your products, arranging a demo, downloading an eBook, signing up to your newsletter, or another product or service that your business offers. Every business, however small or large, can benefit from optimized landing pages.

Businesses use several methods to promote and build traffic to their website. However, ultimately the success of a business online depends largely on how many visitors are converted into sales or leads for the business, referred to as conversion rate. Optimised landing pages are one of the most effective tools a business can use to boost conversions on the website.

Creating effective landing pages have become a standard marketing practice for any business that wants to increase conversions and generate leads for the business. In this article we take a look at 5 easy but highly effective ways to get better results from your landing page.

1. Focus All Attention on One Conversion Action

Your landing page should be dedicated to one task or one desired user action only e.g. register for your newsletter, sign-up for a webinar, download an eBook or another lead that is relevant to your business. The entire attention should be focused on one conversion event. More than one action will dilute the focus away from your primary lead event and have a negative impact on your conversion rate.? If you are running multiple campaigns or wish to generate additional leads from your website, use dedicated landing pages for each.

Take a look at DeVry University?s landing page below for requesting information about the courses. There is only one conversion action on the page and all attention is devoted toward it.

Landing Page - University

2. Test Variations

A/B split testing is widely acknowledged as an essential element of an effective landing page optimisation strategy. However, it remains under-utilised. Simple changes like the design or colour of your buttons or the placements of your lead capture form can make a huge difference to your conversion rates.

Businesses have been able to double their conversion rate by applying simple tweaks and variations to their landing page elements. Split testing makes this possible. Google?s Website Opitmizer is one of the easiest ways to do this.

Make it easy ? Make sure that?s it is obvious what you want the visitor to do and even more obvious how to do it. (This is where the use of video, audio, arrows and buttons can be effective.) Limit any data collection to name and email or your conversions will drop unless what you are offering is so valuable people will give more information.

3. Use Supporting Media

Studies have shown that use of relevant media e.g. an image or a video on your landing page is a sure-shot way to boost conversions. It also makes your page more appealing and can help to highlight benefits. Displaying an image of the product in use or a video tour are some examples of supporting media that can boost conversions. You can also create a video explaining your product or create a video testimonial of existing customers. Seeing a real person can make your landing page more engaging for visitors, helps to build trust and personalise the user experience.

Landing Page Videos

4. Remove All Unnecessary Elements

A typical web page consists of several elements e.g. menu, newsletter sign-up, general text about your business, footer links, and more. It may be beneficial to remove a lot of these elements from your landing page. Effective landing pages that get the best results are usually those that focus entirely on the product you are offering and do not give user with additional options on the page. As a general rule, try to remove elements that are not related to you primary conversion event.

Take a look at Match.Com?s registration landing page below. There are no links, or any other additional elements on the page, giving the user only option which is to register for the service.

Landing Page - Match.com

Some items you can remove are:

  • General Website menu
  • General header and footer used on the rest of your page
  • All other secondary conversion elements like newsletter sign-ups or other calls to action
  • All extra content or links that are not directly related to your primary conversion event

5. Leverage Your Thank You Page

The thank you page or confirmation screen is the page where users are redirected to upon successful completion of the desired action on your landing page. Although this is a very important part of your conversion process, it is often overlooked.

A good confirmation page offers the ideal opportunity to get more out of your landing page and should be planned carefully. In addition to a relevant confirmation message and fulfilment of your offering, you can take advantage of this space to boost engagement further. E.g. you can offer something extra such as an eBook, report or another download relevant to your main conversion action. Confirmation page can also be used to generate additional leads.

Take a look at the?eBook confirmation page on Hubspot below. It is a perfect example of how you can leverage your thank you page.

Landing Page Confirmation Screen

What About You?

Do you use landing pages to generate leads for your business? Are you taking advantage of any of the methods above? We would like to hear from you. Please share your responses by leaving a comment below.

If you like this article, please share it!

Source: http://www.kronikmedia.co.uk/blog/improve-landing-page/6104/

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Thursday, 29 November 2012

EDF'S 620-MW Hartlepool 1 nuclear reactor back online

LONDON (Reuters) - A 620-MW reactor at EDF Energy's Hartlepool nuclear power station came back online to supply Britain's power grid on Wednesday, owners EDF Energy said in a statement.

The number 1 reactor at the Hartlepool site in northern England had been offline since November17 for refuelling, and Wednesday's restart comes as Britain's power demand is forecast to increase over the next days because of colder weather.

By 0745 GMT the day-ahead British baseload power price traded at 52.50 pounds per megawatt-hour in the over-the-counter market, up 1.90 pounds from Wednesday's close.

The number 2 reactor at EDF Energy's Hartlepool atomic power station, which also has a generating capacity of 620 MW, is expected to be taken offline in January next year, with no date provided so far when the unit will restart.

(Reporting By John McGarrity; editing by James Jukwey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/edfs-620-mw-hartlepool-1-nuclear-reactor-back-075433672--finance.html

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2014 Kia Forte: The Stylish Sedan Gets Big

The midsize sedan segment has become one of the most hotly contested in the industry. So how do you beat the competition?keep it fresh. After just three short years, the Kia Forte is getting a complete and very stylish redesign. The new Forte sedan is larger too, so it's technically a midsize sedan. Under the hood will be a choice of a 148 hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder with direct injection or a 2.0-liter that cranks out 173 hp. Kia's on a serious roll these days, having surpassed the 500,000 annual unit sales level for the first time ever. The roomy new Forte will almost certainly add to that momentum when it arrives in the spring.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/kia-forte-14795280?src=rss

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Comelec opens party list to 13 families

Reynaldo Santos Jr.
Posted on 11/29/2012 5:13 PM ?|?Updated 11/29/2012 9:33 PM


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MANILA, Philippines ? Thirteen organizations whose nominees come from the same families have been accredited for next year?s party-list polls, according to the complete list released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday, November 29.

They include Ang Mata'y Alagaan (AMA), whose first 3 nominees upon application are members of Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr?s family. Also on the list is Ako Ang Batang Sora Movement, Inc. (ABSI), which counts 3 relatives of Quezon City congresswoman Mary Ann Susano among the 5 nominees each group is allowed to have.

For the 2013, the party list has become a sort of family affair for 36 of the 289 groups that applied for inclusion (165 new applicants, 124 accredited in 2010). Each of these 38 have 2-3 nominees who are related to each other.

Organizations applying for accreditation for the party list have to nominate 5 persons each to represent them. For every corresponding percentage of votes that the group garners, it can send to the House of Representatives the nominees who are first on the list.

AMA?s Nominees 1-3 were Justice Velasco?s wife Lorna and children Tricia Nicole and Vincent Michael. The poll body said earlier the group had replaced the Velascos as nominees, although it wasn?t clear when the substitution was made and who replaced them.

ABSI has Congresswoman Susano?s nieces Vanessa Rose and Maricel Francisco as first and fourth nominees, and her nephew Michael Ryan Francisco as fifth nominee.

Eleven other groups, each with two related nominees, have been accredited by the Comelec for the 2013 party list. They are:

  • Agrarian Development Association (ADA) ? Former Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric D. Singson and his son, incumbent Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric G. Singson Jr.
  • Agbiag! Timpuyog Ilocano Inc. (AGBIAG) ? Patricio T. Antonio and Jose Antonieto M. Antonio.
  • Agila ng Katutubong Pilipino, Inc. (AGILA) ? Gil A. Valera and Elorde B. Valera.
  • Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino (ALIF) ? Current ALIF Rep. Acmad Tomawis?s sons Abdul (his political liaison officer) and Agakhan.
  • Angkla: Ang Partido ng mga Pilipinong Marino, Inc. (ANGKLA) ? Jesulito A. Manalo and Jose Miguel S. Manalo.
  • Bagong Henerasyon (BH) ? Incumbent BH Rep. Bernadette Cruz-Herrera Dy and her husband Edgar Allan D. Dy.
  • Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP) ? Incumbent TUCP Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza and his brother Michael Democrito. They are sons of TUCP president Democrito Mendoza.
  • 1 Alliance Advocating Autonomy Party (1 AAA Party) ? Former Department of Transportation and Communications secretary and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon D. Alvarez and Alfonso A. Alvarez.
  • Aasenso Sa Barangay - LAKAS Inc. (ASBI-LAKAN) ? Hermin E. Arceo and Ariel S. Arceo.
  • OFW Family Club, Inc. (OFW FAMILY) ? Former ambassador and National Labor Relations Comission chair Roy V. Se?eres Sr. and his son Roy M. Se?eres Jr.
  • Padayon Pilipino (PADAYON PILIPINO) - Vladimir R. Elazequi and Natasha E. Elazequi.

Twenty-three other groups with 2-3 related nominees were already disqualified by Comelec.

They include the Alliance of Organizations, Networks, and Associations of the Philippines (ALONA), whose nominees are House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez?s children Danilo Jr. and Joanna, and in-law Alexis.

Also disqualified was the National Crusaders for Peace and Democracy Inc. (NCPD), whose nominees include retired police general Romeo Maganto and his children Faith and Rommel.

Comelec Resolution 9366, or the rules and regulations governing the 2013 partylist elections, does not specifically state that having relatives as nominees of a single party is a basis for disqualification.

Having a single family as source for a number of nominees, however, tends to go against the main criteria that a group has to represent and to have nominees belonging to marginalized sectors.

The Comelec on Thursday released a list of 79 accredited groups for the 2013 party-list race. ? Rappler.com

Source: http://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections-2013/16996-comelec-opens-party-list-to-13-families

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What's Your Favorite Cheesy Online Game?

I'm not asking about the best games on the Internet, I'm talking about wonderfully crappy, horribly cheesy online games like Qwop or the recent Old Spice Dikembe Mutombo's 4 1/2 weeks to Save the World or anything else so low grade that you can't stop playing. I don't care if they're advertisements masked as video games, I just want stupid, silly fun. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/iwMzsuNDoZ8/whats-your-favorite-cheesy-online-game

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Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Windows 8 Sales: Five Questions That Still Need Answers

Windows 8, Microsoft reported yesterday, has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses in its first month of retail. That's an indisputably huge number, outpacing even Windows 7 sales at launch. But it's also a number that raises more questions than answers. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Q2L7BXtyPnA/windows-8-sales-five-questions-that-still-need-answers

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Outside a vacuum: Model predicts movement of charged particles in complex media

ScienceDaily (Nov. 28, 2012) ? Picture two charged particles in a vacuum. Thanks to laws of elementary electrostatics, we can easily calculate the force these particles exert upon one another, and therefore predict their movements.

Submerge those particles in a simple medium -- say, water -- and the calculation grows more complex. The charged particles' movements influence the water, which in turn may slow, speed, or otherwise alter the particles' paths. In this environment a prediction must also consider the water's reaction, or its dielectric response.

But in real biological and material systems, media are also complex: plant cells and blood cells, for instance, are made up of several media and may be oddly shaped. This heterogeneity has made predicting the movement of charged particles in complex environments extremely challenging for theoretical physicists.

Now researchers at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering have developed a model that can predict the reactions of charged particles in any media. Their computational discovery, which takes cues from nature, could find applications in biology, medicine, and synthetic materials research.

The model is the culmination of seven years of work by Monica Olvera de la Cruz, Lawyer Taylor Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry, and (by courtesy) Chemical and Biological Engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering, with partners from Arizona State University.

Creating molecular simulations in heterogeneous media requires two steps: measuring the effects of the medium's dielectric response on the charged particles and measuring the effects of the charged particles on the medium's dielectric response. In previous attempts at such simulations, models treated the two calculations separately, completing one set of calculations before turning to the next. This process required solving a differential equation that governs the motion of the charged particles -- namely, the Poisson equation -- at each step of the simulation.

The Northwestern researchers have developed a new, faster way that avoids the Poisson equation entirely. Using insight gleamed from nature, they have reframed the electrostatic problem as an energy-minimizing problem.

"Nature doesn't wait to figure out the response of the medium in order to move the charged particles, nor does it wait to position the particles before determining the response of the medium," said Olvera de la Cruz. "The dielectric response and the motion of the charged particles are inherently coupled, and our model mirrors that."

The researchers formulated a new function that gives the correct response of the medium and produces the true energy of the charged particles. This enabled them to update the position of the charged particles and the medium's response in the same simulation time step. Within this theoretical framework and simulation design, they were able to attack problems that were previously intractable.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Northwestern University.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Vikram Jadhao, Francisco Solis, Monica de la Cruz. Simulation of Charged Systems in Heterogeneous Dielectric Media via a True Energy Functional. Physical Review Letters, 2012; 109 (22) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.223905

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/top_news/top_technology/~3/_OnQgXBf0Lg/121128112155.htm

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Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Flexible, low-voltage circuits made using nanocrystals

ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? Electronic circuits are typically integrated in rigid silicon wafers, but flexibility opens up a wide range of applications. In a world where electronics are becoming more pervasive, flexibility is a highly desirable trait, but finding materials with the right mix of performance and manufacturing cost remains a challenge.

Now a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania has shown that nanoscale particles, or nanocrystals, of the semiconductor cadmium selenide can be "printed" or "coated" on flexible plastics to form high-performance electronics.

The research was led by David Kim, a doctoral student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in Penn's School of Engineering and Applied Science; Yuming Lai, a doctoral student in the Engineering School's Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering; and professor Cherie Kagan, who has appointments in both departments as well as in the School of Arts and Sciences' Department of Chemistry. Benjamin Diroll, a doctoral student in chemistry, and Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor Christopher Murray of Materials Science and of Chemistry also collaborated on the research.

Their work was published in the journal Nature Communications.

"We have a performance benchmark in amorphous silicon, which is the material that runs the display in your laptop, among other devices," Kagan said. "Here, we show that these cadmium selenide nanocrystal devices can move electrons 22 times faster than in amorphous silicon."

Besides speed, another advantage cadmium selenide nanocrystals have over amorphous silicon is the temperature at which they are deposited. Whereas amorphous silicon uses a process that operates at several hundred degrees, cadmium selenide nanocrystals can be deposited at room temperature and annealed at mild temperatures, opening up the possibility of using more flexible plastic foundations.

Another innovation that allowed the researchers to use flexible plastic was their choice of ligands, the chemical chains that extend from the nanocrystals' surfaces and helps facilitate conductivity as they are packed together into a film.

"There have been a lot of electron transport studies on cadmium selenide, but until recently we haven't been able to get good performance out of them," Kim said. "The new aspect of our research was that we used ligands that we can translate very easily onto the flexible plastic; other ligands are so caustic that the plastic actually melts."

Because the nanocrystals are dispersed in an ink-like liquid, multiple types of deposition techniques can be used to make circuits. In their study, the researchers used spincoating, where centrifugal force pulls a thin layer of the solution over a surface, but the nanocrystals could be applied through dipping, spraying or ink-jet printing as well.

On a flexible plastic sheet a bottom layer of electrodes was patterned using a shadow mask -- essentially a stencil -- to mark off one level of the circuit. The researchers then used the stencil to define small regions of conducting gold to make the electrical connections to upper levels that would form the circuit. An insulating aluminum oxide layer was introduced and a 30-nanometer layer of nanocrystals was coated from solution. Finally, electrodes on the top level were deposited through shadow masks to ultimately form the circuits.

"The more complex circuits are like buildings with multiple floors," Kagan said. "The gold acts like staircases that the electrons can use to travel between those floors."

Using this process, the researchers built three kinds of circuits to test the nanocrystals performance for circuit applications: an inverter, an amplifier and a ring oscillator.

"An inverter is the fundamental building block for more complex circuits," Lai said. "We can also show amplifiers, which amplify the signal amplitude in analog circuits, and ring oscillators, where 'on' and 'off' signals are properly propagating over multiple stages in digital circuits."

"And all of these circuits operate with a couple of volts," Kagan said. "If you want electronics for portable devices that are going to work with batteries, they have to operate at low voltage or they won't be useful."

With the combination of flexibility, relatively simple fabrication processes and low power requirements, these cadmium selenide nanocrystal circuits could pave the way for new kinds of devices and pervasive sensors, which could have biomedical or security applications.

"This research also opens up the possibility of using other kinds of nanocrystals, as we've shown the materials aspect is not a limitation any more," Kim said.

The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Pennsylvania.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. David K. Kim, Yuming Lai, Benjamin T. Diroll, Christopher B. Murray, Cherie R. Kagan. Flexible and low-voltage integrated circuits constructed from high-performance nanocrystal transistors. Nature Communications, 2012; 3: 1216 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2218

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/wKRa4PhyUKg/121126143001.htm

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Chameleon Adds Custom Backgrounds to the Windows 8 Lock Screen

Chameleon Adds Custom Backgrounds to the Windows 8 Lock Screen Windows: If you're getting a little tired of the lock screen images in Windows 8, Chameleon is a free app that'll help you personalize it with new images or constantly-rotating images that change periodically.

Chameleon is available in the Windows App Store, and has built-in support for images from NASA's Astronomy Picture of The Day, National Geographic's photo of the day, Bing's picture of the day, and a number of other popular wallpaper sites. You can tell Chameleon to change the lock screen automatically after a given period of time in the options by itself, or you can browse the collections of images and add them to your own pool of images that Chameleon will choose from.

Windows 8 can automatically rotate wallpapers, so you don't need another app for that, but if you want a little something new and interesting every time you sit down to unlock your Windows 8 PC or tablet, Chameleon can do it for you. Plus, it's completely free.

Chameleon | Windows Store via Addictive Tips

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/qna2GqhQN_I/chameleon-adds-custom-backgrounds-to-the-windows-8-lock-screen

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Justin Bieber Praises Selena Gomez For Her 'Genuine Heart'

In interview with Oprah from weeks before their reported split, Bieber opens up about what attracted him to Gomez.
By Jocelyn Vena


Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber
Photo: Michael Buckner/ WireImage

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1697874/justin-bieber-selena-gomez-oprah-next-chapter.jhtml

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Monday, 26 November 2012

Egypt shares continue slide after suspension lifted

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The father of Halle Berry's daughter is headed to court after he was arrested following a fistfight with her fianc? outside the Oscar winning actress' Los Angeles home on Thanksgiving, police said. Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, 37, was later released on $20,000 bail after being charged with misdemeanor battery following the punch-up with Berry's fianc?, French actor Olivier Martinez, 46, in the driveway of her house on Thursday. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-shares-continue-slide-suspension-lifted-092225954.html

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Model sheds light on chemistry that sparked origin of life

ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? The question of how life began on a molecular level has been a longstanding problem in science. However, recent mathematical research sheds light on a possible mechanism by which life may have gotten a foothold in the chemical soup that existed on the early Earth.

Researchers have proposed several competing theories for how life on Earth could have gotten its start, even before the first genes or living cells came to be. Despite differences between various proposed scenarios, one theme they all have in common is a network of molecules that have the ability to work together to jumpstart and speed up their own replication -- two necessary ingredients for life. However, many researchers find it hard to imagine how such a molecular network could have formed spontaneously -- with no precursors -- from the chemical environment of early Earth.

"Some say it's equivalent to a tornado blowing through a junkyard and assembling the random pieces of metal and plastic into a Boeing 747," said co-author Wim Hordijk, a visiting scientist at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham, North Carolina, and a participant in an astrobiology meeting held there last year.

In a previous study published in 2004, Hordijk and colleague Mike Steel of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand used a mathematical model of simple chemical reactions to show that such networks might form more easily than many researchers thought. Indeed, biochemists have recently created such networks in the lab.

In a new study published this year, Hordijk, Steel, and colleague Stuart Kauffman of the University of Vermont analyzed the structure of the networks in their mathematical models and found a plausible mechanism by which they could have evolved to produce the building blocks of life we know today, such as cell membranes or nucleic acids.

"It turns out that if you look at the structure of the networks of molecules [in our models], very often they're composed of smaller subsets of molecules with the same self-perpetuating capabilities," Hordijk explained.

By combining, splitting, and recombining to form new types of networks from their own subunits, the models indicate that these subsets of molecules could give rise to increasingly large and complex networks of chemical reactions, and, presumably, life.

"These results could have major consequences for how we think life may have originated from pure chemistry," Hordijk writes.

The study will appear in the December 2012 print issue of the journal Acta Biotheoretica.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Wim Hordijk, Mike Steel, Stuart Kauffman. The Structure of Autocatalytic Sets: Evolvability, Enablement, and Emergence. Acta Biotheoretica, 2012; 60 (4): 379 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-012-9165-1

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/biochemistry/~3/Hu22FG6sTKg/121126131307.htm

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Interview with Crisis Communications Expert Caroline Sapriel ...

This week, we continue our series of interviews with crisis communications thought leaders on our online reputation management blog with Caroline Sapriel, founder and Managing Director of CS&A, a global risk and crisis management consulting firm working with multinational clients across industry sectors in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and the Americas. With over 25 years of experience in risk and crisis management, corporate communications and public affairs, Caroline Sapriel is recognized as a leader in her profession and acknowledged for her ability to provide customized, results-driven counsel and training at the highest level.

What is crisis communications?

Crisis Communication is the process by which an organization communicates with all stakeholders relevant to the crisis. The media (mainstream and social) is a critical vehicle to get the message across to all publics. However, crisis communication includes internal communication as well as the engagement, whether pro-active or reactive, with the groups/individuals impacted by the crisis. Crisis Communication must form an integral part of the organization?s overall Crisis Management process and be based on the crisis strategy adopted by the affected organization. To be effective communication in a crisis must be founded on the organization?s values and business principles. A Mission Statement must be articulated early on in the crisis to help steer the organization and hold the course through rough times.

What are the biggest mistakes you see people and companies make when dealing with the media?

They wait too long to respond/communicate and lose control. They mistakenly believe that by waiting for more facts, they will avoid speculation and rumors. Leaving a communication void with the media actually tends to make things worse as the media will fill this void by getting information from any source and not always reliable ones. Waiting too long to respond to media inquiry can also give the impression that the organization/individual concerned is hiding something.

How important is social media to your reputation management strategy?

In today?s world, social media is critical, but must be dealt with strategically, especially in crisis times. Whilst speedy response is vital, knee-jerk reactions should be avoided. Addressing stakeholder concerns raised through social media networks effectively in a crisis requires a well thought-out response strategy integrating mainstream and social media. It takes manpower and resources and is difficult to improvise. Those organizations with an existing presence on and engagement with social media networks, stand a better chance to succeed.

What is the first thing a company should do when there is a PR disaster?

Get the facts, assess the situation for further risks and threats and prepare a holding statement reiterating the organization?s values and priorities on people safety if it is at stake.

How can CEOs help build and repair corporate reputation?

Reputation is based on credibility, which in turn is based on being truthful. CEOs that recognize this, work on establishing and maintaining credibility, before, during and after a crisis.

What can employees do to help their company during and after a PR crisis?

Organizations that have actively engaged and communicated with their employees at the onset of a crisis will be more likely to get support from them in return than if they have kept them in the dark. Employees that respect that only authorized spokespersons can speak to the media will help avoid the spread of rumors during a crisis and throughout the recovery phase.

What can companies do to better prepare for a public relations crisis?

Active monitoring and analysis of mainstream and social media will help to detect and proactively manage issues that may arise. Mapping stakeholders will also help identify possible areas of tensions and conflicting agendas that may escalate. Last but not least, having a policy and the infrastructure in place will allow the organization to provide an adequate response timely.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/expert-interviews/interview-with-crisis-communications-expert-caroline-sapriel-0335957

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Sunday, 25 November 2012

Internet Marketing Search Engine Optimization SEM SEO service ...

SEO, or ?search engine optimization?, means setting up your website so that it is as high as possible in the search engine rankings. There are many paid services just for increasing SEO. You may have been told by people that effective SEO is complicated and should be left to the professionals. Pay no attention to that.

One of the first questions to ask is how many years of experience they have in SEO. You will want to find out what risks are involved in order to make the best decisions for your site.

Configure your server such that it differentiates capital and lowercase letters in URLs. Not checking this can end up in less traffic to your site.

Focus on mastering one SEO strategy at a time. There are not enough minutes in a day to get a hold of every technique. You need to focus your understanding on just a few areas and master them fully.

Many believe that keywords in their comment tags will create a more visible site. You should focus on the things you post on your site.

If you are looking to increase your site?s visibility, you need to make sure that you sign up for free local listing through Google and Yahoo. These services get your site noticed, which means more people will visit your site. Do not turn down free publicity.

Do not create pages full of links. Instead, incorporate the links into your page content, so there is a blending of both links and pertinent material for your readers. Link pages are boring to your readers and are not ranked highly by the search engines. You will appear to know what you are doing if all of your information is relevant.

When you optimize a web page using keywords, you should focus on a single phrase that will attract traffic. Stuffing a page with more than one keyword tends to lead to confusion. The better your content, the more interested your readers will be. Search engine optimization is important but a establishing a core group of readers will benefit your business in great ways.

Keywords will help you improve the visibility of your sites. Coordinate your keywords with your article topics. This makes it easier for search engines to index your work. It will be easier to draw new readers into your site. Place a keyword in the title, in the summary, and include it in the body about four to five times.

If you upgrade your website often, you will get more attention from search engine spiders. The better the content you provide, the more likely it is to be shared on other websites, providing you backlinks and increased traffic. After an article is shared, it starts to bring in higher levels of traffic.

If you are managing a business website, encourage the CEO or the owner of the business to become involved online. People like hearing from the big guy himself.

Social media sites can serve as great marketing tools to promote your business. YouTube is great for videos, while Facebook and Twitter allow direct interaction.

If you utilize audio or video as part of your website?s content mix, consider including transcripts as part of the post. These transcripts will help search engines better place your website in relevant searches.

Though SEO does have layers of complexity that are best reserved for professionals, there is no reason to believe that beginners cannot also use this tool to their advantage. Instead of wasting time and money hiring someone else, learn a few simple tips to get your website to the top of the search engines? listings. It may be even easier than you imagined!

Search Engine Optimization, SEO


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Source: http://www.websitehostdirect.com/the-low-down-on-search-engine-optimization-2/

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The White Noise of Smell

White noise is actually not perceptually neutral noise. It's mathematically random noise, with a flat power spectrum, meaning that for example the sound energy between 25-75 Hz is the same as that between 15000-15050 Hz. But because the human ear's perceptual loudness curve is not flat, the perceptual frequency distribution of white noise is not actually flat. To produce perceptually neutral noise, you need to apply the inverse of the human ear's perceptual loudness curve to white noise, which results in grey noise [wikipedia.org].

But beyond that, it seems they actually mean something different, more like "perceived as indistinct background noise". That's a wider range of things, and has to do with being able to resolve specific, distracting components, not necessarily with mathematical definitions of noise.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/BwfjcQ5jbAQ/story01.htm

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Information Technology Computer Certification Resource Center ...

Here?s your complete resource center with news and updates: How you can pass your data Technology Certification exam! Free certification and finish computer examination training, CIW, Microsoft MCSA Training, comptia and all sorts of additional information Technology certifications are accomplished by understanding what is around the actual exam and just how to retain this understanding. Lose your anxiety about test taking. Microsoft and all sorts of other understanding base companies have preparation e-books which are available online. You are able to pass your pc certification exam guaranteed! The schooling involves using relevant study material towards the actual examination and taking advantage of books and focus guides that aren?t outdated. It?s also easy to find identical questions which are around the actual accreditation analysis that can help get you prepared for using the make sure these questions are the type you need to use within your studying.

When you?re ready to bring your actual IT examination you?ll be able to schedule with prometric or pearsonvue online. This is a tip on buying study material: don?t buy any study material for example guides or preparation questions which are old because Microsoft, Novell and all sorts of others change their material every three or four several weeks. This can ensure that you may have current documents that may help you in passing.

It news and technical data relating to certification exam training may be the primary reason for this website. Many people don?t be aware of distinction between computer training also it preparation for that final. I must inform everybody exactly what the variations are. Computer training is class education with scheduled courses or online study concerning the career area relating to it. Allow me to explain! You might want to be a Server Administrator. To start with you?ll need some education somewhere to be able to understand the topic and perhaps get a 2 or 4-year degree or receive some online education having a qualified instructor. You might would like to have a couple of courses and get a certificate within this area. This is considered computer training.

It certification exam training is the thing you need to be able to be fully ready to pass one last test. After computer training you might have a diploma or perhaps a certificate however, you still don?t have the official document that?s identified by Microsoft, CIW and Comptia or other. For those who have computer education that qualifies you to become a Server Administrator then you will need to get licensed in Microsoft, CIW, MCDST, MCSA Certification or ?cisco?. Certification exam education focuses on planning you to definitely pass one last test. An IT certification assessment is unlike every other analysis you have had attending college or school. You will find two extremely important points to consider when planning for any certificate test. Those are the proper study technique and getting relevant material that relates towards the actual exam that?s current using the market.

You will find only a number of web sites that provide certification exam training. You will find all students of knowledge technology that are looking data on free practice exam questions and free computer training in addition to compensated since they?re seriously interested in passing their official recognition assessment on the initial try. This website isn?t about selling but about helping individuals that aren?t informed about various certifications and proper preparation like practice test questions and focus guides.

Another reason for this website is education concerning it to acquire a certificate. You will find many schools an internet-based educational sites which will get you prepared for a specific subject or area but you will find but a couple of places and you?ll discover it certification exam preparation and free IT training.

Say you need to be a PC Specialist and also you attend a university or receive online training to ensure that you?re experienced in that area and get a diploma or certificate for the reason that area however, you are still not licensed before you go ahead and take final test. Despite graduation you will have to schedule an IT final test with prometric or pearsonvue to be able to be licensed within the area that you want.

The number of places are you aware where one can obtain the schooling regarding how to pass your data technology certification exam. This type of education is totally different from computer training. You?ll need understanding of methods to review for the certificate make sure to understand the correct study techniques because an IT assessment is totally different from the exams in class. You must also know where you?ll get up-to-date material regarding your computer certification test because for those who have studying material that?s outdated then you?ll not pass.

Certification exam training is essential should you intend on passing your on the very first time so that you can avoid multiple testing costs. Many people may be focusing on the task out there they desire, like a Server Administrator, Desktop Support Specialist or perhaps a Laptop Repair Specialist. They?ve already had prior training before employment but haven?t acquired certificates. They most likely know their job and therefore are very experienced in the work they do and area but require a certificate as their employer requires it. They don?t need any computer education. They merely need certification exam preparation to allow them to pass their final. I think you?ll obtain the picture now.

The number of places are you aware where one can obtain the schooling regarding how to pass your data technology certification exam. This type of education is totally different from computer training. You?ll need understanding of methods to review for the certificate make sure to understand the correct study techniques because an IT assessment is totally different from the exams in class. You must also know where you?ll get up-to-date material regarding your computer certification test because for those who have studying material that?s outdated then you?ll not pass.

In case your planning for change of career and searching for best Microsoft certification like Microsoft sharepoint, Microsoft CRM, MCSA Training Actualkey.com is the greatest online training provider that offer the all of the and finish MCSA Learning only one package, Actualkey self study training kits, save your valuable cash on bootcamps, training institutes, It is also save your valuable traveling and time. All training materials are Certain to pass your exams and enable you to get licensed around the fist attempt, because of best training Actualkey.com become no1 site.

Source: http://cogclub.com/information-technology-computer-certification-resource-center/

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Source: http://blaine62.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/information-technology-computer-certification-resource-center.html

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Saturday, 24 November 2012

Watch Manchester United vs QPR Soccer Live Streaming Free 24 ...

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Afghan police: Student killed in university clash

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Sunni and Shiite students clashed at Kabul University on a Shiite holy day Saturday, and Afghan authorities say that one person was killed.

Gen. Mohammad Zahir, director of the criminal investigation division, said police were trying to assess why the fight that broke out in the afternoon, killing one student and wounding six others.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene said Shia and Sunni students started fighting and by evening, several hundred more people joined the melee, fist-fighting and throwing stones at each other. He said eyewitnesses at the scene said the clash was related to Ashoura, the commemoration of the 7th century death of the Prophet Mohammad's grandson.

Afghan leaders went to the site to try to calm the crowd. Abdul Azim Nurbakhsh, a spokesman for the Ministry of Higher Education, said late Saturday that classes at the university had been canceled for the next 10 days. Damage was reported to buildings at the university.

Other gatherings marking Ashoura in the Afghan capital were peaceful, but last year, a suicide bomber on foot struck worshippers at a Shiite shrine in Kabul, killing at least 80 people. Some Sunni extremists consider Shiite ceremonies to be heretical.

Separately, NATO said a service member with the international military coalition was killed Saturday in an insurgent attack in the south.

No other information was disclosed.

So far this year, 379 NATO service members have died in Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press Writer Massieh Neshat in Kabul contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-11-24-AS-Afghanistan/id-8956337b052a4b03a371092d3339b25d

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HIRING, INVESTING, and the ?pretty girl? paradox?. - PJ Media

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

Source: http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/158218/

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Don't be fooled! Great camera deals are harder to spot on Black Friday

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We?ve scoured the major retailers? Black Friday deals and found the most outstanding values for every member of the family. A 32-inch scree... Read more

11 hrs.

While there are plenty of deals and discounts to be had on TVs, phones,?laptops and other tech products, camera-wise, there aren't a lot of reasons to wait in line until midnight?after Thanksgiving dinner. That's because the year's best cameras ? many of which are?rounded up here?? simply?aren't subject to fire-sale pricing. The cameras you'll most likely?find in sales circulars?are cheapies to begin with, or are?nicer but older cameras that have to move because they're just taking up space.

Sure, you can get a Nikon D3200 for $600 at Best Buy on Friday, and that's a good deal on a relatively new camera. But this is the same good deal that's been going at B&H and other retailers for a while now. Same thing?goes for the unremarkable $649.99 Black Friday?price tag on the remarkable Sony NEX-5R with kit lens.?

The camera you'll see everywhere?with the biggest price cut is the?Canon T3.?Though it'll take decent pictures, it's a year old, was downmarket to begin with, and has long since been replaced by shinier hardware.?

What about the dozen or so point-and-shoots that cost less than a steak dinner? Many of them, particularly the?off-brands, will?perform worse than your phone's camera.

Only a few noteworthy point-and-shoots appeared as we combed Black Friday ads from top retailers. Canon's ELPH 110 HS and Samsung's?WB150F are both modest but decent little cameras?that usually go?for around $180, but will be selling for $130 at Best Buy?and Adorama respectively. Neither would be a bad camera to keep as a back-up, or to give to a photo-enthusiastic kid.

Another recommended?Canon, the SX260, lists for $299.99, so the fact that Best Buy and others are selling it for $199 is pretty great. It's definitely a deal ? especially with free case and memory card ??but the camera already sells on Amazon for $229.99, and we spotted one other?retailer selling it for $209.99.

Whether the motivation lies with?the retailers or the suppliers (or both), the price flexibility in the camera world?shows a desire to offload old inventory, not to?shed light on hot new cameras. Perhaps the assumption is that shoppers,?in the heat of the Black Friday or Cyber Monday?moment, won't have time to check the specs. Meanwhile, camera buffs will likely?pay more for hot devices like the Olympus?E-M5 or Sony RX100, so why offer them deep?price cuts?

But if you're a photographer ??or just shopping for one ? don't despair. Prices may not be plummeting on the best stuff, but?accessories are on sale, and camera bundles offer a new kind of value proposition. Who couldn't use an extra 16-gigabyte SD card? At under?$10 each in multiple sales they're a solid deal. And every photographer needs a couple external hard drives ? and you can get multi-terabyte ones for under $100 at Staples, Best Buy or Office Depot.

If you do decide to pick up a camera, even at fairly regular prices, keep an eye out for bundles. Sometimes in order to get around manufacturer ?pricing rules, shops sell a camera for an ordinary price but include a bunch of goodies to make up for the lack of savings.

For instance, here's that D3200 at Adorama for just under $600. But if you scroll a little further, here's the same camera with the same lens for the same price ? except you get a bag, a 16-gigabyte card, and some filters as well. Why is this? It's a mystery, but not the bad kind of mystery. Get the bundle. Even if there are things in there you don't think you'll use, it can't hurt to take it all and sort out what you'll keep once you get home.

And if you do?want to pick up a sweet new DSLR or fancy point-and-shoot, just remember that prices will?never go up, and tend to go down. Generally, the worst time to buy any camera is the month or so after it launches, but soon enough, the pricing does?start to ease downward, even if it doesn't drop like a rock. Just because the camera of your dreams isn't a doorbuster doesn't mean it's not delivering value. And in the Black Friday frenzy, when every slash of a price tag triggers a visceral reaction,?it's worth remembering that you sometimes have to pay more to get more.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC?News Digital. His personal website is?coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/dont-be-fooled-great-camera-deals-are-harder-spot-black-1C7154889

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Friday, 23 November 2012

James Hall raises the roof, even if the ceiling crumbles

Though he has toured all over the world, it?s clear that American gospel artist James Hall and his choir, Worship & Praise, have a soft spot for Canada. And the feeling seems to be mutual.

?We love coming to Canada because of the appreciation and the love that we receive from Canadians when we go there,? the New York City-based singer/songwriter said in a recent phone interview. ?There?s never been a time when we?ve come that people didn?t give us a great response.?

Hall, who performs Saturday, Nov. 24?at the Outremont Theatre, said it?s that kind of reception that prompted him to record two live albums in Canada: this year?s Trip Down Memory Lane, which was recorded in Toronto, and 1995?s King of Glory, recorded in Montreal.

?We made a trip to Canada before (King of Glory) and we really liked the whole Canadian vibe because the crowd was so energetic; we wanted to capture that on a CD. And it was just like that when we recorded the album in Montreal. Before we even came out, the crowd was chanting ?James Hall and Worship & Praise!? We definitely don?t see that here in the States.?

In fact, Montreal audiences won?t even let personal safety concerns deter them from enjoying Hall?s shows.

?One time we were in Montreal, and we were performing in an old cathedral. In the middle of the concert, a part of the ceiling fell in. In most places, the concert probably would have ended right there, but those people just wiped the dust off their shoulders and just kept right on enjoying the concert!?

Audiences have been enjoying Hall and his stellar choir for a staggering 25 years. He said the group planted the seeds of their longevity early in their career.

?When Worship & Praise first started, we were really strong on prayer visuals. We did a lot of retreats where we would go away and be with the Lord and pray for the ministry. And I really believe that what we did when we first started out built a strong foundation.?

That foundation has seen the choir through many changes over the years.

?I don?t have most of the people who started out with me 25 years ago. As a matter of fact, there are people in the choir now who are not even 25 years old. But I have (choir members) who have been with me for over 15 years, so we?re like family. And I think building this family over the years has made us strong.?

It?s also made them music industry favourites. The group is not only nominated in the Choir of the Year category for the 2013 Stellar Awards ? the gospel industry?s equivalent of the Grammys ? but for the first time in their career, they are in first-round considerations in the gospel category for the 2013 Grammys. Hall seems to take it all in stride.

?It?s a humbling experience to be recognized by such great organizations, because there?s so many gospel artists that when you?re singled out to be nominated for awards it?s always like, ?Wow, me?? But it?s not a deal breaker. It?s not like if I was never nominated, I would stop doing what I do. The real reward is when people come up to you and say, ?Your music has changed my life.? ?

Ultimately that fits Hall?s goal of finding new converts, and not just preaching to the choir.

?I mean, we could sing all day to other Christians and encourage each other, but it?s really about drawing new people to Christ. That?s supposed to be the main purpose here.?

James Hall and Worship & Praise perform Saturday at 6 p.m. at Outremont Theatre, 1248 Bernard Ave. W., with Krystaal, Peter Moncrieffe and Andrae Byrd. Tickets cost $30 to $40. Call 514-963-7677 or visit www.jameshallmtl.com.

Source: http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/music/James+Hall+raises+roof+even+ceiling+crumbles/7596019/story.html

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Algae can draw energy from other plants

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Flowers need water and light to grow. Even children learn that plants use sunlight to gather energy from earth and water. Members of Professor Dr. Olaf Kruse's biological research team at Bielefeld University have made a groundbreaking discovery that one plant has another way of doing this. They have confirmed for the first time that a plant, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, not only engages in photosynthesis, but also has an alternative source of energy: it can draw it from other plants. This finding could also have a major impact on the future of bioenergy. The research findings have been released on Tuesday 20 November in the online journal Nature Communications published by the renowned journal Nature.

Until now, it was believed that only worms, bacteria, and fungi could digest vegetable cellulose and use it as a source of carbon for their growth and survival. Plants, in contrast, engage in the photosynthesis of carbon dioxide, water, and light. In a series of experiments, Professor Dr. Olaf Kruse and his team cultivated the microscopically small green alga species Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in a low carbon dioxide environment and observed that when faced with such a shortage, these single-cell plants can draw energy from neighbouring vegetable cellulose instead. The alga secretes enzymes (so-called cellulose enzymes) that 'digest' the cellulose, breaking it down into smaller sugar components. These are then transported into the cells and transformed into a source of energy: the alga can continue to grow. 'This is the first time that such a behaviour has been confirmed in a vegetable organism', says Professor Kruse. 'That algae can digest cellulose contradicts every previous textbook. To a certain extent, what we are seeing is plants eating plants'. Currently, the scientists are studying whether this mechanism can also be found in other types of alga. Preliminary findings indicate that this is the case.

In the future, this 'new' property of algae could also be of interest for bioenergy production. Breaking down vegetable cellulose biologically is one of the most important tasks in this field. Although vast quantities of waste containing cellulose are available from, for example, field crops, it cannot be transformed into biofuels in this form. Cellulose enzymes first have to break down the material and process it. At present, the necessary cellulose enzymes are extracted from fungi that, in turn, require organic material in order to grow. If, in future, cellulose enzymes can be obtained from algae, there would be no more need for the organic material to feed the fungi. Then even when it is confirmed that algae can use alternative nutrients, water and light suffice for them to grow in normal conditions.

###

University of Bielefeld: http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/

Thanks to University of Bielefeld for this article.

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

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125405/Algae_can_draw_energy_from_other_plants

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