technology games: October 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Smarter electric grids could help us weather stormy future

6 hrs.

John Roach , NBC News

As of Tuesday morning, Sandy was blamed for power outages affecting more than 8 million people. Although?of little help to people in the dark today, so-called smart-grid technologies being installed around the country will make the electric grid more resilient to future storms, according to an industry expert.

One caveat: ?It is economically unfeasible to storm-proof your system, and by storm-proof I mean resilient to anything that could happen,? Dean Oskvig, president of engineering consulting firm Black & Veatch?s global energy business, told NBC News Tuesday.

But utilities are installing technology such as self-healing switches that automatically route power around outages in an effort to minimize disruptions to service, he said.

Much of the smart grid is really about the installation of sensors and other equipment that offer utilities real-time monitoring of the grid so that they can detect and isolate power outages more quickly, which limits their spread and impact.?

Real-time monitoring of the grid also enables integration of small-scale distributed power stations onto the grid, which can provide electricity to a neighborhood, for example, when the city?s main plant is down.

Distributed power stations harken back to early days of the electric system when it was a hodgepodge of ?small individual generators all over the place and it was simply chaotic,? Oskvig said. As a result, greater reliability and efficiency drove evolution toward a system that relies on central power plants.

Today, however, the communications technology that underpins smart-grid systems ?has a way of accommodating a lot more distributed generation than we were able to do in the past,? he added.?

By the same token, a more intelligent grid is able to accommodate increased wind and solar power, which are plagued by intermittency.

?But, when you are faced with something like the storm out east, a smart grid will only take you so far,? Oskvig said.?

Utilities can make their grids more resilient with more traditional approaches such as?putting more of their power lines underground, which puts them out of the way of wind-toppled trees. But undergrounding lines costs several million dollars per mile versus a few hundred thousand dollars for overhead lines.

And even when lines are underground, that doesn?t mean the system is storm-proof. Power lines in New York City, for example, are already mostly underground. That didn?t stop floodwater from shutting down substations, Oskvig noted.

What measures a utility takes to make their systems more resilient to storms is a cost-benefit calculation. Sandy is considered a once-in-a-generation-type storm. Is it worth spending to put in?underground lines, install self-healing technology or build more, smaller distributed generation plants?

Given that Sandy is the type of storm that experts believe is consistent with global climate change, a more resilient grid seems prudent for our stormier future, a future that by some accounts is already here.

In the last year?New York, for example, has seen two tropical storms and a ?freak? snowstorm on Halloween 2011 that dumped a foot of snow. Each of those storms led to costly power outages that were, in isolation, considered rare events.

The cost of implementing the technologies required to smarten up and improve the grid will cost about $1.5 trillion over the next two decades, Mark Brownstein with the Environmental Defense Fund told American Public Media?s Marketplace on Monday.?

John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. To learn more about him, check out his website. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/smarter-electric-grids-could-help-us-weather-stormy-future-1C6759331

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Monday, October 29, 2012

President's Personal Trainer Helps KC Church Get Active - Fox 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. ? With the help of President Obama?s personal trainer, Calvary Temple Baptist Church encouraged its congregation to include fun and fitness in their lives.

Fitness consultant Cornell McCellan urged everyone to ?mind their own business? by committing to physical activity everyday.

Four years ago, Pastor Eric Williams decided to get his church moving after seeing young people die from unhealthy choices.

?We want to stop some of the unnecessary deaths and hospitalizations. We want people to live long, healthy lives and this is one way to do it,? he said.

The church also gave demonstrations to show ways to make healthy choices like substituting ground turkey for ground beef.

Source: http://fox4kc.com/2012/10/27/presidents-personal-trainer-helps-kc-church-get-active/

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Share little-used equipment with friends and neighbors; save money

Many of us have peices of equipment, like printers and gardening tools, that are helpful to have around but not used very often. Why not save a little money by splitting the cost and use of those items with someone else?

By Trent Hamm,?Guest blogger / October 27, 2012

A lawnmower is a necessary tool, but most people don't use it every day. Hamm suggests splitting the cost and use with a neighbor.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff/File

Enlarge

There are a lot of pieces of equipment that are useful to have around, but that you don?t use very often.

Skip to next paragraph Trent Hamm

The Simple Dollar is a blog for those of us who need both cents and sense: people fighting debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future and still affording a latte or two. Our busy lives are crazy enough without having to compare five hundred mutual funds ? we just want simple ways to manage our finances and save a little money.

Friday, October 26, 2012

7 Companies That Totally 'Get' Their Buyer Personas

i dont get it intermediate

One of the first things any marketer needs to figure out is who the heck they're marketing to. That exercise has come to manifest itself in what we in the biz call a "persona," and there are some companies who have done an excellent job at not just figuring out who their target customer is, but marketing to them in just the right way.

If you've ever seen a company's marketing campaign and stopped to think, "Wow. They totally get me!" you're looking at a company that gets their target audience, and how to market to them. (You're also probably part of their target audience -- but I digress.) It's not easy to pull this kind of alignment off, so we thought it'd be good to give the marketers that are superb at it a shoutout. Plus, seeing how other companies match up their target personas' proclivities with marketing activities should serve as guidance for those still trying to figure out how to create marketing their leads and customers will love. Let's take a look at some companies that totally "get" their buyer personas!

Seventeen

Let's start with a little bit of history, shall we? An article on The Awl about the history of Seventeen magazine -- which was actually the inspiration for this blog post -- highlighted the magazine's target persona back in 1950. They created a persona named Teena based on survey data from teenage girls and their mothers during the mid 1940s. Here's how they described Teena:

Teena the High School Girl has a peck of problems. She's what older folks call an awkward adolescent -- too tall, too plump, too shy -- a little too much of a lot of little things. But they're big things to Teena. And though she doesn't always take her troubles to her mother, Teena writes her favorite magazine for the tip-off on the clothes she wears, the food she eats, the lipstick she wields, the room she bunks in, the budget she keeps, the boy she has a crush on.

Now, Seventeen has gone through many adaptations of who their prime buyer persona is -- this is just who they were targeting in the 1950s. But just look how it manifested itself in their magazine:

seventeen cover

As you can see from the covers (or maybe not, it's a little hard to read), there is a strong focus in their feature content on Teena's insecurities and hang-ups -- not that we endorse capitalizing on young girls' insecurities, this is simply a demonstration, for better or worse, of personas aligning well with a brand's marketing. For instance, they have content like "Diet with Ice Cream," an entire "Boy-Girl Issue," and a story called "Dates (how to get)." These are all things that high school girls are insecure about, and Seventeen channeled what was going on in high school girls' minds to power their content strategy.

Apple

Apple is known for their outstanding marketing campaigns, but it always seemed a little more geared towards the consumer marketing. No longer. Apple has refocused some of their efforts on a new segment of the market -- the business professional who wants to use devices that make their job more effective and efficient. Take a look at an instance of this new persona focus in action in this iPad 2 advertisement:

This ad shows the iPad 2 user looking at stock options, investment portfolios, and even images of the brain ... a far cry from someone taking video of their family, or rocking out to a killer iTunes library. This commercial is far more akin to what a professional's work routine might look like, and helps the business professional see how an Apple product might fit into their professional lives.

MySpace

MySpace is back guys!!! Hard to believe, I know, because they had a big problem when Facebook came out. Previously, they marketed to people of all ages who wanted to stay connected on social networks. But Facebook proved to be the better and more robust tool. So MySpace redid their strategy -- starting with their target persona -- and began focusing on a persona that would work better for them: musicians. Many musicians got their start by posting their songs on MySpace, and with a strategy that gave musicians a better tool to market themselves, MySpace was saved. Here, see for yourself:

The new redesign features "Listen Now" calls-to-action, thumbnails of album covers so people can immediately listen to their songs, even a feature that highlights events where the musicians are playing. The profiles also have a Pinterest-like set-up allowing viewers to see large pictures of the artist and all that they are doing, further promoting them and their music. This is much more like an interactive, shareable online record store -- a site design that is much more appealing to that music-oriented persona.

Zipcar

Zipcar's main buyer persona is the millennial urban dweller. Zipcar's services are typically offered large cities around the world, with high populations of millennials who either can't afford a car, or don't see the need to own one in the city. With its sharing-focused business model, users pay hourly or daily rates for user of a communal car, without having to worry about paying for things like gas and insurance. What a nice, unburdened lifestyle!

When you look at the channels and tone that Zipcar uses in its marketing, it is obvious that this free-wheelin' (pun intended) audience is who they're targeting. Just look at this tweet aimed at the millennial world traveler, for instance:

zip tweet resized 600

Or this tweet with the whimsical, and again, free wheelin' hashtag, #thatswhereiroll:

And the contests don't end on Twitter -- they carry them over to Facebook, too!

facebook zipcar

In addition to being very responsive on their Twitter account, Zipcar uses it's Facebook account to answer questions and host contests with its followers. Millennials in particular expect quick answers to their questions on social media, and Zipcar fulfills that expectation. To further appeal to this audience, they host weekly contests to give out fun stuff like free t-shirts and driving dollars. One of their current promotions even involves giving anyone half off Zipcar on Election Day to help millennials get to the voting polls easier. What makes Zipcar's marketing effective for their persona is not only their responsiveness and tone of voice, but the channels they choose to focus on, too.

Goodbye Crutches

One of HubSpot's customer, Goodbye Crutches, actually has four buyer personas! Andy the Athlete is an active 21-35 year old who has hurt themself in a sports related injury; Gerry the Grandparent is 55-75 years old, and worries about hurting themselves; Mary the Motivated Mom is 35-55 and has a full and active life, but has to worry about taking care of a family and kids; finally, Woody the Working Dad is concerned about being able to get things done around the house despite an injury. Take a look at how these different personas have manifested themselves in their blog content:

goodbyecrutchesblog

This blog post, "Woman's Guide to Dress For Success with Leg Cast," is clearly directed at Mary the Motivated Mom -- as is the CTA about how to have a great Halloween despite an injury you see on that sidebar to the right. If you keep reading their blog, you'll find they have a fantastic mix of content that addresses the needs of all their different buyer personas, and they have the accompanying lead-gen content to back it up.

JetBlue?

JetBlue's buyer persona is the low budget traveler that wants a comfortable yet affordable solution to flying. They are typically a younger audience that likes to be reached through social media channels and, similar to Zipcar, expects quick responses from the company. That audience comes through in their marketing in the medium they use (Twitter, in this instance), the words they use (flying like a "boss"), and even the name of the Twitter handle (@JetBlueCheeps).

jetblue tweet resized 600

JetBlue doesn't just rely on social media to reach their audience, either. They're leveraging email marketing to keep those "like a boss" campaign multi-channel!

jetblue email

Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble produces thousands of products for households, so one of their target personas is, naturally, the person in charge of buying these items. Often this turns into a parent -- particularly a mom -- that P&G is trying to reach with their marketing. They did a particularly spectacular job with their 2012 Olympics campaign. Take a look, and maybe grab a tissue.

In their "Raising an Olympian" campaign, P&G takes a look at the mother's role in the olympian's life, whether that's bringing their child to practice early in the morning or helping them heal from sports injuries. P&G focuses the story more on the mother's role in her child's success, tugging on the heart strings of anyone who watches. Especially any mom who has ever gotten up at 5AM to rush their kid to practice. The ads end with "P&G: A proud sponsor of mothers" keeping the focus in the ad on their target persona -- the mom who's in charge of buying the household supplies.

What other companies do you think really "get" their buyer personas?

Like what you've read? Click here

Source: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33749/7-Companies-That-Totally-Get-Their-Buyer-Personas.aspx

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Brain waves reveal video game aptitude

ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2012) ? Scientists report that they can predict who will improve most on an unfamiliar video game by looking at their brain waves.

They describe their findings in a paper in the journal Psychophysiology.

The researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) to peek at electrical activity in the brains of 39 study subjects before they trained on Space Fortress, a video game developed for cognitive research. The subjects whose brain waves oscillated most powerfully in the alpha spectrum (about 10 times per second, or 10 hertz) when measured at the front of the head tended to learn at a faster rate than those whose brain waves oscillated with less power, the researchers found. None of the subjects were daily video game players.

The EEG signal was a robust predictor of improvement on the game, said University of Illinois postdoctoral researcher and Beckman Fellow Kyle Mathewson, who led the research with psychology professors and Beckman Institute faculty members Monica Fabiani and Gabriele Gratton.

"By measuring your brain waves the very first time you play the game, we can predict how fast you'll learn over the next month," Mathewson said. The EEG results predicted about half of the difference in learning speeds between study subjects, he said.

The waves of electrical activity across the brain reflect the communication status of millions or billions neurons, Mathewson said.

"These oscillations are the language of the brain, and different oscillations represent different brain functions," he said.

The researchers also found that learning to play the game improved subjects' reaction time and working memory (the ability to hold a piece of information in mind just until it is needed), skills that are important in everyday life.

"We found that the people who had more alpha waves in response to certain aspects of the game ended up having the best improvement in reaction time and the best improvement in working memory," Mathewson said.

This project is a part of a larger collaborative effort to determine whether measures of brain activity or brain structure can predict one's ability to learn a new video game. One analysis, led by Beckman Institute director Art Kramer (an author on this study as well), found that the volume of specific structures in the brain could predict how well people would perform on Space Fortress. That study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the relative sizes of different brain structures.

But MRI is expensive and requires that subjects lie immobile inside a giant magnet, Mathewson said. With EEG, researchers can track brain activity fairly inexpensively while subjects are engaged in a task in a less constricted, less artificial environment, he said.

The new findings offer tantalizing new clues to the mental states that appear to enhance one's ability to perform complex tasks, Mathewson said. Alpha waves are associated with relaxation, but they also are believed to arise when one is actively inhibiting certain cognitive functions in favor of others, he said. It is possible that everyone could benefit from interventions to increase the strength of their alpha waves in the front of the brain, a region associated with decision-making, attention and self-control.

"You can get people to increase their alpha brain waves by giving them some positive feedback," Mathewson said. "And so you could possibly boost this kind of activity before putting them in the game."

The study team also included researchers now at the University of Texas at Dallas and Florida State University.

The U.S. Office of Naval Research, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Beckman Institute supported this research.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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

Journal Reference:

Kyle E. Mathewson, Chandramallika Basak, Edward L. Maclin, Kathy A. Low, Walter R. Boot, Arthur F. Kramer, Monica Fabiani, Gabriele Gratton. Different slopes for different folks: Alpha and delta EEG power predict subsequent video game learning rate and improvements in cognitive control tasks. Psychophysiology, 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2012.01474.x

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/jjJTDv7VblI/121024133411.htm

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Stern to retire as NBA Commissioner in 2014

NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, left, listens as Commissioner David Stern speaks during a basketball news conference following Board of Governors meetings in New York, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Stern announced he will retire on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years after he took charge of the league. He will be replaced by Silver. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, left, smiles as Commissioner David Stern speaks during a basketball news conference following Board of Governors meetings in New York, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Stern announced he will retire on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years after he took charge of the league. He will be replaced by Silver. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NBA Commissioner David Stern speaks during a basketball news conference following Board of Governors meetings in New York, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Stern announced he will retire on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years after he took charge of the league. He will be replaced by Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, left, laughs as Commissioner David Stern gestures toward him during a basketball news conference following Board of Governors meetings in New York, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Stern announced he will retire on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years after he took charge of the league. He will be replaced by Silver. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, left, poses for a photograph with Commissioner David Stern during a basketball news conference following Board of Governors meetings in New York, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Stern announced he will retire on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years after he took charge of the league. He will be replaced by Silver. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NEW YORK (AP) ? David Stern spent nearly 30 years growing the NBA, turning a league that couldn't even get its championship series on live prime-time TV into a projected $5 billion a year industry.

Confident the NBA is in good shape and certain he has found someone who can make it even better, Stern is ready to end one of the most successful and impactful careers in sports history.

Stern will retire as commissioner Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years to the day after taking charge of the league, and be replaced by Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver.

"I decided that things are in great shape and there's an organization in place that will ultimately be led by Adam that is totally prepared to take it to the next level," Stern said Thursday during a press conference following the league's board of governors meeting.

It's hard to be any better than Stern, perhaps the model sports commissioner.

Name an important policy in the NBA ? drug testing, salary cap, even a dress code ? and Stern had a hand in it. A lawyer by trade, he was a fearless negotiator against players and referees, but also their biggest defender any time he felt they were unfairly criticized.

"For all the things you've done for the NBA and for sports generally, I think there's no doubt that you'll be remembered as the best of all-time as commissioners go and you've set the standard, I think not even just for sports league commissioners, but for CEOs in any industry," Silver told Stern sitting to his left on a podium.

Stern told owners of his plans during their two days of meetings, and the board unanimously decided Silver would be his successor. Owners will begin negotiations with the 50-year-old Silver in hopes of having a contract completed by their next meeting in April.

Stern, who turned 70 last month, became commissioner on Feb. 1, 1984. He has been the NBA's longest-serving commissioner, establishing the league's brand around the world, presiding over team expansion and overseeing the establishment of the WNBA and the NBA Development League.

"There is no debate that David Stern has earned his spot in the pantheon of sports commissioners. Deservedly, his name and reputation will always be synonymous with the phenomenal growth and success of the NBA over the last three decades," union executive director Billy Hunter said in a statement. "His absence will surely be felt by anyone connected to the NBA and the sport of basketball, although clearly the league will be left in very capable hands with the appointment of Adam Silver as the next commissioner."

Seven franchises have been added under Stern and the league has seen a 30-fold increase in revenues. Stern insisted the NBA have a presence on social media, and the league and players have more than 270 million likes and followers on Facebook and Twitter.

"There are all kinds of other business metrics we could look at that would define David as one of the great business leaders of our time," Silver said.

Stern said he decided on his plans about six months ago, having guided the league through a lockout that ended nearly a year ago. He didn't want to leave until the labor deal was completed or until he was confident there was a successor in place, and both are done. Silver has been the league's No. 2 since 2006, and both Stern and league owners praise his abilities.

"I don't know what else to say other than to recite what I told the owners yesterday in executive session," Stern said. "I told them that it's been a great run, it will continue for another 15 months, that the league is in, I think, terrific condition."

Stern is the one who got it there, taking over what was a second-rate league with little-to-no TV presence ? the NBA Finals were on tape delay in the early 1980s ? and making basketball one of the world's most popular sports.

"A couple of things that stand out to me is that David has been, in my estimation, the type of commissioner that has set the standard not only for the NBA but for all of the sports," said Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, the outgoing chairman of the board of governors. "We have done so many wonderful things in the organization. The marketing, leadership, the brand recognition, going international way before our times, and David has led that."

Taylor said there's been a "40-fold" increase in revenues from the league's national TV contract, and that the average player salary will have had grown from $250,000 when Stern took over to $5 million by the end of the current collective bargaining agreement.

Stern was the league's outside counsel from 1966-78, then its general counsel before becoming executive vice president of business and legal affairs from 1980-84. He replaced Larry O'Brien to become the league's fourth commissioner, getting a boost in taking the game mainstream with the popularity of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and soon Michael Jordan. The league began marketing its stars, and Stern found the desire for them was greatest in some far-away lands.

The real explosion came in 1992, when those three headed the Dream Team that led the U.S. to the Olympic basketball gold medal while winning fans around the world. The NBA has gone on to play games in 17 countries, staging 114 international games.

"He's done a remarkable job," Major League Baseball Commission Bud Selig said at the World Series. "To think of what the NBA was when he came in and what it is today, most people judge him very very highly."

There were rough patches, particularly the brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans in 2004, and the betting scandal involving former referee Tim Donaghy. Stern had already passed off most of the heavy lifting to Silver by last year, but he was the one absorbing the criticism during the lockout for the second shortened season in his tenure.

He sometimes appeared worn down during the negotiations, even missing one critical bargaining session while sick, but insists he's got plenty of energy to keep working now.

"I feel great," Stern said. "I'm enjoying my job, but I'm looking forward to doing some other things. I'm stepping down, I'm not retiring."

Stern just recently returned from China, Germany and Italy, and plans another overseas trip next season, and will remain an adviser to the league in retirement on international matters.

"We just think that his leadership will be important to our future," Taylor said.

It's meant everything to the league's past.

The league has reported huge increases in ticket and merchandise sales, and TV ratings are at an all-time high. Last season's lockout, the second time the league lost games to a work stoppage, hardly made a dent in the league's business or in fans' interest.

But even for Stern, business has always taken a back seat to basketball. He's sought changes to improve play, such as the elimination of isolation play that bored him, to implementing penalties that go into effect this season for flopping.

"For the most part it's been a series of extraordinary experiences and enormous putting together of pieces of a puzzle and it goes on forever," Stern said. "And there will always be another piece of the puzzle and so the question is at what point do you decide that, let someone else do it? That's the point that I'm at now."

Taylor and Spurs owner Peter Holt, who is replacing him as board chairman, said the owners will work to have a contract with Silver by April. Silver came to the NBA 20 years ago and served a variety of positions before becoming the deputy commissioner in 2006. He was the lead negotiator during the lockout and Stern has relied more heavily on him in recent years, even turning to Silver to answer questions on tougher topics.

Stern said he wouldn't leave until he knew there was a successor ready, and he has repeatedly said Silver is ready for that role. Stern said he would always remain available to take a call and help the league.

"Life is a journey and it's been a spectacular journey," Stern said. "Each step along the way there are things that you have to do, things that you maybe wish you hadn't done. But I don't keep that list, and so I'm totally pleased and I'm particularly pleased with the transition of which we're now embarking."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-10-25-Stern-Retirement/id-07e06b2e5c9141fb99a5d21593c8d870

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ASUS PadFone 2 review: two times is a charm for this phone-in-tablet combo

It's only been half a year since the peculiar PadFone made its much-delayed entry into select markets, and earlier this week, ASUS' launch of its second-gen phone-in-tablet brings us back to this old question: are we better off with just one mobile screen instead of two? Ask any ordinary manufacturer and the answer is likely the latter, because who doesn't want to sell more products? Similarly, carriers would likely back such manufacturers for the sake of selling more data plans, even if they admire ASUS' efforts (and they could already be selling ASUS tablets in the first place). Some folks also argue that if you have to carry the tablet module with you anyway, you might as well have two separate devices for better multitasking.

It seems like there's a huge mountain to climb here, but on the flip side, ASUS' innovative differentiation does have some advantages. You only need one data plan (and no tethering required) for both form factors, you get to keep the same data in one place instead of having to duplicate them and you can pretty much instantly switch between a small screen and a large screen for the same content. Not to mention that there's also the added functionality of charging up the phone while it's sitting inside the tablet. Alas, the original PadFone and PadFone Station didn't quite hit the spot: the combined weight and bulk made it tough to justify the phone-in-tablet idea, which is why we said it's all about the PadFone 2 in our review. Let's see if ASUS has done it right this time 'round.

Gallery: ASUS PadFone 2 review

Continue reading ASUS PadFone 2 review: two times is a charm for this phone-in-tablet combo

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, ASUS

ASUS PadFone 2 review: two times is a charm for this phone-in-tablet combo originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

10 Ways You Can Help Children of Alcoholics | Addiction Recovery

Among the most tragic consequences of addiction is the devastating ? and sometimes lifelong ? impact on the children of an addict. More than 28 million Americans are children of alcoholics. Prescription drug addiction has been rising over the past decade, with more stories about moms keeping their addiction secret. While many of these children go on to lead healthy, productive lives, they also struggle in a way that is characteristic of their upbringing. For example, we know that children of alcoholics:

? Are up to four times more likely to struggle with alcoholism and other drug abuse than other kids.

? Exhibit more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other emotional and behavioral disorders than children from non-addicted families.

? Score lower on academic achievement tests and have other difficulties in school.

? Take on too much or too little responsibility to compensate for the lack of parenting they receive from an addict.

? Struggle in interpersonal relationships as a result of mistrust and deficits in communication skills (50 percent of children of alcoholics marry an alcoholic).

? Are more likely to witness domestic violence and become victims of abuse, incest, neglect and other childhood traumas, sometimes resulting in removal from the home.

In the midst of active addiction, the addict can do little to help themselves, not to mention their children. So what can spouses, relatives, friends, neighbors and others do to help when they see a child suffering in an addicted home?

#1 Get Help for the Addicted Parent. A parent?s influence, whether positive or negative, is a powerful force in a child?s life. Whenever possible, get the addict out of the home and into treatment until they are firmly grounded in their recovery. Continuing to subject a child to the unpredictability and despair that an addict brings creates a toxic home environment that keeps everyone ? not just the addict ? sick. Only with some form of (preferably long-term) help, whether inpatient drug rehab, a sober living home or otherwise, can the entire family system get well.

#2 Get Help for the Child. Children of alcoholics need ongoing help just like their addicted parent does. In addition to receiving support from trusted adults in their lives, reach out to the school guidance counselor, a family therapist or child psychologist, support groups such as Alateen and other resources. Support groups play a particularly important role as children need to know they are not alone in their struggles.

#3 Explain the Disease. Children need to know that addiction is a disease caused by a combination of genetics, environment, trauma and other factors ? not by the child. Free them from the guilt and shame most children of alcoholics carry by frequently reminding them that their parent?s addiction is not their fault. Just like people with diabetes and heart disease, their parent is sick and needs treatment to get better.

#4 Have Compassion. Some children respond to the chaos of addiction by withdrawing into their own worlds or covering up with jokes, while others become angry and try to detract from the addiction by creating problems of their own. While these behaviors need to be addressed, the underlying emotion ? sadness ? deserves empathy and support. What they?re going through is unfair and they know it.

#5 Create Rituals. Studies show that maintaining certain rituals, such as family night or holiday traditions, can counteract some of the chaos addiction brings. Rituals provide a sense of stability and can be instituted by a sober parent or relative, or by getting the child involved in activities in the community.

#6 Cultivate Resilience. Ever wonder why some children of alcoholics go on to lead normal, productive lives while others follow in their addicted parent?s footsteps? The answer is, in part, resilience, which is a skill that can be learned at any age. Children who are taught how to communicate, focus on the positives, distance themselves from the family dysfunction and lean on supportive adults for help are more likely to beat the odds of becoming addicts themselves.

#7 Build Healthy Relationships. Since their addicted parent constantly lies and breaks promises, children of alcoholics often feel that they can?t trust anyone, especially authority figures. Building relationships with trustworthy adults can teach kids what a healthy relationship looks like, complete with honesty, give-and-take and respectful communication.

#8 Have Fun. Children of addicts face significant trauma at a time when their biggest concern should have been making friends or not getting too dirty on the playground. Since ?fun? isn?t something they?ve directly experienced, they may need help letting loose and enjoying life. Doing so will help combat the pessimism and hopelessness that result from feeling powerless to change their situation.

#9 Encourage Open Discussion. An addicted home is full of secrets, lies and loneliness. Since their feelings never mattered, children of alcoholics may have difficulty identifying and expressing their emotions. These deficits can be addressed by asking how they are doing, listening actively and without judgment, and being readily available to talk.

#10 Nurture Self-Esteem. Between holding themselves accountable for the addicted parent?s problems and feeling unworthy of their parent?s love (and sobriety), many children of addicts suffer pervasive low self-esteem. They may desperately seek approval from others, which often leads to high-risk behavior in trying to win over their peers. Supportive adults can bolster the child?s self-confidence by offering unconditional love and getting them involved in activities that both challenge and reward them.

It is often said that ?it takes a village to raise a child.? This proverb is never more true than for children who grow up in addicted homes. Having loving, supportive adults around who are willing and able to fill in the missing pieces left by the addicted parent can ensure that a child receives the skills and nurturing they need to thrive in the face of trauma.

David Sack, M.D., is board certified in addiction psychiatry and addiction medicine. ?Dr. Sack served as a senior clinical scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) where his research interests included affective disorders, seasonal and circadian rhythms, and neuroendocrinology. ?He currently serves as CEO ?of Elements Behavioral Health, a network of?addiction treatment centers?that includes Promises in California, The Ranch in Tennessee, The Recovery Place rehab in Florida, and Right Step and ?Spirit Lodge in Texas.

Drinking dad photo available from Shutterstock

????Last reviewed: 24 Oct 2012

APA Reference
Anonymous. (2012). 10 Ways You Can Help Children of Alcoholics. Psych Central. Retrieved on October 25, 2012, from http://blogs.psychcentral.com/addiction-recovery/2012/10/10-ways-help-children-alcoholics/

Source: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/addiction-recovery/2012/10/10-ways-help-children-alcoholics/

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Admiralty Arch sold for 60 million pounds

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Military plans new hypersonic flight after failure

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The U.S. military said Wednesday it is planning another unmanned hypersonic flight in the wake of a failed attempt.

The flight, scheduled for next spring or summer, would be the fourth test of the experimental X-51A Waverider designed to reach Mach 6, or 3,600 mph, after being dropped by a B-52 bomber.

The Air Force has been studying hypersonic technologies with the hopes of deploying fast strikes around the globe.

Two months ago, a problem with a control fin during the third flight caused an X-51A to lose balance and crash off the Southern California coast.

Though the aircraft successfully detached from the B-52 and ignited its rocket booster to fly to Mach 4.8, it became unstable and did not activate its exotic scramjet engine ? considered the key feature of the test.

An investigation ruled out software or power failures. Signs point to a "random vibration issue," though more work is needed to pinpoint the exact cause, said program manager Charlie Brink at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

None of flights so far has reached the intended goal of six times the speed of sound. During the first flight in 2010, an X-51A flew near Mach 5 for three minutes. A test flight last year ended prematurely with an X-51A unsuccessfully trying to restart its engine.

Brink said he expected the military to continue hypersonic flight research after next year's final flight but did not get into specifics.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/military-plans-hypersonic-flight-failure-211847721.html

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Broken Plugs, Air Fresheners, and Smartphone Addiction

Readers offer their best tips for Fixing plugs that break off in their sockets, making air fresheners smell less like chemicals, and constantly checking your phone.

Don't like the gallery layout? Click here to view everything on one page.

Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons?maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in?the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments, email it to tips at lifehacker.com, or share it on our tips and expert pages.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/OmMIt3Mqkzc/

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Character Creation

Aliens, elves, humans, demons, dimensional creatures, machines, monsters, technology, magic, and everything you can imagine may exist in some part of this large world. This universe holds a possibility that no other can hold.

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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?One Diferent Earth?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

Hello everyone. Hope to have a few applications in the next days. This roleplay will come to more than what it seems for now.
I'll give already a thanks for those who are thinking to join up.

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Court stays execution of schizophrenic Fla. man

Florida Department of Corrections via AP

John Errol Ferguson has been on Florida's death row for 34 years.

By The Associated Press

An 11th hour decision by a federal appeals court has blocked the scheduled execution of a mass killer convicted of eight slayings that jolted South Florida in the 1970s.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a last-minute request Tuesday night from attorneys for 64-year-old John Errol Ferguson, who has been on Florida's death row for 34 years. Ferguson's lawyers contend he should not be executed because he suffers from severe mental illness.

He was scheduled to die at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. His last meal, according to the Miami Herald, was a chicken country fried sandwich and sweet tea.

Florida officials immediately asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the stay. The justices earlier Tuesday turned aside another Ferguson appeal.

Ferguson was convicted of killing eight people in South Florida in 1977 and 1978, including a teenage couple, and was a prime suspect in another double slaying. He suffers from paranoid schizophrenia but has previously been ruled competent for execution.

His lawyers say he believes he is the "Prince of God," according to the Miami Herald, to bolster their case that he is too mentally ill to be executed.

Phil Sears / AP

Death penalty opponents join in a chant across from Florida State Prison in Raiford, Fla. on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that inmates who suffer from "mental retardation" are exempt from the death penalty. According to the high court:

Mentally retarded persons frequently know the difference between right and wrong and are competent to stand trial, but, by definition, they have diminished capacities to understand and process information, to communicate, to abstract from mistakes and learn from experience, to engage in logical reasoning, to control impulses, and to understand others? reactions.

Their deficiencies do not warrant an exemption from criminal sanctions, but diminish their personal culpability.

NBC's Isolde Raftery contributed to this report.

More content from NBCNews.com:

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/23/14653218-appeals-court-blocks-execution-of-schizophrenic-florida-man?lite

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5 Great Online Dating Tips for Lesbian Moms

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For many single lesbian women meeting a potential partner is hard enough, but when you have a child the process can be even more difficult. When do you bring up the fact that you are a single mom? Do you allow your child to meet your potential new girlfriend? Here are five great online dating tips for lesbian moms.

#1 - Be Open and Honest

Being open and honest on your online dating profile is probably the most important aspect when using an online dating site. Allowing your potential matches to see you as you really are is important. As a single mom, this becomes even more critical. Do not hide the fact that you have a child, but rather be upfront about it. This is not to be taken as though being a mother is a negative aspect to who you are. Some women have a problem dating those with children, while others embrace it. If the relationship ends up getting serious, the fact that you are a parent will come out at some point. Save yourself (and potential partners) the heartache and hassle of being honest from the beginning.

#2 - Don't Focus All Your Time and Energy

While utilizing the internet to meet lesbians can be exciting and fun, it is important not to focus all your time and energy into browsing profiles on the web. Remember to take time out to spend with your children. After all, they only stay little for so long. Try to keep a balance between searching for your new love and having fun with the "littlest" loves of your life -- your kids.

#3 - Take Extra Precautions

If you have been around online websites for long, you probably already know to take precautions when meeting someone new for the first time. However, it is extra important for single moms to remember this as well. Keep personal information (such as the name of your child's school, your address, etc.) private until you have had a chance to get to know the other person. In addition, always make sure your first meetings are in public places and that friends or relatives know where you are. While we like to believe that the person on the other end of the keyboard is trustworthy, it is still important to stay safe.

#4 - Are They a Good Role Model?

First and foremost, it is important to ask yourself if the woman you are considering as a possible partner is a good role model for your children. After all, if things work out they will be interacting on a regular basis. If you cannot answer this question as honest as possible without making excuses or feeling as though they are truly not, then it is possible that you have not met the right love interest yet. Remember, your children are a major part of your life and should be a major considering when you are making choices.

#5 - Wait Until the Time is Right

There is no hard rule on how fast you have to introduce a potential girlfriend to your children. In fact, it is usually best to wait until you know for sure that this woman will be in your life for a good period of time. Another good indication is that you feel that your children will gain insight, perspective, encouragement, and/or other knowledge by interacting with her. After all, it is the job of a mother to help raise their children by allowing them memories and experiences with others in order to gain worldly insight. If meeting your new significant other will allow them a positive role model in their lives -- with or without the status of your relationship -- feel free to introduce them.

While meeting lesbian singles as a single mom can be tough, it is doable. Just remember these useful tips and (most of all) have fun!

Author's Bio:?

Linda Lynn is a writer that contributes to Cupid's Arrow which offers love advice for all those in search of their potential partner. If you would like to meet lesbian singles, visit LesbianCupid.com and begin searching for your partner in life.

Source: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/5-great-online-dating-tips-for-lesbian-moms

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Sports Chatter (10-24-12) ? West Life - Serving the Westshore ...

During the month of November, the North Olmsted Eagles Boosters will conduct our semi-annual pizza sale.?Proceeds will help to support school sports programs, as well as providing seven scholarships for senior athletes.?In addition to pizza, a variety of other items like gourmet fudge, coffees, cookie dough, and trash bags are offered.?North Olmsted residents will be contacted directly by phone by Village Pizza, Inc. employees on behalf of the Eagle Boosters.?For those residents wanting to order directly, please call VPI at 888-233-5688 during the first two weeks of November.?Available products can be viewed at?www.vpifindraising.com/order-now.

The Lutheran West Minihorn Youth Wrestling Club is looking for kindergartners through sixth-graders. Practices are held at LWHS in the wrestling room starting Monday. Registration is open today from 6-8 p.m. The cost is $80.

Also, the Lutheran West Shorthorn Junior High?Wrestling Club is looking for seventh- and eighth-graders. Practices are held at the LWHS wrestling room from 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, starting Nov. 9. The cost is $150. All costs cover uniforms, transportation and tournament fees. Wrestling singlets are provided. Participants must provide headgear and wrestling shoes. Junior high wrestlers must have a completed OHSAA physical form, which can be picked up at registration. For more information, call Dave Ressler at 440-333-1660, ext. 323, or e-mail him at?dressler@lutheranwest.com.

Westlake High School will be holding its sixth annual Mattress Fundraiser benefiting Westlake High School wrestling on Nov. 3, from 10 a.m.?to 5 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Watch for kids holding signs on the street corner, and a few lucky kids who get to wear the ?mattress suit? while promoting the sale to passersby. The cafeteria will transform into a mobile showroom so curious shoppers can test-drive any of the Consumer Best Buy award-winning beds on display. For more information contact Melissa Burdick at Melissa@melissaburdick.com or call 440-454-5147.

Westlake Recreation is currently registering boys and girls in grades 1-6 for the?Youth Basketball League. This program is open to any child who lives in Westlake, goes to school in the city or is a current member of the Westlake Recreation Center. The programs are designed to instruct youngsters in the fundamentals of the game of basketball. Volunteer coaches are needed for all divisions. The registration deadline is Nov. 2. Practices start Dec. 3 and games will be played on Saturdays,?Jan. 12 through March 9. For more information, visit?www.wlrec.org or call 440-808-5700, ext. 3426.

Rocky River City Schools is seeking?high school varsity softball assistant coaches, head boys and girls freshman basketball coaches, a head middle school wrestling coach and assistant varsity boys and girls lacrosse coaches. These positions are for the 2012-13 school year. Applicants should have certifications in SRFA, CPR, NFHS and Fundamentals of Coaching. Please send letter of interest and resume to?Mark Wagner, Athletic Director, c/o Rocky River High School, 20951 Detroit Road, Rocky River, OH 44116, or e-mail at?wagner.mark@rrcs.org.

Lakewood High School is accepting applications for a head varsity softball coach. Interested applicants should e-mail resume to?Bob Thayer at?Robert.Thayer@lakewood.k12.oh.us or mail to 14100 Franklin Blvd., Lakewood, OH 44107.

St. Joseph Academy is searching for a new head swimming coach. Interested parties should send information to athletic director Jennie Amodio at?jamodio@sja1890.org or call 216-251-5495.

Source: http://westlife.northcoastnow.com/sports-chatter-10-24-12/

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