Monday, December 31, 2012

Toddler & Youth Slippers Starting at $6.99 ? Characters, NCAA, and MORE

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

Source: http://www.couponersunited.com/toddler-youth-slippers-starting-at-6-99-characters-ncaa-and-more/

academy awards 2012 albert nobbs a star is born oscar nominees oscar nominations 2012 kombucha tea separation of church and state

Do You Give Away Your Power in Negotiation? - Business ...

One concern when negotiating is one?s power or more importantly their perception of their power and the power of the other side.? A lot of people inadvertently give away their power before even entering into a negotiation.

One of the ways that I work with my clients is to help them feel confident and that they have power.? Too often they give their power away by thinking the other side has more power than they do.? I hear statements like ?They don?t value what I bring to the agreement?, ?They hold all of the cards?, or ?They are the buyer (or seller) and they have all the power?.? Regardless of the statement, think about this for a moment.? If they did not need your or your product, why are they bothering to talk to your or to negotiate with you?? You have power; you just have to figure out what it is and how to maximize it.

Recently I was working with a client and she felt that the other side did not need them and could get someone else to do the work.? ?I don?t have any leverage.? she complained.? I had reviewed the statement of work and knew what was required to successfully delivering the product.? I asked my client a series of questions.? ?Do you know their business inside and out?? (Yes).? ?Have they used you for the last several years to help them implement their program?? (Yes)? ?Considering the time frame before the first delivery, who can they find to do the work?? (There is no one they can get on board quickly.)? Finally, ?Don?t you think that they need you as much as you need to work for them?? (Yes, maybe I do have some power.)

The most egregious give away of power I have seen was in a recent home buying show where the father let his seven year old make the two million dollar decision of where they would live.? They wanted to please the son even though they passed on several really good deals and fantastic units.? The irony was that half the time the son did not really care about what he was looking at and seemed bored by the whole concept!? I will make no comment on the method of childrearing, but I will say that I moved where my parents wanted to live; the whole decision did not rest on my whim of the moment.? (Okay, maybe there is a little editorial comment here.)? Once? the son had picked a place (after looking at nearly a hundred units), the family did not have any negotiation power.? They had to buy this place.

Before giving up the battle prior to you entering negotiations, take a few minutes to think about your strengths and weaknesses of where you stand in the negotiation.? Why did they pick you?? What is unique about you or your product?? What else could they do if you were not there?? How can you make them reluctant to look elsewhere?? Give yourself that boost in confidence that you are in charge and that they need you!

Don?t give up your power in negotiation either willingly or easily.? You will make better deals if you keep and harness your power.

Source: http://businessnegotiationservices.com/do-you-give-away-your-power-in-negotiation-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=do-you-give-away-your-power-in-negotiation-2

kurt warner kurt warner ricky williams missouri primary minnesota caucus knowshon moreno knowshon moreno

Citrix/Microsoft Engineer / Synergis / Atlanta, GA

Citrix/Microsoft Engineer Posted Dec 30

Synergis , Atlanta, GA

?

Title: Citrix/Microsoft Engineer

Type: Contract - 6 + months

Location: Atlanta, GA 30329

Client Detail:

As one of the leading healthcare providers in the Atlanta area, our client focuses on quality care for their patients and superior customer service with a personalized touch.? They have a reputation for discovering technological breakthroughs while providing daily services.? They recently received international recognition for their Citrix virtualization solutions, and are also known for their exceptional treatment of employees, which supports a comfortable learning environment creating a higher potential for success in your technology career.

Our client has a very stable, growing group with currently 400-500 physical Servers and 700-800 virtual. They also just added 3,000 concurrent users. All 2003 and 2008 enterprise data centers are up to date with all the latest versions. They also have a lot of work with global patient records and buying other hospitals and outpatient clinics. ?

Key Requirements:

IT virtualization with Citrix

Must be strong in MS technologies

Must have strong skills in XenDesktop, XenApp, and XenServer

Must have strong infrastructure skills

VMware skills are desired if candidates have solid MS with VMware skills

Must have solid, above-administrator level skills in the Windows-server family of operating systems including performance tuning, automation, and Scripting

Proven experience architecting

Multiple years of experience operating in a large enterprise environment (greater than 5 locations and 500+ users)

At least 5 years experience implementing and supporting Active Directory 2000/2003 including services such as DHCP, DFS, DNS, and WINS

At least 5 years experience implementing and supporting file systems in a clustered environment

Must have a strong background in TCP/IP and related network protocols including functional understanding of network hardware

Detailed knowledge of the Windows security model and processes

Significant experience in the design and deployment of Group Policies

Experience implementing Windows File and Print Clusters

Proposes and implements system enhancements that will improve the performance and reliability of the Windows, Citrix, and SQL environments

Comprehensive knowledge of Windows Resource Kit/Sysinternals tools

Must demonstrate excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills

Must be able to troubleshoot network communication issues for Client Server applications

Knowledge of commonly used concepts, practices, and procedures

Must demonstrate strong business acumen and ability to relate to business leaders' issues

Ability to create automated processes using scripts, tools, etc. to streamline production support

Ability to identify system improvements, plan and implementDesired Skills:

MCSE (Windows 2003/Windows 2008)

SQL 2005

Citrix Presentation Server

XenServer/XenDesktop

Citrix EdgeSight

Microsoft SCCM/Operations Manager

Microsoft SMS

Veritas Storage FoundationPlease contact Denise Wicks.

Synergis is a woman-owned company that serves a myriad of clients across nearly all industries, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies.? The outcomes of these relationships are demonstrated in a growing list of more than 300 clients and industry recognitions by Inc. magazine and the Atlanta Business Chronicle. ?

From its foundation in 1997, Synergis has been successfully recruiting and placing IT professionals in all areas of information technology.? Recently named the Best Place to Work in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Synergis has been successfully recruiting and placing IT professionals for over 10 years. For more information about Synergis, please visit the company website.

Synergis is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

Employment Type: Contract
Duration: Contract- 6months +

Note: Applicants must be eligible to work in the specified location. No sponsorship is available unless noted in the description above.

TO APPLY
Click here to apply - Please mention that you saw the job on Light Reading


Share

Only $49 for 30 Days


');

Source: http://jobs.lightreading.com/job/citrix-microsoft-engineer-atlanta-ga-synergis-754185797d/?d=1&source=rss_page

easter recipes live free or die hard carlos pena amanda bynes arrested f 18 jet crash in virginia beach john tortorella

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Geaux Teacher ? Advice For Maximizing Your Children's ...

There are many ways to assist your children?s education. Most children attend public schools. You could also choose an expensive private school. There?s another option known as homeschooling. Do you think you might have interest in homeschooling? If so, keep reading for some tips about homeschooling.

If your family includes toddlers, make sure you offer them a variety of activities while you are teaching. have activities for them that coordinate with the older children?s school time. They?ll feel involved without being a distraction.

Network with other local homeschool parents. You can get together and share tips, ask questions and find new friends. The other parents need not influence every aspect of educating your children, but more experienced home educators can share valuable wisdom.

Particular Subject

If you are not comfortable teaching a particular subject or topic, bring in outside help to assist you. There may be a subject your child has to learn that you do not have much knowledge about. If you lack what it takes to teach a particular subject, just find help.

You need to think about the place in which you will teach your kids in the home. It should be roomy and comfortable, but not in a distracting area. It needs space for building, acting and dancing, along with surfaces for taking tests and writing. It should also give you a bird?s eye view of what your kids are up to all the time, as well.

Encourage independent learning. A child should be able to complete their work without you hovering overhead and supervising every step. Let them know your expectations, but allow them plenty of time to work on things. They?ll become more independent, confident and proactive, too.

Learn whether there are other parents who homeschool in your area, and then start a homeschooling group with them. With a group like this your child can get some social interaction. As an added bonus, it will also give you the opportunity to leave the house regularly.

Be crafty when it comes to homeschooling. You can save a lot of money by creating some resources yourself. Look for inexpensive ways to create flash cards and recycle household items as craft supplies. Brainstorm ideas with your children if you need help with finding supplies and resources.

Sports Teams

Homeschooled children do not have to miss out on the the social activities of public school kids and have a right to joining school?s sports teams and activities. Many schools will allow homeschooled students to join school sports teams and bands. By doing this, your child can get the education he or she needs while also being able to obtain social skills.

You can spend time on vacation learning as well. You can visit historical sites or other educational places on vacation. You can take one day to learn something on vacation. Your family can enjoy themselves while also learning.

There are various ways a kid can learn, but a unique way is homeschooling. Use the above advice to make your own home education endeavors more successful. If it seems to work for your family, your kids have a terrific educational experience in store.

Source: http://www.geauxteacher.com/advice-for-maximizing-your-childrens-homeschool-experience/

space shuttle new york courtney upshaw catch me if you can delmon young arrested the raven the raven zerg rush

Programs for Kids and Teens that Love to Sing ? Watch Croton

Check out the new programs at CSPA for the little ones! ? ?I?ve Got?the Music in Me!? programs ?are with the amazing Lori Cohen. Learn?about music, rhythm, musical styles and more!

If your child loves to sing, there are 2 great programs starting in?January at The Cortlandt School of Performing Arts. ?(24 Old Albany
Post Rd, Croton, above Carvel).

Grades 2-7 ?Kids Kabaret?: ?Rehearse on Wednesdays 6:00-7:30 PM from?January 2nd thru March 13th (10 rehearsals) with a final cabaret show
on Friday, March 15th.

Grades 8-12 ?Revolution?: ?If you love American Idol and Glee, then?you will love singing ?pop? music with this ensemble. ?Professionally?choreographed singers present ?the show ?on the road? throughout the?spring! ?Rehearsals are Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.

www.cortarts.com?? Call for more info: ?914-402-4250??10% discount if?you register before December 31st!

Like this:

Be the first to like this.

Source: http://watchcroton.com/2012/12/29/programs-for-kids-and-teens-that-love-to-sing/

royals nicole richie lyme disease symptoms esperanza spalding jessica sanchez robert kennedy cardinals

Good Reads: American manufacturing, Apple's new CEO, and a father-son journey to meet two presidents

A round-up of this week's long-form good reads include takes on America's manufacturing power, how religion is faring in the US, and the power of seeing a son in a new light.

By Dave Cook,?Staff writer / December 14, 2012

In this file photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks following an introduction of the new iPhone 5 in San Francisco earlier this fall.

Eric Risberg/AP

Enlarge

Manufacturing growth

Skip to next paragraph

Recent posts

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Things may finally be looking up for US manufacturing, James Fallows argues in the December issue of The Atlantic.?

Even in its battered condition, the American manufacturing sector is still the largest in the world, but its share of the US economy has declined from 20 percent in the early 1980s to just over 10 percent today. In the process, many high-paying jobs moved to China and other lower-wage countries, while Rust Belt communities in the United States were hard hit.

Two trends are likely to get trade winds blowing toward America again, Mr. Fallows contends. First, new technologies emerging in the US, such as 3-D printing, make it easier and faster to design, build, and refine products. Three-dimensional printing allows firms to use computerized molding systems to produce prototypes in minutes or hours. ?A revolution is coming to the creation of things, comparable to the Internet?s effect on the creation and dissemination of ideas,? one industrial design expert told Fallows.

At the same time, tumultuous changes in China are reducing its manufacturing advantages, complicating life for outsourcers and exporters. ?In China, wages are rising, workers are becoming choosier, public resistance to environmental devastation is growing, and the Chinese ?investment led? model is showing strain,? Fallows says.?

Apple?s new CEO

Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook talked extensively about management and corporate creativity in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Josh Tyrangiel.

Mr. Cook succeeded Apple?s late co-founder Steve Jobs. Mr. Jobs was a major shareholder in the Walt Disney Company and had seen how executives there wasted time trying to figure out what Disney himself would have done after the founder of the company had passed away. Jobs ?removed a tremendous burden for me,? Cook says, by instructing, ?I never want you to ask what I would have done. Just do what is right.?

Apple has taken heat for poor working conditions at massive Foxconn Technology Group factories in China where many of its products are assembled. Cook told Businessweek that Apple would start producing one line of its Mac computers in the US in 2013 ? a modest sign of the brightening prospects for US manufacturing mentioned above.

Creativity, in Cook?s definition, is ?people who care enough to keep thinking about something until they find the simplest way to do it.? He laughed about corporate innovation departments saying that having one ?is always a sign that something is wrong ... you know, put a for sale sign on the door.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/uF1QmfGsiOE/Good-Reads-American-manufacturing-Apple-s-new-CEO-and-a-father-son-journey-to-meet-two-presidents

saul alinsky annapolis wwe royal rumble trisomy leon panetta luck sag awards 2012 nominees

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Bharti Infratel shares slump over 10 percent in debut

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Bharti Infratel, backed by billionaire Sunil Mittal, fell as much as 12.7 percent in its trading debut after raising about $760 million in India's biggest IPO in two years, weighed down by a cautious outlook for mobile tower operators.

The IPO, priced near the lower end of an indicative price range, struggled to find interest from retail investors and was supported mostly by foreign institutional investors. But analysts are betting on a revival in India's initial public offerings on the back of a recent stock market gains.

Bharti Infratel , a unit of top Indian mobile phone carrier Bharti Airtel Ltd and partly owned by KKR & Co Ltd, was trading at 197.20 rupees as of 0434 GMT on the National Stock Exchange.

That was down 10.3 percent from its IPO price of 220 rupees for funds and wealthy investors, who received the majority of the allocation. Bharti Infratel sold shares to retail investors at 210 rupees and to cornerstone investors at 230 rupees.

The IPO also gave funds including Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings and the private equity arm of Goldman Sachs Group Inc an opportunity to cash out of some of their early investments.

The listing comes amid an IPO revival in India after a tepid first half. Credit Analysis and Research Ltd and PC Jeweller Ltd also made their debut this week after raising around $100 million each.

The biggest initial share sale since Coal India Ltd raised $3.5 billion in 2010 pushed India's IPO volume to $1.28 billion this year, shy of last year's tally of $1.36 billion, according to Thomson Reuters data. But that is well short of the record set in 2007, when Indian corporates raised $8.65 billion through IPOs.

India's IPO volumes are expected to improve further on rising foreign capital inflows. Several high-profile deals including the listing of Bombay Stock Exchange and the potential IPO of Vodafone Group Plc's India unit are likely to hit as earlier as next year, bankers said.

The broader NSE index <.nsei> has surged about 28 percent this year, and is Asia's third best-performing market, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Graphic - Top 10 Indian IPOs: http://link.reuters.com/suw24t

Graphic - India's tower market: http://link.reuters.com/cyq44t

CAUTIOUS OUTLOOK

But weighing on the outlook for mobile tower operators, an Indian court this year revoked permits of several wireless carriers while demand growth for third and fourth-generation mobile data services slowed.

Shares of GTL Infrastructure Ltd , the only other mobile tower operator listed in India, have slumped 90 percent in the last two years, hit by debt repayment worries.

Bharti Infratel priced its IPO at lower valuations to overcome those concerns, attracting more than a dozen cornerstone investors including units of Morgan Stanley and Citigroup Inc.

The IPO valued Bharti Infratel at a 35 percent discount to peers in the United States and Indonesia with an enterprise value over EBITDA metric, or earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, said Nomura analysts.

But on a price-to-earnings basis, Bharti's valuation implied a 20 percent premium to global peers, Nomura said.

Bharti Infratel sold about 146 million shares, or more than three quarters of the shares on offer, while four of its private equity investors, including the arms of Temasek Holdings and Goldman Sachs, sold a total of 42 million shares.

Bharti Airtel, which owned 86 percent of the tower operator before the IPO, did not sell any shares in the process.

The IPO was mainly supported by foreign institutional investors, with the company receiving bids for less than a fifth of shares on offer for local retail investors.

Bharti Infratel has about 34,000 towers and owns 42 percent of Indus Towers, the world's largest tower operator. Along with Indus, Bharti Infratel has a 38 percent share of the Indian telecommunications tower market.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch , Barclays , Deutsche Bank , HSBC , JPMorgan , Standard Chartered , and UBS were the foreign banks underwriting the IPO, while Kotak Mahindra and Enam Securities were the domestic banks handling the share sale.

(Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Rafael Nam and Ryan Woo)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bharti-infratel-shares-slump-pre-open-market-debut-042320411--sector.html

corned beef recipe time change rpi dst friends with kids pacific standard time northern mariana islands

Police warnings about holiday celebrations raise questions about ...

Posted on: 11:30 pm, December 28, 2012, by Raymond Hawkes and Jon Burkett, updated on: 11:31pm, December 28, 2012

RICHMOND, Va (WTVR)- If you hold a house party and a friend comes over and leaves intoxicated, are you responsible for what happens to him after he leaves your house?

Legal experts say Virginia?s laws may seem surprising.

It?s the time of year where people like to party to ring in the New Year and perhaps toss back a drink or two with friends and family.

It?s also prime season for DUI checkpoints because accidents can tragically change a family?s life forever.? So police in Central Virginia are warning everyone out there that accountability starts at home.

?It?s a scare tactic,? said Donte Henderson of Chesterfield. ?They?re trying to get people to think about drinking and driving. It?s that season where some good folks are going to leave parties with the intent of just going home. But things will happen. I think police are taking the right steps.?

But if it?s your party, just how responsible are you for an intoxicated friend or family member?s actions?

??Dram shop? is a law that holds a person that sold someone alcohol liable in a bar or commercial setting,? says CBS-6 legal expert Todd Stone. ??A ?social host liability? is when you host a party and you?re serving someone alcohol. In Virginia, there isn?t a civil or criminal liability perspective unless it deals with alcohol consumption and a minor.?

?I feel if you don?t tell them then you are responsible, but if you say ?hey, don?t go and give me your keys,? and they insist on leaving then that?s their problem,? said Chris Anderson of Chesterfield.? ?You can only do but so much.?

Police say just play it safe by telling a family member or friend to stay at your place or call them a cab. ??While legal expert Stone says you may not be legally liable, remember, if something happens your conscience may get to you.

Source: http://wtvr.com/2012/12/28/police-warnings-about-holiday-celebrations-raise-questions-about-virginias-liability-laws/

christina aguilera Mayan End Of The World Olivia Black the voice World Ending 2012 gossip girl channing tatum

Basic question about Windows 8 UI - Computers, Math, Science ...

Its very clear that Microsoft is trying to beat Apple to the Marriage of mobile and personal computing. The problem is I think their execution is not working relatively well. I agree that Win8 on a personal computing device looks to behave like a mobile device, and this causes en masse confusion. While I applaud Microsoft for their attempt to innovate something unique, I just dont think its working terribly well.

I would feel better, and I think a few others would say the same thing, if Microsoft were to focus on under the hood innovation (this made them known for things like Exchange and Active Directory, and although Active Directory is a real bastardization of LDAP and nothing new, it was something that made them popular). A total Security Redesign, the elimination of ActiveX and DCOM controls, a more decentralized order of operation (Im sure that MS could re-aquire the rights to Xenix its own version of Unix back in the day....yes....Microsoft owned a unix variant at one time, make no mistake about that), and overall stability improvements.

As it stands now constant redesigns to the desktop across all platforms that care about it are confusing users more and more. Microsoft redesigns, and it loses people (and Win8 may be the very release that drives users away from it and to alternatives like Apple and Unix variants -- Linux included). Apple is slowly trying to marry without actually doing it, the mobile device and the personal computing device, but without changing the entire desktop as a result. Gnome (the interface nazis of the linux world) attempted to do the same with Gnome 3.x, and that caused alot of fallout (Ive alwasy been an openbox user, so this didnt really affect me much).

From a point of focus, I think that what works is what needs to stay, and what doesnt work needs to be fixed. But then thats an opinion coming from an old war-torn Aspie network security engineer, and probably doesnt mean much to anyone.
_________________
An Old NetSec Engineer. Diag 11/29.
A1: AS 299.80 A2: SPD features 301.20
GAF: 50 - 60 range.

Source: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt219316.html

game of thrones season 2 trailer sag award winners girl scout cookies screen actors guild royal rumble results sag awards 2012 kyra sedgwick

Euribor seesaws as policymakers dispel rate cut hopes

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Key Euribor bank-to-bank lending rates eased on Thursday, having risen in the previous session as earlier comments from a clutch of European Central Bank policymakers played down chances of another ECB rate cut.

Joerg Asmussen, a member of the ECB's Executive Board, said last week he would be "very reluctant" about the ECB cutting its deposit rate - now at zero - any further, adding that "our (monetary) policy is very accommodative".

Another board member, Yves Mersch, said he did not see the logic of a debate about the ECB cutting its main rate from a record low of 0.75 percent. A third board member, Peter Praet, said earlier this month there is little room to cut.

The ECB kept rates on hold this month despite new forecasts suggesting the euro area economy will contract next year as it has this.

On Thursday, three-month Euribor rates, traditionally the main gauge of unsecured bank-to-bank lending, ticked down to 0.185 percent from 0.186 percent.

The six-month rate was unchanged at 0.319 percent while the one-week rate eased to 0.089 percent from 0.090 percent.

Dollar-priced bank-to-bank Euribor lending rates were mixed, with three-month rates falling to 0.57462 percent from 0.57667 percent and one-week rates rising to 0.63692 percent from 0.58167 percent.

($1 = 0.7867 euros)

(Reporting by Frankfurt newsroom; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/euribor-seesaws-policymakers-dispel-rate-cut-hopes-104948213--finance.html

khan academy Espn College Football Eddie Murphy died Suzanne Barr Clint Eastwood speech Maria Montessori clint eastwood

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Video: Top 12 Guinness record-breaking moments of 2012

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

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50296441/

tyler perry good deeds pretty in pink nba all star game shark tank john wall gordon hayward gas prices

Md. Family Displaced By Fire Moves Into New Home ? CBS Baltimore

CLEAR SPRING, Md. (AP) ? A western Maryland family displaced by fire has relocated to another home and has received many donated clothes and toys from the community.

The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown reports that the fire Saturday that displaced four adults and a child in Clear Spring is being attributed to an electrical outlet malfunction.

The blaze began in the first-floor laundry room and caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage.

Clear Spring volunteer fire company member Eric Reid says the family moved into a new home. The owner there plans to donate the first three months? rent so the family can recover.

He says that while the family has received many donations, people should check the Clear Spring fire company Facebook page after Christmas to see what else the family might need.
??
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Source: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/12/25/md-family-displaced-by-fire-moves-into-new-home/

new apple tv sun flare love hewitt new ipad solar flare joseph kony 2012 arian foster

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Half Of Americans Would See Their Taxes Go Up If This Obamacare ...

WASHINGTON -- New taxes are coming Jan. 1 to help finance President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Most people may not notice. But they will pay attention if Congress decides to start taxing employer-sponsored health insurance, one of the options in play if lawmakers can ever agree on a budget deal to reduce federal deficits.

The tax hikes already on the books, taking effect in 2013, fall mainly on people who make lots of money and on the health care industry. But about half of Americans benefit from the tax-free status of employer health insurance. Workers pay no income or payroll taxes on what their employer contributes for health insurance, and in most cases on their own share of premiums as well.

It's the single biggest tax break allowed by the government, outstripping the mortgage interest deduction, the deduction for charitable giving and other better-known benefits. If the value of job-based health insurance were taxed like regular income, it would raise nearly $150 billion in revenue in 2013, according to congressional estimates. By comparison, wiping away the mortgage interest deduction would bring in only about $90 billion.

"If you are looking to raise revenue to pay for tax reform, that is the biggest pot of money of all," said Martin Sullivan, chief economist with Tax Analysts, a nonpartisan publisher of tax information.

It's hard to see how lawmakers can avoid touching health insurance if they want to eliminate loopholes and curtail deductions so as to raise revenue and lower tax rates. Congress probably wouldn't do away with the health care tax break, but limit it in some form. Such limits could be keyed to the cost of a particular health insurance plan, the income level of taxpayers, or a combination.

Many economists think some kind of limit would be a good thing, because it would force consumers to watch costs, and that could help keep health care spending in check. Obama's health law took a tentative step toward limits by imposing a tax on high-value health insurance plans. But that doesn't start until 2018.

Next spring will be three years since Congress passed the health care overhaul, but because of a long phase-in, many of the taxes to finance the plan are only now coming into effect. Medicare spending cuts that help pay for covering the uninsured have started to take effect, but they also are staggered. The law's main benefit, coverage for 30 million uninsured people, will take a little longer. It doesn't start until Jan. 1, 2014.

The biggest tax hike from the health care law has a bit of mystery to it. The legislation calls it a "Medicare contribution," but none of the revenue will go to the Medicare trust fund. Instead, it's funneled into the government's general fund, which does pay the lion's share of Medicare outpatient and prescription costs, but also covers most other things the government does.

The new tax is a 3.8 percent levy on investment income that applies to individuals making more than $200,000 or married couples above $250,000. Projected to raise $123 billion from 2013-2019, it comes on top of other taxes on investment income. And while it does apply to profits from home sales, the vast majority of sellers will not have to worry since another law allows individuals to shield up to $250,000 in gains on their home from taxation. (Married couples can exclude up to $500,000 in home sale gains.)

Investors have already been taking steps to avoid the tax, selling assets this year before it takes effect. The impact of the investment tax will be compounded if Obama and Republicans can't stave off the automatic tax increases scheduled at the end of the year if there's no budget agreement.

High earners will face another new tax under the health care law Jan. 1. It's an additional Medicare payroll tax of 0.9 percent on wage income above $200,000 for an individual or $250,000 for couples. This one does go to the Medicare trust fund.

Donald Marron, director of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, calls the health care law tax increases medium-sized by historical standards. The center, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, provides in-depth analysis on tax issues.

They also foreshadow the current debate about raising taxes on people with high incomes. "These were an example of the president winning, and raising taxes on upper-income people," said Marron. "They are going to happen."

Other health care law tax increases taking effect Jan. 1:

_ A 2.3 percent sales tax on medical devices used by hospitals and doctors. Industry is trying to delay or repeal the tax, saying it will lead to a loss of jobs. Several economists say manufacturers should be able to pass on most of the cost.

_ A limit on the amount employees can contribute to tax-free flexible spending accounts for medical expenses. It's set at $2,500 for 2013, and indexed thereafter for inflation.

Also on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/25/obamacare-tax-hike_n_2362422.html

platypus platypus overboard east of eden weather radio indiana autoimmune disease

Improving Time Management Skills | Palin Defender

The intention to improve time management skills is desired by many people. There are many techniques available through which one can improve their time management skills. You can attend workshops and webinars available on the Internet. But the main problem is that people are still facing difficulties regarding time management.

If you also want to manage time then you must understand the concept of time management. Remember that you can?t control time because it is already a constant. There is no precise definition of time management but it?s all about managing self-actions. If you want to acquire time management skills then you have to make a list of your daily activities in which official and household tasks are included. It doesn?t matter which method you use to manage time but the important thing is that how you manage your actions efficiently. Try to figure out those actions that distract you. When you eliminate your distraction from your daily schedule then it might be easy for you to stay organized.

If we start to develop improvement in time management by looking at it through a different dimension, then we can now begin to actually comprehend some positive changes in our behaviors. Wearing a wristwatch is considered as the best way to keep up with time. There are many types of luxury watches (such as Swiss, Rolex milgauss , Royal Audemars Piguet and some others) as well as sports wrist watches available in the market for you.

Source: http://www.palindefender.com/2012/12/improving-time-management-skills.html

BestBuy.com Kohls Black Friday www.walmart.com Macho Camacho Rise of the Guardians Pumpkin Pie Jack Taylor

The Advantages Of Using HostGator Coupons For A New Online ...

Apart from all this, there are many individuals that feel that the hosting solutions offered by most of the providers are really pricey, however in case you feel the very same for HostGator, you could use discount coupon codes which easily permits you save massive amount of money while buying web hosting for your domain names. As well as, this could ultimately make you richer as most of your money which would certainly have been spent on web hosting solutions if coupons are not used. The relative impact of hostgator 1 cent coupons on your situation can be remarkable and cause issues of all varieties. There are so many possibilities and variations ? twists and turns, that hopefully you see how difficult it can be to cover all bases. That is really a good deal when you think about it, so just the briefest instant to mention something. We are highly confident about the ability of what we offer, today, to create a difference. The last outstanding areas for discussion may be even more important.

You desire to discover a HostGator coupon to save money on your hosting, remedy? However what if you can receive greater than the true discount. The very best HostGator coupons give just so much more, particularly for a new online business. The hardest point you will certainly encounter when you start your brand-new online business would certainly be the marketing aspect. Its certainly difficult to drive web traffic to a website if you have no encounter.

Are you going to utilize the initial coupon you can discover or are you willing to search high and low for the best? Some webmasters have particular coupons that are called the Ultimate Coupon for this certain supplier. Numerous webmasters have a partnership with this company and also have authorization to give various other professionals to anybody who signs up utilizing their coupon.

If you utilize the coupon code of a partner, you will acquire additional online marketing bonuses such as free online search engine optimisation, link building, added pay per click credits and live help that will allow you to ask inquiries related to marketing, business progression as well as technical problems on need. Some will certainly even help you install your internet site, online forum blog sites and also everything else you wish to put up.

While taking the much better and also low-priced rate net hosting services we as well had an check in search engines like Google or yahoo to had a factors. Standard of all it is essential to take search on the path report of the internet hosting service provider. It is just one of the extremely arrangement in receiving the host coupons with the existing motion in the market. By visiting to the most affordable shop we can easily pick our hosting account to establish our personal or business web web site in online. They are cooling down their hosts by employing quality wind power. They are actual pleasant and also preserve their client-customer relationship effectively.

These additional professionals can feature complimentary advertising, website installment or almost anything that would certainly cost additional and would certainly deliver this to you free of cost, however you have to utilize the coupon that the web designer delivers to activate the extra incentive. You can most certainly make the most of this if you know where to locate them, particularly if you are introducing a new website as it would help you to develop your web site within the search engines as well as drive your initial targeted site visitors to your products and services specified on your website.

Now that you are a month around in to the New Year, it?s time to begin considering continuing with a few of your aims for the following few months. If you are reading this now, at that point chances are one of those goals was to start your very own site or to locate a better web host in the next twelve months. To succeed at this task, you can discover no better place to begin than HostGator. The hosting provider has actually been around for a while now due to the fact that they have a dedication to their clients that goes beyond basic bones professional and also the status. The company has actually long been carried out to setting itself apart from the other competitors by highlighting customer appreciation above all else. The primary ways HostGator presents this is as follows:

From just $ 4.95 per month, you can easily use this limitless hosting service for your very own internet site. For this rate, you will certainly need to subscribe for a 3 year plan but business is long phrase so you must be believing long term anyway, particularly if you have terrific confidence in your company.

Some web designers have developed a whole business based upon HostGator coupons alone and is why you need to maximizing such promotions for your very own gain. Why would certainly you go straight to HostGator and also miss out on such rewarding chances. These are the kinds of strategies that can be put to good use as you see fit. But it is important with continued that you only decide on what is most appropriate for your needs. We all have found information through search that is not 100% trustworthy. We feel the the greater part of people mean well on the internet. We will proceed and show you a few points you will want to understand.

Source: http://az88cocktails.com/the-advantages-of-using-hostgator-coupons-for-a-new-online-business/

kevin kolb sarah shahi george clooney rutgers dharun ravi george clooney arrested ravi

In-Home Therapy Master&#39;s Level Clinician | Child & Family

HYANNIS, MA-Child & Family Services is hiring a Full-Time Master?s Level Clinician for our In-Home Therapy Program at the Hyannis site.

?Job Code: HYIHT1

Summary:

In-Home Therapy is a structured, consistent, strengths-based therapeutic relationship between a licensed clinician and the youth and family for the purpose of meeting the youth?s behavioral health needs, including improving the family?s ability to provide effective support for the youth to promote his/her healthy functioning within the family. Interventions are designed to enhance the family?s capacity to improve the youth?s functioning in the home and community and may prevent the need for the youth?s admission to an inpatient hospital, residential treatment facility or other treatment setting.

Qualifications

Masters Degree in Psychology, Social Work or a related field from an accredited educational institution. Experience/interest in child/adolescent/family and intensive home-based family interventions. Able to provide clinical care and support toward effort to prevent hospitalization and maintain youth safely in community.

?Responsibilities

The following responsibilities are not meant to be all inclusive and may be adjusted to meet the agency?s needs.

  • ?Provide direct diagnostic, crisis intervention and treatment services including behavioral strategies within a therapeutic relationship to assist persons to achieve stabilization with the family.
  • Advocacy
  • Utilize diagnostic skills involving practical knowledge of the DSM-IV and family assessment tools.
  • Aggression outreach, tracking and follow-up.
  • Maintain production expectations and record keeping requirements.
  • Behavioral management training.
  • Provide diagnostic and treatment consultation to other agency programs and community agencies.
  • Provide Family therapy.
  • Participate in appropriate clinical and administrative staff meetings.
  • Participate in independent education and training opportunities.
  • Training assistance in decision-making, vocational guidance, skill building, problem solving, and support in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

?View Available Benefits

Apply

?

-->

Source: https://child-familyservices.org/2012/12/in-home-therapy-masters-level-clinician/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-home-therapy-masters-level-clinician

sun storm tri international criminal court ios 5.1 apple tv update new ipad release pregnant jessica simpson

Source: http://abyrokitiby.posterous.com/in-home-therapy-master39s-level-clinician-chi

evans vs davis fast times at ridgemont high fast times at ridgemont high soylent green phil davis george st pierre aldon smith

Source: http://ycekabrus.posterous.com/in-home-therapy-master39s-level-clinician-chi

apple announcement indianapolis colts joseph kony joseph kony ipad 3 release date apple store down apple live blog

Source: http://atucer.posterous.com/in-home-therapy-master39s-level-clinician-chi

breaking bad breaking bad food network star British Open 2012 bane Aurora Colorado Rajesh Khanna

Source: http://vascucr.posterous.com/in-home-therapy-master39s-level-clinician-chi

beyonce baby detroit auto show tebow broncos downton abbey season 2 2013 dodge dart shameless kwame brown

Monday, December 24, 2012

Web Marketing Tips That Are Right For You - Maynas Eric

Do you think Affiliate marketing is the greatest thing ever? Do you do your research and continue to market your business? Magazines, books and videos are just a few of the resource materials available to help you learn more about internet promotion. Do you know how to get yourself started? These tips will help guide you to your starting point.

Analyzing your competitors is crucial to effective marketing online. You can increase your profits by offering products and services not currently offered by your competitors. This is essentially your goal when it comes to Internet marketing.

TIP! There are many successful approaches to Internet Marketing, and one such popular avenue is advertising on other websites Google AdSense is one of the best ways to accomplish this. This is a very good way to get a high amount of marketing for a reasonable price and amount of work.

Figuring out your niche for your business is key to market on the Internet. Someone who collects Star Wars action figures isn?t going to be interested in baseball cards. While you might sell a few, the point is, ultimately, that a person seeking baseball cards won?t be spending time in the same area as a person looking for Star Wars toys. So always use your marketing efforts wisely and gear it towards your target audience.

Display a banner with your slogan, mission statement or a catchphrase on your website. This helps to make the web site more professional and communicate your intentions to your visitors. Especially when there is a specific product you are trying to highlight and sell.

Using the word ?guarantee? gives an ad an air of quality and reliability. Clients like to know there is no chance to lose money on your product. There are many various guarantees that can be offered. There is a lifetime guarantee or one that lasts 90 days. Choose the type of guarantee depending on the product that you are selling.

TIP! To grab the right domain name, you should be willing to spend some money. You most likely will not get the domain name that matches your company name.

While many people caution against mixing home life with work life, this may be a rare exception. This is because there isn?t pressure, so it is a type of profit based hobby. Involving your spouse can make the hard work more of a team effort.

Read some psychological studies about web pages and marketing on the net. These psychological factors may affect the way someone sees your company, based on the design of your site. Acting on this information can help you maximize your potential profits.

Successful advertising creates an emotional bond between your clientele and your products. Your reader should be prompted to daydream about using your product. You want your customer to feel like they are getting the full benefit of your product, simply by reading your advertisement.

TIP! If you use words that make it seem like your site is easy to use it will drum up traffic. When you advertise your products as easy to use, you will attract more customers to give them a try because many consumers do not like to deal with complicated products.

You should utilize email marketing to grow your business. Send them messages that have quality content, including updates on products and sales you may have. You want your newsletter to appeal to a subscriber by offering reliable and interesting information; it should not have the appearance of spam. Even after your customers leave your website, your newsletters will allow you to maintain contact with them and assure them that you are invested in their continued business.

Press releases are effective Internet marketing tools. A press release is basically a news snippet which briefly describes anything fresh and exciting going on with your business. If it?s well written and informative, it can draw people to your site in droves. This is a simple way for boosting your profile.

Always avoid spamming your customers. It sometimes might seem like the right path to take, but it usually has undesired consequences and will drive traffic away from your website, not to it. If you do not personally connect with your customers, people will not trust you and your online business could fail.

TIP! Use vivid language and images to catch people?s attention. Adjectives are nice, try to use them as much as you can.

Be sure your advertising copy can be backed up with evidence. You can?t expect potential customers to take your word for anything. If your site has testimonial or references, you appear to be more credible and trustworthy. By simply making statements without proof, people may dismiss you and your business.

Knowing what your competition is up to is a necessity if you want to stay ahead of them. Look at websites of other businesses in your chosen field, and see what can be improved. Capitalizing on the weakness of your competition by promoting your own ability compared to the lack of theirs will help distinguish you in the eyes of would be customers.

Try using captions with your images. This text will capture the attention of the search engines. They use algorithms to detect keyword text, so always use captions that reflect the content of your article and images. With captions for every photo on your site, your rank will rise in the search engine results pages.

TIP! Take the time to make a supportive error page. You will need that when your database code stops working.

To improve and strengthen your reputation, you should affiliate with reputable companies and allow them to advertise on your site. Recognizable businesses will boost your image through the loyalty others have for their brand. This will also increase traffic and make it more of a go to site, rather than just another business listing.

Design a game to entice customers to your website. Some users will certainly refer friends to your website as well. This game could be used to advertise products and services subtly. For instance, if you sell products for hair, your game could be about hairstyling and feature the things you sell on your site.

Let your users post reviews. If customers review your niche on your site, this will drum up new sales and also increase your Internet presence with more keywords.

TIP! The Internet is very competitive, and it is important for small sellers to be prepared. To stay ahead of the competition, adjust your prices often and take your competition?s prices into account when you do.

Figure out a way to find a service you can offer to your users for free on your website. People will be attracted by the offer of something free, and if the site piques their interest, they may continue browsing. Free tools such as a calculator to help do tax returns are a good choice for a financial website to offer.

Now that you know where to start with your Affiliate marketing plan, do you want to give it a go? Do you think you can apply these tips to your company? Will you be able to implement these ideas in a practical way? If you can, then go!

Join me on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/maynaseric

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/web-marketing-tips-that-are-right-for-you

earth day timothy leary jonathan frid pujols watchmen hitch justin beiber

Social Media Marketing for Dummies is a Smart Book

Social Media Marketing Every day I get notices and descriptions of new social media tools and strategies.? If I didn?t love this stuff, I think I would easily get completely overwhelmed and depressed by the myriad of choices out there.

I mean every month, it seems that someone has come up with a new way to manage social media marketing, or a new social media marketing platform.? In the last couple years alone, we?ve seen the advent of Pinterest, Google+ and Facebook making major changes in their platform ? who can keep up with it all?

Social Media Marketing for Dummies Brings it all Together

Not to worry.? Jan Zimmerman and Debora Ng have come to our rescue with what looks like a virtual social media bible for 2013.? Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies is a GIANT book!? It?s at nearly three inches deep and over 700 pages of updated social media strategies and how-to?s that newbies and experts alike will find useful.

On the front cover of the book is the boast ?9 books in 1.? ?I think the best way to describe the book, might be to just dig right in and show you what those are:

  1. Social Media Mix ? It makes sense to start with a strategic overview.? With the number of social media tools increasing on what seems like a daily basis, this section will help you set the stage for your strategy so that you can choose what works best for you.
  2. Cybersocial Tools ? I?ve not heard the word ?cybersocial? yet, but this section will familiarize you with helpful tools that will have you managing your social media marketing like a pro.
  3. Blogs, Podcases and Video ? The baseline for any social media marketing strategy is having a destination to drive your community to.? This section discusses the most common kinds of foundation content in detail and how to get started quickly and easily.
  4. Twitter ? Learn how to use Twitter as a marketing tool; what it?s good for and what it?s not good for.? You?ll also learn about Twitter Chats ? which are a great way to build engagement.
  5. Facebook ? With most of the world participating on Facebook and spending so much of their day there, it makes sense to use this platform for your marketing.? This section will teach you the best way to leverage Facebook for your marketing.
  6. Google+?? Google+ is a relatively new platform that has had somewhat of a slow start.? If you?re still not sure how to use Google+ as part of your social media marketing strategy, this will walk you through the weeds.
  7. Pinterest ? This is another new platform that has just taken off like gangbusters.? It?s simplicity is what makes it such a flexible ? and sometimes confusing tool for marketing.? Don?t discount Pinterest until you?ve read this section.
  8. Other Social Media Marketing Sites ? Yes, there are more social media marketing channels out there than the basics.? Learn how to use Daily Deals, Social Gaming and mobile platforms to drive your marketing.
  9. Measuring Results; Building on Success ? You should get this book just for this section alone!? If you?ve been using social media marketing in your business, but haven?t been sure about what?s working and what isn?t ? read this section.

About the Authors

You might wonder what kind of marketing expert has mastered all of these tools?? It?s Jan Zimmerman!

Jan has been a business owner for over 30 years.? Her previous companies provided a range of services including video production, grant writing and linguistic engineering R&D.? In 1994, she founded Sandia Consulting Group and has spun off Watermelon Mountain Web Marketing.? It?s this kind of broad-based experience in traditional marketing and her experience with B2B clients that have given her the experience and expertise to share this information in a way that will resonate with pragmatic business owners.

Her co-author is Deborah Ng, who grew a successful blog into the number one community for freelance writers.? Deborah also has significant social media experience from being the community manager for several major online brands.

Why add yet ANOTHER social media marketing book to your library?

Granted, I received a review copy of Social Media Marketing for Dummies.? But what can I tell you ? it?s one of the benefits of reviewing books!? This is a book I would have bought for myself and I?m hanging on to it.? If I?ve given or loaned you a book that I?ve reviewed before, don?t even think about asking me for this copy.? It?s MINE.

I?m hanging on to my copy because I use all these social media marketing tools for my business and with my clients as well.? Even if you see yourself as a social media expert, you?re going to want this book because you?ll find these little insider tips and tricks that will save you tons of time in your day.

Social Media Marketing for Dummies is a fantastic resource for any small business that is looking to leverage the power of social media to get and keep customers.


About Ivana Taylor

Ivana Taylor Ivana Taylor is the publisher of DIYMarketers , where she shares daily do-it-yourself marketing tips, and is the President of Third Force, Inc., a marketing firm that specializes in getting your ideal customer to choose you. Ivana is the book editor for Small Business Trends and co-author of the book "Excel for Marketing Managers."

?

Source: http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/12/social-media-marketing-dummies-book-review.html

morgan freeman Survivor Philippines westboro baptist church Fashion Island shooting Victor Cruz nfl standings Vicki Soto

Sunday, December 23, 2012

news local: Boat Transportation | Sports n Recreation Info Center ...

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Source: http://jonasslater58.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation-info-center.html

Election Results Map Early voting results BBC Dick Morris Daily Show provisional ballot npr

Source: http://qqwff.posterous.com/boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation-info

odd lamar d antoni fashion star andrew bird lizzie borden lizzie borden

Source: http://lambcarmine527.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation-info-center-qqwffs.html

Stand Up to Cancer Azarenka NFL fantasy football Chris Kluwe Jennifer Granholm

Source: http://parvismtana.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation-info-center-qqwffs.html

jessica simpson gives birth carrie underwood blown away chk ryan o neal dark knight rises trailer dark knight rises trailer vince young

Source: http://nollpeterson.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation-info-center-qqwffs.html

paula deen birth control recall nick carter leslie carter aaron carter sister pfizer signing day 2012 football

Source: http://blog-news-local.blogspot.com/2012/12/boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation.html

mega ball winning numbers baltimore county current tv megamillions ncaa basketball tournament 2012 megamillions winning numbers lotto winner

Source: http://capaciousness-wallenstein.blogspot.com/2012/12/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n.html

daniel von bargen the beach blood diamond 8 bit google maps kids choice awards 2012 micah true kansas vs ohio state

Source: http://kovornryc.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

cadillac ats bain capital marines urinating haley barbour peoples choice awards 2012 ford recalls robert kardashian

Source: http://bare-persecute.blogspot.com/2012/12/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n.html

occupy oakland morgellons disease arik armstead sag awards red carpet torrey pines nhl all star game 2012 pollyanna

Source: http://cannonwhitney.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation-info-center.html

Rebecca Soni Snoop Lion London 2012 Table Tennis badminton Dominique Dawes Gabby Olympic Gymnast Robyn Lawley

Source: http://icegudufm.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

army wives 60 minutes go daddy Tom Kenny tim tebow Long Island Medium Alfonso Ribeiro

Source: http://resovumoc.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

march madness bracket south by southwest i want to know what love is courtney mercury retrograde bath salts heart shaped box

Source: http://sigiueeo.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

current time a thousand words my sisters keeper kirby sarah palin cbi the shins

Source: http://taygbukil.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

ed reed football schedule jo paterno dead south carolina tuskegee airmen mike james red tails

Source: http://sheppard73.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recreation-info-center.html

oscar nominees oscar nominations 2012 kombucha tea separation of church and state dale earnhardt oscar predictions oscars

Source: http://uyvkaku.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

joan rivers gary carter dies oolong tea survivor one world lil kim progeria what will my baby look like

Source: http://pupisurov.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

read across america vikings stadium breitbart dead db cooper fafsa branson missouri davy jones dead

Source: http://yfakeveny.posterous.com/news-local-boat-transportation-sports-n-recre

windows 8 Emanuel Steward college board nyc.gov SAT Notre Dame Football Schedule detroit tigers

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Oops! 5 Retracted Science Studies of 2012

When you read about medical breakthroughs in the newspapers, you shouldn't get your hopes up. This is not because of journalistic hyperbole or even the fact that cures often are years away from the initial publication of result.

It seems that an increasing number of scientific studies are just plain wrong and are ultimately retracted. Worse, a study published in October 2012 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (uh, if it's true) claims that the majority of retractions are due to some type of misconduct, and not honest mistakes, as long assumed.

The blog Retraction Watch tracks such retractions and has notified its readers of hundreds of journal-article withdrawals in 2012 alone. The king of retractions, according to Retraction Watch, is Japanese anesthesiologist Yoshitaka Fujii, who falsified data in 172 of 212 of his papers published between 1993 and 2011. All of this came to light in 2012. [See Last Year's Biggest Science Retractions]

Sadly, fudged studies create false hopes, and they also sully the reputation and publication record of the co-authors, often students, who weren't aware of the fraudulent behavior.

Here is a list of some of the more interesting retracted papers in 2012.

1. Hyung-In Moon is a genius, says Hyung-In Moon

Korean scientist Hyung-In Moon took the concept of scientific peer review to a whole new level by reviewing his own papers under various fake names. Not surprising, his imaginary peers were quite impressed with his work.

But perhaps also not surprising from someone who attempts such a scheme, Moon's research ? which included a study on alcoholic liver disease and another on an anticancer plant substance ??can't be trusted. Moon admitted to falsifying data in some of his papers, according to Chronicle of Higher Education. So far, 35 of his papers have been retracted in 2012.

Peer review is a process in which scientific peers in the same field judge the merit of a submitted journal paper. Moon, a plant researcher now at Dong-A University in Busan, Korea, sought out those journals that allowed submitters to suggest reviewers. He then suggested fake "experts" to review his work, with e-mail addresses that he controlled. [The 10 Most Destructive Human Behaviors]

Sometimes Moon used real names but with fake e-mail addresses that would come to him. This scheme of suggesting real university-based researchers with Gmail or Yahoo e-mail accounts went unchallenged for years, however dubious this must sound to anyone with an inquisitive mind.

Moon got a little sloppy, though. According to Retraction Watch, editors at the Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry grew suspicious when four of his glowing reviews came back within 24 hours. Anyone who has ever submitted a paper for peer review knows that reviewers take weeks or months to reply.

2. Math paper a big, fat zero

Neither the one-sentence abstract ? "In this study, a computer application was used to solve a mathematical problem" ? nor the co-author's e-mail address, ohm@budweiser.com, seemed to dissuade the editors at Computers and Mathematics with Applications from publishing this one-page gem entitled "A computer application in mathematics" by the perhaps fictitious M. Sivasubramanian and S. Kalimuthu, the one working for Budweiser. It was published in January 2010 but not retracted until April 2012, despite silly sentences such as "Computer magnification is a Universal computer phenomenon" and "This is a problematic problem."

Two of the paper's references are to earlier, similar papers from M. Sivasubramanian, which also somehow got published. One is to a store that sells math games. And the other three are to non-existent websites. [5 Seriously Mind-Boggling Math Problems]

The journal, part of the respected Elsevier family of scientific publications, finally retracted the paper because it "contains no scientific content." The editors chalked it up to "an administrative error."

Too bad. This could have been big. As the authors concluded, "Further studies will give birth to a new branch of mathematical science." But maybe the real "problematic problem" is the ease in which nonsensical math papers are published ? something that maybe the "authors" were out to prove.

3. Maybe his failure doesn't feel better than success

Have you ever wondered whether there is any truth in the saying "no pain, no gain" or whether failure can be better for you than success?

The Dutch social psychologist Diederik Stapel has pondered such deep questions. His research has found that, paradoxically: failure sometimes feels better than success; beauty ads make women feel ugly; power increases infidelity among men and women; and comparing yourself to others might help you persevere with studying or dieting but ultimately won't make you happier.

Yes, Stapel has found lots and lots of stuff. His work has appeared in top journals. And his good looks and clever research topics made him a media darling, featured in The New York Times and on liberal-leaning television news programs.

The only problem is that his research appears to be either mostly or completely fabricated.

Stapel's scientific misconduct came to light in September 2011. His employer, Tilburg University in the Netherlands, promptly placed Stapel on suspension as it investigated the allegations. The University published its final report in November 2012, citing 55 publications with evidence of fraud.

So far, 31 papers have been retracted, according to Retraction Watch. More will surely follow. This could mean that meat eaters are absolved: One of Stapel's studies, now suspected to be fabricated, found that meat eaters are more selfish and less social than vegetarians. Note that Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian.

4. Rabbit testicles safe ? for now

Studies proposing a link between cellphone use and cancer often rely on weak statistics. This one just used fudged data.

Back in 2008, scientists published a paper in the International Journal of Andrology stating that cellphones in standby mode lowered the sperm count and caused other adverse changes in the testicles of rabbits. [7 Surprising Facts About Sperm]

The study, although small and published in a rather obscure journal, made the news rounds. And the cautious human male, upon reading of the risks, might have moved his cellphone from his front pocket to the back.

In March 2012, the authors retracted the paper. It seems the lead author didn't get permission from his two co-authors and, according to the retraction notice, there was a "lack of evidence to justify the accuracy of the data presented in the article."

You'd think the data would have been accurate, seeing how the lead author lifted data and figures from his two previously published papers that doom rabbits and their sperm. But alas, one of those papers also was retracted this year and the other, according to Retraction Watch, soon will be.

These three studies live on, however, on the websites of proponents of the cellphone-cancer link, likely never to be retracted because it is so easy to cut and paste references without reading the papers.

5. Stem-cell cure for heart disease likely faked

The timing was perfect. Kyoto University biologist Shinya Yamanaka had just won the 2012 Nobel Prize for his discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), which are adult cells that can be reprogrammed to their "embryonic" stage.

That's when Hisashi Moriguchi, a visiting researcher at the University of Tokyo, claimed at a New York Stem Cell Foundation meeting in early October to have advanced this technology to cure a person with terminal heart failure. It made sense, and the announcement rang around the world.

Just as quickly, however, the claim began to unravel. Two institutions listed as collaborating on Moriguchi's related papers ? Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital ? denied that any of Moriguchi's procedures took place there. By Oct. 19, the University of Tokyo fired Moriguchi for scientific dishonesty even as the investigation was just getting underway.

The smoke hasn't cleared. Moriguchi has admitted only to making some "procedural" mistakes. He has backed away from an original verbal claim that his injection of iPS cells in five patients has yielded positive results. He is sticking to his story, however, that one patient was cured ? at a Boston hospital not yet named.

Moriguchi's co-authors are taking no chances. In November they retracted two related papers in the journal Scientific Reports, stating in that retraction that they "cannot guarantee the accuracy of the results and conclusions described."

If there is any truth to Moriguchi's claims, his work would catapult the field of iPS cells from test tube to cure, years before any expert would have predicted so. But Moriguchi's evolving story line and reluctance to share the full details of his work have left many scientists skeptical.

Christopher Wanjek is the author of a new novel, "Hey, Einstein!", a comical nature-versus-nurture tale about raising clones of Albert Einstein in less-than-ideal settings. His column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on LiveScience.

Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oops-5-retracted-science-studies-2012-172138222.html

PSEG hocus pocus hocus pocus mta schedule PECO chris christie Hurricane Sandy update