Communicate Well: Five Strategies to Enhance Your Managerial ...

By Joelle K. Jay, PhD, Pillar Consulting

One of the biggest challenges managers face is communication. And yet, communication is also one of the most critical aspects of leadership. Without good communication, managers can fail to gain commitment from employees, fail to achieve business goals and fail to develop rapport with the people on their team. In short, they can fail as leaders no matter how good their intentions may be.

Sound scary? It can be, especially for first-time managers. Front-line employees simply don?t need the same level of communication skills as leaders do. But when employees rise to leadership positions, they must learn to connect with a greater number of people more effectively to get the job done.

Managers can enhance their communication skills with commitment and practice using a few key strategies that will help determine what, when and how to communicate effectively.

Listening

The most effective leaders know when to stop talking and start listening. This is especially important in three particular situations:

• When emotions are high
• In team situations
• When employees are sharing ideas

First, listening is crucial when emotions are high. Extreme emotions, such as anger, resentment and excitement, warrant attention from a personal and a business standpoint. On a personal level, people feel acknowledged when others validate their feelings. Managers who ignore feelings can create distance between themselves and their employees, eroding the relationship and ultimately affecting the working environment.

From a business perspective, emotions can also interfere with clear thinking. Allowing employees to address their emotions helps them move beyond the situation at hand in an effective way and get back to business. Managers can develop stronger relationships with their employees while enhancing productivity simply by listening to their employees when emotions are high.

The second most important time to listen is in team situations. Team environments can involve multiple personalities, complex dynamics and competing agendas. By listening carefully, managers can ensure that everyone is working toward the same goal. Listening also helps managers identify and address conflicts early, as well as facilitate healthy working relationships among team members.

Third, listening is vital when employees are sharing ideas. When managers stop listening to ideas, employees stop offering them. That means managers are essentially cut off from the creativity and expertise of the people on their team, and leadership becomes an illusion.

In these and almost any situation, the advantages of listening make it worth doing well. The basic fundamentals of good listening include the following:

• Attending closely to what?s being said, not to what you want to say next.
• Allowing others to finish speaking before taking a turn.
• Repeating back what you?ve heard to give the speaker the opportunity to clarify the message.

With these fundamentals, managers can clearly communicate that they care about what the speaker is saying and want to help.

Facilitating

Facilitating communication is more than just listening, and it is more than leading a conversation. Good facilitation is a continuous cycle of three steps:

• Hearing what is said,
• Integrating it into the topic at hand
• Saying something to move the conversation forward

For example, imagine a manager facilitating a meeting in which she and her team are developing goals for the coming year. The conversation might sound something like this:

Manager: As we develop our goals for next year, it?s important that we hear from everyone in the department. What are your ideas?

Employee 1: I think it?s important that we get productivity up. I notice we have a pretty relaxed pace around here, and it gets frustrating when some people are working hard and others seem to be contributing less than others.

Manager: Okay, so we need improved productivity. What would that look like as a goal?

Employee 2: Actually, I think it?s more a matter of setting a higher sales goal than improving productivity in the office. We don?t just need to be busier. We need to get better results.

Manager: I see. So the idea is that we should set higher sales goals for everyone, which would consequently address the productivity issue. Is that right?

Employees: Yes.

Notice in this exchange that the manager took the time to repeat what she heard so that the employees could verify its accuracy. She also integrated each comment into the topic at hand? tying the first employee?s frustration with productivity to the task (goal-setting) and connecting the second employee?s point about sales to the topic on the table (productivity). Even though her employees were giving all of the input, the manager stayed focused on the task of preparing goals and led all comments in that direction.

Questioning

Many leaders need information but aren?t sure how to get it. Similarly, their employees may have information, but don?t know how to impart it. Managers can open the lines of communication by asking good questions. Note that different kinds of questions yield different kinds of results. Here is a short primer on questioning:

• Closed questions: They elicit yes/no answers. These are beneficial when a manager simply needs to check the status of an issue. Has the report been completed? Do you know what to do? Can you get that to me by Friday? These are examples of closed questions that are perfectly appropriate in the right situations.
• Open questions: They elicit longer responses. They are useful almost any time a manager wants more than a yes/no answer?for instance, when seeking input from others, looking for information about a particular topic or exploring a problem. What do you think would be the best way to go about this? How are you doing on that project? What went wrong? These kinds of questions give others the chance to give all of the information they have and to avoid the innumerable consequences that can come when leaders make assumptions without becoming well-informed.
• Personal questions: They have a special role in leadership. Inappropriate personal questions can alienate employees. Asking direct reports if they are dating anyone or why they haven?t bought a house can be perceived as prying, even if the questions are well-intended. Appropriate personal questions, however, can create a sense of camaraderie between employee and boss. Asking whether employees had a nice weekend, inquiring about their families or following up on common interests all help people connect on a personal level. That relationship leads to a greater commitment as well as a more pleasant environment.

Using Discretion

Knowing when not to speak as a leader is just as important as speaking. Managers must understand that the moment they don a new title, they become a leader?one that others look to for guidance, direction and even protection. Good leaders adopt a policy of discretion, if not confidentiality, with their employees. Only then can they develop the trust that is so vital to productivity.

Confidential situations may arise in a number of areas, personal and professional. Here are some topics that may warrant discretion:

• An employee is having a direct conflict with another employee.
• An employee is concerned about another employee?s conduct.
• An employee?s performance has dropped substantially.
• An employee has a health issue or personal problem.
• An employee wants genuine advice on how to excel, but doesn?t want to be seen as cozying up to the boss.

In any of these cases, the employee is facing circumstances that affect him personally and could affect business if not addressed effectively. A manager who invites a confidential conversation could help the employee discuss the situation openly and develop strategies to handle it well. But a manager whose trustworthiness is questionable will undoubtedly scare away any hope for a candid discussion. The consequences could have a bearing on the employee?s ability to perform at his best.

How do managers communicate that they can be trusted? One approach is to tell employees directly that you are always available for private conversations when needed. Managers who do this further assure employees who come to them that the conversation will be kept confidential. Then managers keep that promise. In the end, actions speak louder than words. When managers talk behind their employees? backs, gossip or show favoritism of any kind, employees doubt their discretion and opt to keep their thoughts to themselves. The lines of communication shut down, to the potential detriment of the team.

Directing

Notice that directing comes last on the list of communication strategies. It may not be the least important, but it is definitely one to use less often. Many managers direct their employees because they believe it?s the only way to get things done. It is not. The other forms of communication discussed above?listening, facilitating, questioning, using discretion?can all get employees working more productively in a spirit of cooperation and in a friendlier environment than directing.

But, directing has its place. Directing means to give directions clearly and unequivocally so people know exactly what to do and when. It is best used in times of confusion, or when efficiency is the most important goal. Although it can be effective, directing also can lead to complacency on the part of employees who may adopt an ?I just do what they tell me? attitude. Use it sparingly.

Benefits to Communication

Communication takes effort. But it is effort well-spent given the benefits?a more pleasant, more productive work setting in which everyone feels valued, ideas are shared openly and relationships are characterized by trust.

One last tip: When you practice good communication, notice the effect. The results that come from communicating wisely will be the proof that communication really is the key to good management.

This article was originally published in HR Magazine in January 2005.

About the Author
Joelle K. Jay, PhD, president, Pillar Consulting, helps leaders achieve top performance and business results. Her clients include presidents, vice presidents and C-level executives in Fortune 500 companies. Joelle is the author of The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership. To find out how Joelle can help you reach the next level, visit: www.TheInnerEdge.com.

Source: http://careers.pda.org/2012/08/communicate-well-five-strategies-to-enhance-your-managerial-communication-skills/

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BBC transcript to be used in wake of nuclear attack

Mranger
Offer Upgrade

User ID: 21787217
United Kingdom
08/14/2012 11:53 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright ViolationBBC transcript to be used in wake of nuclear attack [link to news.bbc.co.uk]

This is the Wartime Broadcasting Service. This country has been attacked with
nuclear weapons. Communications have been severely disrupted, and the number of
casualties and the extent of the damage are not yet known. We shall bring you
further information as soon as possible. Meanwhile, stay tuned to this
wavelength, stay calm and stay in your own homes.
Remember there is nothing to be gained by trying to get away. By leaving your
homes you could be exposing yourselves to greater danger.
If you leave, you may find yourself without food, without water, without accommodation and
without protection. Radioactive fall-out, which follows a nuclear explosion, is many
times more dangerous if you are directly exposed to it in the open. Roofs and
walls offer substantial protection. The safest place is indoors.
Make sure gas and other fuel supplies are turned off and that all fires are
extinguished. If mains water is available, this can be used for fire-fighting.
You should also refill all your containers for drinking water after the fires
have been put out, because the mains water supply may not be available for very
long.
Water must not be used for flushing lavatories: until you are told that
lavatories may be used again, other toilet arrangements must be made. Use your
water only for essential drinking and cooking purposes. Water means life. Don't
waste it.
Make your food stocks last: ration your supply, because it may have to last for
14 days or more. If you have fresh food in the house, use this first to avoid
wasting it: food in tins will keep.
If you live in an area where a fall-out warning has been given, stay in your
fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out. When the immediate
danger has passed the sirens will sound a steady note. The "all clear" message
will also be given on this wavelength. If you leave the fall-out room to go to
the lavatory or replenish food or water supplies, do not remain outside the room
for a minute longer than is necessary.
Do not, in any circumstances, go outside the house. Radioactive fall-out can kill. You cannot
see it or feel it, but it is there. If you go outside, you will bring danger to your family and you
may die. Stay in your fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out or you
hear the "all clear" on the sirens.
Here are the main points again:
Stay in your own homes, and if you live in an area where a fall-out warning has
been given stay in your fall-out room, until you are told it is safe to come
out. The message that the immediate danger has passed will be given by the
sirens and repeated on this wavelength. Make sure that the gas and all fuel
supplies are turned off and that all fires are extinguished.
Water must be rationed, and used only for essential drinking and cooking
purposes. It must not be used for flushing lavatories. Ration your food supply:
it may have to last for 14 days or more.
We shall repeat this broadcast in two hours' time. Stay tuned to this
wavelength, but switch your radios off now to save your batteries until we come
on the air again. That is the end of this broadcast.

Lime Flavoured Redux

User ID: 21258803
United Kingdom
08/14/2012 11:56 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright ViolationRe: BBC transcript to be used in wake of nuclear attack

This has been known for years.

Shoot straight Johnny

User ID: 18471974
United Kingdom
08/14/2012 11:57 AM
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Report Copyright ViolationRe: BBC transcript to be used in wake of nuclear attack [link to news.bbc.co.uk]

We shall bring you
further information as soon as possible. Meanwhile, stay tuned to this
wavelength

?Quoting: Mranger

Yeah, they'd still be broadcasting endless episodes of coronation street and jeremy kyle

In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. And the Word Was God.

Anonymous Coward
User ID: 21929971
Canada
08/14/2012 12:03 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright ViolationRe: BBC transcript to be used in wake of nuclear attackGood advice.

Funny they forgot to announce it when we got hit with this stuff last year, from Fukushima. It would have been very helpful.

But I suppose pointing out that the fallout was made of the exact. same. stuff. Would not be in big biz's best interest.
Abd big biz is a major stockholder of the media... And funded both major parties heavily.

There's no country to attack.. Only corporations. Can't have that, or funding gets cut so fast it'll make your head spin. so drink your fallout milk!

Source: http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1957391/pg1

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New England Sports Blog | Expert Patent Lawyer Must Be Effective ...

The clients should not look at a patent attorney just like an ordinary legal expert or counsel. Maybe there are other patent lawyers who are not hardworking but this should not be generalized. It is the client?s responsibility to hire the right patent attorney. The patent lawyer must be ready to take certain actions to be able to rise up to the challenge which is involved in dealing with the Patent Law.

Although the legal structure of the patent industry already contains an established system of order as for application and issuance of patents to individuals and private entities, the underlying conditions which are usually brought about by new trends and the changing climate in the area of intellectual property rights as well as in the trademark sector to name but a few, can become a confusing matter for many lawyers.

The expertise of these legal representatives for patent application and issuance is equated with corresponding patent lawyer fees. The client should then be able to understand the factors behind this including the experience and the amount of effort being such as conducting investigations through previous patent applications and issued patents in order to safely ensure that no violation is being committed.

Source: http://www.nes247.com/expert-patent-lawyer-must-be-effective-in-challenging-environment-of-the-patent-industry/

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Scotland ? Crossing the Borders in Quest of the Bell Clan | Epou

Posted by Eta Phi Sports on Aug 13, 2012 in Downloads | 0 comments

A solitary candle flickers in the topmost window of the stone tower. A faint red glow outlines the distant ridge, silhouetting a bank of horsemen against the sky. They thunder closer, intent on plunder.even murder.

We are at the Tullie House Museum in Carlisle, England viewing a sound and light show depicting a typical border raid by the reivers, or plunderers, the nighttime guerrilla action that occurred from the 12th through the mid-17th centuries. Sometimes the conflict was between neighboring clans; at other times, Scottish riding clans joined forces with their bitter enemies to repel English occupation.

The theater lights rise, illuminating the audience, and we note that the sign-in book is dominated by the signatures of visitors whose surnames are identical to those of the major players in the Anglo-Scottish border feuds that transformed law-abiding citizens by day into terrorists by night.

So it is that my husband, Boyd, and I discover we are not the only ones on a foray into the past. our geographical destination is the area known as the Borders: the chunk of much-fought-over land defined loosely by Carlisle on the south; Berwick, England, on the northeast and Dalkeith, Scotland (just south of Edinburgh), on the north. it is countryside once roamed by my forefathers, the Bells and the Maxwells. Not atypical Scottish border families, they were among the ruffians and cattle rustlers who, in the 17th century, were exiled by the British government to Northern Ireland.

A generation or so later, these tough and resolute people with strong clan loyalties sought their fortunes in North America, in my case on the Pennsylvania frontier. American history books identify these immigrants as the Scotch-Irish. Fittingly, one of their descendants, Neil Armstrong, was the first man on the moon. while probing my family?s gnarled roots, we will view the storybook world they left behind along with their fears.

Having vicariously experienced a typical border raid, Boyd and I wander across the street to explore Carlisle Castle, built by the Normans in 1092, and the nearby Carlisle Cathedral, notable for its medieval carvings, stained-glass windows and the altar where Sir Walter Scott was married in 1797.

Holding even greater fascination for us, Carlisle is headquarters for tours to Hadrian?s Wall. the taxi driver at the head of the cue turns out to be an expert on the local history. He provides us with detailed maps to peruse throughout his informative narration. from Solway Firth on the west to the River Tyne on the east, he tells us, the 73-mile stone wall was built between 122-128 A.D. by Roman emperor Hadrian to protect Roman Britain from northern tribes. it tumbles across land at once desolate and felicitous. Except for mournful cries of curlews and relentless winds that whip across this archaeological treasure, the surrounding moors are mute.

Hadrian?s Wall marches through fresh, rugged countryside, bounded on the north by forests, parkland and barren crags rising nearly 2,000 feet. To its south, the Cumberland Plain is dotted with grazing sheep, Roman ruins, ancient castles, and crumbling abbeys where monks once mass-produced beautiful wools for local use and export. Naworth, Featherstone, Corby, Toppin and Bellister castles lie along a 10-mile stretch parallel to the wall. Casual hikers and serious backpackers dot the roadsides, fortified with sturdy walking sticks, binoculars, and rain gear.

Nearly 2,000 years after the Romans left, their preserved forts and signal towers attest to their engineering skills. at each major excavation, a small museum houses relics revealing how the ingenious Romans made themselves at home in a harsh land. They constructed comfortable barracks, hospitals, granaries, shops, inns, bath houses and latrines. with so many examples of technology lying about, historians wonder why the barbaric natives learned nothing from their progressive conquerors and continued to live in primitive fashion for centuries afterward. our driver waits patiently while we study the exhibits and purchase booklets to read back home.

After capturing camera shots all the more photogenic for the brilliant blue sky dappled with cottony clouds, we return to Carlisle and catch the next train to rendezvous with our genealogist-hostess, May McKerrill. we learn in advance from others who have enjoyed her hospitality that she should be addressed formally as the Lady Hillhouse (pronounced Hill?-iss), and her Scottish chieftain husband, Charles, may be referred to as Sir Charles, or Lord Hillhouse.

The train rockets north from Carlisle past Gretna into Scotland. the countryside is a quilt of grassy mounds speckled with grazing sheep, accented by rough hedges, meandering streams, stone fences and whitewashed cottages of bygone ages.

Minutes later, we detrain in Lockerbie. Except for the stationmaster, we are alone. the late afternoon solitude is heightened by the adjacent barren hillock, site of the 1988 Pan am explosion. Momentarily, a Renault station wagon pulls up, the driver clad in trousers of the McKerrill clan?s blue tartan Introductions aside, Sir Charles loads us and our luggage into his car for the 10-minute ride west to Lochmaben. on the way, he takes a brief detour to point out Remembrance Garden, Lockerbie?s most visited spot, dedicated to the Pan am victims.

Our road parallels a hiker-friendly dismantled railroad track leading from Lockerbie to
Lochmaben, five miles to the west. Beyond the village green overlooking quaint brick and stone cottages, Lochmaben Castle ? site of the boyhood home of Scottish King Robert the Bruce, who won his country?s independence from England ? lies in ruins.

Taking a cue from other Borders aristocrats bent on weathering a depressed British economy, May and Sir Charles welcome guests into Magdalene House, their solid brick dwelling named for the village?s patron saint. the cellars of the house date back to the 14th century. first occupied by priests serving the now-deserted adjacent Roman Catholic church, it became a Presbyterian manse after the Reformation. Resplendent with McKerrill heirlooms, Magdalene House warmly embraces guests eager to plumb their past. Beyond the entry hall?s circular stairway, a parlor opens onto a walled garden abutting the church graveyard. Caressed by sunshine, its lush plantings offer food for thought over a steaming pot of Earl Grey tea.

At 7:30 each evening, May serves dinner in the stately dining room, its walls lavish with red velvet flocking. Candlelight romanticizes massive gilt-framed portraits of the past lords Hillhouse ? all clad in the clan?s distinctive blue tartan ? and their elegant ladies.

Magdalene House is large enough to serve several parties of ancestor seekers, yet small enough to be comfortable for all guests eager to join May on her daily treks. Mornings at nine sharp, sated by a hearty English breakfast, guests scramble into May?s station wagon for an excursion through villages and pastures dotted with ruined castles and towers marking ancient clan and family sites.

Genealogy is taken seriously here. Residents of ancestral farmhouses and towers throughout the area can recite their clan lineage by heart. Voluminous church records confirm their accuracy. May has studied the history of each clan and freely recites facts, figures, and lore. She says that my Bells are among the most visible of the Borders families, with their shield of three bells still to be seen etched on gravestones and above numerous doorways throughout the area.

Our Bell country encounter begins the moment May hustles us into her car for a short drive to Dumfries, the royal burgh and commercial headquarters of Dumfriesshire where, in 1306, Robert the Bruce slew Red Comyn and declared himself King of Scotland. this was the last home of poet Robert Burns. He died in Burns House in 1796 and is buried in the family mausoleum in St. Michael?s churchyard just across the road.

Today, Burns House is a museum offering a film about Burns? life, portraits of his family members, and original copies of his writings penned in his hand. after perusing its relics, we contemplate more history at the old Bridge House museum on the River Nith. directly across the water is the village of Maxwell Town, made famous by the song dedicated to one of Burns? loves, Annie Laurie.

Later, from high within a refurbished windmill, the Burgh Museum, we view the red sandstone buildings and vast expanses of parkland that comprise the town of Dumfries. little has changed since my ancestors made their way through these thriving, narrow streets by foot or cart, except for a huge Safeway market that anchors the main shopping mall on the edge of town.

On the road once again, we glimpse frequent ruined towers and thick forests as we motor eastward. Beyond Lockerbie, May abandons the modern speedway for back roads that meander through tiny settlements at Nithsdale and Annandale to an ancient church dominating the village of Middlebie.

The raincoats and boots we packed reluctantly prove their worth as we slog through tall grass beaded with raindrops to inspect the cemetery thick with Bell gravestones. Despite erosion and chipping, the etchings of three bells are distinct on each. the cold, steady rain slackens to a drizzle as we press on to two Bell homes dating to the 14th century. A direct view of the prosperous horse farm at Bankshill is blocked by a high knoll; the next house is secluded beyond a narrow lane and a wobbly plank bridge spanning a deep gorge and waterfall.

Our camera clicks steadily and I quickly fill the pages of my notebook as May chauffeurs us over the scenic hills and dales, once vast battlefields on which my ancestors fought to defend their lands from other riding clans and the English. as we drive, May recounts tales of local intrigue, none more stirring than that of fair Helen Irving of Kirkconnel, whose brief life was bitterly entwined with my Bell line. the daughter of an early 16th century local land baron, Helen was hailed as the loveliest girl in Scotland. When her parents offered her hand to handsome, wealthy Richard Bell, heir to Blacket House, everyone declared it a perfect match.

Helen, however, had a secret love, Adam Fleming. Aided by an understanding servant, the sweethearts met secretly until the fateful evening when Bell materialized from the shadows bearing a crossbow. at the moment he aimed, Helen threw herself between the two men.

As Helen lay dying, Fleming chased his rival to the banks of the River Kirtle and pierced him with a sword. Fleming fled to France, but could not dismiss Helen?s ghostly cry. Heartbroken, he returned to die draped across her grave and was buried beside her. the tragic event was later recounted in a poem by Sir Walter Scott.

After Bell?s death, Blacket House was passed down to subsequent generations, but not without angst. every resident since has reported the presence of Richard?s evil ghost, which is generally credited with orchestrating family misfortune, from lost love to financial failure. Today, Blacket House is recognized as the Bell family seat because it was the home of the clan?s last recognized chief, William (Redcloak) Bell. Near the village of Eaglesfield, the tower is all that remains of the original L-shaped Blacket House. Situated on 13 acres of lawn, garden, and woodland bounded on the east by the River Kirtle, the surviving tower stretches to four floors, its walls and stairs intact, its topmost window an ideal lookout.

Later, warmed by May?s dinner of local roast lamb, herbed vegetables and lemon pudding, we anticipate a restful sleep. Because Scottish nights are notably damp and brisk, we close our bedroom windows and avoid lighting the gas heater. Snuggled beneath the down quilt, I nod off, unaware that Boyd?s fresh-air fanaticism is at work.

Halfway into a dream, I hear a crash. Then a faint cry for help.

Still groggy, I follow the voice into the bathroom. Boyd is standing spread-eagle on the windowsill. How did he get there, I wonder, and why is he gripping the upper half of the window?

Moments later I grasp the full picture: overheated by the heavy quilt, he climbed out of bed to open the window less apt to funnel a draft on our heads. as he lifted the sash, the upper half of the casement fell parallel to the lower, wedging his fingers between. (We later learn that this style of vertical sliding sash and case window operated by pulleys and weights was first installed in Scottish houses in the late seventeenth century; we suspect that the errant window has received no maintenance since then.)

Help arrives promptly in the form of our vigilant hosts, who pry the heavy frame off Boyd?s fingers.

Sir Charles surveys the window, shaking his head. I can?t imagine why the pulley broke, he mutters, jaw clenched.

As May speaks, I notice that the color has drained from her face. It?s the Bell ghost He must have been watching from the tower. He does mischief to declare himself the last proven chief of the Bell clan.

Boyd and I exchange glances. Who are we to dispute Scottish ken?

Source: http://epou.net/?p=58466

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Video: Nanny State in the Making?

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

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/48664934/

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Research raises doubts about whether modern humans and Neanderthals interbred

ScienceDaily (Aug. 13, 2012) ? New research raises questions about the theory that modern humans and Neanderthals at some point interbred, known as hybridisation. The findings of a study by researchers at the University of Cambridge suggest that common ancestry, not hybridisation, better explains the average 1-4 per cent DNA that those of European and Asian descent (Eurasians) share with Neanderthals.

The study was published Aug. 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In the last two years, a number of studies have suggested that modern humans and Neanderthals had at some point interbred. Genetic evidence shows that on average Eurasians and Neanderthals share between 1-4 per cent of their DNA. In contrast, Africans have almost none of the Neanderthal genome. The previous studies concluded that these differences could be explained by hybridisation which occurred as modern humans exited Africa and bred with the Neanderthals who already inhabited Europe.

However, a new study funded by the BBSRC and the Leverhulme Trust has provided an alternative explanation for the genetic similarities. The scientists found that common ancestry, without any hybridisation, explains the genetic similarities between Neanderthals and modern humans. In other words, the DNA that Neanderthal and modern humans share can all be attributed to their common origin, without any recent influx of Neanderthal DNA into modern humans.

Dr Andrea Manica, from the University of Cambridge, who led the study said: "Our work shows clearly that the patterns currently seen in the Neanderthal genome are not exceptional, and are in line with our expectations of what we would see without hybridisation. So, if any hybridisation happened -- it's difficult to conclusively prove it never happened -- then it would have been minimal and much less than what people are claiming now."

Neanderthals and modern humans once shared a common ancestor who is thought to have spanned Africa and Europe about half a million years ago. Just as there are very different populations across Europe today, populations of that common ancestor would not have been completely mixed across continents, but rather closer populations would have been more genetically similar to each other than populations further apart. (There is extensive genetic and archaeological evidence that population in Africa were 'structured'; in other words, different populations in Africa only had limited exchange through migration, allowing them to remain distinct from each other both in terms of genetics and morphology.)

Then, about 350-300 thousand years ago, the European range and the African range became separated. The European range evolved into Neanderthal, the African range eventually turned into modern humans. However, because the populations within each continent were not freely mixing, the DNA of the modern human population in Africa that were ancestrally closer to Europe would have retained more of the ancestral DNA (specifically, genetic variants) that is also shared with Neanderthals.

On this basis, the scientists created a model to determine whether the differences in genetic similarities with Neanderthal among modern human populations, which had been attributed to hybridisation, could be down to the proximity of modern humans in northern Africa (who would have later gone on to populate Europe) to Neanderthals.

By examining the different genetic makeup among modern human populations, the scientists' model was able to infer how much genetic similarity there would have been between distinct populations within a continent. The researchers then simulated a large number of populations representing Africa and Eurasia over the last half a million years, and estimated how much similarity would be expected between a random Neanderthal individual and modern humans in Africa and Eurasia.

The scientists concluded that when modern humans expanded out of Africa 60-70K years ago, they would have brought out that additional genetic similarity with them, making Europeans and Asians more similar to Neanderthals than Africans are on average -- undermining the theory that hybridization, and not common ancestry, explained these differences.

Dr Manica added: "Thus, based on common ancestry and geographic differences among populations within each continent, we would predict out of Africa populations to be more similar to Neanderthals than their African counterparts -- exactly the patterns that were observed when the Neanderthal genome was sequenced; but this pattern was attributed to hybridisation. Hopefully, everyone will become more cautious before invoking hybridisation, and start taking into account that ancient populations differed from each other probably as much as modern populations do."

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Graham W. Prescott, David R. Williams, Andrew Balmford, Rhys E. Green, and Andrea Manica. Reply to Lima-Ribeiro et al.: Human arrival scenarios have little influence on interpretations of late Quaternary extinctions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1208586109

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/strange_science/~3/inzhNaARzaA/120813155521.htm

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?In Defense of Single Motherhood? ? Family Scholars

The writer Katie Roiphe is an affluent?Manhattan?professional who has two young children by two different fathers, neither of whom she lives with.??Which situation ?apparently puts her in mind of the need to point out to the rest of us that being a single mother by choice is really, really, really OK.

More than OK, in fact ?for Roiphe and her?children, according to Roiphe, it?s terrific!? Her home is ?messy, bohemian, warm.?? Her kids are great, cute, smart, lovable.? She has plenty of money. All?is well with her two ex?s, and the children don?t mind at all!??About the only thing she can think of that?s wrong, when it comes to her kids, is that they and others like them are ?oppressed? by the crummy, mean-spirited, moralizing idea out there in repression-land of ?the way familes are ?supposed to be.??? (You know, like, there is ?supposed to be? a father in the home.)??But other than that, ?everything is just great for her and hers, in a warm, bohemian?kind of way.

Yes, Roiphe?is aware that there are ?studies?? (the scare-quotes are hers) out there?purporting to?document?the problems that?children?from mother-headed households in the U.S.?tend disproportionately to experience, but Roiphe is ?not a huge believer? in these studies.? She?feels the need to?remind us that real life?can be?very very very complicated, contradictory, and messy (and?of course sometimes warm and bohemian) ? which is something that the??studies??fail to appreciate, in her view.? Sara McLanahan, call your?office!? (Funny aside: I know Sara McLanahan, and she herself was a single mother for more?years than (I think) Roiphie, to date, has been. But I digress.)

Her other beef against the ?studies??produced by McLanahan and her ilk?is that they show unpleasant correlations between one-parent homes on the one hand?and poverty and? instability for children?on the other.? But Roiphe feels the need to remind us that, if you just use your imagination take away the poverty and instability parts (either by saying that?society should give?single moms?money?or other stuff, or by?stipulating a home that is warm and bohemian instead of unstable) then everything is suddenly?fine, just like it is for the Roiphes!

She wraps up her reflections by reminding us (lest we fall into the error of believing otherwise) that no family form?is perfect; that a wedding ring on a mother?s finger is no guarantee that everything will turn out well for the kids; that what kind of mother?a woman?is, is?more important than who she?s sleeping with; that in this crazy world?lots of things happen or don?t happen due?to luck and accident; that helping single moms?is good and moralizing about them?is?not much to their liking; and that anway, the?real problem out there, in case we didn?t know, is economic inequality and injustice.

I apologize if my description of this essay sound patronizing and disdainful.? Read the thing yourself and see what you think.? But?I am disdainful.? I have rarely?encountered in one short essay such a mixture of?banality, self-congratulation, and?class arrogance, all?presented in a virtually fact-free flow.

Categories: Children of Divorce

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Source: http://familyscholars.org/2012/08/12/in-defense-of-single-motherhood/

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Barnes & Noble cuts prices across its Nook lineup, vies for your budget tablet affection

In what could be seen as a response to the positive reaction that Google's $200 Nexus 7 has garnered, Barnes & Noble has just cut down the prices on all three of its Android-based, seven-inch Nook Tablets. The 16 and 8GB models have been respectively reduced to $199 (from $249) and $179 (from $199), while the Nook Color is priced 20 bones cheaper than before at $149. Not sure whether those prices too good to be true, even up against the likes of the Kindle Fire? Feel free to peruse our reviews of B&N's reading-focused slates before potentially taking the plunge at its webstore.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Barnes & Noble cuts prices across its Nook lineup, vies for your budget tablet affection originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Barnes & Noble  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/mwMVi_iMD_g/

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Probate Arizona real estate Investing: Insider-Secret Arizona real ...

Phoenix, Scottsdale and Arizona Foreclosures

This entry was posted in Real Estate Cap Rate and tagged decedent, heirs, holdings, investor, mortgage, process, property, real, real estate cap rate, simon, time. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://toparizonarealestatedealsblog.com/2012/08/probate-arizona-real-estate-investing-insider-secret-arizona-real-estate-investment-strategy-137/

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New robot crawls like an earthworm

12 hrs.

Megan Gannon , LiveScience

Dubbed the "Meshworm," a new bio-inspired robot stretches and contracts to crawl across the ground like an earthworm. But unlike its living, breathing counterpart, this artificial creature is durable enough to survive being bludgeoned by a hammer.

"You can throw it, and it won't collapse. Most mechanical parts are rigid and fragile at small scale, but the parts in Meshworms are all fibrous and flexible," said mechanical engineering researcher Sangbae Kim in a statement from MIT. "The muscles are soft, and the body is soft ? we're starting to show some body-morphing capability."

Earthworms have two muscle groups in their bodies that work together to help it move on the ground. Circular muscle fibers that wrap around the worm's tubular body move it forward and muscle fibers that run along the worm's length move it right and left.

The researchers tried to imitate this structure for their robot. They made a long tube-like body with a sheet of flexible polymer mesh and created artificial muscles with a nickel-titanium alloy. Like the earthworm's muscles, some of these metal wires were coiled around the robot while others spanned its body from front to back, the statement from MIT said. [See Earthworm-Robot Video]

A small battery and circuit board was added to the tube to produce a current to heat the wires at certain segments along the body. Heat causes the "muscles" to contract and the researchers developed algorithms to control the wires' heating and cooling, directing different patterns of movement.

Though small, the Meshworm is durable. The robot squirmed away unscathed after being stepped on, thrown and hit with a hammer, the researchers said. They believe soft robots like the Meshworm might be able to explore tight spaces and travel easily over bumpy terrain. The model could even have applications in electronics, endoscopes, implants and prosthetics.

"Even though the robot?s body is much simpler than a real worm ? it has only a few segments ? it appears to have quite impressive performance," Kellar Autumn, of Lewis and Clark College, said in the statement from MIT. "I predict that in the next decade we will see shape-changing artificial muscles in many products, such as mobile phones, portable computers and automobiles."

Details of the design were published in the journal Transactions on Mechatronics.

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

Source: http://www.futureoftech.msnbc.msn.com/technology/futureoftech/new-robot-crawls-earthworm-937407

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The Benefits of Social Media Make You The Future of Retail Sales ...

Online shopping has become second nature to most of us. We know which sites we want to buy from, which products we prefer to get online. We?re used to getting packages from Amazon or eBay and disposing of the cardboard and plastic packaging has become second nature.

We?ve even started to develop our own patterns for planning our online shopping trips. We use the sharing benefits of social media to research what people have said about the products we?re interested in. Sometimes we?ll ask our friends and followers which product they would suggest we buy. The ability to ask these questions is often held up as the main benefit of social media. A whole community of opinions at your fingertips.

This year two new companies have appeared who aim to leverage the benefits of social media for retailers. Needle and WaJam hope to revolutionize the online sales process, by putting the power in the hands of you, the general public. It?s the natural evolution of an ecommerce industry that?s always been trying to get you into the conversation.

The Benefits of Social Media and Online Shopping

As far back as 1995, ecommerce sites tried to leverage the online community of opinions and the future benefits of social media. eBay started out as an auction site that has moved towards retail transactions over the years, but their ?Feedback? system has remained. The system displays the opinions of previous buyers of a product on the seller?s profile, allowing you to make a more informed choice. Amazon and other retail sites followed suit and customer reviews are now a fixture of most ecommerce sites.

Meanwhile, we were still asking people on forums and chatrooms about products we wanted to buy. When Facebook, MySpace and Twitter came along and brought the benefits of social media sharing, this community of opinions reached the next level. No longer were you relying on the opinions of a stranger with no reason to be honest. Now you could get the opinions of your friends.

WaJam and Needle Build on the Shopping Benefits of Social Media

These are the shopping benefits of social media that WaJam wants to take even further. On the surface, WaJam is a shopping comparison site. But the twist is that the comparisons it gives you include any comments, tweets or user reviews your friends have posted through social media. It?s like having your friends with you while you choose what to buy.

You can choose which opinions to read and make sure you?re totally informed before you buy. We?ve always sought the shopping benefits of social media interaction, now WaJam makes that process even easier. Because who?s better qualified than someone who knows the product already?

Another new business, Needle, take on that question to provide an alternative social shopping experience. The ability to connect with anyone around the world is one of the main benefits of social media. Needle seeks to bring together that ability and the expertise of people who know products. Needle is all about connecting fans of products with potential customers. They provide live chat on retail sites, where you can talk directly to ?Needlers?. These ?Needlers? are fans of products who can offer customers an informed opinion on what they want to buy.

The benefits of social media don?t stop at the social networks themselves. They provide indications and learning that can be used to create new ideas that make all of our lives easier. With developments towards further interaction and ?social? shopping like WaJam and Needle; these changes could lead to a totally new group of online sales staff. You, me and everyone we know.

You have a solid, simply designed and easy to understand website, now all you need is to attract more visitors. A high-quality digital marketing strategy can do this for you.To help you understand the many benefits of digital marketing, we have created a white paper detailing its various forms including social media. Click here to download.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/social-media/the-benefits-of-social-media-make-you-the-future-of-retail-sales-staff-0247822

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'Bourne Legacy' tops box office with $40.3 million

By Lisa Richwine and Andrea Burzynski, Reuters

LOS ANGELES?Action movie "The Bourne Legacy," with new star Jeremy Renner, raced to the No. 1 spot on U.S. and Canadian box office charts with an estimated $40.3 million in ticket sales over the weekend.

Universal Studios

Jeremy Renner in "The Bourne Legacy."

New adult comedy "The Campaign" debuted in second place, winning $27.4 million at domestic theaters. The two new movies knocked three-time box office champion "The Dark Knight Rises" to third place.

"Bourne Legacy" is the fourth movie in the spy franchise that previously starred Matt Damon and has grossed nearly $1 billion around the world. Damon played a CIA assassin with memory loss who tried to discover his true identity while evading the CIA's attempts to kill him.

Universal cast Renner in the new movie in an effort to reboot the series for future sequels. Renner plays agent Aaron Cross, who tries to escape his CIA pursuers with the help of genetic scientist Marta Shearing, played by Rachel Weisz.

Universal and privately held Relativity Media produced "Bourne Legacy" for about $125 million. Opening weekend sales beat Universal's projections for a $35 million debut.

Nikki Rocco, Universal Pictures' president of domestic distribution, said the film performed as expected, and that the studio was happy with its opening weekend.

"It's a validation, it's a successful rebooting of the franchise," she said, adding that it gives Universal an opportunity to continue the Bourne saga.

"The Bourne Legacy" nabbed $48.1 million worldwide over the weekend, bringing its global total to $88.4 million.

"The Campaign" also exceeded pre-weekend forecasts, which had the film debuting with around $20 million. The movie stars Will Ferrell and Zack Galifianakis as two candidates facing off against each other in a race for U.S. Congress.

Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros., said the political comedy played especially well in Washington and Boston as the U.S. presidential campaign gets into full swing.

"We think that the real campaign will add to our 'Campaign'," he said.

"Dark Knight Rises," the final movie in a Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale, took in $19.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters over the weekend. The blockbuster has grossed over $390 million in the U.S. and Canada since its July 20 debut.

"Hope Springs," a new romantic comedy/drama, finished the weekend in the No. 4 spot with $15.6 million. The film stars Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones as an aging couple trying to bring a spark back to their marriage.

"Hope DOES spring," said Rory Bruer, president of distribution at Sony, who expects the film to continue to play well among older audiences.

In fifth place, family film "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" earned $8.2 million during its second weekend in theaters.

Despite doing well overseas, science-fiction reboot "Total Recall" took in a meager $8.1 million its second weekend, taking a tumble from its tepid $26 million opening.

Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures released "Bourne Legacy." "The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Campaign" were distributed by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc.. Sony Corp's film studio released "Hope Springs," and News Corp's 20th Century Fox studio distributed "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."

Related content:

Source: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/12/13244088-bourne-legacy-tops-box-office-with-403-million?lite

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Snapshot of a Graduate: Katlyn Rosenbauer | Keuka College News

Published August 10, 2012 at 12:15 pm in Academic News, Points of Pride by Rachel E. Dewey.

Where can a Keuka degree take you? This is the 10th in a series of snapshot profiles on members of Keuka?s Class of 2012.

Bloomfield resident Katlyn Rosenbauer

Katlyn Rosenbauer ?12 graduated magna cum laude in May with a degree in unified childhood and special education with an emphasis in child and family studies.

The Bloomfield resident credited personal and professional connections made with Keuka faculty, staff and Field Period internship supervisors for molding her into the educator she is today. According to Rosenbauer, her student teaching ?sponsor?, Kelly Donlon, a first-grade teacher in the Prattsburgh Central School District, gave her a great reference and suggested to the director of Childtime Learning centers in Penfield, N.Y. that Rosenbauer would be a good fit for a job there. While Rosenbauer has been teaching summer curriculum to school-age children at the Penfield center, she?ll become the lead teacher for preschoolers in a few weeks.

?In such a tough job market, having an impressive resume with experience really does put you one-up on everyone else applying for those same jobs post-graduation. That?s where Field Periods come into play,? Rosenbauer said, referring to Keuka?s annual internship program, which provides 140 hours of work experience or exploration each year. ?I got this job before graduating which is a great feeling considering the teaching job opportunities in New York state are scarce.?

According to Rosenbauer, Keuka?s ?small-school family atmosphere has truly shaped me as a professional. From the amazing education department to Field Periods to the personal connections you make, Keuka has definitely prepared me for the real world.?

To explore what might be in your future with a Keuka degree, request more information

Source: http://news.keuka.edu/academics/snapshot-of-a-graduate-katlyn-rosenbauer

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Interested in learning self hypnosis? - Washington City Paper ...

Interested in learning self hypnosis?

posted 08/10/2012

I've been practicing and teaching self-hypnosis for more than five years. Think of it as meditation with visualization to manage stress and inspire creativity.
I would like to increase my reputation in the area and am interested in sharing self-hypnosis with you and your friends -- free of charge. All I ask is that if you like the experience you'll serve as a reference and refer me to others.
The session is easy to organize, fun and entertaining!
To learn more, check out my blog at: http://hypnoticfun.blogspot.com/
I'm self taught and, as such, do NOT practice any type of hypnotherapy (i.e. quit smoking, lose weight, etc.). I take a not so serious approach to hypnosis to entertain and help people manage stress.

Source: http://classifieds.washingtoncitypaper.com/washington/ViewAd?oid=oid:1462823

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Solid Advice For Making Your Outside Yard Look Nice! | Fotografi ...

Posted by megesa93 on Aug 10th, 2012 | Comments Off

When looking for wise home improvement projects to undertake, consider adding a dedicated space for computer networking equipment. The electronic needs of the modern home are always growing. A clean, dry, well air-conditioned space, with easy access to electrical power and network wiring, will give current and future owners, a convenient hub for electronics wired throughout the house.

If your bedroom is looking a little old and worn out, you can put new curtains up to add a splash of color and to bring a touch of freshness into your bedroom. New curtains are a cheap way to bring your room back to life with color and life.

Make sure to clear your gutters from leaves and debris in the fall. The combination of being clogged with leaves and freezing water can cause damage to your home and actually cause basement leaking. Since it is not something you see everyday as a reminder, make a note on your ?to do? list as soon as leaves start to fall.

Re-finish your hardwood floors to increase the value of your home. Re-finishing floors is a big job, but it is not a very difficult one. Instructional classes can often be found at your local hardware store, as can the equipment you will need to rent. The project can save you thousands of dollars, over the cost of a new floor.

Consider the value that you are adding to the home through home improvement projects. You want to make sure that what you add to the home or change in the home is going to present an investment that pays off if you sell the home. You want to add value to the home, not take it away.

Are you trying to decide if vinyl siding would be a great home improvement project? If you are looking for improvements where you can recoup most of your investment when you sell your home, then vinyl siding replacement can be a good choice. On average, homeowners usually recoup about 80 percent of the costs spent on this project.

Home improvement projects that involve changes to the plumbing can sometimes take unexpectedly longer. There are many instances where plumbing changes may require an extensive re-routing that was not identified during the planning phases. You can however plan for these uncertainties ahead of time by purchasing drinking water and making arrangements with neighbors to use their showers and toilets.

Don?t ignore local characteristics when adding improvements. A pool is perfect in Miami, but not so much in Vermont. A beach house with a deck works well in southern California, but the winds at the beach in Hyannis, Massachusetts would blow away every last deck chair. Features that are not usable in your area?s climate will add no value to your home.

Before using your kitchen cabinet drawers to put your utensils and other things in, consider a solution to keep them clean. A lot of discount and dollar stores sell vinyl wallpaper that has an adhesive back. Cut a piece of the adhesive wallpaper to fit your drawer, then peel off the backing and adhere. Taking this step will prevent your drawers from getting damaged and the wallpaper can be easily peeled off and replaced.

Installing new shelves in a garage or other area can give one much more space to store whatever they choose while also clearing space off the ground. This will open up the walking areas of the room and also make things look more organized. Shelves can be used for home improvement needs.

Add a bit more swing to your home run swings when playing baseball, by putting a little uppercut into them. When it?s a higher pitch, add a bit of a slight uppercut to your swing to really send that ball flying. That kind of swing relies more on powerful hip and midsection muscles to be successful, so you also get a great workout.

Whenever you are taking on a home improvement project in the bathroom or the kitchen, be sure to turn off the water first. Any time you work near water pipes, an accident can happen resulting in a leak. You want to take steps to minimize the damage so that you do not end up with a flooded room. Be sure to know where your water shutoff valves are, and turn the water off before beginning your work.

Try laying down a new driveway outside your home. By improving the exterior of your home, you can make it look great outside and possibly increase its value. Choose a material which suits your home; there is concrete, clay tile, tarmac, natural stone, and brick that you can use. Get a professional to lay it down properly.

Home improvement costs often skyrocket when homeowners fail to take un-livability into consideration when scheduling an intensive remodel. If you can?t cook in your kitchen or bath in your bathroom, you will end up eating out a lot and possibly staying in a hotel for a few nights. These costs add up quickly if you weren?t expecting them. Add another line to your budget for food and lodging if necessary.

It?s important to have the proper information before attempting to tackle a home improvement endeavor. If you mess up, it could seriously cost you. Now, however, you have lots of information on how to succeed at modifying your home to suit your needs. Soon enough, you will be able to feel proud of your newly-renovated house.

Eleanor Apicella does have a column on the subject of Door Knobs

Source: http://www.fotografiponsel.com/solid-advice-for-making-your-outside-yard-look-nice/

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Candida diet, whole foods, sugar-free, vegan Wellness Weekend ...

?

Welcome to this week?s Wellness Weekend! Thanks for joining in and sharing all your healthy, sugar-free and vegan recipes.? I love seeing what you whip up each week!

As usual, there were loads of fabulous dishes linked in last week?s event. I think I need to take a week off so I can try all the things I?d love to make.?

And wow?so many Newsy tidbits! I think this is the ?Week of the Giveaway? in blog land. So let?s get right to it, shall we?

Newsy Tidbits:

?

Simply Gluten-Free Magazine is here! Some of you may have seen my tweets or Facebook posts about this gorgeous new magazine by Carol Kicinski, the voice (and creative power) behind the blog of the same name. This high-quality print (with an online version as well) magazine will feature an abundance of recipes for gluten-free, allergy-friendlydiets plus tips for travel, the home, and more.? And for those who are wondering, yes, there will be an entire section devoted to vegan recipes as well--edited byYours Truly!! Read the full press release here and visit the official website here.?

?

?

Do you have a blog linky event, giveaway or other event you?d like me to mention? Send me an email with the details and I?ll include a few each week (depending on how many requests I get, I may not be able to include them all).

PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR GIVEAWAYS OR CONTESTS TO THE LINKYS BELOW?THEY ARE FOR RECIPES ONLY. I will list the events under ?Newsy Tidbits? for you if you send me an email.

And now for this week?s picks! Here are some recipes that all feature no added fat or lower fat:

And This Week?s Readers? Choices:

Thank you to every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week. I always look forward to seeing what you?ll come up with.

Please join us for Wellness Weekend this week! There are so many options for healthy foods. . . whether or not you?re vegan, remember that many salads, veggie side dishes, pasta dishes, desserts, smoothies, and more are naturally vegan and can all be included.

Here?s How to Participate:

The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until the following Monday at midnight.

1. Simply link up a recipe you made (and posted about) that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). You may link up older posts from your archives as long as they contain a link to this post. Please do not link more than once to the same page from your blog.
2. Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog?s home page or another event page. The post must contain a recipe.
3. You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL FROM EACH BLOG POST, PLEASE. If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
4. Please be sure to mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
5. Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page?if you need the html code, let me know and I?ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!

What your recipe CAN contain:

• Any good-for-you, whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or ?functional foods? (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities?such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)?but any fresh, real food is welcome! Items like vegan protein powder, grain or bean flours, or coconut milk are fine even though they are technically ?processed.?
• Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
• Vegan ingredients (even if you?re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You?ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter?include vegan options and we?re good to go!).
• Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT. Any real food ingredients that are sugar-free and vegan are more than welcome?so use that maple syrup, those mushrooms, that nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I?m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.

What your recipe cannot contain:

• White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
• Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, faux ?cheese,? faux ?meat,? or margarine, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.);
• Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey).

?Hey! Why was my entry removed??

I will reluctantly remove any links that don?t comply. I apologize, but I will no longer be able to leave a comment telling you that I?ve removed a non-compliant link.

• The most common reason entries are removed is because they don?t adhere to the guidelines: either they don?t contain a link back to this post, they contain ingredients that aren?t listed here, they link to another blog event, or they contain neither a recipe nor anything directly related to food preparation. If you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go! For older posts, you?re welcome to re-post them during the week of the event, or choose a newer recipe.
• Another reason posts are removed is because the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please do NOT link up posts that are merely referrals to a different post or the home page for another blog event.
• I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES BEFORE POSTING!

And n0w. . . what have you been cooking up lately? Please share!

Never miss a recipe?or a comment from The Girls! Click here to subscribe to Diet, Dessert and Dogs via email. (?We love subscribers, Mum. . . almost as much as treats!?)

Source: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/08/09/wellness-weekend-august-9-13-2012/

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Recreation and Sports Business: How to Choose High-Quality - Yes

If you are an experienced outdoorsperson, you must be familiar with various types of survival and hunting knives. If you are not very experienced yet, you have to learn about those knives because they are your most important tools when you are exploring wildernesses or doing any other outdoor activities. Knives help you overcome most obstacles that you will encounter during your journey. They cut spiky branches and creeping vines and they help you make additional tools for hunting and exploration, such as wooden spear or stick. With those knives in your inventory, you will least likely experience any problem when you do outdoor activities.

If you want to buy survival and hunting knives, there are several factors that you should take into consideration so that you can make sure that the knives that you buy are high-quality knives. The first factor is the brand name of those knives. If you don?t really know how to determine the quality of a knife, you can simply buy a knife that are manufactured by well-known manufacturer. Buying DLT Trading knives is a good option in this case because the manufacturer of those knives is well-known among outdoorsmen. The second factor to consider is the strength level of those knives. If the knife that you use is unable to cut wood, bamboo and even such hard materials as metal wires and pipes easily, you should not choose it because it won?t become a reliable knife for hunting and survival. The third factor to consider is the ease of use of those knives. Sometimes you need to swing your knife swiftly when you are in open-air. If your knife is not easy to use, you can hardly do such move conveniently.

High-quality survival and hunting knives are always necessary for outdoorsperson like you. Therefore, your ability to choose the right knives and to use them is critical when you do outdoor activities.

Source: http://my-x-rated-blog.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-choose-high-quality-survival-and.html

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Unhappy patron kills three at strip club, police say

By Andrew Mach, NBC News

Three people were shot and killed and another injured by a dissatisfied patron of a strip club in Alabama late Thursday, police say.

Houston County Sheriff Andy Hughes told NBC News the shooting happened at Teasers, a topless nightclub outside of Dothan, Ala.

Police arrested the alleged shooter, Ryan Clark Petersen, 22, at 7:30 a.m. CT and charged him with three counts of capital murder and one count of attempted murder.

Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter

Authorities received a call about a shooting around 11:30 p.m. Thursday. When deputies arrived on scene, they found four people who had been shot.?

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Hughes said that a dispute erupted in the club after Petersen complained about a dancer's performance and began touching her. A club employee asked Petersen to leave and escorted him outside. Petersen then allegedly went to his car and retrieved a handgun and reentered the night club and opened fire. ?

Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com

The victims of the shooting included one of the club?s female dancers, a male employee and a male patron.

Hughes said police are not releasing the names of the victims until their families have been notified.

The nightclub, in the Wicksburg community just west of Dothan, is about 100 miles southeast of Montgomery.

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Gunfire in Egypt's tense Sinai: reports

Gunfire broke out Thursday in the Sinai town of El-Arish, reports said, as tensions simmered after the Egyptian authorities vowed to crush a surge in Islamist militancy in the tense peninsula.

It was not immediately clear, however, if the shooting was linked to the government campaign launched to restore security in the peninsula following a weekend attack on a border post that killed 16 soldier.

State-owned Nile News television said clashes erupted between police and gunmen outside an El-Arish police station, but the official MENA news agency reported that the gunfire was an isolated incident.

A security official "denied reports that the... police station in El-Arish came under fire," MENA reported, in an account backed by witnesses who said they did not see or hear any clashes.

MENA said a man driving an unlicenced car had fired several shots in the air on the street housing the police station, without aiming at it.

The conflicting reports came a day after the military said helicopter gunships were deployed in raids that killed 20 militants in Sinai.

"Elements from the armed forces and interior ministry supported by the air force began a plan to restore security by pursuing and targeting armed terrorist elements in Sinai, and it has accomplished this task with complete success," the military said on Wednesday.

The air strikes in Tumah village -- the first in the peninsula for decades -- came as security forces massed near Rafah on the Gaza border for what they called a decisive confrontation with the militants.

A senior military official in Sinai said "20 terrorists were killed" in Apache helicopter raids and when soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division stormed Tumah.

The militants had been trying to escape when the helicopter targeted their vehicles.

Other security officials in the north of the peninsula reported air strikes near the town of Sheikh Zuwayid, close to the village.

The fallout from Sunday's attack, the deadliest for Egyptian troops in decades, spread to Cairo where President Mohamed Morsi sacked his intelligence chief and two generals.

Morsi's opponents have used the deadly Sinai incident to attack the Islamist president, whose Muslim Brotherhood has good relations with the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip.

Security officials say Sunday's attack against a border guard outpost took place under cover of mortar fire from Gaza.

The militants themselves are believed to be mostly Bedouin, with support from hardliners in Gaza who view even the Islamist Hamas, which condemned the attack, as too moderate.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/renewed-clashes-egypts-sinai-state-tv-082944526.html

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