How To Organize Your Online Business and Overcome Information ...

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Do you become quickly overwhelmed just thinking about all the Internet marketing tasks you need to do today? Many new Internet marketers suffer with a peculiar condition called ?information overload.?

This condition can cause you to become paralyzed and the resulting lack of action will prevent you from succeeding online. However, by learning about the importance of time management for your online business and improving your organizational skills, you will soon find you can easily regain control and organize your online business for success.

First, you need to consider the importance of time management as well as improve your organizational skills. In any business, whether it is offline or online, managing time is crucial to your overall success. Many new Internet marketers know time is money but many do not realize the importance of time management. To achieve success online, you need to consider the time you are spending on each Internet marketing task and what revenue that task is bringing in for you. You also need to think about which tasks are working for you and which are not. You will need to use your organizational skills to set up systems that will give you this information.

For example, I found I was spending far too much time looking for information I had downloaded onto my computer. This was frustrating and very time-consuming. I realized, if my online efforts were going to succeed, I would have to consider the importance of time management and use my organizational skills to set up systems that would enable me to find all that Internet marketing information very quickly and easily.

Set up a spreadsheet-based system to record all your information in one workbook. Separate the different topics by using different sheets within that workbook. I have one workbook that stores all the information about my products.

On one sheet in that workbook, I record all my purchases and the details that go with it such as download links, usernames and passwords.

On another sheet in the same workbook, I have details of the affiliate products I am currently promoting and their raw and cloaked links. Other sheets have data on audio, video and resale rights products. I start each day by opening this product?s workbook because I need to refer to it throughout the day. In this way, I am able to quickly find the information I need without wasting too much time, or getting frustrated.

I once worked as a bookkeeper, so it was somewhat easy for me to set up these systems to organize my online business. You can easily learn these organizational skills yourself using a spreadsheet-based system and a good training program. As the old adage goes, make sure you have a place for everything and everything is in its place. Make a note of what you are doing during the day and how much time you are spending on each task.

Researchers have shown we spend about 20 percent of our time dealing with e-mails. Cut down on that time by looking at them only twice a day rather than continually throughout the day. Turn off e-mail notifications, the phone and social media sites while you are working so you can concentrate on what you are doing. This tactic will allow you to focus more easily and the job will probably more quickly.

By using your organizational skills, you will be able to take control of all those Internet marketing tasks that need to be done each day. This, in turn, will lead to increased productivity and online success.

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Article by Moira Wight. Get your complimentary Special Report on ?The Expert Guide To Organizing Internet Marketing Information? by visiting http://organizeyouronlinebusinesstips.com/

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Source: http://www.sitepronews.com/2012/10/31/how-to-organize-your-online-business-and-overcome-information-overload/

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How to encourage innovation | ***** - SelfImprovement.ch - Typepad

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Source: http://harveyalexis.typepad.com/blog/2012/10/how-to-encourage-innovation-selfimprovementch-betiragrie.html

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Ti West's "The Sacrament" adds Joe Swanberg, Gene Jones to cast

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Boxfish Updates Live Guide App To Improve Live TV Discovery, Hooks Up With AT&T For Control Of Your Cable Box

The main focus of Boxfish is to replace the cable box's electronic programming guide, or EPG. Anyone who has sat there on the couch and scrolled through the guide -- and that's all of you -- knows that it's a painful process. "The EPG is a joke," co-founder Eoin Dowling told me. And so the Boxfish team set out to build something better.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/RJdNXqU4tzA/

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Excellent Arian Foster Jersey Pointers That Will ... - Traffic Secrets

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CHARLIE WEIS CONTINUES FIGHT WITH STUDENT PAPER ...

University of Kansas head football Coach Charlie Weis seems to think the goal of his college?s newspaper is to be a cheerleader for his team.

Rather than looking at the newspaper as a training ground for future journalists,?Weis?seems to think it should operate as an in-house newsletter by only running stories that shine a positive light on the campus and its athletic teams.

Last week Weis blasted the award-winning University Daily Kansan newspaper for a front page story (below) and graphics that showed his team was likely to get crushed by Kansas State.

?Team slammed by our own school newspaper,? wrote Weis in?a Tweet to followers. ?Amazing! No problem with opponents paper or local media. You deserve what you get! But, not home!?

As it turned out, his team promptly went out and ?DID get blasted 56-16 by KSU?as its record slumped to 1-4.

?On Tuesday, the University Daily Kansan issued a rejoinder to Weis? statement regarding its role in covering KU athletics,? noted USA Today. ?In his response, Mike Vernon, a KU junior and a columnist for the paper, said that KU students ?deserve better than a pom-pom squad of a newspaper. They deserve to get the truth.??

?A journalist?s job is to be objective in every sense of the word. A journalist cannot cheer. A journalist cannot wear team colors. A journalist cannot show any bias whatsoever.?

But, USA Today?s Paul Myerberg?is reporting??in a story titled ?Kansas football is bullying the Kansas student paper? that Weis is still mad at the student newspaper and now seems to be trying to bully the student reporter covering his team.

The Kansan?s Associate News Editor Luke Ranker says that the KU Athletic Department warned Blake Schuster, a junior journalist assigned to cover the team?s press conference today, that things could get ugly for him.

Clearly the goal was to intimidate the student?reporter, which is a tactic that never works.

?Prior to the press conference, ?[KU director of football communications Katy] Lonergan invited Schuster to a meeting in her office with Mike Cummings, assistant director of communications for KU Athletics,? wrote Ranker.

?During the meeting, Lonergan warned Schuster about possible negative reactions to last Thursday?s Kansan cover art and story. She told him these negative attitudes could be directed toward him.?

??The way I perceived it was there would be a negative effect for me if I asked any questions,? Schuster said.?

Charlie Weis seems to be following in the footsteps of Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli.

Both?would rather try and intimidate those covering?their ?team and seem to ?major in minors? rather than do anything about their pathetic 1-4 football teams.

Source: http://www.bottomlinecom.com/charlie-weis-continues-fight-with-student-paper/

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Obama Insists 'Fundamentals' of Election Favor Him Despite 'Bad Night' at Debate

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Toyota to recall 7.4 million vehicles over power window glitch

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp said it would recall more than 7.4 million vehicles worldwide as a faulty power window switch was a potential fire hazard, the latest in a series of setbacks that have dented the reputation of Japan's biggest automaker.

The voluntary move is the biggest single recall since Ford pulled 8 million vehicles off the road in 1996 to replace defective ignition switches that could have caused engine fires.

Toyota has battled its way back from multiple difficulties since 2008, including a series of recalls involving more than 10 million of its vehicles in 2009-11, and crippled supply chains from last year's earthquake and tsunami in Japan and floods in Thailand. It posted its biggest quarterly operating profit in four years in April-June.

The firm regained its crown as the world's best-selling automaker in the first half year and expects to sell 9.76 million cars and light trucks globally this year, including the Daihatsu and Hino brands.

More recently, though, Toyota - and other Japanese brands - have seen sales plummet in China, the world's biggest autos market, as a result of protests in a simmering Sino-Japanese territorial dispute. Toyota said on Tuesday that its China sales fell 48.9 percent year-on-year in September. Sales in China account for about 12 percent of its total.

QUICK FIX

The recall, intended to fix a malfunctioning power window switch on the driver's side, primarily affects cars in the United States, China and Europe.

Toyota's main rivals in the U.S. include Ford and General Motors Co , while in China they include Volkswagen AG , Hyundai Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co Ltd , and in Europe, Hyundai and Nissan.

The recall will include some Yaris and Corolla models, with repairs taking about 40 minutes, the company said.

"The process to repair (the power window switch) is not an extensive one," spokeswoman Monika Saito said, adding that it would involve putting heat-resistant grease on the switches, or exchanging them.

Toyota declined to say how much the recall would cost, or what impact it may have on future earnings.

Koichi Sugimoto, senior analyst at BNP Paribas Securities in Tokyo, estimated the recall could cost at least 10 billion yen ($128 million).

"Of course, 7 million vehicles is a huge number, but it's probably not going to be like last time when customers in the United States avoided buying Toyota cars. This sounds like a completely different scale from then," he said.

GLOBAL SCALE

The recall will include 2.47 million vehicles in the United States, 1.4 million in China and 1.39 million in Europe, the company said.

No accidents, injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of the problem, though there is a possibility the malfunctioning switches could emit smoke, Saito said. Toyota's U.S. news release said the problem could lead to fire if commercially available lubricants were used on the switch.

Toyota will take in for repair about 459,300 vehicles in Japan, including the Vitz model, produced between 2006 and 2008.

The firm is also recalling 650,000 vehicles in Australia and Asia, 490,000 in the Near and Middle East, 240,000 in Canada and 330,000 elsewhere, said Shino Yamada, another spokeswoman for Toyota.

The vehicles recalled outside Japan include some models of the Yaris, Vios, Corolla, Matrix, Auris, Camry, RAV4, Highlander, Tundra, Sequoia, xB and xD produced between 2005 and 2010.

The first time the problem was reported was in September 2008 in the United States, Saito said.

Shares in Toyota ended down 1.9 percent, in line with the broader Nikkei index <.n225>.

(Additional reporting by Kentaro Sugiyama; Editing by Daniel Magnowski and Ian Geoghegan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/toyota-recall-7-4-million-vehicles-globally-power-060902894--sector.html

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#APWSW Conference notes ? World Sport and Women conference ...

Here are my notes from Day 1 on the Asia Pacific World Sport and Women conference held at the MCG yesterday.

WELCOME and Official OPENING

Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia

Sports Geek notes

Firstly congratulations to the Australian Women?s T20 Cricket team the Southern Stars winning the World T20 tournament last night despite being 8 pages in from back page in today?s paper.

?Women?s sport matters a great deal to me?, Bryce said. ?Told story of her childhood in the bush & how much sport played a part of her growing up. ?In the 50s the Australian sports scenes was filled with sports heroines, important and influential in their lives.

Encourage and support are important for children to continue sport into their teens, parents & schools play a key role as do great role models currently in Australian Sally Pearson, Anna Meares & Lauren Jackson to name a few. ?We need these role models in the media to inspire girls to follow their lead.

In 1984 the Sex Discrimination Act opened the door that brought change that delivered opportunities in sports to women as clubs offered full memberships to women in sports clubs.

Women?s sport still needs more coverage from the media with under 10% sports media coverage dedicated to women?s sport.

MONEY ? Setting the Scene

The Economic and Social benefits of increased female involvement in the Business of Sport How will Demographic Analysis, Market Assessment, Masterforce and Workforce Planning impact on the future business of Sport? ?Learn how canvassing census and other data to determine lifestyle trends can be used to identify development and investment opportunities in the ?Sports? environment. ?Identify ?growth? opportunities and be surprised by how easy it is to make decisions based on an assessment of demographic trends. Hear what is being done with the 18 recommendations that came from 2006 Senate Inquiry into Women in Sport that addressed the need for more support for women?s sport and recreation in Australia, particularly in the critical role media plays in neglecting women?s sporting achievements.
Bernard Salt, Demographer, KPMG
Senator Kate Lundy, Federal Minister for Sport

Sports Geek notes

The Demographics of Women in Sport: Where gains can be made ? Bernard Salt
Starts by looking at the tribes ? Fusion Culture ? English & New Zealand & Asia & India
Stronger increase in Indian population 100% increase last 5 years compare to 6% in British.
Metropolitan Australia is

Some acronyms:
PUMCINS ? Professional Urban Middle Class In Nice Suburbs
NETTELS ? Not Enough Time To Enjoy Life
KIPPERS ? Kids in Parents Pockets eroding retirement savings
LOMBARDs ? Lots of money but are real dickheads

Sporting focus next ten years

• Rising market ? 5-15 market
• Sports in schools
• Heroes & icons
• Young adults
• Team sports
• Social Networking
• Childminding
• Mature Adults
• Coaches
• Commentators
• Sponsors
• Active Retirees
• Volunteers
• Umpires
• Supporter

In 1932 average age was 63, people were ?old? at 50. Teens did not exist.
In 1972 average age was 71, people were ?old? at 60. ?Teen market developed.
in 2012 average age in 82, Adolescence from 12-30, Adult 30-55, Lifestyle 55-65, Retired 65-75, Old 75+.

Top sporting activities

• Walking
• Aerobics
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Running
• Golf

Sport is one leisure activity but others are on the rise

• Computer games 404%
• National Parks 200%
• Music Concerts 163%
• Golf Equipment 124%
• Televisions 124%
• Camping Equipment 109%
• Health clubs 88%
• Eating out 68%
• Alcohol 65%
• Sports lessons 52%

Demographics implications for women in sport

1. Women are severely under represented in professional sports ?occupations, Australia women need role models.
2. Australia?s ethnic mix is changing from Anglo-Mediterranean to Anglo-Mediterranean-Asian Fusion.
3. Ageing of the population creates opportunities for new sporting leisure pursuits & volunteering roles.
4. Modern lifestyles flex and shuttle at different stages of the life cycles.

Kate Lundy, Minister for Sport
?About Time? report ?- http://www.wwda.org.au/sportfr06.pdf

Social Media at times a challenging environment but a tremendous opportunity for sports.

Great for sports for AFL & NRL securing $1BN in TV deals but TV networks still ?try it on? with with women?s sport asking for production costs to cover women?s sport.

Gender equality must start in the boardrooms of sport. ?Target is 40% for women on boards.

Announcement: Government to support Women in Sport scholarship in 2013

It?s a Man?s World ? The 5 ?M?s Debate

Facilitated discussion to set the cat amongst the pigeons right from the start on what men really think about women, sport, women in the business of sport and women?s sport.
This discussion promises to be a talk-tickler, controversial and exciting. ?In the song ? it?s not only a man?s world, it?s a man?s man?s man?s world ? so is that what the world of sport is all about? ?Is Sport dominated by too many men? ?Where do women get to make the decisions? Are the male decisions makers in politics and business, and who dominate the boards of many sports, both professional and otherwise, giving the girls a fair go? Are the right girls getting the gigs? Why should Black Caviar get better billing than any human female athlete performing on the world stage?
Who says ?people? don?t want to watch or read about women?s sport? ????Who determined that the public won?t choose to pay to see women play sport at an elite level?
Why is it that nowhere other than at the Olympic Games, and the odd world championship, that women?s sport doesn?t matter?
And finally if sex sells then?.?
This session will ask the hard questions to get the answers from the people who have views on these and many other matters. ?No political correctness allowed at this conference busting opener. Get The top 5 tips from our panelists on how to break down the barriers and how to get ?YES? for an answer.

Sam Bramham, OAM, Australian Paralympian, ?Disability Sport & Recreation Ambassador
Geoffrey Lord, Chairman & CEO, Belgravia Group
Tom Maher, Head Coach, WNBL Bulleen Boomers Basketball Team, Great Britain Women?s Basketball Team
Bonita Mersiades, Strategy and Communications Consultant; Writer / Analyst
Kim Morrison, Author, Speaker, Health & Lifestyle Educator, World Record Holder, Business Woman, Wife and Mum
Chelsea Roffey, Goal Umpire, AFL
Jane Russo, Board Director, Touch Football Australia

Sports Geek notes

Bonita Mersiades ? If politicians think it?s tough for women in politics they don?t realise how hard it is in male dominated sports industry. ?Low representation of women on boards is not good enough!

Tom Maher ? Looking back the powerhouse that was the Nunawading Spectres in the 80s with Michelle Timms & Robyn Maher leading the way. ?More community work by team didn?t lead to bigger crowds but was let down by poor opposition & lack of professionalism by the league overall. ?It all comes down to developing an appealing product for fans requires commitment by all parties. ???Organising bodies need to think about whole picture, as an example FIBA extended 3-point line without thinking about the grass roots & junior competitions.

Kim Morrison ? Men are quite easy to work with when you use your female charm. ??Stand with volition & conviction. ?Mike Atherton caught by short & girlys? was the headline when he was caught by a women in cricket match organised by Kim. ?Message from Natalie Cook ?Speak out with volition & conviction and doing it more often? ?From Kim, ?You need to be the greatest role model you can be?.

Geoff Lord ? Already shaking my head about the obsession with women in sport. At Belgravia we employ over 5000 people and a majority of them are women. ?Stop talking about it & start doing it, positions should be awarded on merit so get on with it!

Sam Bramham ? Women in sports do face inequality, some of these are due to misconceptions in sport which are slowly being broken down.

Chelsea Roffey ? Sex sells but not un umpiring the uniform is horrible. ?The AFL Grand Final week was a circus. ?Pushes herself harder to dismiss notions of ?token female?.

Jane Russo ? Women are good for business, companies with women on boards perform financially better. ?Always bring your true self, most important you are on the board for your talents not your gender.

THE 5 M?S ? The Good. The Bad. And the Ugly

Case studies. ?The Good. The Bad. And The Ugly? ? what works and what doesn?t; the business end and highs and lows of delivering world class sporting events and competitions. How our experts have tapped into the female market.
Objective commentators on which strategies work when the business of sport applies the 5m?s ? Money. Members. Media. Marketing and Men. When the 5 ?M?s? Work its magic so how can your organisation replicate the process for success?
This panel session looks at the successes and near misses of women?s sporting teams and events from the perspectives of those who run the organisations which run the events, the sponsors and supporters of those events and those who comment in the media about those events.
Lynne Anderson, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, Repucom
Michael Brown, CEO, AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015
Eugenie Buckley, Principal, Suiko Consulting
Neil Dalrymple, CEO, Bowls Australia
Catherine Ordway, Lawyer, Anti-Doping Consultant
Sonya Ottaway, President, Netball America

Sports Geek notes

Lynne Anderson ? Brought marketing & business rigour to the world of sports when starting out at the Canterbury Bulldogs. ?Rugby League had easy money from tobacco & leagues clubs revenue when Lynne started at the Bulldogs & crowds trending down. ?Research was key to back up your judgement.

Two key points came out from Bulldogs research:

• cultural shift of area ? multicultural days were very successful in attracting new fans.
• 20% of attendees were women ? how to engage & make it family friendly.
• Opened Wine Bar
• More Family facilities
• Activities for children
• Sponsored local netball clubs

Treat your business as you would any other business.

Super League drama was a big learning experience, ?money spent poorly & wasted in that era.

?It?s more about the fan now more than ever.? final point from Lynne.

Michael Brown ? Good to see the story about the Southern Stars was a little bigger than the demise of the Men?s T20, small steps.

One thing we all have in common we all start playing at community level, it is why it is so important.

?Build it & they will come?, doesn?t necessarily apply it is a tough commercial market. ?You need to be smart, articulate in your efforts to succeed.

How do we build communities? ?Inclusion is important, cricket has grown female audience via grassroots programmes & marketing initiatives with Big Bash Leagues.

Do you know who your fans are? Do you know want they want?
Understand your stakeholders.

Eugenie Buckley ? More opportunities for women thanks to U20 & U17 World Cup as well as the developing W League. ??Athletes won?t let you down, look at Elyse Perry hitting a six at the MCG, double headers have worked well for Matildas & Southern Stars. ?Rugby 7s is another developing sport attracting premier women athletes.

Cricket NSW do a great job integrating the women?s team in what they do.

Neil Dalrymple ? Growing participation but dwindling membership, that is the key problem.
Introducing colour has helped to change perception of bowls.
Changing the time of bowl competitions has been key as people?s time needs have changed.

Catherine Ordway ? Good sport on field is supported by good support off field in governance & leadership.

Women on Boards initiative has grown to have 11,000 women ready to be on boards but still no structures available to get on boards ? No vacancy sign up on board rooms.

Sonya Ottaway ? People are the key, biggest lesson in sports business life.

Obese is the national security issue for the US, fat kids can?t help Defense force.
President?s Challenge programme has been critical as part of ?Let?s Move? initiative.

Join the Club: Why Members Matter -People & Culture

Learn how organisations that have shifted the culture and included greater diversity in thinking have generated more participants in club, school and community activities. Increased membership, increased spectator numbers, a boost in sponsorship revenue, and a more welcoming environment for children and families are just some of the benefits that come with changing your organisation?s attitude as a result of greater female inclusion. Can your organisation afford to procrastinate in this ever-changing and competitive recreation and leisure environment? Learn what turns volunteers on to your sport and how you can capitalise on this massive human resource.

Sean Callanan, Sports Geek
Sue Clark, Cultural Strategy and Education Manager
Susan Crow, General Manager Community, Melbourne Heart FC
Jude Maguire, CEO, School Sport Victoria Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Heather Reid, CEO, Capital Football and Canberra United
Cameron Schwab, CEO, Melbourne Football Club

Sports Geek notes

Here are the 5 top tips from the panel members
Heather Reid
1. Identify potential members
2. Find out what they want
3. Tailor programs to meet needs
4. Don?t assume everyone wants the same outcome
5. Recognise & reward members

Susan Crow
1. Be authentic
2. Be welcoming & inclusive
3. Provide, fun, social opportunities for girls
4. Use female role models
5. Ensure supporters & their families feel safe

Jude Maguire
1. Understand local community needs
2. Empower young people to lead
3. Value partnerships to strengthen the programmes
4. Ensure the community sense ownership and contributes
5. Value diversity & reward volunteers

Sue Clark
1. Inclusion ? make it a priority
2. Social Leadership ? understand the responsibility
3. Investment ? people are your greatest asset
4. Change ? it takes time
5. Values ? understand what you value

Brendan Schwab
1. Understand purpose ? deeper meaning
2. Why do people align their identity to your club
3. Build the narrative based on these insights
4. Understand the narrative ? particular your own people
5. Communicate well, with consistency and often

Sean Callanan
1. Understand the platforms you are using and how your fans use them
2. Always be training your fans
3. Social Media is about storytelling not broadcasting
4. Don?t ignore customer service on social media
5. Don?t piss off your fans

Tags: afl, Asian Cup, Bernard Salt, Cameron Schwab, Chelsea Roffey, cricket, demographics, football, Kate Lundy, Lynne Anderson, mcg, melbourne-demons, melbourne-heart, membership, Quentin Bryce, Southern Stars, t20, W League, women
Posted in Sports Marketing | No Comments ?

Source: http://sportsgeek.com.au/sports-marketing/apwsw-conference-notes-world-sport-and-women-conference/

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Super-microbes engineered to solve world environmental problems ...

Environmental problems, such as depleting natural resources, highlight the need to establish a renewable chemical industry. Metabolic engineering enhances the production of chemicals made by microbes in so-called "cell factories." Next Monday, world class scientist Professor Sang Yup Lee of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) will explain how metabolic engineering could lead to the development of solutions to these environmental problems.

For example, the polyester polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable material with a wide range of uses, from medical implants, to cups, bags, food packaging and disposable tableware. It and its co-polymer can be produced by direct fermentation of renewable resources using metabolically engineered Escherichia coli.

Microorganisms isolated from nature use their own metabolism to produce certain chemicals. But they are often inefficient, so metabolic engineering is used to improve microbial performance. Beginning in the 1990s, metabolic engineering involves the modification of microbial cells to enhance the production of what's known as a bioproduct. This bioproduct can be something that the cell produces naturally, like ethanol or butanol. It can also be something that the cells mechanisms can produce if their natural metabolic pathways are altered in some way. The range of uses of this bioproduct can be broadened through metabolic engineering, which can also optimize the overall process of bioproduct synthesis.

Recently, metabolic engineering has become more powerful, through the integration of itself with systems and synthetic biology. Systems biology is a relatively new approach to biological research which looks at the complex interactions within whole cell systems. It allows cell-wide understanding of metabolic reactions and the way these are regulated by the cell's genes.

Synthetic biology is another new approach that designs and constructs new biological functions and systems that aren't found in nature. It allows the design of new genes, modules and circuits that can be used to modulate the cells metabolism to make more of the desired bioproduct. So systems metabolic engineering can now develop superior microorganisms much more efficiently through the integration of itself with systems biology and synthetic biology.

Professor Lee will introduce general strategies for systems metabolic engineering which will be accompanied by many successful examples, including the production of chemicals, fuels and materials such as propanol, butanol, 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,5-diaminopentane, succinic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and polylactic acid.

Professor Sang Yup Lee said: "Bio-based production of chemicals and materials will play an increasingly important role in establishing a sustainable world. To make the bioprocess efficient and economically competitive, it is essential to improve the performance of microorganisms through systems metabolic engineering. From industrial solvents to plastics, an increasing number of products of everyday use will be produced through bioprocesses."

Professor Lee will present the 5th Environmental Microbiology Lecture on 8 October 2012 at the Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, London W1G 0AE. Registration begins at 17.30 and the lecture will start 18.30. There will be a drinks reception after the lecture at 19.30 - 20.30.

Source: http://machineslikeus.com/news/super-microbes-engineered-solve-world-environmental-problems

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Redskins QB Griffin III leaves game in 3rd quarter

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) ? Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III left Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter after being hit in the helmet on a sack.

The Redskins announced that Griffin was "shaken up" and said his return to the game was "questionable."

The Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft was slammed into by Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon's side on a third-and-goal play with about six minutes left in the third quarter.

Griffin stayed on the turf, face-down, for a few moments. He was checked on by team trainers before walking over to the Redskins' sideline with his helmet off, while fans chanted his nickname, "RG3! RG3!"

Sitting on a sideline bench, Griffin was attended to by trainers. After a few minutes, he was escorted to the tunnel leading to the Redskins' locker room.

The Redskins took a 10-7 lead on Billy Cundiff's 23-yard field goal on the play after Griffin was injured.

Another rookie quarterback, fourth-round pick Kirk Cousins, took over on Washington's next possession. On his first play, Cousins completed a 4-yard pass to Joshua Morgan, but the Redskins wound going three-and-out and punting.

On Cousin's second drive, he completed a 77-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/redskins-qb-griffin-iii-leaves-game-3rd-quarter-192032604--nfl.html

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Inside Israel?s Green Line: neither free nor fair 8Oct12

Alternative Information Centre?? -?? 7 October 2012

Even among many ?pro-Palestinian? figures, particularly proponents of the moribund two-state solution, there is a curious consensus that within the Green Line, Israel is a genuinely democratic state that ensures equality among all of its citizens. The state?s failure to secure justice for the families of the October 2000 victims is one of many examples that illustrate how this notion is both unfounded and inaccurate.

Last Monday,?thousands of Palestinian Israelis?marched across the country to commemorate the tragic events of October 2000. At the onset of the Second Intifada, as initially peaceful demonstrations swept Arab cities and villages across Israel, police shot and killed 13 unarmed young men. Until this day, no one has been found guilty let alone tried in a court of law, as Israel has long since refused to charge any of the officers.

Even among many ?pro-Palestinian? figures, particularly proponents of the moribund two-state solution, there is a curious consensus that within the Green Line, Israel is a genuinely democratic state that ensures equality among all of its citizens. The state?s failure to secure justice for the families of the October 2000 victims is one of many examples that illustrate how this notion is both unfounded and inaccurate.

Indeed, even a brief glance at Israel?s treatment of its largest national minority, 1.5 million Palestinian Israelis, destroys the myth that it is ?the Middle East?s only democracy.?

Palestinian Israelis, to be sure, are the descendents of the Arabs who accepted Israeli citizenship after the 1948 war, and generally live in Arab majority areas inside Israel as well as in mixed cities like Haifa and Acre. The Israeli government refers to them as ?Arab Israelis,? which the majority of Palestinians understand as a politicized attempt to deny their cultural heritage. Decades of state repression, including tragedies such as the 1976 Land Day killings and the October 2000 deaths, have led most of them to reject Israeli identity in its entirety, defining themselves both culturally and politically as Palestinian.

The state?s response to Palestinian self-assertiveness, despite which side of the Green Line it takes place on, has always been driven by brute force. The consequences for Jewish dissent, on the other hand, are notably softer. When J14 demonstrators attempted to set up tents in Tel Aviv and reignite the social justice movement,?they were arrested. Unlike their Arab counterparts, no one was shot and everyone?s legal rights were respected.

Last December, in a far more horrifying and asymmetrical display of legal application, no arrests were made after over a hundred ideologically-intoxicated West Bank settlers, outraged by the state?s decision to evacuate an illegal outpost,?attacked and infiltrated an Israeli military base.

This disparity is embedded deep in the makeup of an exclusively Jewish state that effectively renders its national minorities mere footnotes.

Bedouin villages

Last week, at the very moment that Palestinian Israelis commemorated the 12^th?anniversary of the October 2000 tragedy, Israeli officials were moving to demolish more Bedouin villages in the Negev. The residents of Umm al-Hiran, situated in the northern Negev, received news earlier this week that their village and their homes are going to be demolished and replaced by a?state-subsidized Jewish settlement?for ?national-religious families.?

Umm al-Hiran is not an isolated case. In the Negev, there are over 40 ?unrecognized villages? consisting of over 53,000 Palestinian Bedouins. They are denied basic services ? water, electricity and gas ? and live under the ever present threat of destruction and displacement. Although many of these villages predate the establishment of Israel, and while others were created by the state in order to compensate for lands confiscated after the 1948 war, the Israeli government claims that their presence is illegal.

The most notorious Bedouin village is Al-Araqib,?destroyed over 41?times since 2010. Today only three defiant families remain on their land. The Israeli government, in an unveiled attempt to concentrate displaced residents into Bantustan-like enclaves, insists that Al-Araqib?s Bedouin residents abandon their traditional way of life and live in nearby townships. In their place, the Jewish National Fund, a quasi-governmental organization, will build a nature reserve.

Home demolitions are not limited to the Negev. As?Human Rights Watch noted?last year, Israel systematically denies building permits to Arab families, declares their homes illegal, and proceeds to demolish them. Across Israel, ?tens of thousands of Palestinian Arab homes lack required permits and are at risk of demolition.

Like in the Negev, Jewish settlement projects are erected atop the rubble of the destroyed Palestinian homes. In 2011, Minister of Interior Eli Yishai declared his support for the construction of a yeshiva, or Jewish religious college, with the hopes of ?bringing another 50,000 Jews? to Lod in order to ?save and keep the city.?

This process of allocating housing along ethnic lines is not a recent development; it is an integral historical component. Since 1948, Palestinians citizens have been confined to neighborhoods and villages that predate the state, while innumerable Jewish communities were established and have flourished.

In 1996, as Ben White?pointed out, ?57 percent of unlicensed building was carried out by Palestinians, but they constituted 90 percent of all demolitions.?

This by no means exhausts the immense barriers to equality faced by Israel?s largest minority. Yet the destruction of homes across the country, the systematic concentration of Bedouins into ?Bantustans?, and the unapologetic murder of 13 Palestinian Israelis are part and parcel in a state founded on notions of ethnic and religious inequality, discrimination, and segregation. These are not echoes of apartheid; they are defining characteristics.

Patrick O. Strickland?is a freelance journalist living and traveling on both sides of the Green Line in Israel and Palestine. He is a weekly Israel-Palestine correspondent for Bikya Masr and contributes regularly to Counterpunch.org, Palestinechronicle.com, Socialistworker.org, and NYTexaminer.com.

If you liked this article, please consider making a donation to Australians for Palestine by clicking on the PayPal link
Thank You.

Source: http://www.australiansforpalestine.net/70276

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HBT: Phillips' star turn carries Reds in Game 1

Sure he?s a two-time All-Star, but maybe Brandon Phillips is feeling a little anonymous in Cincinnati. He certainly increased his profile Saturday as the Reds beat the Giants 5-2 in Game 1 of the NLDS.

Let?s run through the highlights:

- Phillips opened the scoring in the third with a two-run homer off Matt Cain. It was the first homer allowed by Cain in four career postseason starts. In fact, the those were the first two earned runs he had given up in 24 innings of postseason work.

- In the fifth, Phillips barehanded the ball on successive plays. First, he did it trying to turn a double play on a feed from Zack Cozart. However, the runner was able to beat out the strong relay. On the next play, he stuck his hand up and barehanded a grounder from Pablo Sandoval and threw to first to end the inning.

- The sixth inning saw Giants outfielder Gregor Blanco bunt down the first line. Reliever Mat Latos fielded the ball, but threw wide of Joey Votto at first base. Fortunately, Phillips, in a terrific display of heads-up baseball, was moving over from second to back up the play and made a diving stab of the baseball, keeping Blanco at first base.

- Phillips led off the eighth with a single, only to apparently get erased on a double play. But he didn?t. He managed to elude Marco Scutaro?s tag by falling down, and he got up and ran to second after Scutaro threw to first.

- The cherry on top: Phillips singled in a run in the top of the ninth, increasing Cincinnati?s lead from 3-1 to 4-1.

Mat Latos, Jay Bruce and Sam LeCure also did splendid work picking up the Reds after Johnny Cueto?s first-inning injury tonight, but this was Phillips? show. He?s now 7-for-15 with two homers in four career postseason games. Tonight?s was the first that wasn?t a Reds loss.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/07/brandon-phillips-star-turn-guides-reds-to-game-1-win/related

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Chris Brown And Rihanna Draw 'No Judgment' From Oprah

Oprah Winfrey says Rihanna was in a 'space of forgiveness' with her former flame when she sat down for an interview in August.
By Rob Markman

Rihanna and Oprah in Barbados
Photo: Rihanna/Instagram

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1695088/chris-brown-rihanna-oprah-comment.jhtml

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Quote: Peanuts? All You Need Is Chocolate | Greatist

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn?t hurt.

? Charles M. Schulz, American cartoonist and creator of ?Peanuts? and Charlie Brown.?

Want more inspiration (or chocolate)? Check out Greatist?s?Quote of the Day?series!

Source: http://greatist.com/health/quote-charles-schulz-chocolate/

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Mobile Security: A Moving Target

The threat to enterprise security is increasing as the BYOD phenomenon gains ground in corporate America. The amount of Android malware out there has gone through the roof, and hackers are leveraging Twitter to create command and control servers for mobile botnets, according to McAfee's Q2, 2012 threats report. Existing approaches to security don't work well, and new solutions are required.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/2409f23b/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C762870Bhtml/story01.htm

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Holiday sales seen rising 4.1 percent in 2012

FILE-In this Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, file photo, Sergio Lira, of Phoenix, holds Christmas bulbs as he shops at the Home Depot in Phoenix. Americans are expected to spend more during what's traditionally the busiest shopping season of 2012, but they're not exactly ready to shop 'til they drop like they have been in the past two years. The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, said Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, that it expects sales during the winter holiday shopping period in November and December to rise 4.1 percent this year. (AP Photo/Arizona Republic, Tom Tingle) MARICOPA COUNTY, NO SALES

FILE-In this Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, file photo, Sergio Lira, of Phoenix, holds Christmas bulbs as he shops at the Home Depot in Phoenix. Americans are expected to spend more during what's traditionally the busiest shopping season of 2012, but they're not exactly ready to shop 'til they drop like they have been in the past two years. The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, said Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, that it expects sales during the winter holiday shopping period in November and December to rise 4.1 percent this year. (AP Photo/Arizona Republic, Tom Tingle) MARICOPA COUNTY, NO SALES

FILE-In this Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, file photo, a checkout line winds through a Best Buy store as shoppers take advantage of a midnight Black Friday sale on Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, in Brentwood, Tenn. The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, said Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, that it expects sales during the winter holiday shopping period in November and December to rise 4.1 percent this year. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

HOLD FOR RELEASE TUESDAY AT 12:01 A.M. EDT; graphic shows year-to-year change in holiday sales

NEW YORK (AP) ? Americans are expected to spend more during what's traditionally the busiest shopping season of the year, but they're not exactly ready to shop 'til they drop like they have been in the past two years.

The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, said Tuesday that it expects sales during the winter holiday shopping period in November and December to rise 4.1 percent this year. That's more than a percentage point lower than the growth in each of the past two years, and the smallest increase since 2009 when sales were up just 0.3 percent.

The projections are an important indicator for retailers that depend on the last two months of the year for up to 40 percent of their annual sales. But the estimates also offer valuable insight for economists who closely watch consumer spending, which accounts for up to 70 percent of economic activity.

The holiday shopping season is one gauge of not only the shopping habits, but also the mindset of the average American during what has turned out to be a slow and uneven economic recovery. Right now, people are feeling better about rising home prices and a rebounding stock market, but job growth is still weak and prices for everything from food to gas are higher. At the same time, there's uncertainty about who the next president will be and some Americans worry that the U.S. debt crisis could lead to another recession.

"In all the years, this is the most challenging year doing a forecast," said Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, based in Washington, D.C. "There are so many uncertainties."

No one's feeling those uncertainties more than U.S. shoppers. Darlene Johnson of Silver Spring, Md., says her outlook has improved in the last few months. The value of her 401(k) retirement plan has risen. Home sales where she lives are up again, and her neighbors are getting higher prices for their houses.

Still, Johnson, who's been grappling with higher food and gas prices, says the economy is still not stable enough for her to splurge during this holiday shopping season. And she's worried about how the debt crisis could affect her.

Johnson says last year, she overindulged and spent about $5,000. It took until this past May to pay down her credit card debt. As a result, this year, she plans to cut her holiday spending to $1,500.

"I felt too much pressure financially," said Johnson, who works for the National Institutes of Health, a government agency that's a conglomerate of research centers. "I am not going to do it to myself again."

It's Americans' worries about the economic uncertainty that led the National Retail Federation to predict slower growth during the winter holiday shopping season than the increase of 5.6 percent and 5.5 percent in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Still, the forecast is higher than the average growth of 3.5 percent for November and December over the past 10 years. And it continues a growth trend that began after holiday sales fell 4.4 percent in 2008 during the middle of the recession. (The federation for the first time is counting online sales and sales from the auto parts and accessories business. It has revised every year's holiday figures from 2000 to reflect the change.)

The federation's forecast also is still more optimistic than the International Council of Shopping Centers, a mall trade group that last week said it predicts a 2.9 percent increase. It's also higher than the 3.3 percent growth estimated by ShopperTrak, a Chicago-based analyzer of retail foot traffic, last month.

The forecasts come as retailers wrap up what's expected to be a strong back-to-school shopping season. There have been no official numbers out on sales for that shopping period, which is typically the second biggest shopping season of the year and a barometer for what people are willing to spend during the winter holidays. But Ken Perkins, president of RetailMetrics LLC, said he expects revenue at stores opened at least a year to be up 5 percent for the combined August and September months.

But predicting holiday spending is never easy. Take last year's holiday period. Overall sales were strong, but sales don't tell the whole story: Retailers' profits were eroded because they had to do a lot of discounting to get shoppers to spend, particularly during the final weeks before Christmas.

And all the economic variables that will likely have an impact on this year's shopping season make predicting sales that much more difficult. Among them, the worry that the U.S. economy will fall off into another recession next year. That's when tax increases and deep spending cuts will take effect unless Congress reaches a budget deal.

Retailers and economists are hoping history doesn't repeat itself. The last time there was such a budget battle, in August 2011, it ended with the country losing its top credit rating, nervous investors fleeing the stock market, and shoppers taking a break from buying.

Still, Americans are more optimistic than they have been in a long time. Consumers' confidence rose to a seven-month high in September even as the unemployment rate has been stuck at around 8 percent, according to the Conference Board. Gallup Poll, which tracks consumer confidence daily, also registered a pickup in confidence last month to the highest level since May. The upcoming presidential election seems to be having an impact on how shoppers' view the economy, economists say.

Adding to that, Americans have seen their stock portfolios grow as The Standard & Poor's 500 stock index has surged more than 15 percent this year. And national home prices were up in July 1.2 percent compared to the same month last year, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller index released last week. That's the second straight year-over-year gain after two years without one.

Still, some economists question whether the higher level of confidence among Americans is sustainable. Confidence has been bouncing around since the recession and the current level is still well below what's considered healthy. Moreover, the spike in confidence has yet to translate into a surge in spending.

"You have to be confident to spend, but because you're confident doesn't necessarily mean you'll spend," said Dennis Jacobe, chief economist at Gallup Poll.

For their part, retailers already are being cautious. John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, says retailers are expected to increase holiday hiring by 6 percent to about 700,000 for the October through December period compared with a year ago, when that figure was 660,200. That's well above the 324,900 hired during the financial meltdown in 2008, but still below the 746,800 level in pre-recession 2006, and well under the nearly 850,000 seasonal workers hired during the height of the dot.com boom in 1999. NRF predicts merchants will hire between 585,000 and 625,000 seasonal workers for the holidays. That's in line with last year's 607,000, according to the trade group's measure.

And they're already starting to offer enticements to lure holiday shoppers. Kmart, a division of Sears Holdings Corp., Toys R Us and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have announced last month they're either lowering or waiving the upfront services fees for their interest-free pay-over-time program. All three said the moves were in response to complaints from shoppers.

___

Follow Anne D'Innocenzio at http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-10-02-AP-US-Retail-Holiday-Forecast/id-700fd51a49e147dba40bbcb810a75146

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Swimming & Diving: Florida State, Miami @ All Florida Invite vs ACC , 09/29/12 All Day

Source: http://www.theacc.com/sports/c-swim/sched/acc-c-swim-sched.html

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