Parking dispute may have led to Maine shooting deaths: police

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (Reuters) - A dispute between neighbors over street parking may have led to the shooting deaths of two Maine teenagers, authorities said on Sunday after charging a 74-year-old man with murder in connection with the incident.

Derrick Thompson, 19, and his girlfriend, Alivia Welch, 18, were killed on Saturday night in their apartment inside a two-unit home in Biddeford, Maine, about 15 miles southwest of Portland, state police spokesman Steve McCausland said.

Thompson's mother, Susan Johnson, 44, who reported the shootings to authorities shortly after 7 p.m. EST, was being treated for gunshot wounds at Maine Medical Center in Portland, state police. A six-year-old boy also was removed from the building uninjured.

James Pak, who owns the building and lives in the other unit, was arrested on Saturday and charged with two counts of murder.

Police had been summoned to the residence earlier on Saturday because of an argument over parking, McCausland said. A Biddeford police spokeswoman said the city banned street parking from 8 p.m. until 7 a.m. to allow for snow removal.

McCausland said the dispute appeared to have been resolved before the shooting occurred but gave no further details.

Pak was being held in a local jail and was expected to appear in court on Monday or Wednesday. It was unclear whether he had an attorney. (Edited by Karen Brooks and Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/parking-dispute-may-led-maine-shooting-deaths-police-001102978.html

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AFC Playoff Matchups 2012 - Business Insider

While the NFC playoff picture is still muddy, the AFC playoffs are ready to go.

Here are the seeds:

1. Denver Broncos?(bye)
2. New England Patriots?(bye)
3. Houston Texans
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Indianapolis Colts
6. Cincinnati Bengals

So the Texans will play the Bengals this week in Houston, and the Ravens will play the Colts in Baltimore.

Not the juiciest match-ups in the world. But the Broncos and Patriots getting the 1-2 seeds means that we could potentially see a Brady vs. Manning AFC Championship Game down the road, which is plenty juicy. Also, as commenter "Avocado" points out, Peyton Manning could play the Colts in round two if they beat Baltimore and Houston beats Cincy.

Another intriguing note: the Denver Broncos got the #1 seed with a 13-3 record. But they're only 2-3 against playoff teams, so they're a big mystery.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/afc-playoff-matchups-2012-12

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Market Online Business With These Simple Tips | Turn $1 into $100 ...

Internet marketing is becoming a essential part of running a business. The following tips can guide you to more dollars.

Evaluate the actual merits of your the product or service you are marketing. All the internet marketing in the world will not save an inferior product. Making sure you have a superior product to market will ensure the sales rise.

A way to guarantee future sales on your website is to offer a subscription service to your customers. For example, if they buy computer paper you could offer them a deep discount for signing up to receive a box every single month.

Testing your email marketing will help you decipher what works and what doesn?t in terms of getting action from your customers. The A/B test is a common way to do this. Build an email, then change one critical item to create a variation. An example would be to change the subject in each email or change your intro paragraph. Distribute the emails to comparable groups and measure the results. Whichever is the most successful, use it for the remainder of your email campaign.

Personal attention to customer complaints can be the difference between getting a bad reputation or resolving a conflict peacefully and positively. While it may seem like a good idea to hire a servicing company for customer service, these types of issues are better dealt with internally. If an unhappy customer sends you an irate email, respond yourself to that email, offer a resolution, and let the customer know that you value him or her and his or her business.

Use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook as a part of your Internet marketing campaign. Social media venues permit you to stay in touch with your customers, making it quick and simple to advise them of promotions or updates. Just be wary of over-promoting. You are better off providing posts that offer valuable information or insights with a marketing message included now and then.

Deciding how you want your website to progress can be a hard task. Think about your interests, and narrow the list until you can see a clear winner. You should choose a website niche you enjoy that interests you as well. It is much easier to market a website if you have a concrete goal in mind.

Think of a free service you can offer your visitors. People will stop by just for the free stuff, but sometimes they do stay longer if something on the site appeals to them. For instance, if you have a financial website, you could offer a tax return calculator at no charge.

Internet marketing basically boils down to realizing where a problem lies, and fixing it. Start your business by knowing everyday, just what questions you are answering. If you assist somebody with a tricky situation, you will earn their loyalty and their recommendations.

Make a video of yourself actually using the product you want to sell. By doing this, customers can watch you literally trying the product out. You can highlight the features and benefits that might not be in the product description. You will be able to show the video on your blog or company social media sites.

Internet marketing should lead to further Internet marketing. Using the Internet is like a cycle, in which users see your business, purchase from you, and then spread the word about your products.

Many Internet users love playing games, so consider creating a simple game to keep visitors coming back to your site. Many people love nothing more than to play online games, even if they?re simple. Use the game to subtly advertise your products for services. If you are a purveyor of pet supplies, for example, you might design a canine companion game that incorporates specific products and services you offer.

Give to a charity. Choose a charity and give a set percent of your profits to that charity. This charity will advertise for you, and it will also make your company look better. You can also give your customers input into which of several charities they would like you to support.

A spot dedicated to reviews from customers is a great idea for your site. Customer reviews can help establish loyalty and will increase your reputation in the industry.

Assuring your customers that your website is secure will bring you more business. Many online users are reluctant to provide personal or financial details over the Internet, so it is important to assuage them with guarantees that this information is truly safe.

Make sure you have a good logo even if you are a small company. These marketing tools help you build your brand, as they will help customers remember you. Likewise, an appealing motto makes a strong, subconscious impression. When consumers go looking for a product to fill a need, their ability to remember your slogan could be what gets you the sale.

The knowledge you have gained by reading this article should give you a head start on the Internet marketing competition. With the new knowledge that you have acquired, you should have something that you can use for your Internet marketing techniques. Keep the advice from this article in mind and enjoy your new-found dollars.

Source: http://oneintoahundred.com/make-money-online/market-online-business-with-these-simple-tips

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Reforming Businesses, Reforming Schools: Outsourcing as a Fad ...

Readers over a certain age may recall reforms that cascaded through corporations in each decade since the 1960s. They might recall ?zero-based budgeting,? ?management by objectives,? ?restructuring,? ?management by walking about,? and ?Quality? Circles.? Sure, I could name more but that is enough.

Opinion leaders beat the drums for each one as they rapidly spread through The Financial Times, Forbes, The Economist, and other media as CEOs wrapped their tongues around the inevitable acronyms surrounding these reforms.? They were immensely popular for a few years, even a decade or more and, you know what?s coming, they faded. They live now as footnotes in doctoral dissertations?the last refuge for a reform.

I want to add another one to that list: ?Outsourcing.?

Outsourcing or ?offshoring? occurred as a global market for U.S. products matured in post-World War II decades. For most U.S. manufactured products, it made economic sense to have designers, engineers, assembly line workers, and marketing people in close proximity such as making cars in Detroit, Michigan or appliances at General Electric?s facility in Louisville, Kentucky. But as global competitors for cars and appliances arose, U.S. companies had to cut costs to remain competitive. Cutting costs happen when new technologies make production more efficient and when cheaper labor is available. Latin American and Asian countries attracted U.S. companies because labor costs were far lower. Thus, offshoring or designing products in the U.S. and producing them in other countries began. Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. peaked at nearly 20 million in 1979 and fell to just under 12 million by 2010.

But in the last decade, U.S. companies have reopened shuttered factories and built new ones producing appliances and other products stamped ?Made in U.S.A.? How come? New technologies have increased on-site productivity in manufacturing while the costs of producing abroad have risen such as higher wages for foreign workers and transportation, and unions have bvecome more amenable to management offers.? For the U.S. bringing designers, engineers, and production together in one place now means higher profits than offshoring. There is now an upsurge in manufacturing jobs, not as great as in the early 20th century but an increase in jobs nonetheless. So add ?outsourcing? to the list of fads in business reform. What about school reform in these same decades?

No need to count the faddish reforms that have showered schools.? Readers can make their own lists of which ones have occurred in their lifetimes. Many of which, I should add, have been imported into schools from the private sector. Every single business reform mentioned in the first paragraph have been reincarnated in schools. Ditto for ?outsourcing.?

Education dollars are always in short supply, particularly in times of fiscal stress, so the search for efficient ways to operate schools easily piggybacked on the business surge of ?outsourcing.? Contracting out? student lunches, bus transportation, and janitorial services have rippled across the nation?s 14,000 school districts since the 1980s, including teaching and learning.

For-profit companies taking over failing public schools in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Highland Park (MI), and other districts is one example. And cyber charter schools and blended schools run by for-profit companies are other examples. Note that no middle-class and upper-middle-class suburbs or exurbs seek out private contractors to run their schools. The phenomenon is localized in poor and minority schools that fail to make academic progress.

While some critics see this outsourcing of public school services as part of a dark design to privatize public schools, others endorse efforts to contract out those support services to save money without sacrificing quality. Moreover, privately-run student lunches, bus transportation, and janitorial work can be easily assessed as to whether or not they are cost effective. But when it comes to the core activities of teaching and learning, that is a much harder Brazil nut to crack.

Consider other public institutions that have outsourced their core activities such as prisons. Outsourcing prisons to for-profit companies has a checkered history. Nearly 10 percent of all inmates are in privately-operated prisons. Whether the promised efficiencies and saved public dollars have materialized remains contested.

When it comes to outsourcing actual teaching and learning, whether online or in traditional classrooms, similar contested findings make it hard to make the case that private companies save tax dollars and do the job as well as schools.

In the last decade, a slow but perceptible turnaround in manufacturing products in the U.S. has occurred. Offshoring is no longer a panacea for U.S. companies. Another fad gone. Because school fads, many of which have been imported from the private sector, lag behind shifts in business innovations, I would expect that outsourcing teaching and learning (but not school support services) will die a slow death except in those locations where poor children go to school. There, I believe, it will flourish because when you do not know what to do, you experiment, experiment, and then experiment some more.

Source: http://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/reforming-businesses-reforming-schools-outsourcing-as-a-fad/

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Egyptians killed in Libya church attack

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Two Egyptians were killed and two others wounded when a service building owned by a church was bombed in Misrata, Libya, Saturday evening.

Unidentified assailants threw a homemade bomb at the building owned by an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox church, said Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Amr Roushdy.

Two of the injured have been released from the hospital and Libyan authorities are investigating the incident, medical sources told state-run MENA news agency.

Senior Egyptian embassy officials are in contact with the church priest and Libyan security services to take urgent measures to secure Church properties in the country.

Source: http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/1349191

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Personal Development: Smart Advice To Excel In Your Life ...

A great way to turn your life around for the better is through personal development. Brainstorming with yourself about the areas you want to change for the better is a great way to start a self improvement project. In this article we will provide you with some solid advice about implementing self help tips in to your life.

No matter what, you must adhere to one rule. It is important that you be an active participant in living your life. Watching from the sidelines serves no good purpose. Being a passive observer to the world around you removes you from the game entirely. Do not let that happen.

One way to raise your self-esteem is to give other people compliments. You can reverse the process, though. Being kind and positive to other people puts you in a good mindset and encourages you to treat yourself right.

By being a leader, you can help improve your self improvement. Leadership is generally approached as being influential. Take a look at your leadership journey. Which past events have had major, formative effects on your life? How have these events transcended the life that you live? What personality characteristics define you as a team player? By carefully evaluating these questions, you can increase your awareness of your ability to function well in a team setting.

Sexual capitol is a new trait researchers have just discovered, and they feel it is important to have. This means to use your skills to charm others to get the things you want in life rather than your sexuality. Good social skills are not something everyone is born with, but developing them help you go the distance in life.

The success of your personal development efforts is directly tied to the research and work you put into improving yourself. Further, you must be persistent with your efforts if you want them to pay off. You will find a great sense of accomplishment if you follow some of the wonderful tips above.

This entry was posted in Personal Development and tagged personal development by Stumble Peach. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://stumblepeach.com/personal-development-smart-advice-to-excel-in-your-life/

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Argentina asks U.S. court to block payouts for debt holdouts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Argentina is urging a U.S. appeals court to reverse an order requiring the country to pay $1.33 billion to creditors who did not participate in its two debt restructurings, a legal case that could have huge ramifications for global debt markets.

Lawyers for Argentina's government said in court papers filed late on Friday that a trial judge was "wrong to ignore the chorus of voices" who opposed his November order on payments to so-called "holdout" creditors.

Those payments, to a court-controlled escrow account, would threaten the service of $24 billion in restructured debt, Argentina's lawyers wrote in papers filed in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.

"There is no authority permitting a U.S. court to order a sovereign to bring its immune assets into the United States in order to 'turn over' or distribute them to its creditors," lawyers for the Argentine government said in the 69-page filing.

The appeals court is expected to decide next year whether to force Argentina to pay the $1.33 billion to investors in the defaulted debt. The decision could have broad impact on the ability of governments to raise money by selling bonds and on strained countries' response to economic crises.

The case stems from Argentina's $100 billion sovereign debt default 11 years ago. Argentina is trying to avoid paying the holdout creditors, who refused to take part in massive debt restructurings in 2005 and 2010.

About 92 percent of the bonds were restructured, giving holders between 25 cents and 29 cents on the dollar.

But the holdouts, led by Elliot Management Corp affiliate NML Capital Ltd and the Aurelius Capital Management funds, demanded to be paid in full. Argentina calls the holdouts "vultures" and has resisted.

In the papers filed on Friday, Argentina said it is willing to resolve the litigation by reopening the restructuring offer, a move that would require legislative permission but that would likely be rejected by plaintiffs.

"The executive is prepared to once again present to Congress a proposal that definitively treats all holdout creditors on the same terms as participants in the Republic's 2010 exchange offer," the filing says.

"The Republic has already made two debt restructuring offers that plaintiffs chose to reject. It cannot present a proposal that treats holdout creditors better than exchange bondholders."

LONG-RUNNING CASE

In a separate court filing, lawyers for holders of restructured bonds said that holdouts should not be offered better terms than "innocent" bondholders who took part in the swaps. The restructured bondholders include funds managed by Gramercy Financial Group LLC and BlackRock Inc , according to the court papers from the group.

The case has run for years in U.S. courts. Oral arguments before the 2nd Circuit on the appeal are set for February 27, 2013.

A decision against Argentina would deal a setback to President Cristina Fernandez, who is trying to avert the fallout of a potential technical default on tens of billions of dollars of debt.

In a statement late on Friday, an NML spokesman said Argentina was well placed to compensate the holdouts, citing its "more than $43 billion in foreign currency reserves" and billions more in other resources.

"Today's filing by the Republic once again demonstrates Argentina's irrational persistence in evading its contractual obligations and the orders of U.S. courts," said Peter Truell, a spokesman for NML.

There was no immediate reaction comment from Argentina.

Also on Friday, the U.S. government filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Argentina's bid for the appeals court to reconsider its October ruling that found Argentina had improperly discriminated against bondholders who did not participate in the debt swaps.

The U.S. government said countries needed leverage to garner broad creditor support for a restructuring. It cited the recent debt exchange in Greece as an example of a situation in which holdouts can threaten orderly bond restructurings.

JUDICIAL REPRIEVE

Following the appeals court's October decision, U.S. District Judge Thomas Griesa in Manhattan on November 21 commanded Argentina to put the payments for the holdouts into escrow by December 15.

But on November 28, the 2nd Circuit gave Argentina a reprieve, saying it did not need to make the escrow payment for now.

The battle has even extended to the 2-1/2 month seizure of the Argentine naval vessel ARA Libertad in Ghana at the request of NML. The boat was freed on December 19 following a ruling by an international admiralty tribunal.

In its court papers, Argentina said that if Griesa's orders were allowed to stand, "we may very well see the end of such restructurings and enter an era where debt crises are irresolvable. This will increase litigation, not reduce it."

The case is NML Capital Ltd et al v. Argentina, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 12-105.

(Additional reporting by Martha Graybow in New York and Alejandro Lifschitz in Buenos Aires; Editing by Ron Popeski and Vicki Allen)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/argentina-asks-u-court-block-payouts-debt-holdouts-054447388--finance.html

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Marketing Melodie in 2012: A Year in Review : Marketing Melodie

Posted by Marketing Melodie on Friday, December 28, 2012 ? Leave a Comment?

I can?t believe that I?m actually writing my 2012 year in review because it seems unreal that this year is really coming to an end. Two years ago I began a tradition of writing a year in review at the end of ?the year. I do this to express my sincere gratitude for everything the universe has brought my way. I still have a habit of discrediting my accomplishments. I often focus on what I haven?t yet achieved so this post is also an effort to combat my bad habit. I want to focus on ?my successes, not what I haven?t done.

First I want to I reflect back on the past few years since I turned Marketing Melodie into my full time career. I noticed some patterns throughout the year. In 2010 I made my transition from being an ?employee? to a full time ?entrepreneur?. This was a major break through. 2010 was filled with travel, speaking gigs and an abundance of break through opportunities including getting hired to teach Marketing at Platt College and so many new connections. I will call 2010 my break through year.

Marketing Melodie Speaking in Beirut, Lebanon 2010

2011 was a change of pace. I was traveling less and speaking less but spending more time organizing, creating systems and solidifying my services and offerings in order to have a strong foundation for monetizing my business. I hosted workshops, charity events and my first webinar. I now had a system for effective prospecting and client management. I also became a certified yoga instructor. Little did I know that my yoga certification would be another tool that would really hold as a strong foundation for my career. I will call 2011 my foundation building year.

Digital Media Now Workshop Novembmer 2011

With everything being so organized, I expected to hit the ground running with my marketing business in 2012. In some ways I did but I also realized that there was so much more that I wanted to learn before?systematizing?everything I do. After all, I left being a full time employee so I could embrace opportunities as they come my way. I?ve spent 2012 learning and exploring. ?I will call 2012 my learning year. I have mastered the art of learning something new everyday so this year is just a reflection of my desire to constantly stay educated to serve as a true resource for those around me.

January always comes as a surprise to me because I never expect it to come so soon. I started the year off with strategically branding my company as a strong force in the Social Media world. I did this in a fun way by jumping on the meme train. I saw a few ?Shit Says? videos that I found humorous. I decided to create one for Social Media titled Shit Social Media Experts say. With the help of my social media friends @jennyjenjen, @iPodschun, @RobotFaith, @ChrisKirkman we made it happen. Although I didn?t get a million YouTube views, the video did allow me to connect with many new people who either work in the social space or are interested in using social media themselves to grow their business.

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With my business growing, I decided that I would need some help to accelerate the growth. I took on a new Intern, Stephanie Trinh. I created a ?more structured internship program to ensure my interns are learning through hands on projects. If anyone reading this is interested or knows someone who is interested in a marketing and social media internship, please reach out to me.

I continued on the meme train to brand my company and created 2 occupation memes. To this day, they are some of the most viewed pages on MarketingMelodie.com. I created What Social Media Experts Actually Do?which fits my passion for marketing and I also created What Yogis Actually Do?which fits my passion for yoga.

What Social Media Experts Actually Do

What Yogis Actually Do

My travel bug never completely goes away. When I get the opportunity to travel for business, I embrace it to the fullest. I was hired by AT&T to be one of their brand ambassadors at SXSW which meant an adventure in Austin, Texas. I had an incredible time meeting so many industry leaders, running an awesome social media promotion where I was giving out free phones, enjoying interactive events and even a Third Eye Blind Concert. In general, there was just?so much winning for everyone in Austin. My cousin goes to UT and my mom lives in Dallas so I also got to see both of them while I was on my business trip.

When I left Austin, I took a little detour to my favorite city to visit, Chicago! I used the power of Social Media to explore the entire city of Chicago. My great friend Krissy moved back there so it was the perfect time to visit. I have another cousin who also goes to the Art Institute in Chicago so it was great getting to see her too. I brought the San Diego sunshine to Chicago. During my 4 day stay which happened to fall on St. Patrick?s Day weekend, the weather was amazing. It was 70s and sunny the entire time and go figure, it was raining in San Diego! I did a lot of sight seeing, ate great Chicago food and enjoyed great company. I definitely want to go back to Chicago soon and I already have a list of must sees the next time I?m there.

I connected with the lovely Jennifer Pastiloff on social media and I won her Facebook contest for a ticket to Tadasana Festival! I was able to make social media and yoga unite at Tadasana Festival. This was just the first of many opportunities to combine my two passions.

Earth day is also in April. I love to do whatever I can to create a more sustainable earth. This year I wrote a post where I shared 10 ways to go green at work.?After publishing my post, I received some nice PR coverage by NBC San Diego as they featured my post on their TV news segment.

Foursquare Day also falls in April (4/16- 4 squared is 16!). For the 3rd year in a row I hosted a fun social media meetup around Foursquare. I first hosted Foursquare Day Hong Kong in 2010 when I traveled there on business. In 2011 I hosted Foursquare Day in San Diego at R Gang Eatery and this year I hosted Foursquare Day San Diego again at Osetra. Everyone had fun mingling, checking in to win prizes, unlocking badges and meeting new friends.

Matching Foursquare Mayor Shirts with @DanLarsen

Foursquare Day Hosts @DowntownRob & @MyMelodie awarding @ty_frank his raffle prize.

Foursquare Day Crowd at Osetra

I?m always open to opportunities that allow me to enhance my skills. I have known for a few years that San Diego Continuing Education offers free classes on just about any subject you can imagine. I finally got around to signing up for a Photoshop class and am so happy I decided to do so. I wanted to learn Photoshop skills so I could easily crop, resize, edit images on a basic level and that?s exactly what I learned how to do. I even got a student ID that I was told I can use for student discounts. The discount is especially helpful if I want to buy software programs.

After meeting ?Jennifer Pastiloff in April at?Tadasana Festival she invited me up to LA to be a part of her Karaoke Yoga class that was being filmed for ABC. I make a brief appearance singing while practicing yoga on TV! Of course I had to connect it back to marketing and shared with you how to optimize your PR efforts on social media all while doing Karaoke Yoga.

Toward the end of June, I received my favorite Klout Perk ever which was an invite to stay at Terranea Resort for a weekend getaway. I took the Amtrak (for the first time in years) to Irvine, then carpooled up to Terranea to meet the rest of the Klout crew. I explored the entire resort and found so much stuff to do at Terranea but my favorite part was really relaxing at the pool and spa.

After my Terranea getaway I hopped on plane to Seattle, Washington. I visited friends, family, ran around the city like a silly tourist, celebrated my Grandpa?s 87th birthday, ?4th of July?and even set up some business meetings. I hit all the birds ?with one stone. I also took a little detour to my neighboring state Portland, Oregon. I visited many Portland must sees including the famous Powell?s Bookstore, which is definitely ?an amazing place for bookworms. I tried the ever popular Voodoo Doughnuts and a nice view of the city at Portland City Grill. I also attended the Portland Blues festival. I have a theory that I bring the San Diego sunshine wherever I go because the weather was so nice in both Seattle and Portland during my stay.

My two passions are marketing and yoga so I decided to combine them both into my career and teach yogis how to grow their business and make money through marketing and social media. I successfully hosted my first marketing workshop exclusively for yogis?at La Jolla Yoga Center.

I also got my CPR certification! I learned another skill that will help me save lives. I also got the song ?Staying Alive? stuck in my head.

It was time for me to lease a new car. In between my leases, I decided to do a ?No Car in San Diego Challenge?. No car meaning I?m not driving a car of my own. I wanted to see if it was possible to get around in San Diego without my own vehicle. I survived almost 1 month without my own car and the first week I was fortunate enough to be driving the Chevy Volt electric car thanks to the GM PR team, I also drove Car2Go, took Uber and took the bus (which surprisingly was very nice a clean the two times I took it to La Jolla). ?I learned that it is possible to get around San Diego without a car. ?Not having a car was?definitely challenging but there were so many positives that came out of it. I was more strategic about planning out my days, I was healthier and got a lot of exercise because I walked more and I was able to connect with old friends who were nice enough to offer me rides.

As I continued to integrate yoga into my career, I attracted more opportunities to do so. I began teaching regular yoga classes for the YMCA. My full yoga schedule can be found here.

To my absolute astonishment, I found myself on Mandatory.com?s ?20 Hottest Geek Girls of the Internet??list among many super smart, sexy and successful women like Jenna Marbles, my friend Jenn Hoffman (she was on the Apprentice!) and one of my favorite YouTubers,?Natalie Tran. I was extremely grateful for this feature and wrote a thank you post to demonstrate how to optimize PR features.

Professional speaking is something I love doing. I haven?t been speaking much this year, but in 2013 I plan to significantly grow my business through speaking. I really wanted to learn more skills to become a better speaker so I decided to take improv classes through National Comedy Theater. I completed Level 1 and Level 2. The classes were so much fun! I learned how to be quicker in responding to any situation and to have confidence in what I say. I just met so many awesome friends from all walks of life through taking classes here. I highly recommend that everyone take an improv class at some point. In fact, here are 10 reasons taking an improv class will make you happy.

After teaching yoga at the YMCA for a few months, more and more opportunities began to open up for me in the fitness world. I had the honor of teaching a yoga class to benefit breast health awareness for the YMCA La Jolla?s Workout in Pink event. The YMCA also sent me to a training for Bender Barre. I really enjoyed learning to teach a fitness class that?s different than yoga. I?m happy to say that I?m now certified to teach Bender Barre classes. Yep another tool to add on my belt.

I made some more headway with my mission to help Yogis and Fitness professionals grow their business. I hosted my second Digital Media Now for Yogis at the gorgeous Chula Vista Yoga Center. It was part of their Teacher Training and also open to the public. In 2013, my goal is to get my marketing curriculum to be standard for all Teacher Training programs.

Digital Media Now for Yogis Students November 2012

I launched my new yoga website and brand, Tao of Yoga. It?s a simple site, but it works. I?m happy to have a place where I can share my thoughts on all things yoga and fitness. I?m also grateful that I have a schedule that?s easy to update so I can invite everyone to my classes.

As you can see, a lot of my business focus shifted from marketing to yoga. I really wanted to create a foundation for my yoga business, which is what I was successfully able to do. I have a website that?s a resource, I teach ?4 consistent yoga classes each week and I?m constantly continuing my own education to become a better instructor. Now that I have my yoga business up and running, I really want to focus on the marketing side of my business again. I will book more speaking engagements, host more digital media now workshops and webinars, and I created a nice referral program for anyone who sends me business for a marketing client. If you know anyone interested in growing their business through effective marketing and social media, please send them my way. You?ll receive a check from me as a thank you!

I celebrated another year with my birthday on December 13th. I like to give out gifts on my birthday. This year I gave everyone 13 happy birthday promotions to enjoy?and had a San Diego themed get together with some friends.

There you have it, my 2012 year in review. If you have some favorite moments of 2012, please feel free to share them with me. Since 13 is my lucky number and we?re gearing up for the year 2013, I?m confident that it will be my lucky year! Thanks to every single person who has read my blog. Whether you read ?one post or read my blog regularly, I sincerely appreciate it. Here?s to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year everyone!

Filed under Blogs, Branding, Career Development, Cars, Digital Media Now, Education, Entrepreneurship, featured, Foursquare, Networking Events, Promotions, Public Relations, San Diego, Social Media, Social Media Public Relations, Speaking, Travel, Webinars, Yoga ? Tagged with Digital Media Now for Yogis, Foursquare Day, National Comedy Theatre, Occupation Memes, Shit Social Media Experts Say, SXSW, Tao of Yoga, Terranea Resort, YMCA

Source: http://marketingmelodie.com/marketing-melodie-in-2012-a-year-in-review/

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Google Apps makes gains on Microsoft Office

Google Apps was long seen as too lightweight to be a competitor to Microsoft Office. But Google Apps has added features and maintained a low price over the years, and now the cloud software suite is starting to tempt companies away from Microsoft Office.

By Jeff Ward-Bailey,?Contributor / December 26, 2012

More and more companies are considering the cloud-based Google Apps suite as a serious competitor to Microsoft Office. Here, a city bus in Los Angeles shows an advertisement for the Microsoft Surface tablet.

Fred Prouser/Reuters/File

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For years, Microsoft Office was widely considered to be the way for businesses to get "serious" work done. Google Apps, the cloud-based office suite, wasn't generally thought of as being stable or full-featured enough for company use. But as Google Apps has matured, more and more companies have noticed -- and in 2012 Microsoft found its core business base eroding as offices jumped ship to Google.

Skip to next paragraph Jeff Ward-Bailey

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Jeff began writing for the Monitor's Horizons blog in 2011, covering product news and rumors, innovations from companies like Apple and Google, and developments in tech policy.

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Google has been promoting its software for business use since 2006, focusing mainly on small businesses that didn't need all the features of Microsoft Office. Now, The New York Times' Quentin Hardy reports, big companies are starting to notice Google as well. New Google Apps clients in 2012 included Hoffman-La Roche, a Swiss drug company with over 80,000 workers, and the U.S. Interior Department, where 90,000 employees use Google Apps.

Google's pricing is a big mark in its favor with businesses. The Google Apps suite, which includes word-processing, data-entry, spreadsheet, and presentation programs, has added features at a steady pace for several years, but the price of the software -- $50 a year for each business user -- has stayed the same. By contrast, Microsoft Office will cost $400 a year for each business user in 2013, although the Times notes that many companies pay half that with bulk discounts.

Microsoft hasn't ignored the cloud-software trend, though. Last year it released Office 365, an online version of its venerable software suite, which costs between $72 and $240 per year for each user, depending on how many features are needed. Julia White, a manager in Microsoft's business division, says Office 365 is "on track to be [Microsoft's] fastest-growing business," according to the Times, although the company hasn't released figures on usage. In late 2011 and early 2012 Microsoft's business divison made almost $24 billion -- but that revenue came almost entirely from conventional Office software that runs on computers located on companies' premises.

Google announced this summer that more than five million businesses were using its Apps suite, although nearly all of those companies have ten or fewer employees. So big companies like Hoffman-La Roche aren't jumping to Google Apps en masse, although the Times notes that Google won 23 of the 42 large government contracts for which it competed with Microsoft in 2012, compared with 10 for Microsoft.

Neither company is boasting about its total number of enterprise users, and it would be inaccurate to suggest that Microsoft is hemorrhaging business customers. But as companies put more stock in online collaboration, Microsoft will have to find ways to make Office 365 more attractive -- or come up with another strategy to tempt businesses away from Google.

For more tech news, follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffwardbailey.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/scitech/~3/vhIII-YXqoI/Google-Apps-makes-gains-on-Microsoft-Office

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Abuse & Advice: Resource Guide on Domestic Violence ? IM-SAFE ...

Abuse & Advice: An Online Resource Guide on Domestic Violence

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence refers to a pattern of behavior that is used to gain or maintain control over an intimate partner. Many people think of physical violence when they hear this term, but domestic violence also includes sexual abuse, financial abuse, emotional and mental abuse, and verbal abuse. Physical abuse involves hitting, punching, kicking, biting, and other physical behaviors used to control a partner. Sexual abuse refers to several different behaviors. Sexually abusive partners may force their partners to have sex or insist that their partners dress in a sexually provocative manner, or criticize their partners sexually.

Perpetrators use financial abuse, also called economic abuse, to maintain control over their partners. Financial abusers may steal money or credit cards from their partners, limit their partners? access to financial accounts, and take other actions to make it harder for their partners to get out of abusive or controlling situations. Emotional abusers do things like criticizing their partners, humiliating their partners in public, lie to and threaten their partners. This emotional abuse takes a toll on the self-esteem and confidence levels of the victims. Verbal abusers use their words to threaten, intimidate, and control their partners.

Signs of Verbal Abuse in a Relationship

Verbal abuse is not as easy to detect as physical abuse, as not all verbal abusers use threatening words to intimidate or control their victims. Signs of verbal abuse in a relationship include name calling, critical remarks, mocking, swearing, screaming, making threatening remarks, and blaming the victim for the abuse. Partners who are exposed to verbal abuse may lose their confidence, making them doubt their ability to escape the abusive relationships and live independently.

Signs of Physical Abuse in a Relationship

Physical abuse is one of the easiest types of abuse to identify, as it often leaves marks visible to family members, medical professionals, colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Some of the signs of physical abuse include bruises, scratches, bite marks, lacerations, and frequent broken bones or fractures. Victims of physical abuse may dress in long-sleeved clothing or long pants during warm months in an attempt to cover these marks. Another sign of possible physical abuse is missing work or school without an explanation.

Signs of Mental/Emotional Abuse in a Relationship

Abusers use mental abuse as a way to cause emotional pain in their partners. Some emotional abuse takes the form of verbal abuse, with abusers threatening their partners or blaming their partners for problems. Taking control of all the decision-making in a relationship is one sign of emotional abuse. Emotional abusers may treat their partners like children. Isolation is another tactic used by emotional abusers. Abusers may prevent their partners from spending time with friends, family, or colleagues. Some abusers insist that their partners ask for permission before going anywhere or talking to anyone on the telephone. This tactic helps the abuser maintain control of his or her victim.

Signs of Sexual Abuse in a Relationship

Sexually abusive partners use sexual activity as a way to control their victims. If someone forces his or her partner to have sex, take part in sexual activity, or avoid contraceptive use, these are signs of a sexually abusive relationship. Physicians and other health care providers may be able to identify bruising around the genitals and other signs of sexual abuse, but some victims avoid visiting their doctors because they are ashamed or embarrassed about the abuse.

Signs of Financial Abuse in a Relationship

Financial abusers control their victims by cutting off their access to money and rewarding work opportunities. These abusers may forbid their partners from working, steal cash or credit cards from their partners, force their partners to make them authorized users on credit card accounts, force their partners to apply for additional credit accounts, and restrict their partners? spending. Some financial abusers give their partners an allowance or withhold basic necessities due to their cost.

You Are Not Alone!

Domestic violence victims often feel alone, but there are many resources available to help victims and their children leave abusive situations. One of the most important steps in leaving an abusive relationship is planning ahead and leaving when the abusive partner is not around. This reduces the risk of a violent confrontation with the abuser. Telling a trusted family member or friend about the abuse can help domestic violence victims find ways to cope. If an abusive person controls his or her partner?s phone and Internet use, a trusted friend can research domestic violence resources and find contact information to help the victim escape the situation. There are also several national and state hotlines available for those coping with domestic violence. The Hotline offers free support 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Domestic violence victims can access this support by calling 1-800-799-SAFE. The thought of leaving an abusive relationship may be scary, but no one deserves to be abused in any way.

The following resources explain more about the different types of domestic abuse and the options available for victims of domestic violence.

Definition of Domestic Violence: This resource explains what domestic violence is and what factors contribute to violence in the home.
Domestic Violence and Abuse: This article from the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress explains the types of domestic abuse, lists the signs of abuse, and discusses the effects of abuse.
Emotional Abuse: This article lists the types of emotional abuse and explains the basic rights a person has in a relationship.
How to Stop Domestic Financial Abuse: This article from U.S. News & World Report offers tips for putting a stop to financial abuse in relationships.
Getting Help: The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence lists several support resources for those who want to get out of abusive relationships.
Fatherhood and Domestic Violence: An article on the effects of domestic violence from the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community.
Signs of Domestic Violence: WebMD lists the signs of domestic abuse and explains what friends, family members, and colleagues should look for if they are concerned about someone who may be in an abusive relationship.
The Hotline: The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free help every day of the year.
Abusive Relationships: This article about abusive relationships uses teen-friendly terminology to define abuse and explain how to get out of an abusive relationship.
Domestic Violence Against Women: This resource from the Mayo Clinic explains how domestic violence impacts women, particularly pregnant women and women who have children.
Domestic Violence Organizations: This resource lists several national organizations dedicated to helping those affected by domestic violence.
Barriers to Leaving an Abusive Relationship: This article explains why victims of domestic abuse sometimes hesitate to leave their relationships.
UK Domestic Violence Support: This resource offers information on dozens of organizations that help victims of domestic violence in the United Kingdom.
About Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse: This resource defines sexual abuse and discusses the effects of a physically and sexually abusive relationship.
Getting Help for Domestic Abuse: This guide from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women?s Health offers tips on getting out of an abusive relationship.
Domestic Abuse and Marines: This site discusses the issue of domestic abuse as it relates to members of the military. It explains what to look for and what to avoid when trying to determine if a Marine is at risk of perpetrating abusive behavior or becoming the victim of domestic abuse.
Spousal Rape Laws (PDF): This report discusses spousal rape laws in the United States and explains the barriers faced by spousal rape victims.
Get the Facts: The Facts on Domestic, Dating, and Sexual Violence: Futures Without Violence offers several facts about domestic and sexual violence.
Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men & Women: This Maine-based domestic abuse hotline offers toll-free support to men and women all over the United States.
Domestic Violence Awareness Handbook: This guide from the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers guidance for managers and colleagues who work with domestic violence victims.
Cycle of Violence: This resource explains the cycle of violence and details the phases of an abusive relationship.
Spouse/Partner Abuse Information: This article explains why domestic violence is so common and how this type of violence affects victims.
Characteristics of An Abusive Partner: This article lists the characteristics of abusive partners.
Fast Facts on Domestic Violence: This fact sheet contains information about the prevalence of domestic violence in the United States.
National Abuse Hotlines: This resource offers contact information for several organizations that provide help to those affected by domestic violence.
Preventing Domestic Violence: This resource links to articles and fact sheets on preventing domestic violence.
Domestic Violence Warning Signs: A list and description of things to look for as signs of domestic violence.
Domestic Violence Awareness ? A handbook from the USDA on recognizing and reporting domestic violence.
Domestic Abuse and Control ? A graphic showing how domestic violence is connected to power and control.
What Works in Domestic Violence Therapy ? Three couples take part in a study to determine what works (and does not work) in couple?s domestic violence therapy.

Source: http://www.im-safe.com/resources/abuse-advice-resource-guide-on-domestic-violence/

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How to Get the Most Out of Ezine Advertising | Dave In China ? Dave ...

24 December 2012 By dave In internet marketing

If there is anything at all that makes you feel overwhelmed with your online business, then that just means you have to learn a bit more and get more comfortable. This is just a trial phase as you get more familiar with click here, and those who survive have a good chance of going all the way. There are several reasons why those who are making money with their business tend to outsource as much as possible. We will delve into alternatives that will work well with what we have just mentioned. Never forget, when you are first exposed to something you have never tried before, proceed with caution and do some testing before doing a major roll-out. However, regardless of how you approach outsourcing or anything else, just recover and roll with any mistakes you may make. Ezine advertising has traditionally not received as much press as other methods, but that does not mean it is less effective than all the others. There are most definitely some things you want to do and also avoid if you desire the highest conversions for your ads. What are the wise and necessary steps to find an ezine publisher that is good for you? One of the hallmarks of an ezine business that has been around is the number of resources available on their site such as for initiating your ad run. But needless to say, they want business; so if there is no such form then something else will no doubt be in place. You want to talk to them a little to gauge how professional they are in their business. When you execute little strategies like this, the ezine owner probably will have no clue; those who do not care are worth avoiding. Those ezine publishers who take the time and effort to make sure things flow smoothly are the one who will take care of your ads. Few things can compare in IM to the power of testing, and the reason for that is you can optimize based on the results. There are other things you can test, and running scaled down tests for speedupmypchq.com or methods previously never used is one of them. Who will ever know why people in business do not do the things that will help them to make more money. You will learn from your mistakes such as proceeding a too quickly and without enough thought about the consequences. The scope of some projects can quickly and easily overwhelm a lot of newer marketers, and in that case do some testing and see what your results are. The extent of what will be involved in any test situation will be determined by your primary method of marketing. Have an open mind to what you can do, and in this instance we are thinking about all that is possible with using your own website as a test platform. Most people make use of Google Analytics for tracking everything that happens on their site, and that will be suitable for any testing. We are not sure how you feel, but we certainly feel like taking care of our particular subject line for our ad. The response to your ad will be horrible if the subject lines in any ezines that run ads are just something that states it is a solo ad. You realize how important this point is, so just save the hassle and avoid dealing with those who do not allow you to make your own subject lines. You want to deal with someone with a clue and wants you to succeed by helping you as much as possible. Your preliminary research is designed to give you the best idea or feeling that running an ad in any ezine may be worth it. Also, like we said, keep in mind that the results of other advertisers can be an indication but no prediction of your results. You can check out the older issues of the ezine publication by going through its archives; this will give you a clear idea as to how many advertisers have used the ezine for their needs in the past and how many of them repeated their ads. There are no guarantees that the archives will be there, but if so then you have something more to research. You can make mistakes with ezine advertising if you ignore the fact finding stages before advertising. There will never be an end to mistakes, and so you merely learn and keep moving forward. Then, keep in mind that successful ads will depend on other factors as well such as your ad copy, so there is more to this.

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Source: http://daveinchina.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-ezine-advertising

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Instagram Sees A Drop Of 4M Daily Active Users Over Christmas, But The Terms Of Service Kerfuffle May Not Be To Blame

Sure, it's not unlike the New York Post be?sensationalist, but, because it is a quiet-ish news week between Christmas and New Year, I am reading a story?it published today on a drop in Instagram users?with a little more than a grain of salt.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Z_jbleIqeAs/

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Five Things Consumers Should Expect From the Housing Market In ...

Stan Humphries
December 26th, 2012

In 2012, the national housing market finally turned a corner. We?ve now experienced 13 straight months of home value appreciation. Sales were up significantly over 2011 as buyers returned to the market, boosting demand.

So what will 2013 have in store? Here are five things consumers can expect to see in the housing market next year:

?Up, Up and Away

• The national housing market hit bottom in October 2011, and home values have since risen 5.3 percent from that trough. The most recent Zillow Home Value Forecast calls for 2.5 percent appreciation nationwide from November 2012 to November 2013.
• According to a recent Zillow survey of more than 100 economists and analysts, respondents predicted home values (based on the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index) to rise 3.1 percent in 2013, on average.
• Most markets covered by Zillow?s Real Estate Market Reports have already bottomed out, with only 10 of 255 covered metro areas not projected to hit a bottom within the next year.

Bottom Line: Homeowners looking to sell in 2013 can largely rest assured they won?t be selling at the bottom, and many will find themselves in a sellers? market. Potential buyers in 2013 may be more motivated to get a deal done while affordability is still extremely high and mortgage rates continue to be historically low.

Real Estate Is Local Again

• According to the Zillow Breakeven Horizon, buying beats renting when staying in the home for three years or more in roughly 60 percent of U.S. metros. The areas where it might make more sense to buy (if you?re planning on staying for three-plus years) are clustered in the Southwest and Southeast. If you won?t be staying put for at least a few years, consider renting in the Northeast, where buying often doesn?t make more financial sense until five years or more.
• The goal of Zillow?s Buyer/Seller Index is to determine where buyers have the most leverage in a sale, and where sellers might have the upper hand. In general, we determined that metro areas in the West and Southwest ? including the Bay Area, Las Vegas and Phoenix ? are strong for sellers. Metros in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic ? places such as Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia ? are best for buyers.

Bottom Line: The housing market recovery has remained true to the old real estate axiom of ?location, location, location.? How your local market is faring today ? and if it makes more sense to buy or rent, to sell now or to hold off if possible ? is largely determined by unique, local factors and fundamentals. Arming yourself with timely and comprehensive local market information is good advice at any time, but will be even more important in 2013 as buyers continue to seek bargains and sellers look to maximize returns.

Coming Up for Air

• In the third quarter of 2012, the percentage of homeowners with a mortgage in negative equity ? or ?underwater,? owing more on their mortgage than their home was worth ? fell below 30 percent for the first time since Zillow began tracking that data using an improved methodology in early 2011.
• Still, 28.2 percent of homeowners with a mortgage remain underwater. Because underwater owners have a far more difficult time selling their home, a large number of homes that otherwise might end up on the market aren?t getting listed. As a result, inventory in many areas is incredibly tight, leaving buyers to fight it out amongst themselves, which in turn can help drive up prices. This, among other factors, has led to tight inventory in many of the hardest-hit cities around the country.

Bottom Line: As home values continue their upward march in 2013, more homeowners currently trapped underwater will begin to surface. This will be good for buyers exhausted by limited inventory and intense competition in markets such as Phoenix and Miami, but it will also have the effect of cooling price increases. As a result, in 2013, we predict home value appreciation in many areas will look more like a series of steps, characterized by cycles of price spikes and plateaus. Price spikes will free some homeowners from negative equity, allowing them to sell, thereby easing supply constraints and dampening prices until the cycle is repeated.

Historically Affordable

• Mortgage interest rates have been hovering at or near historic lows for the past year, and the Federal Reserve has taken concrete steps to ensure they stay low for at least the foreseeable future.
• At the same time, home values ? while recovering nicely ? still have a long way to go to reach their pre-bubble levels. Overall, national home values in November were still down 19.4 percent from their peak in May 2007, according to Zillow.

Bottom Line: Between 1985 and 2000, Americans spent, on average, about 20 percent of their household income on mortgage payments. That percentage increased to more than 24 percent by 2006, before falling to just 13 percent by the second quarter of 2012. If you can qualify for a home loan, the combination of low rates and low prices means your home-buying dollar will continue to take you farther in 2013 than in recent years, even for buyers on modest budgets.

Mortgage Interest Deducted?

• Changes to the mortgage interest deduction (MID) may be a key element of any ?grand bargain? reached by politicians in order to avert the year-end fiscal cliff. If adopted, any measure to limit or repeal the MID will result in some home price impacts over time and by market segment.
• Home values at the high end of the market will likely be more negatively impacted by MID changes than home values overall, according to a recent Zillow survey of economists. For example, in the event that the maximum MID-eligible mortgage amount is reduced from $1 million to $500,000 and the deduction allowance for second homes is eliminated, the majority of respondents said they expect high-end home prices to fall while U.S. home prices overall experience little or no price impact.

Bottom Line: Real estate lobbying groups have long fought against changes to tax rules allowing for the deduction of mortgage interest, arguing that any changes will impact or eliminate some of the historic financial advantages of owning a home. But unless you?re buying a proportionally more expensive home or are buying in a more expensive area, the impacts of MID changes will likely be muted. The decision to buy or sell a home is highly personal and dependent on a number of factors, only one of which is potential tax implications. In 2013, make your decision to buy or sell based on your own informed opinion and your unique situation.

Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/research/2012/12/26/five-things-consumers-should-expect-from-the-housing-market-in-2013/

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Syria envoy Brahimi due for talks in Moscow on December 29

MOSCOW (Reuters) - International Syria envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will fly to Moscow on Saturday for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on how to end Syria's 21-month-old conflict, a Russian foreign ministry spokesman said.

Syrian diplomats earlier on Thursday entered the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow to discuss proposals for a peaceful resolution to the crisis following a diplomatic push by Brahimi in Damascus this week.

Plans made by Brahimi to broker a peaceful transfer of power in Syria will top the agenda when Lavrov and Brahimi meet on later this week, the foreign ministry spokesman said.

"We plan to discuss a range of issues linked to a political and diplomatic settlement in Syria, including Brahimi's efforts aimed at ending the violence and the launch of a comprehensive national dialogue," Alexander Lukashevich said.

On Thursday, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Makdad and another aide will meet Lavrov and Mikhail Bogdanov, the Kremlin's envoy for Middle East affairs, a Russian foreign ministry source said, without detailing the nature of the talks.

(Reporting By Alissa de Carbonnel and Steve Gutterman; Editing by Douglas Busvine)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-envoy-brahimi-due-talks-moscow-dec-29-072742579.html

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Video: Snow buries Northeast as storm hits region

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Doctors: Health of Ex-President George H.W. Bush Worsens (Voice Of America)

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Jawbone UP

The Jawbone UP?($149.99 direct)?is in some ways everything I want from a fitness-tracking gadget. It tracks daily activity and sleep efficiency, comes with a supremely well-designed iPhone app, feels comfortable around my wrist, and includes a vibrating silent alarm, which anyone who shares a bed should at least try. And yet, when I compare it with my favorite fitness device and PCMag's Editors' Choice, the $100 Fitbit One, the Jawbone UP doesn't quite measure up.

The UP costs $50 more and misses many key features that the Fitbit just gets right. One is discretion?not everyone wants to be seen wearing what is essentially a pedometer. The Fitbit One fits snugly on a bra strap, in a pocket, or attached to your waistband. Also, the Jawbone doesn't connect to any other apps or devices. The Fitbit integrates with all the major calorie-counting apps, as well as a Wi-Fi bathroom scale, the Fitbit Aria, for automated weigh-ins.?I wanted to love the Jawbone UP, just as I wanted to love the Nike+ FuelBand. I had high expectations of both, but a middling and lackluster experience.

Design
The relatively thin and flexible bracelet comes in three sizes (small, medium, large) and eight colors: onyx, mint green, light gray, blue, navy blue, red, orange, and hunter green. An embossed zigzag extends the length of the wrap-around band, which is made of medical-grade, hypoallergenic TPU rubber. In theory, you can wear it all the time, even in the shower, although I have not yet given it the full splash test. I'll let common sense, rather?than the instruction manual,?guide that decision.

What's included? You get the UP band, a not-very-helpful quick start guide that will point you to Jawbone's website for additional instructions, and a USB charging cable. Inside the band is a lithium-ion polymer battery that lasts about 10 days on a single charge.

Some reviewers like the Jawbone UP's look, but I doubt they went to a formal dinner in a sleeveless dress while still wearing it. If a device is meant to be worn 24/7, as the Jawbone UP is, I need the option to wear it discreetly. That's a huge selling point for the Fitbit, and a major con for the UP.

It's All in the App
The best aspects of the Jawbone UP are found in the iOS app, the primary?nay, only?way you interact with data. The app shows how many miles you've walked, calories you've burned, charts of your sleeping patterns, your mood should you choose to log it daily, and a summary of what you've eaten.

But wait. There's more. From the app, you can set a silent alarm that vibrates up to 30 minutes ahead of your designated wake up time if it spots an ideal moment for you to get up based on your REM cycles. Pretty neat, eh? There's also a power nap switch that, when activated, looks at your sleep habits to determine whether your best nap would be a 27-minute rest or a 45-minute siesta, or something in between. It then sets the appropriate alarm. The Fitbit One has a silent alarm, too, but it only vibrates at the time you set. One more silent alarm I like in the Jawbone UP is an "idle alert," which I scheduled to remind me to get off my butt after 90 minutes of inactivity Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

Graphics in the Jawbone UP's app delight the eye with vivacious colors. Interactive gesture-based motions look smooth and fluid. But here's the catch: You must connect the Jawbone to your iPhone's or iPad's headset jack to sync the data and be able to see it. That is to say, the rubbery and lightweight bracelet tells you next to nothing in itself. There are no readouts or displays on the device.?In other words, you need an iOS device. According to the company, an Android app is in hopper, but it's not on the market yet.

The Fitbit One, meanwhile, spoils you with data in a Web app, in mobile apps, and on the gadget itself. Press its tiny button, and you can cycle through your fitness stats, or just view the time, at a moment's notice.

What's Missing and Conclusions
The latest gadgets in the personal fitness market add a heart rate monitor directly on the device, no chest strap needed. I recently received a Basis Alpha to test, which has this feature, and am psyched to write about it soon. A high-tech feature such as this one sets the Jawbone UP even further behind the pack.

The few aspects of the Jawbone UP that I like, I really like. This device could have been great, but the fact that it's limited to iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users decreases its overall appeal considerably. And in light of our Editors' Choice, the Fitbit One, Jawbone's band doesn't really compete. If you have an iPhone and don't mind not being able to see your data right on the device, it could be a great option, but it's still 50 bucks more.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/D_NFA9zS_-M/0,2817,2413303,00.asp

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