Thursday, January 31, 2013

Man with child hostage in Alabama holing up in bunker, police say

MOBILE, Alabama (Reuters) - A standoff continued early on Wednesday with a gunman who boarded an Alabama school bus and fatally shot the driver before fleeing with a young child and holing up in an underground bunker, authorities said.

Dale County Coroner Woodrow Hilboldt confirmed the bus driver had been killed in the shooting Tuesday afternoon as children were being ferried home from school.

The gunman fled to a bunker on his property after the shooting, Alabama media reported. Hilboldt said it was his understanding that the child, variously identified by local media as 5 or 6 years old, was barricaded with the gunman in "some kind of a tornado bunker."

Local law enforcement gave scant details about the incident, but confirmed that one person had been killed and a child was present at the scene in Midland City.

Hilboldt said both the gunman and bus driver were in their 60s.

Law enforcement officials from multiple agencies were convened near the bunker on Wednesday as the standoff with the shooter continued overnight, said Dothan Police Sergeant Rachel David.

The shooting comes as national debate rages over gun violence, especially in schools, after a gunman shot dead 20 students and six staff members at a Connecticut elementary school last month.

Alabama media reported that the incident on Tuesday happened at approximately 4 p.m. local time when the suspect demanded the driver let a student off the bus.

When the driver refused, the man boarded the bus, then shot the driver before taking the child and fleeing the scene.

"I spoke to about three or four of the students," Michael Senn, a local minister whose church is near the scene, told Alabama NBC affiliate WSFA.

"One of them was a young lady and she told me that when the man entered the bus ... he told most of them to get off the bus and he grabbed a 5-year-old little boy," Senn said.

"From what I understand, kids were running down the road behind the church trying to get to safety."

One resident of the area who arrived quickly on the scene said he tried to chase the suspect before he realized that the gunman had taken cover in his own private bunker.

The sheriff's department said multiple agencies were assisting with the incident, and local schools would be closed on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Kaija Wilkinson; Additional reporting and writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/man-shoots-school-bus-driver-alabama-child-seized-015512702.html

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Spielberg seen winning director Oscar for "Lincoln"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - American filmmaker Steven Spielberg is clear favorite among the public to win the best director award for his film about President Abraham Lincoln at the Academy Awards this year, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.

While the race to win best film at the February 24 ceremony was shaken up by "Argo" stealing the thunder of "Lincoln" at two award ceremonies last weekend, the best director statuette was deemed destined for one man.

Spielberg, 66, who has been nominated seven times for best director at the Oscars and won twice - for the World War Two dramas "Schindler's List" in 1993 and "Saving Private Ryan" in 1998 - was seen as far ahead in the all-male field of five.

A Reuters Ipsos poll of 1,641 Americans found 41 percent thought Spielberg should win and 38 percent said he was most likely to win for his U.S. Civil War-era drama in which British actor Daniel Day-Lewis plays Lincoln.

Almost half of the respondents to the survey conducted Friday through Tuesday were unsure who should or was most likely to be voted best director. The accuracy of the poll uses a statistical measure called a "credibility interval" and is precise to within 2.8 percentage points.

The online poll comes before the Directors Guild of America awards on Saturday in Los Angeles. Since 1948, there have been only six occasions where the winner of the DGA Award for Feature Film has not gone on to win the Oscar for best director.

But this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whose members choose Oscar winners, overlooked the directors of four of the year's biggest movies - Ben Affleck ("Argo"), Kathryn Bigelow ("Zero Dark Thirty"), Quentin Tarantino ("Django Unchained") and Tom Hopper ("Les Miserables") - opening the possibility of a rare split in February in the best film and best director categories.

Betting agencies also have earmarked Spielberg as clear favorite, with William Hill offering odds of 1-5 on Spielberg.

"Our theory is that Spielberg will win best director but not best film," said Rupert Adams, a spokesman for bookmaker William Hill. "If you listen to what people are saying it is that 'Lincoln' is a brilliant film in terms of direction but it is not that exciting to watch unlike 'Argo.'"

Ang Lee, with his 3-D film adaptation of the best-selling novel "Life of Pi" about an Indian boy adrift at sea with a tiger, was ranked second in the Reuters poll with about one in 10 respondents saying he should or was most likely to win.

The Taiwanese director won the Academy Award for best director in 2005 for the gay-themed Western romance "Brokeback Mountain."

David O. Russell with the quirky comedy "Silver Linings Playbook" was rated third in the poll with about 5 percent.

The two surprise contenders in the race ranked fourth and fifth: Benh Zeitlin, 30, with his first feature, "Beasts of the Southern Wild," and Austrian director Michael Haneke with the French-language drama "Armour" about illness and old age.

The exclusion of Bigelow for her film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden has been controversial in the run-up to the 85th Academy Awards. Bigelow, 61, is the only woman to win a best director Oscar, for "The Hurt Locker" in 2009.

Affleck, 40, whose Iran hostage thriller "Argo" swept the board at last weekend's Hollywood awards shows, was also notable by his absence, as were Hooper and Tarantino. However, all four of their movies are in the running for best film at the Oscars.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant and Belinda Goldsmith)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spielberg-seen-winning-director-oscar-lincoln-120214918.html

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The 5 lessons in relationships for a dog owner - Birds on the Blog

Dear Jackie, having thought about what I really want recently, I?ve come to the conclusion that I don?t want a relationship with someone (or a family, or anything else I?ve thought I might want for most of my life ? I?m now 40), but instead I want a dog.? My friends are telling me they don?t believe me, how can I persuade them?? Thanks RL

Dear RL

You are far from alone in this miserable state of affairs.? Relationships provide the ultimate feedback for our lives.? That means you might have a few changes to make to how you view life and the part you play in it.? And, I can sympathise about why you might find a dog the easy option, you might also find that a dog is the best teacher!

There are some really obvious reasons why a dog is a preferable choice, and I?ve used them all!

Why would you choose a dog?

  • A dog doesn?t speak back
  • A dog asks for nothing except to be fed and walked
  • A dog forgets when you?ve shouted at it
  • A dog trusts you
  • A dog loves unconditionally

I have to ask, as it?s my job and I like to be curious ? what is it you want to avoid in a relationship?

May I share my experience of having a dog which might help as I have been where I think you might be right now.? When my marriage ended, my dog became so important to me ? as a confidante and a companion.? She became my raison d?etre, got me out of bed, stopped me feeling lonely and I found a focus for my love.

In truth, I was avoiding close, intimate relationships until I felt able to cope with being loved and in a relationship again.? As much as the dog and I loved one another, the relationship was in no manner of speaking able to make up for a close intimate relationship with a partner, nor that of my family.? It was simply a poor substitute until I felt ready.

Relationship abstinence

If we have come through some sh1tty relationships and feel the full effects of emotional turmoil, it?s very common to believe that we will *never* allow ourselves to get involved with another person again.? The fear of more heartbreak dictates that we put up barriers, shut off to intimate possibilities and determine to be fine just as we are ?. Alone.

Abstaining from all relationships, from all the dreams you have had about a partner and a family is a temporary situation.? After a relationship breakdown, the fear that we are not good enough for anyone else, or that anyone else will be good enough for us runs rampant through our minds.

It?s very rare in my experience for this state of affairs to continue.? Our hearts can, and do, heal.? Rather than remaining afraid of breaking them again, the key is to learn about managing your emotional stability.

When you enter into a relationship, it is in order to relate with someone, it is not to sign your life, your power and your future over.? It is possible to love openly, freely and maintain who you are.

What can you learn from a relationship with a dog meantime?

How to love unconditionally.? Can you imagine withholding affection from your dog no matter what it?s done?

Forgiveness.? If you can forgive a dog, for what reason can you not forgive your partner?? You might think a dog has no ulterior motive, how do you actually know your partner has?

Smiling at their antics.? Lighten up with your partner, enjoy one another, play together.

Daily physical attention freely given -? tummy rubs, ears stroked, pats, with no intention of sex, just touch.? Many people know immediately their dog has a tick, or a lump and yet, are unable to register change in their partner?s body.

Commitment.? Many people are more committed to their dog?s wellbeing, rushing home after a day apart than they would be their partner.

Dog or Partner

Dear RL, I reckon your friends are right.? And if I were you, I?d be looking at getting a dog in order to hone the skills which are needed in a successful relationship!

PS ? Remember, owning a dog is a commitment for many years, you might like to look at working with the Blind Dog Association (or similar), or fostering dogs.? This gives you extra learning - it teaches you that people come into your life and leave again, for one reason or another.? The same is true of dogs.

?

?

?

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What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments below...

Source: http://www.birdsontheblog.co.uk/the-5-lessons-in-relationships-for-a-dog-owner/

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These Circuit Board Wedding Invitations Are Perfect for Any Geeks in Love

These Circuit Board Wedding Invitations Are Perfect for Any Geeks in LoveWhen Bill and Mara decided to have a geeky wedding, they realized they needed geeky wedding invitations. And what better way to show off their 'circuits and swirl' theme than to create a circuit board invitation.

It ain't easy getting those lights to light up! The lights are dark until the card is opened up and have a secret Morse code message that only shows up when the light sensor senses the perfect amount of light. With all that technowiz, the circuit board design is pretty much just the icing.

These Circuit Board Wedding Invitations Are Perfect for Any Geeks in Love The invitations were a DIY project by Bill and Mara and they used microcontroller-powered LEDs, battery and light sensor to create the look. In all, they made 50 invitations with a Xerox printer and copper-clad kapton tape. If you're curious on how to make these geeky cards yourself, head over to Bill's website here. [Bill Porter via DVICE]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5980398/these-circuit-board-wedding-invitations-are-perfect-for-any-geeks-in-love

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Valderrama brings Yoni back to 'Suburgatory'

By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

ABC

Yoni (Wilmer Valderrama) is confronted by George (Jeremy Sisto) on the next episode of "Suburgatory."

Yoni returns! Wilmer Valderrama is back on "Suburgatory" Wednesday, reprising his role as the zany spiritualist and former flame of Dallas (Cheryl Hines).

Does the hunky Guatemalan's reappearance threaten Dallas and George's (Jeremy Sisto) new romance? ?

"Dallas brought him in for the sake of her dog Yakult, who is depressed," Valderrama explained to The Clicker. "But Yoni is coming back with a very specific agenda -- a mischievous agenda: Through spiritual advising and subliminal (persuasion) and a strategic plan, he's hoping to eventually move in with Dallas."

But don't expect George to be rolling out the welcome wagon for the Latin lover.

"There's obviously a big flag for George," the "Awake" and "That '70s Show" alum said with a chuckle. "It makes for a really funny and ridiculous dynamic" between the two men.

The episode, titled "Yakult Leader," is actually a rematch of Yoni and George's first showdown (in season one's "Fire With Fire"), which also centered around Dallas' adorable poodle-Chihuahua mix. All signs point to Yoni going 0 for 2 against George.

"I love how bizarre he is," enthused Valderrama about Yoni, a character he "mutually created" with his friend and showrunner Emily Kapnek. "We kind of pieced him together from the wardrobe" -- white for positivity! -- ?"to the delivery to who he really is. We had a lot of fun tailoring this character to be so bizarre."

While we await Yoni's return -- "I feel like he might move on to Jill Werner next," speculated Valderrama -- fans can look forward to seeing the actor starring again on the small screen.

"I got the bug to come back to television after my stint with 'Awake,'" he said. "So I closed a deal with 20th Century Fox Television to enter development and to read some scripts this season and hopefully do a platform for me to come back and lead my own show. There's a very high probability that I'm going to return to TV this year. I'm excited because I really miss being in people's homes."

"Suburgatory" airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC.

Do you miss Wilmer Valderrama being in your home? Tell us on our Facebook page!

More in The Clicker:

Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/01/30/16773150-wilmer-valderrama-returns-to-suburgatory-are-george-and-dallas-in-trouble?lite

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We want your UFC 156 picks

This Saturday, Frankie Edgar, the one-time UFC lightweight champion, will try to win the belt at featherweight from champion Jose Aldo at UFC 156. We want to know who you think will win this and the other main card bouts.

Here's the drill: Pick a fight from the main card.

Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar - for featherweight title
Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva
Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia
Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall

Then go to Cagewriter's Facebook page, like it and tell who you think will win and why. Selected picks will run here on Friday morning. Doesn't that sound like fun?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/want-ufc-156-picks-233140742--mma.html

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Study shows how brain cells shape temperature preferences

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

While the wooly musk ox may like it cold, fruit flies definitely do not. They like it hot, or at least warm. In fact, their preferred optimum temperature is very similar to that of humans?76 degrees F.

Scientists have known that a type of brain cell circuit helps regulate a variety of innate and learned behavior in animals, including their temperature preferences. What has been a mystery is whether or not this behavior stems from a specific set of neurons (brain cells) or overlapping sets.

Now, a new study from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) shows that a complex set of overlapping neuronal circuits works in concert to drive temperature preferences in the fruit fly Drosophila by affecting a single target, a heavy bundle of neurons within the fly brain known as the mushroom body. These nerve bundles, which get their name from their bulbous shape, play critical roles in learning and memory.

The study, published in the January 30, 2013 edition of the Journal of Neuroscience, shows that dopaminergic circuits?brain cells that synthesize dopamine, a common neurotransmitter?within the mushroom body do not encode a single signal, but rather perform a more complex computation of environmental conditions.

"We found that dopamine neurons process multiple inputs to generate multiple outputs?the same set of nerves process sensory information and reward-avoidance learning," said TSRI Assistant Professor Seth Tomchik. "This discovery helps lay the groundwork to better understand how information is processed in the brain. A similar set of neurons is involved in behavior preferences in humans?from basic rewards to more complex learning and memory."

Using imaging techniques that allow scientists to visualize neuron activity in real time, the study illuminated the response of dopaminergic neurons to changes in temperature. The behavioral roles were then examined by silencing various subsets of these neurons. Flies were tested using a temperature gradient plate; the flies moved from one place to another to express their temperature preferences.

As it turns out, genetic silencing of dopaminergic neurons innervating the mushroom body substantially reduces cold avoidance behavior. "If you give the fly a choice, it will pick San Diego weather every time," Tomchik said, "but if you shut down those nerves, they suddenly don't mind being in Minnesota."

The study also showed dopaminergic neurons respond to cooling with sudden a burst of activity at the onset of a drop in temperature, before settling down to a lower steady-state level. This initial burst of dopamine could function to increase neuronal plasticity?the ability to adapt?during periods of environmental change when the organism needs to acquire new associative memories or update previous associations with temperature changes.

###

Scripps Research Institute: http://www.scripps.edu

Thanks to Scripps Research Institute for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126537/Study_shows_how_brain_cells_shape_temperature_preferences

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Spring may come earlier to North American forests

Spring may come earlier to North American forests [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Catherine Zandonella
czandone@princeton.edu
Princeton University

Trees in the continental U.S. could send out new spring leaves up to 17 days earlier in the coming century than they did before global temperatures started to rise, according to a new study by Princeton University researchers. These climate-driven changes could lead to changes in the composition of northeastern forests and give a boost to their ability to take up carbon dioxide.

Trees play an important role in taking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so researchers led by David Medvigy, assistant professor in Princeton's department of geosciences, wanted to evaluate predictions of spring budburst when deciduous trees push out new growth after months of winter dormancy from models that predict how carbon emissions will impact global temperatures.

The date of budburst affects how much carbon dioxide is taken up each year, yet most climate models have used overly simplistic schemes for representing spring budburst, modeling for example a single species of tree to represent all the trees in a geographic region.

In 2012, the Princeton team published a new model that relied on warming temperatures and the waning number of cold days to predict spring budburst. The model, which was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, proved accurate when compared to data on actual budburst in the northeastern United States.

In the current paper published online in Geophysical Research Letters, Medvigy and his colleagues tested the model against a broader set of observations collected by the USA National Phenology Network, a nation-wide tree ecology monitoring network consisting of federal agencies, educational institutions and citizen scientists. The team incorporated the 2012 model into predictions of future budburst based on four possible climate scenarios used in planning exercises by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The researchers included Su-Jong Jeong, a postdoctoral research associate in Geosciences, along with Elena Shevliakova, a senior climate modeler, and Sergey Malyshev, a professional specialist, both in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and associated with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.

The team estimated that, compared to the late 20th century, red maple budburst will occur 8 to 40 days earlier, depending on the part of the country, by the year 2100. They found that the northern parts of the United States will have more pronounced changes than the southern parts, with the largest changes occurring in Maine, New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

The researchers also evaluated how warming temperatures could affect the budburst date of different species of tree. They found that budburst shifted to earlier in the year in both early-budding trees such as common aspen (Populus tremuloides) and late-budding trees such as red maple (Acer rubrum), but that the effect was greater in the late-budding trees and that over time the differences in budding dates narrowed.

The researchers noted that early budburst may give deciduous trees, such as oaks and maples, a competitive advantage over evergreen trees such as pines and hemlocks. With deciduous trees growing for longer periods of the year, they may begin to outstrip growth of evergreens, leading to lasting changes in forest make-up.

The researchers further predicted that warming will trigger a speed-up of the spring "greenwave," or budburst that moves from south to north across the continent during the spring.

The finding is also interesting from the standpoint of future changes in springtime weather, said Medvigy, because budburst causes an abrupt change in how quickly energy, water and pollutants are exchanged between the land and the atmosphere. Once the leaves come out, energy from the sun is increasingly used to evaporate water from the leaves rather than to heat up the surface. This can lead to changes in daily temperature ranges, surface humidity, streamflow, and even nutrient loss from ecosystems, according to Medvigy.

###

Citation:

Jeong, Su-Jong, David Medvigy, Elena Shevliakova, and Sergey Malyshev. 2013. Predicting changes in temperate forest budburst using continental-scale observations and models. Geophysical Research Letters. Article first published online: Jan. 25, 2013. DOI: 10.1029/2012GL054431

This research was supported by award NA08OAR4320752 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Spring may come earlier to North American forests [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Catherine Zandonella
czandone@princeton.edu
Princeton University

Trees in the continental U.S. could send out new spring leaves up to 17 days earlier in the coming century than they did before global temperatures started to rise, according to a new study by Princeton University researchers. These climate-driven changes could lead to changes in the composition of northeastern forests and give a boost to their ability to take up carbon dioxide.

Trees play an important role in taking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so researchers led by David Medvigy, assistant professor in Princeton's department of geosciences, wanted to evaluate predictions of spring budburst when deciduous trees push out new growth after months of winter dormancy from models that predict how carbon emissions will impact global temperatures.

The date of budburst affects how much carbon dioxide is taken up each year, yet most climate models have used overly simplistic schemes for representing spring budburst, modeling for example a single species of tree to represent all the trees in a geographic region.

In 2012, the Princeton team published a new model that relied on warming temperatures and the waning number of cold days to predict spring budburst. The model, which was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, proved accurate when compared to data on actual budburst in the northeastern United States.

In the current paper published online in Geophysical Research Letters, Medvigy and his colleagues tested the model against a broader set of observations collected by the USA National Phenology Network, a nation-wide tree ecology monitoring network consisting of federal agencies, educational institutions and citizen scientists. The team incorporated the 2012 model into predictions of future budburst based on four possible climate scenarios used in planning exercises by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The researchers included Su-Jong Jeong, a postdoctoral research associate in Geosciences, along with Elena Shevliakova, a senior climate modeler, and Sergey Malyshev, a professional specialist, both in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and associated with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.

The team estimated that, compared to the late 20th century, red maple budburst will occur 8 to 40 days earlier, depending on the part of the country, by the year 2100. They found that the northern parts of the United States will have more pronounced changes than the southern parts, with the largest changes occurring in Maine, New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

The researchers also evaluated how warming temperatures could affect the budburst date of different species of tree. They found that budburst shifted to earlier in the year in both early-budding trees such as common aspen (Populus tremuloides) and late-budding trees such as red maple (Acer rubrum), but that the effect was greater in the late-budding trees and that over time the differences in budding dates narrowed.

The researchers noted that early budburst may give deciduous trees, such as oaks and maples, a competitive advantage over evergreen trees such as pines and hemlocks. With deciduous trees growing for longer periods of the year, they may begin to outstrip growth of evergreens, leading to lasting changes in forest make-up.

The researchers further predicted that warming will trigger a speed-up of the spring "greenwave," or budburst that moves from south to north across the continent during the spring.

The finding is also interesting from the standpoint of future changes in springtime weather, said Medvigy, because budburst causes an abrupt change in how quickly energy, water and pollutants are exchanged between the land and the atmosphere. Once the leaves come out, energy from the sun is increasingly used to evaporate water from the leaves rather than to heat up the surface. This can lead to changes in daily temperature ranges, surface humidity, streamflow, and even nutrient loss from ecosystems, according to Medvigy.

###

Citation:

Jeong, Su-Jong, David Medvigy, Elena Shevliakova, and Sergey Malyshev. 2013. Predicting changes in temperate forest budburst using continental-scale observations and models. Geophysical Research Letters. Article first published online: Jan. 25, 2013. DOI: 10.1029/2012GL054431

This research was supported by award NA08OAR4320752 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/pu-smc012913.php

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SEO 2013 ? Grow Your Business

Although SEO can be overwhelming and confusing when you first start out, it is important to understand the significance of it in your overall success with an internet based business. By collecting the right information, it is possible to optimize your website to obtain higher traffic and earn good search engine rankings.
All of the links on or associated with your site should include keyword phrases in their titles or anchor text. ? as anchor text. This can help search engines rank your site based on the relevancy of your keywords. Check to make sure your internal links are using keywords as well.

A great way to improve your search engine optimization is to use keywords within your HTML tag. The title tags have more weight than any other words that appear on the page. Incorporate your strongest possible keywords into the title tags for optimum impact and watch your website traffic soar.

Do some podcasts! Podcasts can be both video and audio, and they are often streamed live with relevant information for their audience. Podcasts are becoming very popular with both users and webmasters. You simply need to grab a web cam and microphone, and start recording. The search engines then are able to grab your podcast descriptions.

Focus on mastering one SEO strategy at a time. It is impossible to become the best at every technique, so be sure to focus on one that will yield the best results for your business in 2013.

Use plural or longer variations of keywords to increase the opportunity for your site to pop up on search engines. Some search engines use what is known as keyword stemming. When you choose the singular of the keyword (e.g. accountant) results for the plural or variations (i.e. accountants, accounting) may not send seekers to your website. If you are using a search engine that uses keyword stemming, use the longest form of the word possible.
Think about all the choices you have. These include press releases, discussion forums, blogs and article marketing. Good outbound links play a key role in determining your search engine ranking.

Configure your server such that it differentiates capital and lowercase letters in URLs. There are numerous negative effects not doing so can have on your rating.

If search engines notice you?re boosting your page rank through fraudulent or manipulative means, they?ll step in and lower your page rank. Sometimes popular search engines even ban certain businesses from their results entirely. Use methods that won?t be interpreted as unethical to fine tune your SEO efforts.

Depending on your resources, fully optimizing your website for just one or two major search engines may be best. Content with lots of keywords throughout your site will be an advantage no matter the search site. , Ask. But many of the major engines have their own particular nuances that are unique to themselves.

As you?ve learned, anyone who wants to make money online needs to optimize their site for search engines. Keep a copy of this article, and refer to it while you are putting its secrets to use. You will get more traffic and more money when you build a great website. Click here for an seo 2013 blueprint now

? Advertise In This Post:??Intext Link

Source: http://worldvillage.com/seo-2013-grow-your-business

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Soldier who lost 4 limbs has double-arm transplant

The first soldier to survive after losing all four limbs in the Iraq war has received a double-arm transplant.

Brendan Marrocco had the operation on Dec. 18 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, his father said Monday. The 26-year-old Marrocco, who is from New York City, was injured by a roadside bomb in 2009.

He also received bone marrow from the same dead donor who supplied his new arms. That novel approach is aimed at helping his body accept the new limbs with minimal medication to prevent rejection.

The military is sponsoring operations like these to help wounded troops. About 300 have lost arms or hands in the wars.

"He was the first quad amputee to survive" from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and there have been four others since then, said Brendan Marrocco's father, Alex Marrocco. "He was really excited to get new arms."

The Marroccos want to thank the donor's family for "making a selfless decision ... making a difference in Brendan's life," the father said.

Surgeons plan to discuss the transplant at a news conference with the patient on Tuesday.

The 13-hour operation was led by Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee, plastic surgery chief at Johns Hopkins, and is the seventh double-hand or double-arm transplant done in the United States. Lee led three of those earlier operations when he previously worked at the University of Pittsburgh, including the only above-elbow transplant that had been done at the time, in 2010.

Marrocco's "was the most complicated one" so far, Lee said in an interview Monday. It will take more than a year to know how fully Marrocco will be able to use the new arms, Lee said.

"The maximum speed is an inch a month for nerve regeneration," he explained. "We're easily looking at a couple years" until the full extent of recovery is known.

While at Pittsburgh, Lee pioneered the novel immune suppression approach used for Marrocco. The surgeon led hand transplant operations on five patients, giving them marrow from their donors in addition to the new limbs. All five recipients have done well and four have been able to take just one anti-rejection drug instead of combination treatments most transplant patients receive.

Minimizing anti-rejection drugs is important because they have side effects and raise the risk of cancer over the long term. Those risks have limited the willingness of surgeons and patients to do more hand, arm and even face transplants. Unlike a life-saving heart or liver transplant, limb transplants are aimed at improving quality of life, not extending it.

Quality of life is a key concern for people missing arms and hands ? prosthetics for those limbs are not as advanced as those for feet and legs.

Lee has received funding for his work from AFIRM, the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a cooperative research network of top hospitals and universities around the country that the government formed about five years ago. With government money, he and several other plastic surgeons around the country are preparing to do more face transplants, possibly using the new minimal immune suppression approach.

Marrocco expects to spend three to four months at Hopkins, then return to a military hospital to continue physical therapy, his father said. Before the operation, he had been living with his older brother in a handicapped-accessible home on New York's Staten Island built with the help of several charities.

The home was heavily damaged by Superstorm Sandy last fall.

Despite being in a lot of pain for some time after the operation, Marrocco showed a sense of humor, his father said. He had a hoarse voice from a tube in his throat during the long surgery, decided that he sounded like Al Pacino, and started doing movie lines.

"He was making the nurses laugh," Alex Marrocco said.

___

AP writer Alex Dominguez contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/soldier-lost-4-limbs-double-arm-transplant-171015152.html

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Dior: Jennifer Lawrence dress had no malfunction

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? That was no wardrobe malfunction ? that was couture.

When Jennifer Lawrence ascended the stairs to accept her SAG Award Sunday night, a bit of skin showed through the skirt of her gown, leading to some speculation that it had ripped.

Dior Couture told The Associated Press that wasn't so.

The design house said Lawrence's gown was designed by Raf Simons "with different levels of tulle and satin." That was what viewers saw on television when she lifted her gown to walk upstairs.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dior-jennifer-lawrence-dress-had-no-malfunction-170212619.html

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Foursquare gives business owners their own app to manage specials, track customer visits

Foursquare gives business owners their own app to manage specials, track customer visits

Foursquare just recently tweaked its privacy policy to share more user information with local businesses, and it looks like it's already putting some of that data to use in a new app now that the policy has gone into effect. Launched today for the iPhone and iPod touch, Foursquare for Business is just that -- an app designed for business owners instead of customers. In addition to letting managers upload new photos and refresh their specials regularly, it'll also give them a peek into customer activity at their business (or businesses), including information on check-ins and the ability to keep an eye on their top customers. As Foursquare notes in its privacy policy, though, you can opt out of having that check-in information visible to businesses in the app's privacy settings.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Via: About Foursquare

Source: iTunes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/29/foursquare-for-business-ios-app/

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Reverse Chronological Resume Sample | Entry Level Sample ...

Reverse Chronological Resumes are most commonly used resume formats, which helps the reader to gain knowledge about the professional background of the job seeker.
The resume example written in reverse chorological formation of sales professional, having 14 years career experience in Sales Management, shows his job title in the current job held, to allow the potential employer to find the job applicants position immediately.
These details are followed by a list of his qualifications like key account management, business development and so on, which stretches to the span of 14 years sales career.
The resume shows his experience of most current job first in order and subsequently other experiences are shown in chronological reverse order. Education and Technical expertise are shown under separate sub heading after professional job experience.

David Bradford
21, Pine Street, Arlington, VA 12530
Home: (555) 325-4571
Cell: 566-321-2546
Email: david.bradford@yahoo.co.in

Sales and Sales Management professional

Proficient District Sales Manager with a 14 year work experience in achieving sales goal objective and revenue generation by training and formulating sales strategies to achieve desired sales result. Hold efficiency in client management, team building and sales closing.

Core Competencies includes:

Team Building / Negotiation & Sales Closing/

Budgeting and P & L / Client Relationship Management/

Cost Containment /Training & Staff Development

Professional Experience???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

?Maryland Departmental Stores, Maryland, 2004 to present

District Sales Manager

Effectively supervise the operation of 10 departmental stores, dealing in consumer durables with annual sales figure reaching to $ 3 million. Successfully motivated sales professional by effective trainings and formulating sales strategies to achieve sales objective and organizational growth. Interact, with Department Manager on HR and sales related issues.

  • Increased the efficiency of staffs with training programs, which enhanced turnover.
  • Reduced workforce and managed turnover optimization with lesser personnel.
  • Trained managers on P & L tracking system to obtain company goal.
  • ?Assisted HR to recruit high caliber sales professionals.
  • Negotiated with Consumer based group in Maryland.
  • Formulated sales strategies which increased monthly sales to $3 million from meager $ 1.5 million.
  • Designated for Best Sales Professional award for achieving highest sales in 2007.

Jerry & Jerry Inc., Washington DC

Territory Manager, 1998 to 2004

Controlled a team of 17 sales professionals and optimized sales performance by training and formulating effective sales strategies. Recruit, highly qualified sales personnel to enhance sales turnover. Identified and selected two qualified sales staff and groomed for the post of Assistant Sales manager. Fixed sales targets and formulated strategies to reach organizational goal by motivating sales persons. Introduce procedures for cost and budget control.

Achievements

  • Managed to build highly efficient sales team
  • Trained and motivated team members for enhance sales and obtain organization objective.
  • Negotiated and closed sales deals, which generated additional revenue of $ 1.5 million.
  • Awarded best District Manager Certificate for 5 years in succession.

Education and Training

B.S. Business Administration, University of Texas, 1998

(Specialization in Marketing and HR)

Technical Skills

Microsoft Word, MS Excel, Microsoft Power Point, Outlook and Internet

Source: http://sample-resumes-plus.com/reverse-chronological-resume-sample/

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Background checks peak in week after Conn shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The FBI says the week following the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting massacre saw the greatest number of background checks for firearms sales and permits to carry guns conducted within a one-week period since 1998.

The FBI says the second highest week was when President Barack Obama announced sweeping plans to curb gun violence.

This new data published by the FBI confirms what many gun dealers around the country have said about sales going up after the deadly shooting that left 27 dead, including 20 children, as gun enthusiasts braced for stricter controls.

The number of background checks does not represent the number of firearms purchased, but gun manufacturers use these statistics to measure the health of the gun industry in the U.S.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/background-checks-peak-week-conn-shooting-215045463.html

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Health Care Exchanges To Transform Insurance Market

-- Health insurance exchanges will change the way people buy coverage and will help millions of uninsured people get a private plan. Nearly 49 million people are uninsured in the United States, but the numbers vary dramatically by state.

Exchanges will be the most visible part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law in everyday life. Open enrollment starts Oct. 1, less than 10 months away.

Some questions and answers on how the exchanges will work:

Q: What's a health insurance exchange?

A: "Exchange" is just another word for "marketplace." The plans sold in the new markets will start covering patients on Jan. 1, 2014. Each state will have its own exchange serving people who buy their health insurance directly, as well as a separate one for small businesses. The vast of majority of people now covered by employer plans will not see a change.

There will be three types of exchanges at the beginning: those run by states, those run by the federal government, and partnerships. Most Republican governors opposed to "Obamacare" are letting Washington run the exchanges in their states.

For consumers, the benefits should be the same no matter who runs the exchange.

Q: How will exchanges work?

A: Exchanges are supposed to have the feel of an online travel site ? think Orbitz or Expedia.

Middle-class people will be able to pick from a range of private insurance plans, and most people will be eligible for help from the government to pay their premiums.

Low-income people will be steered to safety-net programs for which they might qualify. This could be a problem in states that choose not to expand their Medicaid programs under a separate part of the health care law. In that case, many low-income residents in those states would remain uninsured.

Q: How will I know if I can get help with my health insurance premiums?

A: You'll disclose your income to the exchange at the time you apply for coverage and they'll let you know. Only legal residents of the United States can get financial assistance.

The health care law offers sliding-scale subsidies based on income for individuals and families making up to four times the federal poverty level, about $44,700 for singles, $92,200 for a family of four.

But do yourself a favor and read the fine print because the government's help gets skimpier as household income increases.

For example, a family of four headed by a 40-year-old making $35,000 will get a $10,742 tax credit toward an annual premium of $12,130. They'd have to pay $1,388, about 4 percent of their income, or about $115 a month.

A similar hypothetical family making $90,000 will get a much smaller tax credit, $3,580, meaning they'd have to pay $8,550 of the same $12,130 policy. That works out to more than 9 percent of their income, or about $710 a month.

The estimates were made using the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation's online calculator. Some people will also be eligible for help with their copayments.

Final note: Though it's called a "tax credit" the government assistance goes directly to the insurer. You won't see a check.

Q: What will the benefits look like?

A: The coverage will be more comprehensive than what's now typically available in the individual health insurance market, dominated by bare-bones plans. It will be more like what an established, successful small business offers its employees. Premiums are likely to be higher for some people, but government assistance should mostly compensate for that.

All plans in the exchange will have to cover a standard set of "essential health benefits," including hospitalization, doctor visits, prescriptions, emergency room treatment, maternal and newborn care, and prevention. Insurers cannot turn away the sick or charge them more. Middle-aged and older adults can't be charged more than three times what young people pay. Insurers can impose penalties on smokers.

Because the benefits will be similar, the biggest difference among plans will be something called "actuarial value." A new term for consumers, it's the share of expected health care costs that the plan will cover.

There will be four levels of coverage, from "bronze," which will cover 60 percent of expected costs, to "platinum," which will cover 90 percent. "Silver" and "gold" are in between. Bronze plans will charge the lowest premiums, but they'll have the highest annual deductibles. Platinum plans will have the highest premiums and the lowest out-of-pocket cost sharing.

Here's a wrinkle: The government's subsidy will be tied to the premium for the second-lowest-cost plan at the silver coverage level that's available in your area. You could take it and buy a lower cost bronze plan, saving money on premiums. But you'd have to be prepared for the higher annual deductible and copayments.

___

Online:

Federal government health care site: www.healthcare.gov

Kaiser Health Reform Subsidy Calculator: http://healthreform.kff.org/subsidycalculator.aspx

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/27/health-care-exchanges_n_2563656.html

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Monday, January 28, 2013

Renewed clashes in Egypt's Port Said kill 3 more

PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) ? Egyptian health officials say three people have been killed and more than 400 injured in renewed clashes between protesters and police in the Mediterranean city of Port Said.

They said Sunday's casualties occurred during a funeral procession for most of 37 people killed in clashes in the previous day and when gunmen exchanged gunfire with police at two police stations and the city's main prison.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The Port Said violence broke out after a court on Saturday sentenced 21 defendants to death for their roles in a mass soccer riot in the city's stadium nearly a year ago. The Feb. 1, 2012 riot left 74 people dead. Most of those sentenced were local soccer fans.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/renewed-clashes-egypts-port-said-kill-3-more-172656671--spt.html

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Stocks end longest win streak in eight years

1 hr.

The S&P 500 eased slightly on Monday after an eight-day run of gains, its longest winning streak in eight years, while the Nasdaq edged higher as Apple shares rebounded.?

Caterpillar shares helped cap losses in the Dow industrials even as the company posted a 55 percent drop in quarterly profit due to a charge connected with accounting fraud at a Chinese subsidiary and weak demand among its dealers. Caterpillar's shares, down 2.2 percent in the past three sessions, rose 1.5 percent Monday to $96.97.?

Boeing , down 1.2 percent at $74.14, shares led decliners on the Dow. The aircraft maker risks losing about $5 billion in revenue by the grounding of its 787 Dreamliner fleet, according to a Bloomberg report.?

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 12.98 points, or 0.09 percent, to 13,883.00. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped 2.71 points, or 0.18 percent, to 1,500.25. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 4.59 points, or 0.15 percent, to 3,154.30.?

"I think this multi-year high is really something that's in play both for short-term traders and for folks with money on the sidelines," said Bucky Hellwig, senior vice president at BB&T Wealth Management in Birmingham, Alabama.?

Investors poured $55 billion in new cash into stock mutual funds and exchange-traded funds in January, the biggest monthly inflow on record, research provider TrimTabs Investment Research said.?

Bargain hunters lifted Apple after the tech giant's stock dropped 14.4 percent in the previous two sessions. With Apple's stock up 2.4 percent at $450.29, the iPad and iPhone maker regained the title as the largest U.S. company by market capitalization as Exxon Mobil fell 0.9 percent to $90.94 and slipped back to second place.?

Data on Monday pointed to growing economic momentum as companies sensed improved consumer demand.?

Thomson Reuters data showed that of the 150 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings so far, 67.3 percent have beaten analysts' expectations, which is a higher proportion than over the past four quarters and above the average since 1994.?

U.S. durable goods orders jumped 4.6 percent in December, a pace that far outstripped expectations for a rise of 1.8 percent. Pending home sales unexpectedly dropped 4.3 percent. Analysts were looking for an increase of 0.3 percent.?

Equities have also gained support from a recent agreement in Washington to extend the government's borrowing power. On Monday, Fitch Ratings said that agreement removed the near-term risk to the country's 'AAA' rating.?

Hess Corp shares shot up 6.3 percent to $62.59 after the company said it would exit its refining business, freeing up to $1 billion of capital. Separately, hedge fund Elliott Associates is looking for approval to buy about $800 million more in Hess stock.?

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stocks-end-longest-win-streak-eight-years-1C8147522

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Have You Seen the Clever Online R?sum? Created to Look Like an ...

In tough economic times and in an increasingly competitive job market, having a r?sum??that stands out among the rest is of the utmost importance. If ?Legally Blonde? taught us anything it?s that a pink, scented r?sum??at least gets noticed. A French Web product manager has taken his r?sum??to the next level and the Internet is loving it.

Here?s a screenshot to give you a brief look at why the online r?sum??is going viral, but be sure to check out Philippe Dubost?s full page here.

Philippe Dubosts Online R?sum? Modeled After Amazon Product Page Goes Viral

(Image: PhilDub.com screenshot)

If you haven?t noticed the similarities, Dubost?s r?sum??(www.phildub.com) is modeled after an Amazon product page. Hence, it?s play-on-words page title ?An Amaz-ing Resume.?

Dubost in his self sale describes his skills as being both in technical and management fields with five years in Web product development. He has an ?entrepreneurial mindset? and is a ?strong generalist? who speaks three languages (English, French and Spanish). The marathon runner whose fastest time was 3 hours 22 minutes received his undergrad and masters in management in France and an MBA from the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Here?s more from Dubost?s ?product description?:

For the past 6 years I?ve put my energy towards growing and enhancing meaningful web products and services.
I then went one step further when I created my own web company 2 years ago. What motivated me was the perspective of applying the different sets of professional & technical skills I had learnt so far to build a meaningful web product. APPARTINFO.com is the first local reviews guide on apartments and neighborhoods in France, and it has been a very rewarding adventure so far.
I enjoy traveling and working in multicultural environments, as I have in the past in the US, Mexico and France.

Dubost?s references are included in the star rating section. Naturally, he has received a majority of five star ratings but there are enough one star ratings to raise a few eyebrows. Dubost explained joking on Twitter that this must be ex-girlfriends.

On Twitter, Dubost sheds more light on the creation of his viral r?sum?. It only took him about two days to complete and he continues to add some new information occasionally. The Independent in the U.K. caught up with Dubost for more details about why he chose an unconventional tactic to market himself:

He said he opted for the Amazon page because he was a ?pathological Amazon addict?, and ?I wanted to do something fun. R?sum?s are not fun. They?re not fun to write, not fun to read.? He added: ?I thought it would be fun to build a small web product that would feel a little bit like a game you could interact with, like those baby toys where every button you push makes a different noise.?

For those looking to hire Dubost, they?re in luck. He ?ships? anywhere in the world. So, has Dubost received any nibbles from interested employers? The Independent reported Dubost saying he received at least 100 emails from potential employers.

?So many awesome companies, projects, entrepreneurs, I?m starting to feel like a spoilt kid with too many toys,? Dubost told the Independent. ?And yes, among those, there are indeed a few opportunities that match what I?m looking for and that I?m going to pursue.?

(H/T: Huffington Post)

Source: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/01/28/have-you-seen-the-clever-online-resume-created-to-look-like-an-amazon-com-page/

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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Asbestos related lung cancer Irwin Mitchell Solicitors

Home ??? Asbestos Exposure ??? Asbestos Cancer
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TechCrunch Makers: An Evening At The Van Brunt Stillhouse

Screen Shot 2013-01-24 at 9.17.25 AMWhat do you do when you already have the coolest job in the world? You start a business where you can have another amazing job on evenings and weekends. Daric Schlesselman is an editor for the Daily Show in Manhattan who lives in deepest Red Hook, a small, cool community on the edge of Brooklyn. There he rents a former paint factory where he's set up the Van Brung Stillhouse and storage facility where he makes some of the nicest grappa, whiskey, and rum this side of the Gowanus.

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

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No more 'empty nest:' middle-aged adults face family pressure on both sides

No more 'empty nest:' middle-aged adults face family pressure on both sides [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Karen Hooker
hookerk@oregonstate.edu
541-737-4336
Oregon State University

CORVALLIS, Ore. The "empty nest" of past generations, in which the kids are grown up and middle-aged adults have more time to themselves, has been replaced in the United States by a nest that's full kids who can't leave, can't find a job and aging parents who need more help than ever before.

According to a new study by researchers at Oregon State University, what was once a life stage of new freedoms, options and opportunities has largely disappeared.

An economic recession and tough job market has made it hard on young adults to start their careers and families. At the same time, many older people are living longer, which adds new and unanticipated needs that their children often must step up to assist with.

The end result, researchers suggest, are "empty nest" plans that often have to be put on hold, and a mixed bag of emotions, ranging from joy and "happy-to-help" to uncertainty, frustration and exhaustion.

"We mostly found very positive feelings about adults helping their children in the emerging adulthood stage of life, from around ages 18 to 30," said Karen Hooker, director of the OSU Center for Healthy Aging Research.

"Feelings about helping parents weren't so much negative as just filled with more angst and uncertainty," Hooker said. "As a society we still don't socialize people to expect to be taking on a parent-caring role, even though most of us will at some point in our lives. The average middle-aged couple has more parents than children."

The findings of this research were just published in the Journal of Aging Studies, and were based on data from six focus groups during 2009-10. It was one of the first studies of its type to look at how middle-aged adults actually feel about these changing trends.

Various social, economic, and cultural forces have combined to radically challenge the traditional concept of an empty nest, the scientists said. The recession that began in 2008 yielded record unemployment, substantial stock market losses, lower home values and increased demand for higher levels of education.

Around the same time, advances in health care and life expectancy have made it possible for many adults to live far longer than they used to although not always in good health, and often needing extensive care or assistance.

This study concluded that most middle-aged parents with young adult children are fairly happy to help them out, and they understand that getting started in life is simply more difficult now. Some research has suggested that age 25 is the new 22; that substantially more parents now don't even expect their kids to be financially independent in their early 20s, and don't mind helping them through some difficult times.

But the response to helping adult parents who, at the same time, need increasing amounts of assistance is not as uniformly positive, the study found it can be seen as both a joy and a burden, and in any case was not something most middle-aged adults anticipated.

"With the kids, it's easy," is a general purpose reaction. With aging parents, it isn't.

"My grandparents died younger, so my parents didn't cope with another generation," one study participant said.

Many middle-aged people said it was difficult to make any plans, due to disruptions and uncertainty about a parent's health at any point in time. And most said they we're willing to help their aging parents, but a sense of being time-starved was a frequent theme.

"It brings my heart joy to be able to provide for my mom this way," one study participant said. "There are times when it's a burden and I feel resentful."

The dual demands of children still transitioning to independence, and aging parents who need increasing amounts of care is causing many of the study participants to re-evaluate their own lives. Some say they want to make better plans for their future so they don't pose such a burden to their children, and begin researching long-term care insurance. Soul-searching is apparent.

"I don't care if I get old," a participant said. "I just don't want to become debilitated. So I would rather have a shorter life and a healthy life than a long life like my mom, where she doesn't have a life. She doesn't have memories. Our memories are what make us who we are."

An increasing awareness of the challenges produced by these new life stages may cause more individuals to anticipate their own needs, make more concrete plans for the future, reduce ambivalent approaches and have more conversations with families about their own late-life care, the researchers said in their study.

###

Editor's Note: The study this story is based on is available in ScholarsArchive@OSU: http://bit.ly/10PslLB



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


No more 'empty nest:' middle-aged adults face family pressure on both sides [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Karen Hooker
hookerk@oregonstate.edu
541-737-4336
Oregon State University

CORVALLIS, Ore. The "empty nest" of past generations, in which the kids are grown up and middle-aged adults have more time to themselves, has been replaced in the United States by a nest that's full kids who can't leave, can't find a job and aging parents who need more help than ever before.

According to a new study by researchers at Oregon State University, what was once a life stage of new freedoms, options and opportunities has largely disappeared.

An economic recession and tough job market has made it hard on young adults to start their careers and families. At the same time, many older people are living longer, which adds new and unanticipated needs that their children often must step up to assist with.

The end result, researchers suggest, are "empty nest" plans that often have to be put on hold, and a mixed bag of emotions, ranging from joy and "happy-to-help" to uncertainty, frustration and exhaustion.

"We mostly found very positive feelings about adults helping their children in the emerging adulthood stage of life, from around ages 18 to 30," said Karen Hooker, director of the OSU Center for Healthy Aging Research.

"Feelings about helping parents weren't so much negative as just filled with more angst and uncertainty," Hooker said. "As a society we still don't socialize people to expect to be taking on a parent-caring role, even though most of us will at some point in our lives. The average middle-aged couple has more parents than children."

The findings of this research were just published in the Journal of Aging Studies, and were based on data from six focus groups during 2009-10. It was one of the first studies of its type to look at how middle-aged adults actually feel about these changing trends.

Various social, economic, and cultural forces have combined to radically challenge the traditional concept of an empty nest, the scientists said. The recession that began in 2008 yielded record unemployment, substantial stock market losses, lower home values and increased demand for higher levels of education.

Around the same time, advances in health care and life expectancy have made it possible for many adults to live far longer than they used to although not always in good health, and often needing extensive care or assistance.

This study concluded that most middle-aged parents with young adult children are fairly happy to help them out, and they understand that getting started in life is simply more difficult now. Some research has suggested that age 25 is the new 22; that substantially more parents now don't even expect their kids to be financially independent in their early 20s, and don't mind helping them through some difficult times.

But the response to helping adult parents who, at the same time, need increasing amounts of assistance is not as uniformly positive, the study found it can be seen as both a joy and a burden, and in any case was not something most middle-aged adults anticipated.

"With the kids, it's easy," is a general purpose reaction. With aging parents, it isn't.

"My grandparents died younger, so my parents didn't cope with another generation," one study participant said.

Many middle-aged people said it was difficult to make any plans, due to disruptions and uncertainty about a parent's health at any point in time. And most said they we're willing to help their aging parents, but a sense of being time-starved was a frequent theme.

"It brings my heart joy to be able to provide for my mom this way," one study participant said. "There are times when it's a burden and I feel resentful."

The dual demands of children still transitioning to independence, and aging parents who need increasing amounts of care is causing many of the study participants to re-evaluate their own lives. Some say they want to make better plans for their future so they don't pose such a burden to their children, and begin researching long-term care insurance. Soul-searching is apparent.

"I don't care if I get old," a participant said. "I just don't want to become debilitated. So I would rather have a shorter life and a healthy life than a long life like my mom, where she doesn't have a life. She doesn't have memories. Our memories are what make us who we are."

An increasing awareness of the challenges produced by these new life stages may cause more individuals to anticipate their own needs, make more concrete plans for the future, reduce ambivalent approaches and have more conversations with families about their own late-life care, the researchers said in their study.

###

Editor's Note: The study this story is based on is available in ScholarsArchive@OSU: http://bit.ly/10PslLB



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/osu-nm012513.php

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