Economy shrinks as government spending drops

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The economy unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter, suffering its first decline since the recession ended more than three years ago as businesses scaled back on restocking and government spending plunged.

Gross domestic product fell at a 0.1 percent annual rate after growing at a 3.1 percent clip in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday.

That was the worst performance since the second quarter of 2009 and showed the economy entering the new year with no momentum, but economists cautioned against reading too much into the decline in output.

"You got a combination of inventories and defense which are taking more than 2 percentage points off the growth rate," said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Massachusetts. "This is not an indicator of recession."

Still, the contraction, coming against a backdrop of tightening fiscal policy, could create an urgency for policymakers to deal with outstanding budget issues.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected output to increase at a 1.1 percent rate. None of the economists surveyed had predicted a contraction.

A pick-up in consumer spending and a rebound in business investment curbed the slide in output and offered some hope for the recovery, which will be severely tested as Washington tightens its belt.

A second report showed private employers stepped up hiring in January, suggesting an improvement in the labor market. An increase in job gains could help the economy to weather the headwinds in the first half of the year.

The ADP National Employment Report showed private payrolls rose 192,000 in January after increasing 185,000 in December.

U.S. Treasury debt prices rallied on the GDP number, while the dollar fell. Stock futures extended losses.

The data were published as officials at the Federal Reserve wrap-up a two-day meeting. The report will likely provide ammunition for officials at the U.S. central bank to stay on their ultra-accommodative policy stance.

Economists say a growth pace in excess of 3 percent would be needed over a sustained period to significantly lower high unemployment. The economy has struggled to hold above a 2 percent growth pace.

For the whole of 2012 the economy grew 2.2 percent.

The economy was slammed by a monster storm in late October, which caused extensive damage along the East Coast, which was expected to have cut around 0.5 percentage point off fourth-quarter growth.

The recovery also had to deal with uncertainty over the so-called fiscal cliff of scheduled tax hikes and budget cuts, which hurt confidence even though data suggests that households and businesses largely shrugged off the worries.

SOME BRIGHT SIGNS

Businesses, caught with too much inventory in their warehouses in the third quarter, slowed their stock building in the final three months of the year.

That slowdown sliced 1.27 percentage points from fourth-quarter GDP growth. That was the biggest drag in two years. Excluding inventories, the economy grew at a 1.1 percent rate, slowing from the third quarter's 2.4 percent.

Government spending tumbled at a 6.6 percent rate, as defense outlays plunged at a 22.2 percent pace, wiping out the previous quarter's gains. Government subtracted 1.33 percentage points form growth. The decline in defense spending was the largest since 1972.

Export weakness also weighed on growth. Exports have been hampered by a recession in Europe, a cooling Chinese economy and storm and strike-related port disruptions. Overall trade cut a quarter of a percentage point from GDP growth. Exports fell for the first time since the first quarter of 2009.

But not all the details in the report were bleak.

Importantly, consumer and business spending showed some strength, and income available to households after taxes and inflation increased substantially in the fourth quarter.

In addition, the saving rate increased to 4.7 percent from 3.6 percent in the third quarter, which should support future spending.

Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity, rose at a 2.2 percent rate, accelerating from the prior quarter's 1.6 percent growth pace.

Business investment rebounded after its first drop in 1-1/2 years in the prior quarter. The housing market was another bright spot. Residential construction grew at a 15.3 percent rate after notching a 13.5 percent growth pace in the third quarter.

Homebuilding added to growth last year for the first time since 2005.

(Additional reporting by Herb Lash and Leah Schnurr in New York; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-growth-seen-braking-inventories-government-weigh-060305476--sector.html

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Source: http://forums.ferra.ru/index.php?showtopic=54263

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?Zoomable? map of poplar proteins offers new view of bioenergy crop

Jan. 29, 2013 ? Researchers seeking to improve production of ethanol from woody crops have a new resource in the form of an extensive molecular map of poplar tree proteins, published by a team from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Populus, a fast-growing perennial tree, holds potential as a bioenergy crop due to its ability to produce large amounts of biomass on non-agricultural land. Now, a study by ORNL scientists with the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center has provided the most comprehensive look to date at poplar's proteome, the suite of proteins produced by a plant's cells. The study is featured on the cover of January's Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.

"The ability to comprehensively measure genes and proteins helps us understand the range of molecular machinery that a plant uses to do its life functions," said ORNL's Robert Hettich. "This can provide the information necessary to modify a metabolic process to do something specific, such as altering the lignin content of a tree to make it better suited for biofuel production. "

The ORNL research team measured more than 11,000 proteins in different parts of poplar, including mature leaves, young leaves, roots and stems. This systematic approach yielded a so-called proteome atlas, which maps out the proteins present in the various tissue types at a given point in time. Lead coauthors Paul Abraham and Richard Giannone describe how the atlas offers a broad overview of the poplar proteome and also the ability to zoom in on specific biological features, such as pathways and individual proteins.

"We tried to provide a zoomable view, like Google maps, so you can look at the system from various perspectives," Abraham said. "By having these different viewpoints, it makes it easier to mine out the relevant biological information."

Obtaining and analyzing information about plant proteomes is especially tricky, considering a plant such as poplar can potentially manufacture more than 40,000 different proteins. Unlike an organism's genome, which is the same for every cell and remains constant, the proteome varies from cell to cell and changes over time as the plant adapts to different environmental conditions.

"The analytical techniques we've demonstrated allow us to measure the range of proteins very deeply and specifically, so we can start to figure out, for instance, how the protein machinery in a leaf differs from the ones in the trunk," Hettich said. "Or we can look at a tree that's very young versus one that's very old, thus enabling us to understand how all these proteins are changing as a function of the tree growing older."

Knowing how plants change and adapt to environmental surroundings by altering their proteins could help bioenergy researchers develop poplar trees better suited to biofuel production.

"It's the proteins that directly alter the morphology, anatomy, and function of a plant cell," Abraham said. "If we can identify the proteins that create a favorable trait such as fast growth, then we can incorporate that protein or modify it to develop a superior plant with all favorable traits through transgenics."

The study's coauthors are ORNL's Robert Hettich, Paul Abraham, Richard Giannone, Rachel Adams, Udaya Kalluri and Gerald Tuskan.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. P. Abraham, R. J. Giannone, R. M. Adams, U. Kalluri, G. A. Tuskan, R. L. Hettich. Putting the Pieces Together: High-performance LC-MS/MS Provides Network-, Pathway-, and Protein-level Perspectives in Populus. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2012; 12 (1): 106 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.M112.022996

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/JVrK6lTHEs0/130129130851.htm

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Newtown expands scope of planned children's museum

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? Months before she was killed in a gunman's rampage, Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung wrote a letter expressing her excitement over an effort to bring a children's museum to Newtown.

At the time, the proposal was fairly modest: a building of perhaps 20,000 square feet would provide art and science programs for area children.

Since last month's massacre, the plan has become more ambitious, with museums around the country collecting donations and organizers looking to renovate a 52,000-square-foot building to host the new learning center. A capital campaign that was to begin in the spring will start right away, with hopes of raising $10 million instead of the original $4 million.

"The need for the children's museum, which everyone thought was a great idea before, became almost a necessity," said Kristin Chiriatti, the museum's president. "People understood that the children will need a place to heal. We have so many children who are scared to go to school now and may have lifelong poor associations with learning."

It will still be a community museum, Chiriatti said, but it will also be a destination point for southwestern Connecticut.

The museum, first proposed in 2011, was to feature rotating exhibits on such topics as electricity, sound and outer space. Chiriatti called it "Everwonder," a play on the wonder the museum is meant to evoke and her question as to whether it would be possible to build, she said.

The group had been involved in hosting programs at the local library and envisioned a place for children to draw and conduct experiments.

Hochsprung wrote to Chiriatti in March that she supported the idea to engage students with hands-on, interactive experiences.

"In order for students to learn, they must be invested in what we are teaching," she wrote.

On Dec. 14, Hochsprung was among the victims of the rampage that killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook. The 20-year-old gunman killed his mother before driving to the school, opening fire and then committing suicide as police arrived.

The museum building will include some type of memorial to Hochsprung and the other victims, Chiriatti said.

"These children were our children's friends," she said. "We haven't decided how it will be done, except that it will be done in a cheerful way that celebrates childhood and education. Because that's what this is about: creating a cheerful place, filled with learning and enjoyment."

Architects and other professionals have agreed to volunteer for the project, which is tentatively planned for the campus of Fairfield Hills Hospital in Newtown.

And Chiriatti is getting help from other museums across the country.

Robert Dean, the executive director of a children's museum in Grand Rapids, Mich., got involved the day of the shooting, after a 9-year-old son of his museum's board president asked how they might help the kids in Newtown. He called a board meeting to brainstorm.

"We talked a letter-writing campaign and other things, but when we learned they were trying to build a children's museum, I just thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if they could have the same thing we have?'" he said.

A dollar from each admission fee collected at that museum and two others in Grand Rapids last Saturday will be donated to the Everwonder project.

Dean contacted the Association of Children's Museums, which launched a national effort. Museums are being asked to set aside one day this year and donate $1 from each admission that day to Everwonder. Chiriatti said she has already heard from four ? the Children's Museum of Brownsville, in Texas; the Seattle Children's Museum; the Tucson Children's Museum, in Arizona; and the Bucks County Children's Museum, in Pennsylvania.

She said they are hoping to raise all they need without seeking any money from an $8.5 million fund set up by the United Way to support the community after the massacre.

"They need to identify where that money is really needed, what is most important," she said. "If they need a counseling center, that should be where that money goes. It would be great to get some help, but we're certainly not going to be actively seeking that funding if it's needed somewhere else."

Chiriatti said they hope to have their museum opened by the end of 2015.

___

Online:

Everwonder Children's Museum: http://www.everwondermuseum.com/

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/newtown-expands-scope-planned-childrens-museum-075810443.html

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How plant communities endure stress

Jan. 30, 2013 ? The Stress Gradient Hypothesis holds that as stress increases in an ecosystem, mutually supportive interactions become more significant and negative interactions, such as competition, become less so. The idea has been hotly debated but is now backed by a review of hundreds of studies co-authored in Ecology Letters by Mark Bertness, professor of biology at Brown, who first formally proposed the hypothesis in 1994. The time has come, he said, to test its application and predictive value.

Ecology is rife with predation, competition, and other dramatic "negative interactions," but those alone do not determine the course life on Earth. Organisms sometimes benefit each other, too, and according to the Stress Gradient Hypothesis, their "positive interactions" become measurably more influential when ecosystems become threatened by conditions such as drought. Ecologists have argued about the hypothesis ever since Brown University ecologist Mark Bertness co-proposed it in 1994; Bertness says a large new global meta-analysis he co-authored in Ecology Letters definitively shows that it is true.

The evidence, principally analyzed by former Brown visiting graduate student Qiang He of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, comes from 206 studies of 727 shifts of plant interactions amid varying degrees, or gradients, of stress on six continents. Examining the data from each paper and contacting original authors when necessary, He determined the overall trends across the many experiments.

In the vast majority of studies, as stress increased, the significance of interactions shifted toward mutual support in that positive interactions, such as those that promoted neighbors' survival, strengthened in influence, and negative interactions, such as those that hindered neighbors' growth, weakened. In some studies, stress did not change interactions, but negative interactions never increased as stress did, no matter what kinds of plants were involved, what kinds of conditions they were under, or where they were.

Grasses, trees and shrubs have obvious differences, but in times of stress their communities exhibit less negative competitive pressure and more facilitative, positive interaction."Our results show that plant interactions generally change with increased environmental stress and always in the direction of an outright shift to facilitation (typical for survival responses) or a reduction in competition (typical from growth responses)," the authors wrote in the paper published online. "We never observed an increase in competition at higher stress. These findings were consistent across fitness measures, stress types, growth forms, life histories, origins, climatic zones, ecosystems and methodologies."

Analyses of studies of grasses, trees, and shrubs, for example, found that despite the obvious differences among these plant types, they all shifted toward less negative or more positive interactions.

"Typically, highly competitive species [e.g., grasses] have decreased competitive or neutral effects at high stress, whereas less competitive species [e.g., trees] have strong facilitative effects at high stress," the authors wrote.

Overall, the researchers found, studies with observations of greater degrees of stress increase -- "longer" stress gradients -- also observed greater degrees of shift toward positive interactions.

The hypothesis and the importance of positive interactions in ecology began to occur to Bertness in the 1970s and 1980s. As a junior faculty member at Brown, along the shores of Rhode Island, he noticed that seaweeds and barnacles would never survive the heat stress above the tides in isolation. They could only persist in groups, suggesting that with stress, organisms were better off together -- despite their competition -- than apart.

It's the same reason why sparsely planted gardens wilt in hot, dry conditions while more densely planted gardens survive. Mutually beneficial soil shading becomes more important than competition for that soil moisture when it becomes scarce.

Bertness published the Stress Gradient Hypothesis in Trends in Ecological Evolution with Ray Callaway, then a graduate student at the University of California-Santa Barbara. Callaway is now a professor at the University of Montana.

A shift in research?

Hundreds of studies over two decades from sites around the world suggest that the Stress Gradient Hypothesis can be employed as a rule of thumb. "We're no longer in the casual, earlier stages of ecology," says biologist Mark Bertness.Nearly two decades later with so much evidence now assembled, Bertness said, ecologists should feel confident enough in the Stress Gradient Hypothesis to employ it as a "rule of thumb." Rather than continuing to debate whether the hypothesis is valid, he said, researchers could now focus on crafting experiments to probe how much predictive value the hypothesis has and test its applications to conservation biology.

The hypothesis suggests, for example, that marine ecosystem managers who want to help tropical fish should focus on sustaining foundational species in the ecosystem, such as corals. With the ecosystem's foundation shored up the natural tendency among species toward greater positive interactions under stress should allow the fish to weather stress better.

"We're no longer in the casual, earlier stages of ecology," Bertness said. "In our lifetimes we're watching Caribbean coral reefs die, kelp forests die, and salt marshes and sea grass beds being decimated. We need to figure this stuff out quickly. These are no longer intellectual arguments without consequence."

In other words, with nature under stress, Bertness hopes that He's efforts to pull together the available data will lead ecologists to pull together so that they can apply the guidance the hypothesis provides.

In addition to He and Bertness, the paper's other author is Brown postdoctoral scholar Andrew Altieri. He's visiting scholarship at Brown was funded by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Visiting Scholar Fellowship.

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Story Source:

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

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Qiang He, Mark D. Bertness, Andrew H. Altieri. Global shifts towards positive species interactions with increasing environmental stress. Ecology Letters, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/ele.12080

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/H-5hh1y0Tjs/130130132445.htm

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Consumer Group: The Rich May Pay Less For Car Insurance Even If ...

Driving safely and avoiding accidents isn?t just common sense ? injuries hurt, car wrecks are bad ? but also a way to make sure drivers keep their auto insurance premiums down. But according to figures released by a consumer group recently, insurance companies are in the habit of charging higher premium to safe, low- or moderate-income drivers than to richer people who were at fault for an accident.

The review by the Consumer Federation of America?(via Bloomberg News) says that out of 60 cases it studied, the good drivers were hit with higher prices two-thirds of the time, because of factors like education and occupation. But shouldn?t how well you drive be a pretty important factor?

Yes, according to the CFA, which studied prices in 12 cities from State Farm, Allstate, Geico, Farmers and Progressive. How far one drives and how safe you are doing it?should be how the bar is set, or at least a major part of it.

Using two hypothetical characters the group compared premiums offered to two 30-year-old women. Both had driven for 10 years, lived on the same street in a middle-income Zip code and both wanted the minimum insurance required by whichever state the group was researching.

The imaginary woman who wasn?t married, rented a home, didn?t have coverage for 45 days but has never been in an accident or ticketed with a moving violation was compared to a married executive with a master?s degree who owns her home and has always had continuous insurance coverage. But she?d been in an accident (again, hypothetically) that was her fault and caused $800 in damage within the last three ?years.

The results were somewhat surprising, although there were differences across the five insurers. Farmers, GEICO and Progressive always gave a higher quote to the safer driver than the woman who?d caused an accident. Across all 12 cities in the study, State Farm offered the lowest or second lowest premiums.

?State insurance regulators should require auto insurers to explain why they believe factors such as education and income are better predictors of losses than are at-fault accidents,? said J. Robert Hunter, CFA?s director of insurance and former Texas insurance commissioner.

?Policymakers should ask why auto insurers are permitted to discriminate on the basis of nondriving-related factors such as occupation or education,? he added.

We?re of the same mind. Rewarding good drivers with higher premiums seems like a backwards way to do it. If they?re going to get charged more anyway, where?s the motivation to be a safe driver, beyond insuring your own personal safety?

Largest Auto Insurers Frequently Charge Higher Premiums To Safe Drivers Than Those Responsible For Accidents?[Consumer Federation of America]
Good Drivers With Low Incomes Punished by Insurers [Bloomberg]

Source: http://consumerist.com/2013/01/28/consumer-group-the-rich-may-pay-less-for-car-insurance-even-if-theyre-not-safe-drivers/

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offshore wind and supply chain conference & exhibition 2013 - AECC

Home ? AECC Blog ? OFFSHORE WIND AND SUPPLY CHAIN CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2013

Today Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) are pleased to welcome the Offshore Wind and Supply Chain Conference and Exhibition to the Venue for the third year running!

The two-day conference runs this week on Tuesday 29^th and Wednesday 30^th January 2013 and over 1000 delegates are expected to attend, nearly double the numbers for 2012?s conference.? There will be 58 exhibitors from the Offshore Industry showcasing their products in AECC?s Boyd Orr Suite, alongside the conference sessions which will be taking place.

This event provides the perfect opportunity to engage with industry contacts, make new connections and hear about the latest developments. It will feature a mix of discussions, workshops and plenary sessions.

This year the conference will celebrate the huge progress the sector is making, showcasing how Scotland is building on decades of experience in offshore engineering to spark a new energy boom in Scotland.

The event draws on the experience of the oil and gas industry and lessons learnt from offshore wind so far, and promises an experience which will be both exciting and informative.

First Minister, The Rt. Hon Alex Salmond MSP opened the conference, which is free to attend, this morning.

Brian Horsburgh, AECC?s Managing Director, commented: ?The Offshore Wind and Supply Chain is growing year on year and we are looking forward to hosting this for the third consecutive year.? Visitor numbers are expected to be double what they were in 2012 which confirms the topical content of the event.? This event is very appropriate to us, as AECC is the National Energy Exhibition Centre, and the renewables market is something which is becoming increasingly important throughout Scotland.?

?

ENDS

?

For more information on AECC please contact Sarah Coutts, PR & Marketing Executive on 01224 330430 or email scoutts@aecc.co.uk.

For more information on Offshore Wind and Supply Chain Conference please contact Rachelle Money, Communications Manager, Scottish Renewables on 0141 353 4983? or email? rachelle@scottishrenewables.com

?

Source: http://www.aecc.co.uk/2013/press-releases/offshore-wind-and-supply-chain-conference-exhibition-201/

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Oncolytics details broader use for Reolysin

Shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. climbed Monday after the drug developer said its lead product Reolysin may have a broader use as a potential cancer treatment.

The Canadian company released results from an early-stage study of the drug as a possible treatment of colorectal cancer that has spread. It said patients taking Reolysin in combination with a common chemotherapy regimen called Folfiri had an overall progression-free survival of 7.4 months.

Progression-free survival measures the time before a disease progresses or the patient in the study dies.

The study delivered a compelling result by showing that the disease had either slowed or stabilized in about half the patients, Stifel Nicolaus analyst Brian Klein said. He also said the progression-free survival time was compelling too, but he noted that the study size was small, with only 21 patients enrolled.

Klein also said the result shows the drug appears safe and well-tolerated, and it gives a reason to continue clinical study.

Oncolytics said it will continue testing the drug in colorectal cancer patients. It had presented preliminary results from the small study at a recent gastrointestinal cancers symposium in San Francisco.

The drugmaker currently has no drugs on the market. Reolysin, its most advanced product, also is in late-state testing as a potential treatment for head and neck cancers.

Reolysin is based on a common virus called the respiratory enteric orphan virus, or reovirus. Oncolytics says most adults have been exposed to the virus and it usually has no symptoms. Reolysin is designed to infect and destroy cancer cells. The company says the body's immune response stops the reovirus from replicating in healthy cells, but in cancer cells with specific mutations, the antiviral response is not effective.

U.S.-traded shares of Oncolytics rose 2 percent, or 7 cents, to $3.46 in Monday morning trading while broader trading indexes were relatively flat.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oncolytics-details-broader-reolysin-155412640.html

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Mercer Report mocks Apple share price, reverses BlackBerry's fortunes

Your daily dose of humor, courtesy of the Mercer Report . (Think something like Jon Stewart but with more u and eh.) It's easy to point out that Apple lost more money last week then several RIMs put together, but it's also undeniable that if you bought RIMM stock a while back, you'd be better off today than if you bought APPL stock.

And that should tell you just how totally insane the market is. Again,

Source: Mercer Report via CrackBerry, of course.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/hs6P0zvsquY/story01.htm

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Wind Turbines Help Honda in OH Plant

Driving cross country and seeing a landscape dotted with huge wind turbines is very pretty.? What is even greater about them is how they help the environment.? Honda has made changes to their Transmission Plant in Russells Point, OH to become the first auto manufacturing facility to operate substantially off of turbines.?

Wind Turbines to Provide Renewable Energy at Honda Transmission Plant in Ohio
Two Turbines Will Supply 10 Percent of the Plant's Electricity
1/25/2013 4:00:00 PM

Honda Transmission Mfg. of America, Inc. has announced an agreement with Juhl Wind, Inc. of Pipestone, Minn., to develop, install, and operate two utility scale wind turbines to generate electricity for the plant's operations.

Once the turbines begin operating later this year, the Honda transmission plant in Russells Point, Ohio will be the first major automotive manufacturing facility in the United States to obtain a substantial amount of its electricity directly from wind turbines located on its property, while also reducing CO2 emissions from this renewable energy source.

Studies commissioned by Honda Transmission indicate that wind-generated power is a cost-effective source of electricity for the plant and that the project will not adversely impact local wildlife or the environment.? The two wind turbines will supply approximately 10 percent of the plant's electricity. Based on their location and actual wind speeds, combined output from the two wind turbines is estimated at 10,000-megawatt hours (MWH) per year.

The decision to go forward with the project followed a thorough evaluation of renewable energy sources for the plant, which Honda announced in February 2012. The turbines, with blades approximately 160 feet long, will be installed on 260-foot towers on Honda Transmission property, which is suited for a maximum of two wind turbines.? Last June, the Washington Township Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance to the height limitation for the wind turbines.

"We appreciate the support we have received from the township and our neighbors that will help Honda reduce CO2 emissions," said Gary Hand, vice president of Honda Transmission.? "This is just one of many ways that Honda is seeking to reduce our environmental footprint."

Juhl Wind will be primary developer of the project and own the two turbines. Through agreements with Honda Transmission, Juhl will generate electricity for the plant, and be responsible for the interconnect agreement with the Logan County Electric Cooperative and the power purchase agreement with Buckeye Power, Inc.

"We are honored to work with Honda to provide wind energy at their Russells Point facility," said Corey Juhl, vice president of project development for Juhl Wind. "By installing these two wind turbines next to their manufacturing facility, Honda is making tangible and immediate progress towards reducing CO2 emissions."

Globally, Honda has established voluntary goals to reduce the environmental impact of its products and manufacturing operations by 2020.? This includes a 30 percent reduction in CO2 emissions from Honda products, and significant CO2 reductions from the company's plants and other operations, compared with year 2000 levels.

To achieve these new environmental targets, Honda is accelerating its efforts to advance the environmental performance of its products, and its operations throughout North America.? The wind turbine project is among a number of other initiatives at Honda plants to reduce energy use and waste from manufacturing operations.

Honda Environmental Leadership
Honda is a leader in the development of leading-edge technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, both in its products and its manufacturing operations.

Two Honda automobile plants in Ohio have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ENERGY STAR certification for the sixth year, while a Honda auto plant in Indiana earned the designation for the first time in 2012, boosted by energy efficiency gains from the start of a second shift of auto production.

Honda of America Mfg. auto plants in Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio have ongoing initiatives to reduce energy consumption. Major areas include installation of energy-efficient equipment, implementing new technologies in auto-body painting systems and lighting efficiency improvements.

Honda leads all automakers with twelve LEED-Certified "Green Buildings" in North America, and 10 of its 14 North American manufacturing facilities are zero-waste to landfill.

Honda of America recently announced plans to begin production of the Accord Hybrid sedan at the Marysville Auto Plant in fall 2013.? This will be the third hybrid model built by Honda in America, joining the Civic Hybrid and Acura ILX produced at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC in Greensburg, Ind.

Honda has developed numerous technologies to improve the fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions from its products, including the just released 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, the Fit EV, Civic Natural Gas and the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle.

Honda has also led the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) rankings of overall vehicle environmental performance since 2000, and a Honda vehicle has topped the list of America's greenest vehicles from the America Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for 15 consecutive years.

Source: [Honda]

With Honda?s push for environmental responsibility, and their accolades in the same arena, this is yet another feather in the hat of the manufacturer.

Congrats Honda.? This is congratulation on the environmental footprint downsizing, and the decreased power bills that your OH plant will have.?? Checkered Flag Honda is proud to wear the Big ?H? on their building.? Their inventory of fuel efficient and many Hybrid models make they a must see in Hampton Roads.?

Give Norfolk Honda a call today at (757) 687-3447 to set up a visit today.? You will be wowed not only by the efficiency of the cars, trucks and SUV?s, but also by the knowledge of each agent.

Source: http://blog.checkeredflag.com/my_weblog/2013/01/wind-turbines-help-honda-in-oh-plant.html

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Twenty One Pilots: From Bedroom Gigs To 'The Biggest Band In The World'

The Ohio band has paid their dues, and now, as MTV Artists To Watch, are gunning for global domination.
By James Montgomery

Twenty One Pilots
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700873/twenty-one-pilots-artist-to-watch.jhtml

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Free PC Cleaner 1.0 - DoDownload

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Singapore ruling party rebuked in by-election as disquiet rises

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's long-dominant People's Action Party (PAP) lost heavily in a single-seat by-election on Saturday, a barometer of how the government is dealing with discontent in the wealthy Asian country over immigration and the high cost of living.

The result in the Punggol East ward - 54.5 percent of the vote for the Workers Party and 43.7 percent for the PAP, with the rest split by two others - does not alter the balance of power in parliament, where the ruling party will still hold 80 of 87 elected seats.

But the rebuke in the relatively young and affluent constituency sends a signal to the PAP about the level of dissatisfaction in the city-state of 5.3 million people that is a hub for banks and multinational companies.

"I want a difference," said Nita, a woman in her 30s. "If the Workers Party can do well in Punggol East, the other constituencies are also watching."

Some analysts had expected the PAP to eke out a victory, especially if the three opposition candidates diluted the anti-government vote. The next general election is due in 2016.

The seat in Punggol East, won by the PAP in 2011 with 54 percent of the vote, was vacant after the speaker of parliament quit in December over an extramarital affair. Other recent scandals include last year's arrest of the civil defense chief and head of the police anti-drug unit on corruption charges.

"I respect the choice of Punggol East voters," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a statement. He called on people to refocus on national issues including the 2013 budget and a new population and immigration plan the government is preparing to deliver.

"The PAP will continue to improve the lives of Singaporeans, and present our report card for voters to judge in the next general elections," he said.

The PAP - founded by Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first leader for three decades and father of the current prime minister - has won every national election since independence in 1965, transforming the post-colonial port into a major financial center by keeping the economy open and society regimented.

But the 2011 election was its worst showing ever, prompting the government to engage more openly with increasingly vocal citizens over their concerns about property prices, public transport and immigration. Foreigners now make up about 38 percent of the population, up from about 25 percent in 2000.

Rolling out measures to help Singaporeans, it has raised the levy on foreigners buying property and boosted spending on housing grants, subsidized childcare and cash gifts for babies to try to raise one of the world's lowest fertility rates.

But as Saturday's by-election shows, many people expect more from the government, or at least a bigger say for the opposition.

"The PAP forgets us after the elections - only gives candies during elections and terms and conditions after," said Daniel Chua, a 58-year-old consultant. "The Workers Party has the heart to serve."

(Additional reporting by Jion Chun Teo; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/singapore-ruling-party-rebuked-election-disquiet-rises-165513090--business.html

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Liberty Ross Files For Divorce From Rupert Sanders Following Kristen Stewart Affair

TMZ:

Liberty Ross has filed for divorce from her cheating hubby Rupert Sanders ... TMZ has learned.

Ross just filed her paperwork in L.A. County Superior Court.? She's asking for joint custody of their 2 children -- ages 5 and 7.?

Ross, who is repped by disso-queen Laura Wasser, is also asking for spousal support, as well as attorney's fees.

Read the whole story at TMZ

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/liberty-ross-files-for-divorce-rupert-sanders_n_2555451.html

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Free Natural Pet Ebook: Natural Help for Hoof Problems in Horses ...

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---

About Dee Braun

Dee is an Adv. Certified Aromatherapist, Reiki Master, Adv. Color/Crystal Therapist, Herbalist, Dr. of Reflexology and single mom who is dedicated to helping others any way she can. One way she chooses to help is by offering information on the benefits and uses of natural health and healing methods for the well-being of both people and pets. Dee also teaches Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Color/Crystal Therapy at the Alternative Healing Academy

Source: http://www.natural-holistic-health.com/free-natural-pet-ebook-natural-help-for-hoof-problems-in-horses/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-natural-pet-ebook-natural-help-for-hoof-problems-in-horses

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Teleportations and Other Escapes in MV

I like Patch's thoughts about the immediate escape from consequences. That seems to be a prevalent theme in Multiversal encounters. Despite reality hanging on such a thin thread within the realms of that roleplay, I don't like the idea of someone being able to just dance out of the way, laughing, either. Especially irking is when this character has the mysterious teleportation ability suddenly, at random, without mention previously in their profile or even in the conversation.

One of my characters, Carter Fleetham, is called an Extractor. An Extractor can take an Immediate with them when they teleport, making them effective for stinger or rescue operations. An Extractor needs a firm mental handle on where they are teleporting with their Immediate, so being extremely tactile is key.

It is harmful and difficult for an Extractor to make the jump within the same room, or more specifically, in the same line of sight or sound. So if Carter was in a pinch in the bar, he wouldn't be able to just teleport out of the way. He'd have to teleport across the country, back to where he came from, anything like that.

As I mentioned in the god/demigod thread, I don't have a problem with powerful abilities so long as there is some tension, some stipulation that goes with them that invites conflict in a compelling way.

And, to close, I have to echo what the venerable Patch said: When in doubt, talk it out. Contact the freaking other player.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/EBbPIRWD2sk/viewtopic.php

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Car crashes into family room of home | WIVB.com

ALLEGANY, N.Y. (WIVB) - A vehicle smashed through the front window of an Allegany home on Tuesday.

The Olean Times Herald reports on the one-vehicle crash had occurred around 2:42 p.m. Authorities have identified the driver as Jones Realty owner Dennis Jones, who reportedly lost consciousness while at the wheel.

The 60-year-old crashed into the home of Abby Gabler, who was just about to take her 21-month-old son into the living room where Jones' vehicle entered the home.

The investigation is now closed and no charges were filed.

Source: http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/local/car-crashes-into-family-room-of-home

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Pro Bowl going away? Hardly

AP

For the 49ers and Ravens, the path to the Super Bowl was clear: They won their divisions, then won their playoff games, and now they have a chance to earn the right to be considered the best team in the NFL.

But the other seven men who will be on the field in the Super Bowl will get there through somewhat less meritorious means.

The eligibility requirements for the officials who work the postseason have been provided to PFT by the NFL, and they show that it?s not as simple as assigning the best officials to the biggest games. In fact, the NFL emphasizes taking turns to give more officials the opportunity to work in the playoffs, even if those officials don?t receive the highest grades that season.

In the 2012 regular season there were 18 referees in the NFL. Ten of them received playoff assignments: Alberto Riveron, Scott Green, Mike Carey and Peter Morelli worked wild card games; Bill Vinovich, Jerome Boger, Walt Coleman and Tony Corrente worked divisional games; Terry McAulay worked the NFC Championship and Bill Leavy worked the AFC Championship. The refs who didn?t make the playoffs were Walt Anderson, Clete Blakeman, Carl Cheffers, Ed Hochuli, John Parry, Gene Steratore, Jeff Triplette and Ron Winter.

It doesn?t take a math major to figure out that there?s something fishy about giving playoff assignments to 10 out of 18 refs. When you?re picking 10 from a pool of 18, by definition, you?re picking one who is below average. Does it really make sense for a below average ref to work a playoff game?

It would make a lot more sense to identify the four best referees in the league over the course of the regular season and make them the four playoff referees. Those four would then work the wild card games and the divisional round. Then the league office would award the two conference championship assignments to the two referees who grade out the best in the first two rounds of the playoffs. After the conference championship games, the NFL could give the referee who graded out better in the conference championship the Super Bowl assignment, and give the other conference championship ref a trip to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.

If a close call is being decided and a playoff game is on the line, wouldn?t you rather have the first-, second-, third- or fourth-best ref making the call, instead of the 10th-best ref?

When it comes to the Super Bowl assignment, the NFL continues to value taking turns, even if it means putting the calls into the hands of someone who did not grade out as the league?s best referee. The NFL?s rules state only that an official has to be among the Top 5 highest-graded officials at his position to work the Super Bowl, and the rules specifically state that no official can work two Super Bowls in a row. But why not always assign the Super Bowl to the No. 1 highest-graded referee? And why shouldn?t an official work consecutive Super Bowls if he grades out as the best in the NFL for two consecutive seasons?

Although the NFL has not confirmed the assignment, it?s been widely reported that Jerome Boger will work this year?s Super Bowl. That has raised some eyebrows with other officials, who claim Boger?s grades were artificially enhanced by the league office, and the officiating website FootballZebras.com has raised questions about why Boger is working a Super Bowl when he has never previously worked a conference championship game.

The NFL doesn?t give out details about referees? grades, so there?s no way to say for sure whether Boger was the best ref in the NFL this season, according to the league?s criteria. It would make a lot more sense for the NFL to simply say this: The best officials will always work the Super Bowl.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/24/luck-says-its-part-of-players-obligation-to-play-hard-at-pro-bowl/related/

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How Leaders Gain Momentum ? Business Management Daily: Free ...

Watch the Super Bowl next week and I can guarantee two things: You?ll see far too many camera shots of celebrities at the game, and the word momentum will be spoken by the announcers at least once. You can watch any sporting event and hear that word?momentum?used almost with reverence. It is an intangible force that gives teams that are behind hope, and teams that are ahead even greater confidence in the outcome.

Of course momentum isn?t just a sports phenomenon?salespeople talk about it, stock market watchers study it, and many more do too. Because of this, it isn?t surprising that leaders want to create it with their teams.

It is a worthy goal?why wouldn?t you want to find a force that creates an attraction to, and energy for, greater success? The question for us as leaders is: Can we manufacture momentum?

In short, yes we can.

Momentum in a football game will be mentioned after one play?a long run, a turnover, or any other sort of pivotal play. Think about that. This magical thing called momentum comes from one play.

Ever had to tackle a really big task in your life? Let?s say, cleaning a closet. How do you get the closet cleaned? You pick up one item, or pull out boxes to sort into, or any one thing. Momentum on the task comes from....one action. By the way, cleaning the closet may or may not actually be a big task, but it feels like one, doesn?t it?

If you keep looking at a task and don?t know how or where to start, you don?t start. Yet inevitably, once you take some small action, the job seems more realistic and doable, so you keep going toward accomplishing it....momentum.

You build momentum by starting.

Earl Weaver, the recently deceased baseball manager, talked about momentum this way: ?Momentum? Momentum is the next day's starting pitcher.?

You create momentum by getting started.

As a leader, you must lead?including in this way. If you want to build this irresistible force on your team or in your organization, put a premium on taking action, and start with yourself. Here are three tips to help make that happen.

1. Just do?.something. Perhaps the step you take is wrong, or not the best first one, but you start.
2. Change the items on your to-do list. Don?t write ?New product development,? write ?Determine product title? or ?Make call to customer? or whatever small action gets you started. With a full list already, how likely will you be to make progress on ?New product development? today?
3. Remember achievement mathematics. I?ve written about this formula elsewhere. Here is the key?tie daily action to purpose and important goals. Make that connection in small increments and momentum will be created.

Doing this for yourself will change your world. As a leader you need to leverage this for others too. Do these three things for yourself, then teach others, through your example, to do the same. It will create a new expectation, a new energy, an irresistible attraction to your goals and greater results.

It will create momentum.

I?ll close with a powerful quotation from the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe that illuminates this powerful idea. Read it now, and read it each morning for the next week?right before you take at least one action?action that will build momentum.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back?concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

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Women in combat face doubts over emotions, ability

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? During her time in Iraq, Alma Felix would see her fellow female soldiers leave the Army installations where she worked at a desk job and head into combat with their male counterparts. But many returned home feeling that few knew of their contributions.

"I guess we do disappear into the background," the 27-year-old former Army specialist said. "You always hear we're losing our sons out there. And although women have fallen out there, you really don't see very much of it."

Now, with the Pentagon ending its ban on women in combat, Felix and other female troops hope the military's plan to open hundreds of thousands of combat jobs to them will lead society to recognize that they, too, can be courageous warriors.

"We are the support. Those are the positions we fill and that's a big deal ? we often run the show ? but people don't see that," she said. "Maybe it will put more females forward and give people a sense there are women out there fighting for our country.

"It's not just you're typical poster boy, GI Joes doing it," she said.

Thursday's announcement promises to change the image of battlefields around the world, as debate rages on whether women can fight like men. What's clear is that the move will pave the way for women to earn higher pay and earn better promotions.

The shift is the military's biggest since the policy banning openly gay service members was lifted in 2011. And as was the case with "don't ask, don't tell," troops were expected to fall in line with the new rules.

The change overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units, and is expected to open up more than 230,000 combat positions that have been off limits to women.

"We owe it to them to allow them to pursue every avenue of military service for which they are fully prepared and qualified," said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. He said women have shown they are willing to fight and die alongside their male counterparts.

Across the country, members of the military of both sexes said they accepted the policy so long as women will have to meet the same standards as their male colleagues. Both men and women were skeptical about putting females in infantry units, however.

"This gives us more people to work with," said Army Sgt. Jeremy Grayson, assigned to field infantry at Fort Bliss, Texas. "But they would have to be able to do the physical stuff that men do. ... They have to be able to pull their own weight."

Panetta said the qualifications will not be lowered and acknowledged that not all women will meet them. He said allowing women to serve in combat roles will strengthen the ability of the U.S. to win wars.

It will be up to the military service chiefs to recommend whether women should be excluded from more demanding and deadly positions, such as Navy SEALs or the Army's Delta Force.

Veterans and some in the military argue the public may not be ready to handle seeing more female troops come home in body bags or with lost limbs. "It's harder to see a mother or a daughter dead. We (men) are seen as protectors," said Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lemaitre.

Army Spc. Jean Sardonas, who works as a lab technician at a hospital, said she understood Lemaitre's opinion.

Sardonas said she had thought about joining an Army team that conducts social work in the field and faces combat situations. But she's since become a mother, changing her perspective, and said women tend to be more emotional.

"If you see the enemy, well, that's the enemy, but now if you see a kid with a gun you're going to think twice," she said.

At McP's Irish Pub near the Navy SEALs base in Coronado, battle-hardened veterans chuckled and sighed at the news. There were no celebrations planned yet at the dark bar decorated with combat memorabilia, a framed article announcing the death of Osama bin Laden and a bronze plaque quoting W.C. Fields saying, "Marry an outdoors woman, then if you throw her out into the yard for the night, she can still survive."

"I think our culture instinctively teaches us to take care of women and we won't be combat ready," said the pub's owner and a former Navy SEAL, Greg McPartlin, who is a Bronze Star recipient. "We're more interested in protecting her than shooting the bad guy."

Felix bristles at that kind of thinking but has heard that from young male soldiers. "It's hard to see any comrade fall, whether it's a woman or a man," she said.

Women comprise about 14 percent of 1.4 million active military personnel. More than 280,000 women have been sent to Iraq, Afghanistan or to jobs in neighboring nations in support of the wars. And of the more than 6,600 U.S. service members who have been killed, 152 have been women.

The New York veteran who started the nation's first Veteran of Foreign Wars post for women welcomes them in elite forces. But making allowances for women would be "a detriment to the team," said Marlene Roll, who served with an Army Reserve medical unit during the first Gulf War. "If she can make it through the course and she can graduate, hell yeah."

Linda L. Bray was just glad to see the Pentagon finally laud women's bravery.

Bray said her male superiors were incredulous upon hearing that she had led dozens of male military police officers through a three-hour firefight during the 1989 invasion of Panama.

Instead of being lauded for her heroism, she said, higher-ranking officers accused her of embellishing accounts of what happened. Congress debated fiercely over whether she and other women had any business being on the battlefield.

"I think it's absolutely wonderful that our nation's military is taking steps to help women break the glass ceiling," said Bray, of Clemmons, N.C.

"I hope the women who attempt to take on these challenges in the military don't do it because now it's OK for them to do it," she said. "I hope they do it because they really want to make a go of being a man's partner in going to war."

___

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Chris Carola in Albany, N.Y.; Juan Carlos Llorca in El Paso, Texas; Michael Biesecker in Raleigh, N.C.; Dan Elliott in Denver; and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/women-combat-face-doubts-over-emotions-ability-034233672.html

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4 secrets to success in a slow-growth economy ? Checkside ? HR ...

By Scott O?Hehir

Western Australian businesses expect 2013 to be a tough one.

Recent data from the Commonwealth Bank ? CCI Survey of Business Expectations shows that just 13 per cent of WA businesses expect the WA economy will improve over the next 12 months, while 45 per cent expect it to deteriorate. Significantly, wage costs were revealed as the number one priority for businesses in 2013 ? just ahead of domestic and global economic conditions.

A quick round of crystal ball gazing by Australia?s top economists (facilitated by independent website Crikey) found that the general consensus was a slowdown in 2013.

We last experienced a business climate like this in 2009. Doom and gloom everywhere. Companies were going out of business on a weekly basis, and mass redundancies were happening almost daily.

It was during this time that I had the pleasure of working with TSG?? a (then) small specialist consultancy based in Perth. TSG worked predominantly with large mining clients, helping them to simulate, analyse and optimise complex supply chains.

The directors were of the view that the post-GFC downturn presented an unparalleled opportunity for them to reinvent their business and lay the groundwork for future growth. They rejected the commonly held view that cost cutting and redundancies were the order of the day. Instead they believed that by taking informed, intelligent steps ? they could distance themselves from the competition in the years to come.

Fast forward four years and this group has significantly increased revenues, is expanding internationally, has increased headcount significantly and has positioned themselves as a world leader in their field.

Here are some of the secrets to their success:

?1.?????? A focus on engagement and collaboration

The directors understood that high levels of engagement would:

• make it easier to attract talented people
• minimise unwanted staff turnover
• increase efficiency and innovation from their existing team
• reduce the ?compensation premium? required? to attract talented people

?They took the opportunity to review rewards structures, training and development, organisational culture, the way work was organised and the way their people interacted and communicated.? Every change they made was aimed at promoting meritocracy, improving communication and increasing social interaction.

?The result was much higher levels of engagement throughout the organisation.? This led to the delivery of exceptional work for clients, which of course led to repeat business. In fact over 90 per cent of TSG?s work is now on-going or repeat business.

?More and more businesses are becoming aware of the benefits associated with a more engaged and collaborative workforce ? and it is not as expensive or difficult to achieve as it may seem.

?2.?????? Workforce planning

The company?s strategic plan involved an international expansion and a significant increase in headcount.? The directors knew that a key factor in the success of any new interstate and international offices was getting the staffing mix right.? Workforce planning was essential.? The directors forecast future staffing requirements to reveal potential gaps (staff numbers, expertise, and skills and abilities) and implemented the appropriate HR and recruitment strategies to achieve the desired outcomes.

?The result was the successful opening and performance of interstate and international offices ? all headed by suitably experienced directors or senior employees and backed up by locally sourced talent.? The directors also brought in a General Manager to provide input into and oversee the implementation of the strategic plan ? allowing them to focus on leading their people and opening new offices.

?Regardless of whether your crystal ball predicts growth or contraction in 2013 ? workforce planning is an important step towards effective implementation of your business strategy.

?3.?????? A new approach to performance management and communication

The company had an out-dated template that they used to facilitate their annual performance reviews.? Employees dreaded the process.? So did managers.? It was yielding almost zero value to the organisation and was chewing up a great deal of time and resources.

?The directors decided to throw out the old process and move to a process that:

• was aligned with the company culture
• was simple and efficient
• focused on development and succession
• linked to incentives
• involved employees in setting objectives (aligned to company strategy)

?The result was more regular and meaningful communication between managers and their teams.? Employees and managers alike now enjoy participating in the review process.? The company now benefits from increased efficiency of the process and improved communication within teams. ?Unwanted staff turnover is ridiculously low.

?With recent advances in social performance management software like Small Improvements, Work.com and WorkSimple, it is now even easier for employers to achieve similar results.

?4.?????? Get serious about the recruitment process

With layoffs happening almost daily in both client and competitor companies ? and given the group?s forecast workforce needs, the directors saw an unprecedented opportunity to grab good people.? But how did they know if they were recruiting the right ones?

?Historically, the group relied on networks and contacts to source good people.? More often than not this was effective in their ?home State? of WA ? but the directors knew they wouldn?t have this luxury in the future.

?The directors looked to their existing team to identify:

• what personality attributes were (or were not) a fit for their culture?
• what cognitive abilities were required to ensure success?
• What technical skills or work experience were required?
• What motivated their best people to join and stay?

?Once they had answered these questions the directors structured the screening, assessment and selection process to reduce risk and improve the odds of hiring the right people.

?The key to long-term recruitment success is objective, fact based decision making and a robust recruitment process. ?By doing this, companies don?t just recruit great people ? they can also protect and enhance their employer brand.

?So whilst the economic outlook may not be particularly rosy, times like these do provide opportunities to increase your company?s competitiveness and build its long term value.? Make the most of it!

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Source: http://checkside.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/4-secrets-to-success-in-a-slow-growth-economy/

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Oxygen-free energy designed to fuel brain development spurs on growth of cancer

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/hIl6MRsTrv8/130122231353.htm

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Instapundit on Our "Ham Sandwich" Legal System - Hit & Run ...

You know the old line about prosecutors and grand juries, right? A vaguely competent prosecutor can get an indictment on a ham sandwich.

Glenn Reynolds, the Instapundit and Univ. of Tennessee law prof, has a new paper called "Ham Sandwich Nation" Due Process When Everything is a Crime."

Here's the abstract:

Though extensive due process protections apply to the investigation of crimes, and to criminal trials, perhaps the most important part of the criminal process - the decision whether to charge a defendant, and with what - is almost entirely discretionary. Given the plethora of criminal laws and regulations in today's society, this due process gap allows prosecutors to charge almost anyone they take a deep interest in. This Essay discusses the problem in the context of recent prosecutorial controversies involving the cases of Aaron Swartz and David Gregory, and offers some suggested remedies, along with a call for further discussion.

Read more and download it here.

The Altantic's Conor Friedersdorf discusses the paper and related topics here?and libertarian legal eagle Randy Barnett comments on it at the Volokh Conspiracy here.

The short version of it all? When everything is a crime, nobody is safe from the sorts of legal actions (or threats thereof) that choke off freedom of thought and action.

Related: Harvey Silverglate, author the must-read Three Felonies a Day, on "the peril of vague criminal statutes."

Source: http://reason.com/blog/2013/01/24/instapundit-on-our-ham-sandwich-legal-sy

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