entertainment videos: May 2012

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Legal pact permits NYC transit workers to don religious head wear

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Effects of Index-Fund Investing on Oil Prices

In my previous post I described a new research paper with University of Chicago Professor Cynthia Wu on the Effects of Index-Fund Investing on Commodity Futures Prices. Previously I discussed what we found for the prices of agricultural commodities. Here I review our findings about oil prices.

Part of the interest in a possible effect of commodity-index funds on oil prices comes from testimony before the U.S. Senate by hedge fund manager Michael Masters, in which he produced a provocative graph of oil prices against an estimate of the number of crude oil futures contracts held by commodity-index funds. We reproduced his methodology to update his graph below. The figure certainly seems to suggest a strong connection between these two series, particularly during 2008 and 2009.

Price of near crude oil contract (left scale) and number of crude oil contracts held by index traders as imputed by Masters' method (right scale). Source: Hamilton and Wu (2012).

The CFTC does not release a direct estimate of index-fund holdings of crude oil contracts at the weekly frequency of data plotted above. Masters therefore used an indirect method based on CFTC-reported holdings by commodity-index funds of 3 particular agricultural commodities to construct the green line in the graph above. His reasoning was that most index funds follow one of two popular strategies, trying to track either the S&P-Goldman Sachs Commodity Index or the Dow Jones-UBS (formerly Dow Jones-AIG) Commodity Index. He noted that soybean oil, one of the 12 agricultural commodities for which CFTC does report a weekly estimate of index-fund positions, is included in the Dow Jones but not the Goldman strategy. Masters? proposal was that, by using the CFTC estimate of holdings of soybean oil by index funds, and from the known weights that the Dow Jones strategy calls for holding soybean oil relative to crude oil, one could infer how many crude oil contracts were being held by funds following the Dow Jones strategy. Similarly, the Goldman strategy includes Kansas City wheat and feeder cattle, whereas the Dow Jones index does not, so either of these commodities (Masters used the average) could generate an implied holding of crude oil contracts by those trying to replicate the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index. Summing these two estimates produced the green line in the figure above. Thus this estimate of crude oil holdings is actually based on reported holdings in soybean oil, Kansas City wheat, and feeder cattle contracts.

This approach of imputing crude oil holdings from a few agricultural commodities has been sharply criticized by Irwin and Sanders (2011), who note that the implied estimates using Kansas City wheat often differ significantly from those based on feeder cattle. They also document that, for dates for which we have separate reasonable estimates of crude oil contracts held by commodity-index funds, the actual holdings differ substantially from the series plotted in the green line above. (See my discussion of Irwin and Sanders? paper in Econbrowser last August).

In my new paper with Cynthia Wu, we demonstrate that Masters? idea for imputing crude oil holdings from agricultural measures does not require finding a commodity that appears in one index but not the other. Algebraically, the method can be thought of as simply solving a system of two equations to determine two unknowns. In fact under Masters? assumption, it would be possible to infer crude oil holdings from almost any two arbitrary agricultural commodities. The graph below shows what those inferences look like if one uses soybean oil plus any one of the indicated second commodities. The inferred series for crude oil holdings is quite sensitive to which agricultural series one uses. The figure also plots a regression method that we developed that makes use of all 12 commodities together, which can be viewed as a generalization of Masters? averaging idea.

Holdings of crude oil contracts held by commodity-index traders imputed by (a) soybean oil and one other agricultural commodity; (b) Masters' method; (c) regression method. Source: Hamilton and Wu (2012).

A recent paper by Stanford Professor Ken Singleton found that the 13-week change in Masters? estimates of crude oil holdings can help forecast returns on crude oil futures contracts. Cynthia and I were able to reproduce this finding, though the level and 1-week change of the Masters series don?t have any predictive power.

Returning to the first figure above, the striking feature of the Masters series is that it collapses as the recession worsened in 2008 but began to rebound sharply before the recovery began, features that help give it apparent predictive power over the sample period that Singleton originally studied. Since Singleton?s paper was written, we now have 2 more years of data with which to see if the relation has true predictive power. We estimated the forecasting regression using a sample that ended at the same date as Singleton?s original analysis (January 12, 2010), and then used those regression estimates to try to forecast crude oil futures prices over January 17, 2010 to January 3, 2012. We found that in this out-of-sample exercise, the regression actually did 22% worse than one would have done if one simply used the naive forecast that futures prices would never change.

Interestingly, we found that Masters? measure not only appeared to forecast changes in crude oil prices over the 2006-2009 period, but would equally appear to have been able to predict changes in the S&P500 stock price index over that period. However, this relation, too, turns out to perform worse out-of-sample than the naive prediction that stock prices will never change.

Our conclusion is that the correlation between 13-week changes in commodity-index holdings of agricultural futures contracts over 2006-2009 and other series such as changes in crude oil or stock prices is likely to just be a coincidence. Overall, we find very little support in the data for the claim that index buying exerted significant effect on commodity futures prices.

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Non-Profit Fundraising and Storytelling | WePay

I?m always making the comparison between for-profit businesses and charitable organizations. I like to point out that? there really isn?t much difference between the two.

Non-profit organizations ARE businesses, and they have to employ tried-and-true business principles if they want to stay in business. Non-profits have to create awareness (marketing) about their businesses and raise capital (fundraising) for their businesses just like any other business organization.

The only difference between these two business models is:

A for-profit business measures its success in monetary gain: how much money it made (above and beyond the costs of doing business) for the business owners or for the stockholders.
A non-profit organization measures its success in the number of coats it provides to the needy, or percentage of increase in the number of visitors to their exhibition, or number of students who will be able to attend educational seminars, or the amount of money raised to add a new wing to the hospital.

Both quantify their successes. One in dollars? and one in the number of lives that have been changed for the better.

And, both reach their respective objectives using the same marketing and fundraising materials. Written and visual materials that tell the story of ?

who you are as an organization (or charitable cause)
why you do what you do
who benefits
all the justification for why you deserve support (i.e., time, talent, influence and money) from prospective donors

In other words, telling your story. And, not just telling your story but telling it in a way that is motivational and memorable.

Compelling Story

Peter Guber, author of Tell to Win,?says that in the for-profit business world, stories have the ?power? to ?connect and persuade.? ?This is exactly what you want from ALL your marketing and fundraising efforts. To connect and persuade. Connect with your prospective donor and persuade him or her to support your organization (or worthy cause) in some way.

Compelling stories ? ones that make emotional and intellectual connections with your prospective donor ? are more powerful, make a deeper and more lasting connection, and are more persuasive.

So, what makes a compelling story?

I have a dear friend who used to be a grant reviewer for an arts group in my hometown. I asked her what role stories played in a successful grant proposal and what she looked for in a compelling story.

Renee told me stories played a huge role in writing a successful grant. She referred to stories as the ?currency,? the means by which the grant proposal?s ideas are transmitted and sustained. Renee looked for compelling stories that were ?

interesting
drew her in
poignant
struck an emotional cord
caused her to think

Market Research

To create compelling stories ? powerful stories that connect and persuade ? you have to know who your target market is. The only way to find that out is to do a little market research.

Be a good listener. Ask questions. Start and engage in conversations with known donors. Find out their interests, demographics, why they like being associated with your organization or cause, how they first came to support your cause (what drew them in), how they have benefited from your services or programs. Conduct surveys. Always ask for comments from your target market.

Record your research data in a donor database or spreadsheet program and analyze your findings. Determine who your target market is based on what you find in your research data.

Resolutions

Well-crafted stories for the non-profit world generally show (or exemplify) how a societal problem was resolved. These stories point out how you provided a much needed service, or enhanced your community in some way, or changed an unjust situation.

Whenever someone relayed a story that touched my heart or exemplified why we were in business and how effective our business was ? whether from a program recipient, a volunteer, board member, current donor ? I made a note of the story.

I kept all my story ideas in a special file folder, and elaborated on the specific storyline that best fit my marketing or fundraising need. ?The stories I told in my marketing and fundraising materials illustrated how our organization or cause had resolved or was resolving a social problem.

Easier To Remember

Another reason to use stories in your marketing and non-profit fundraising efforts: stories are easier to remember. Compelling stories even more so.

As non-profit organizations, we sometimes describe what we do and why we do it in purely analytical terms. Statistics and hard facts can be boring. And that which is boring is soon forgotten (or remembered for all the wrong reasons).

Data presented with a compelling story, on the other hand, is inspirational, motivational, and, most of all, memorable. Inspirational and motivational stories compel your prospects to support your cause in some manner. Memorable stories make it easier for supporters to spread the word about you and your cause.

Telling the Story in Different Ways

There are different ways to tell a compelling story. Some stories are best told using the written word. Other stories are best told visually through photographs and videos.

One method is not necessarily better than the other. As a non-profit fundraiser, you want to use the method that reaches the largest number of your target market and is most likely to engage your target audience.

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Successful Companies are Social - Social Media for Business ...

According to Forbes, a new IBM study suggests that social media is going to play a larger role in organizations as CEOs recognize ?that using social technologies to engage with customers, suppliers and employees will enable the organization to be more adaptive and agile.?

We couldn?t agree more.

But what?s interesting about this study, is that it reveals the importance of CEOs themselves embracing social media in order to maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

CEOs and upper management must lead the way in corporate social media adoption. It is not enough to simply have social media tools available. CEOs must embrace the technology and lead the way in empowering today?s employee with the tools they need to connect, engage, collaborate and innovate.

A Social Workplace Leads to a More Open Workplace

One of the reasons it?s important for CEOs to embrace social media is that it?s a gateway to a more open workplace. And according to the IBM study, ?Companies that outperform their peers are 30 percent more likely to identify openness as a key influence on their organization [sic].?

A Social Workplace Leads to a More Relevant Workplace

Another reason it?s important for CEOs to embrace social media is to maintain effective communication using mainstream communication tools. If you want your business to remain relevant, you?ve got to adopt social media.

A Social Workplace Leads to a More Collaborative Workplace

Perhaps the greatest reason it?s important for CEOs to embrace social media is because they can lead by example. They can be the initiators of collaboration and innovation, of a more open workplace, of a more transparent organization.

We love that this study not only indicates the importance of social media for customer retention and relationships, but the importance of using social media for internal communications.

So, what do you think? How do you see social media changing the way business is done?and run? Let us know! We?d love to hear what you think.

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THE ARISTOCRATS The Aristocrats music review by Epignosis

The Aristocrats is a heavy rock and jazz fusion power trio from around the world. The music here tends toward playful fun but incoherence. This is a series of lengthy albeit sophisticated jams full of incredible technical proficiency but lacking any memorability.

"Boing!. I'm in the Back" Distorted guitar and an odd rhythm adopt a quirky drive in this opener. Eventually, it boasts a bit of progressive surf rock. I appreciate the softer side the band takes on during the middle passage.

"Sweaty Knockers" Interesting title aside, the music here switches from aggressive rock to smooth jazz in a matter of mere moments. The guitarist gyrates through heavy metal shredding and country rock twang.

"Bad Asteroid" Velvety guitar begins this calmer venture. It's rather similar to "Walking the Plank" by Celtic rockers Bad Haggis.

"Get it Like That" This fourth piece stays in that laidback jazzy mode, but there's more of an urgency about this one.

"Furtive Jack" The band offers a degree of variety on this Caribbean-inspired excursion. It blends silky jazz with grittier leads. There's an excellent bass solo to be found here.

"I Want a Parrot" Slow and swinging, I find this lengthy tune to be somewhat similar to material from David Gilmour's On an Island. There's plenty of screaming guitar and grooving bass here to go around. The judicious drummer does an incredible job giving the music precisely what it needs, even if it means sitting it out for a bit.

"See You Next Tuesday" Initially of an avant-jazz-rock piece, this one tends to be harder to follow until it settles into a heavy groove upon which the guitarist has a field day.

"Blues Fuckers" This unfortunately titled piece is just all over the place and is only really bluesy in the beginning and the end.

"Flatlands" The final piece is clean, slow-paced blues that is reminiscent of some of Eric Johnson's smoother work- a placid ending to an otherwise frenetic album.

Epignosis | 3/5 | 2012-5-30

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Online Product Reviews, Ratings and Comparisons Blog ? The best ...

Have you ever at any time waited in line at a retail store to get a piece of electronics and wished you had absent on line instead? Have you at any time bought some thing on-line and wished you might see it, touch it, check with an genuine person concerns well before you purchased it? Have you ever ever observed exactly the same model cell phone you purchased for the keep advertised on the internet for fifty percent the price? In case you answered indeed to any of these thoughts, then you definately realize it is simply not generally quick to determine no matter if an internet based or brick and mortar shop will be the finest area to obtain electronics. Equally methods have merit, nevertheless it may possibly depend on anything you choose to acquire and what you?re anticipating after you invest in it.

On the net, as an example, is great for buying many varieties of more compact electronic products. Most e-readers, in fact, are offered online: only one or two of your primary brands are even accessible in brick and mortar outlets. People today typically purchase smart telephones, lab tops, and tablets on the internet. The costs are frequently reduce and these products are conveniently sent for your mail box. There may be generally much more variety on the internet, much too. In its place of settling for the constrained quantity of brands carried at the stores in your area, you can surf from 1 web page to a different until eventually you strike electronics shell out grime!

In the event the digital gadget you want to order incorporates functions you have to see up near, or ?test drive? to choose whether to buy it, then you definitely could possibly not like purchasing on the net. As an example, in order for you to look into the cool functions most current smart cellular phone, then you could well be improved off going to the cellular phone or electronics keep near you. In case your electronics invest in is actually large, just like a big screen Tv, you?ll want to purchase it in the retail store to prevent high delivery expenditures. The top advantage of brick and mortar stores, while, is quick gratification: you are able to decide up your digital system now rather of waiting around a number of days for delivery.

So, which can be an even better way to get electronics? As you can see, it really is determined by your needs, would like, and preferences. If you would like far more variety, are looking for a discount, or you should not would like to go away property, you could would like to get on the net. In the event you are the variety of individual who needs to hold it in your own hand, or you are buying anything substantial, then the store may be the place to go. In any event, you happen to be bound to delight in your electronics invest in!

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Fugitive Venezuela judge helps elite U.S. anti-drugs unit

CARACAS/MIAMI (Reuters) - A former Venezuelan Supreme Court judge who fled the country last month is cooperating with an elite special operations unit of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that targets major international traffickers, according to sources familiar with the case.

Testimony by Eladio Aponte could pave the way for indictments of President Hugo Chavez's allies. That would embarrass the socialist leader and help Washington cast its ideological adversary as leading a pariah nation.

The United States has alleged for years that Chavez turns a blind eye to trafficking and that officials in his government are directly involved, accusations that Chavez rejects.

Aponte is one of six special witnesses cooperating with the DEA in its investigation of Venezuelan government ties to trafficking, said a former U.S. government official familiar with the situation.

The case is being handled by Group 959, a unit of DEA's Special Operations Division, according to sources with direct knowledge of the case including a former law enforcement source.

The DEA declined to comment.

Group 959, known as the Bilateral Investigations Unit, was set up to target traffickers overseas plotting to import cocaine to the United States, even if no shipments actually arrive.

It takes its name from an extra-territorial extension of drug laws, known as Section 959, allowing prosecution of acts committed outside the jurisdiction of the United States.

David Tinsley, a retired DEA veteran who now runs his own private intelligence agency, said Group 959 would only be involved in the Aponte case if the government felt he could deliver strong evidence.

"In the hands of 959, he would become a very effective tool," he said. "They must have wanted Aponte bad. (The division) doesn't go on fishing expeditions, they are very surgical. They know who they are going after and why."

Group 959 has handled key investigations from Colombia to Afghanistan and West Africa. They include the 2006 indictment of the entire top leadership and 43 commanders of Colombia's FARC guerrilla army on charges of running a $25 billion drug trafficking network responsible for 60 percent of the cocaine on U.S. streets, according to former DEA agents.

DRUG TRADE

If the U.S. government does charge senior Venezuelan officials, it would echo the 1988 indictment of Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega and some of his allies on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. U.S. troops went on to force Noriega from power the following year and he was tried and jailed in the United States.

Chavez's government has angrily denied the allegations leveled against it by U.S. officials and now by Aponte.

The scandal is unlikely to affect Chavez's October re-election bid, which will largely hinge on his recovery from an undisclosed type of cancer.

But it has spurred renewed attention to the allegations that Chavez has allowed a surge in drug trafficking in Venezuela.

Aponte said in an interview with Miami-based online TV channel SOi TV in April that Chavez allies routinely manipulate the court system, and he accused top officials of involvement in the drug trade.

He said he was ordered to release a military officer believed to be part of Chavez's inner circle who had been arrested for allegedly helping smuggle two tons of cocaine.

Aponte's claims were quickly reiterated by another former judge, Luis Velasquez, who left Venezuela in 2006 amid a dispute with Chavez allies. He said Venezuela's judicial system and military have been penetrated by drug traffickers.

Aponte was removed from his post by Venezuela's National Assembly on charges of assisting accused Venezuelan drug kingpin Walid Makled, considered one of the Andean region's biggest traffickers. The judge fled to Costa Rica where he met with DEA agents before being flown to the United States on April 17 aboard a government chartered plane.

KINGPIN TRIAL

Makled is on trial for drug trafficking, money laundering and murder, charges he denies. The trial has produced a drip-drip of incriminating details.

Makled has said he paid millions of dollars to government officials and military officers who helped him obtain lucrative concessions, including one that gave him the right to operate Venezuela's main port, and that he had flown judges and government ministers on his personal jet.

"If I'm a drug trafficker, then all those people I worked with are drug traffickers," he said in a 2010 interview from a prison cell in Colombia, where he was captured and later extradited to Venezuela.

Despite denying involvement in drug trafficking, he claims to have extensive evidence of government links to the cocaine trade.

Makled also told reporters last month that he made monthly payments to Aponte because the two were business partners in an airline. Government sympathizers gleefully repeated the claims in apparent efforts to impugn Aponte's credibility but critics said it in fact highlighted the drug trade's close ties with the judiciary.

Aponte has not commented on Makled's claims.

Cocaine is smuggled into Venezuela from neighboring Colombia, the world's top producer, and on to Europe, the United States and Africa.

The United States has already accused a number of Venezuelan officials including Defense Minister Henry Rangel of helping Colombian guerrillas smuggle cocaine, freezing those officials' assets in the United States and prohibiting U.S. citizens from doing business with them.

"Members of the government and security forces were credibly reported to have engaged in or facilitated drug trafficking activities," the White House said last year in an annual assessment of global cooperation in the drug war.

Chavez's government rejects Aponte's statements as U.S.-fueled propaganda, saying he "sold his soul" to the DEA. It says his dismissal shows Venezuela's judicial system works and it has discussed seeking his extradition from the United States.

"They have created an entire campaign meant to associate our armed forces and our defense minister with drug trafficking," said ruling Socialist Party official Blanca Eekhout.

Chavez, who halted cooperation with the DEA in 2005 on charges that it violated Venezuela's sovereignty, has repeatedly scoffed at U.S. accusations his government is soft on drugs. He notes Venezuela has on numerous occasions turned traffickers over to U.S. authorities and makes frequent narcotics seizures.

CARTEL WAR

The U.S. State Department estimated in a report this year that between 161 and 212 metric tons of cocaine "likely departed from Venezuela to global destinations in 2011."

Venezuela's drug trade stretches to West Africa and Eastern Europe, the report said, with cocaine shipments from Venezuela reaching the likes of Guinea Bissau and Ukraine.

Velasquez, the judge who echoed Aponte's criticisms, said war had broken out between Venezuelan cartels, including one made up of senior military officers known as the "Cartel of the Suns." Its name comes from the insignias that decorate the epaulettes of Venezuelan generals.

"(Chavez) should know that among his favorite generals there are drug traffickers," said Velasquez in a television interview, also with SOi TV filmed in Costa Rica, where he now lives. "There is proof that high-ranking officials have been bribed ... and nobody does anything."

Velasquez said that conflict was responsible for the murders of General Jesus Aguilarte and General Wilmer Moreno, close confidants of the president who were gunned down in March and April in killings that resembled drug mafia murders.

The government has been largely silent about the two cases, which is surprising because both victims took part in the failed 1992 coup that thrust Chavez to fame. Officers who were involved in that putsch are among Chavez's closest allies and Venezuela's most powerful officials.

A spokesman for Venezuela's main investigative police unit said the group had not yet determined a motive for the murders.

(Editing by Daniel Wallis and Kieran Murray; Desking by Cynthia Osterman)

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Police: Boxer was driving too fast in Ga. crash

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) ? Police say boxer Paul Williams was driving his modified sport motorcycle too fast for conditions when he crashed into an embankment.

His manager, George Peterson, said the boxer was paralyzed and has no movement from the waist down after Sunday's crash in Marietta, northwest of Atlanta.

Peterson said the 30-year-old athlete severed his spinal cord after falling on his back and head when he was thrown from his motorcycle.

Marietta police said in a statement Tuesday morning that Williams was driving at a high rate of speed which was too fast for conditions. Police say he could not negotiate a curve, and the bike slammed into the embankment.

Peterson said Williams was scheduled to fight Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on Sept. 15 in Las Vegas but that event has been canceled.

Associated Press

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Dyson's Design Chief: Green Comes Naturally From Great - tighz

Green. It?s a catchall phrase that?s used and abused, making it nearly impossible for people to distinguish the inventive from the tokenistic. Because most people agree it?s a good thing, it?s molded to fit agendas and sell products. The fact is, it?s easier for companies to talk green than to innovate.

Now I?m not an environmentalist. But I am an engineer and know a little about designing machines. Engineers are very singular. They don?t necessarily start out to make something ?green? but rather to create something that works better. Often, to achieve that goal, they have to do more with less. Rather than green engineering, it?s about efficient engineering.

I am not an environmentalist. But I am an engineer.

It?s not a new concept. Engineering has always been about efficiency. Take a hero of mine: Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Brunel built 25 railway lines, over a hundred bridges, including five suspension bridges, eight pier and dock systems, three ships, and a prefabricated army field hospital. He was a genius and just 53 when he died. On one of his ships, the SS Great Britain, he perfected the screw propeller, making the ship faster than its paddled predecessor and the first iron-hulled vessel (and the largest) to cross the Atlantic. All this was engineered on paper. Even with all of our computer programs and modeling software, today?s propellers are only 5% more efficient.

Then there?s the original Mini. Launched in 1959 during the Suez oil crisis, it was an alternative to gas guzzlers. The designer Alec Issigonis rotated the engine, making the car smaller, lighter, and more economical. It was green before green existed. The United States felt a similar squeeze in 2008?and saw a very quick shift to more fuel-efficient cars. And as gasoline prices rise, it?s likely that electric-, hybrid-, or fuel-cell powered cars will become necessity rather than novelty. But getting the technology right won?t be easy. When it comes to engineering better, longer-lasting products, patience can be in short supply.

It took Boeing over eight years to bring its 787 Dreamliner to market. For the fuselage and wings, its engineers used advanced composite technologies, rather than the standard aluminum. Such materials had never been applied at this scale. The result was fewer parts and a lighter body, allowing the plane to fly farther, burning 20% less fuel?more with less. Yet, rather than being applauded for its engineering excellence, Boeing was chastised for delays resulting from a lengthy research-and-development process?the scapegoat for being first out of the gate.

There are often delays to great engineering projects. That?s because it?s hard to invent something that?s all-round better. And energy efficiency is the hardest nut to crack. It?s fraught with political debate and uncertainty, both environmental and economical. Efficiency?whether that?s material efficiency, energy efficiency, or performance efficiency?is essential to good engineering and genuine advances in sustainable design. You can?t sacrifice one for another. Energy efficiency must be balanced with performance; no one will buy an appliance that does half a job.

For example, to comply with demanding new American efficiency standards, some washing machine manufacturers reduced the quantity of hot water used per wash. In principle, it made perfect sense: less hot water means less energy used. The trouble was that it came at the expense of clean clothes.

If ?green? is what we want, legislation may be part of it. But it?s a doubled-edge sword.

So is it even possible to create big performance from a small input? We think so. But it?s not easy. Our engineers and scientists have spent 15 years developing our digital motor technology. It uses electronic pulses to drive the motor, rather than conventional carbon brushes, and spins incredibly fast?more than 80,000 times a minute, or four times faster than a racecar engine. This motor helps reduce energy use in our Airblade hand dryer, allowing the machine to create 70% less carbon emissions than paper towels and hot- air hand dryers. Less energy means less cost. But it has to work better and faster, too.

That?s where the difficulty comes in. This kind of investment is risky and takes time. We do it to make a better machine, something that works properly?no more wiping your damp hands on your trousers?and because we think it?s a manufacturer?s responsibility to engineer efficiently. The trouble is that it?s easy to sell something based on bigness: big-box stores, supersize drinks, and vast televisions. So that?s what a lot of manufacturers do. It?s harder to get the message across that how something really performs is what counts. It?s easier to say a car has a three-liter engine than it is to say a car has a one-liter engine with three-liter performance.

If ?green? is what we want, legislation may be part of it. But it?s a doubled-edge sword. It should encourage genuine advances in invention?machines that cut energy use without sacrificing performance. But this is not always the case. In the European Union, for example, legislation determined that new cars should use a higher proportion of recycled steel. A noble aim but the result was heavier cars that actually consumed more fuel driving up the carbon footprint.

While green-washing is nothing new, the scale is. As more companies wield green paintbrushes, it?s less likely a coat of paint will woo a potential customer. Instead, companies that lead the charge in creating better technologies, efficient motors, battery and capacitor technology, and more will have a competitive advantage. When it comes to green, people want to make the right choice, but amid a barrage of claims, causes, and issues, it?s almost impossible to distinguish the well meaning from the meaningless. Good marketing means that green can mean anything. But good engineering means efficient engineering. It?s not quick or easy, but it is the right thing to do, and it doesn?t just make sense in terms of sustainability but as a business strategy, too.

via http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669848/dysons-design-chief-green-comes-naturally-from-great-engineering

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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The realities of adopting from foster care

M?Lisa and Ryun always knew that they wanted to adopt children and got their foster care license as soon as M?Lisa was old enough. Their family received their first foster placement two weeks before M?Lisa's 21st birthday. All of a sudden at not even 21, M?Lisa was the temporary mom to a 12-year-old. As M?Lisa recounts the story of the six months the child was in her home, she says that the experience was a million times harder than she could ever have imagined. Though the first placement ended with the child being admitted to a psychiatric facility, that didn't discourage M?Lisa and her husband from wanting to continue helping children.

Read about moms meeting their babies for the first time >>

The package deal

"In just three years, the carefree couple had transformed into a family of five with special needs kids."

One day, the couple received a call about a 3-year-old boy who was part of a package deal with his 5-year-old brother, and this wasn't just a strictly foster situation?? the agency was looking for an adoptive home. In less than two weeks, the boys were moved into their home forever. Over the next few years, their family went through a lot of changes?? adopting a third child, who was 18 months old at the time, along the way. In just three years, they went from a carefree couple who played in a band together to a family of five with special needs kids.

The family moved and they toured a lot with their band (often taking the kids along with them). And eventually they settled in Los Angeles, where they went through the process to get their foster care license once again. The couple thought they'd adopt another child eventually, maybe two. Little did they know that three more kids were in store for them.

Read about celebrities who became parents through adoption >>

Three more?

While attending an adoption fair, they met a little girl who was part of a sibling group of three. They didn't think they were interested in taking on three more kids, but they were drawn to the girl and curiosity got the best of them. They had to meet the other two. It was love at first sight and soon the threesome would become their daughters.

And now here they are?? a blended, transracial family with six kids, two cats and two parents trying to balance marriage, parenting, art and passion.

M?Lisa says, "We?re both in our mid-thirties and we have a lot less time, money and sleep, but we honestly wouldn?t change a thing."

Next up: M?Lisa talks about the foster care system >>

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Blowing in the wind: How hidden flower features are crucial for bees

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

As gardeners get busy filling tubs and borders with colourful bedding plants, scientists at the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol have discovered more about what makes flowers attractive to bees rather than humans. Published today in the British Ecological Society's journal Functional Ecology, their research reveals that Velcro-like cells on plant petals play a crucial role in helping bees grip flowers ? especially when the wind gets up.

The study focuses on special cells found on the surface of petals, whose stunning structure is best seen under an electron microscope. According to lead author, Dr Beverley Glover: "Many of our common garden flowers have beautiful conical cells if you look closely ? roses have rounded conical petal cells while petunias have really long cells, giving petunia flowers an almost velvety appearance, particularly visible in the dark-coloured varieties."

Glover's group previously discovered that when offered snapdragons with conical cells and a mutant variety without these cells, bees prefer the former because the conical cells help them grip the flower. "It's a bit like Velcro, with the bee claws locking into the gaps between the cells," she explains.

Compared with many garden flowers, however, snapdragons have very complicated flowers; bees have to land on a vertical face and pull open a heavy lip to reach the nectar so Glover was not surprised that grip helps. But she wanted to discover how conical cells help bees visiting much simpler flowers.

"Many of our garden flowers like petunias, roses and poppies are very simple saucers with nectar in the bottom, so we wanted to find out why having conical cells to provide grip would be useful for bees landing on these flowers. We hypothesised that maybe the grip helped when the flowers blow in the wind."

Using two types of petunia, one with conical cells and a mutant line with flat cells, Glover let a group of bumblebees that had never seen petunias before forage in a large box containing both types of flower, and discovered they too preferred the conical-celled flowers.

They then devised a way of mimicking the way flowers move in the wind. "We used a lab shaking platform that we normally use to mix liquids, and put the flowers on that. As we increased the speed of shaking, mimicking increased wind speed, the bees increased their preference for the conical-celled flowers," she says.

The results, Glover says, give ecologists a deeper insight into the extraordinarily subtle interaction between plant and pollinator. "Nobody knew what these cells were for, and now we have a good answer that works for pretty much all flowers," she concludes. "It's is too easy to look at flowers from a human perspective, but when you put yourself into the bee's shoes you find hidden features of flowers can be crucial to foraging success."

###

Katrina Alcorn, Heather Whitney and Beverley Glover (2012). 'Flower movement increases pollinator preference for flowers with better grip', doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.02009.x is published in Functional Ecology on Tuesday 29 May 2012.

University of Cambridge: http://www.cam.ac.uk

Thanks to University of Cambridge 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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Man convicted of NJ webcam gay spying apologizes

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) ? A former Rutgers University student convicted of using a webcam to spy on his male roommate kissing another man days before the roommate killed himself publicly apologized on Tuesday for the first time.

Dharun Ravi said in a statement issued through his lawyer he was sorry for what he called his "thoughtless, insensitive, immature, stupid and childish choices."

Ravi's roommate, Tyler Clementi, threw himself from New York City's George Washington Bridge in 2010.

Ravi was sentenced in March to 30 days in jail. He said Tuesday he'll start serving his term on Thursday in New Brunswick.

The sentencing judge had criticized Ravi for a lack of remorse and had told him: "I haven't heard you apologize once."

Prosecutors said Ravi's sentence was too lenient.

Ravi, now 20, was convicted of 15 criminal counts, including bias intimidation and invasion of privacy.

Soon after that, letters began pouring in to Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman's chambers making requests for how to handle sentencing. Ravi had faced up to 10 years in prison.

Earlier this month, the judge told him he would have to serve 30 days in jail. Because the sentence is less than a year, it decreases the chances that federal immigration authorities will seek to have Ravi deported to India, where he was born and remains a citizen.

Ravi maintains he is innocent.

Associated Press

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Marriage-saving tips for work-at-home couples

Earlier this month "Hitched" received a letter from a wife who works from home and asked for our help. After 31 years of marriage, she is struggling with her husband?s lack of respect for her workspace. He also began working from home and moved his computer into her office and now regularly interrupts her. The wife feels smothered and disrespected, and now she daydreams about getting her own apartment.

Rather than reply to just her with tips, I thought I?d share the information with all of you. While I have a lot of work-from-home experience, I gave a call to Diane Gottsman, owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in etiquette training for corporations, universities and individuals

Define your workspace
Having a space of your own is extremely important, even if one of you has to work from the kitchen table. If possible, set up shop in two separate rooms on opposite sides of your home. Being in a separate space will help avoid distractions from your spouse, which can be as simple as their phone ringing throughout the day. If quarters are tight, Gottsman advises against butting two desks up against each other where you and your spouse are face to face, especially if you are doing your own projects for two different companies. The distractions it will likely cause will outweigh the benefits of the space saved.

If you don?t have a space large enough to accommodate both of you, establishing office hours may provide a fix.

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Create office hours
If you only have one room that can work comfortably as a home office, Gottsman says you might trade use of that room by creating work hours. For example, one might exclusively get the room from 8:00 to 1:00 and the other from 1:00 to 5:00. Gottsman says to negotiate the times that you truly need to be focused.

The second aspect of creating office hours is to let your spouse (and the rest of your family) know when you are not to be disturbed. You and your spouse can sync calendars on your smartphones to get on the same page. If you have kids, Gottsman suggests creating a physical calendar that they can see and placing it somewhere in a communal space.

Third, you have to establish a time to shut things down. ?We all have to create an end-time for our workday, whether that?s 5 o?clock or 6 o?clock,? says Gottsman. ?At some point we have to turn it off, close the laptop, walk away from the computer, silence our cell phone and spend time with each other.?

Communication
Dialogue with each other is paramount. ?You have to be able to talk to each other and really be honest without becoming defensive,? says Gottsman. Have a conversation where you explain what you need, when you need it and how these ground rules need to be followed going forward. ?It?s so important to be on the same page without becoming offended when your spouse can?t spend time with you,? says Gottsman.

If you would like to take advantage of being under the same roof during the day, Gottsman doesn?t think it would be outlandish to make appointments. For example, ?You could say, ?I know it?s a busy day for you, can we schedule a time later on where we can talk about how we?re going to get the kids to camp and who?s going to take Suzy to the soccer game,?? suggest Gottsman. You might not blatantly request an ?appointment,? but establishing specific times to take a break from work will keep you both focused and in the loop.

Dealing with distractions
This might be the biggest hurdle for most people working from home. ?We?ve gotten into the habit of being distracted,? says Gottsman. ?We now have to get into the habit of focusing on getting what we need to get done, taking our breaks, and at a certain point shutting down and being present with our spouse and with our friends.? This means you need to avoid pulling out the smartphone and taking a peak at Twitter, and likewise close the Facebook window.

When your husband or wife is just a few steps away, you need to respect each other?s space. You shouldn?t have to get off the phone to answer a question from our spouse, nor should they write you notes while you?re trying to conduct business. This gets back to communication, but you might try saying something along the lines of, ?I love you, I love you being here with me, but I?m easily distracted so could you help me out?? recommends Gottsman. So rather than scold your spouse for distracting you, you?ve flipped it and asked them for help.

Dealing with the family
Your boundaries should be very, very clear. ?We want to feel like what we?re doing is of value and that our spouse also values us,? says Gottsman. ?It may not seem as important, but if we?re doing it, it is important.? Your family needs to know they cannot walk in to your office and interrupt. When Gottsman absolutely cannot be disturbed and needs the rest of the house quiet while she takes an important call, she?ll put a sign on her door informing her family. Gottsman says you should have a conversation with your family that they are not to start the vacuum cleaner or blend a smoothie when they know you need a quiet backdrop.

Moreover, inform family members that you find it distracting if they stand next to you, breathing down your neck while you?re trying to get work done. It can be difficult with kids during the summer time when they?re home and need assistance, but establishing regular breaks when they know you?re available, and getting older siblings and your spouse to chip in will provide a big relief.

Of course, each household has their own schedules and specific needs. These are just a few guidelines for husbands and wives to follow when their office shares the same address.

?When you?re married, you have to look at all of these factors and figure out what works best for you, what works best under your own roof,? says Gottsman.

More from Forbes.com

? 2012 Forbes.com

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THE RACE: Trump not first to upstage a candidate

Donald Trump may have briefly sidetracked Mitt Romney's campaign message in Las Vegas with his renewed "birther" talk, but it isn't the first time an opinionated supporter has put a candidate in an awkward position.

In 2008, candidate Barack Obama had to distance himself from his former longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, following the Chicago clergyman's incendiary rhetoric and contentious public appearances. Obama also faced questions about his relationships with 1960s radical Bill Ayers and convicted Chicago businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

John McCain had pastor troubles, too. The 2008 GOP nominee secured primary endorsements from pastors John Hagee of Texas and Rod Parsley of Ohio, but later disavowed them because of their controversial sermons.

McCain also was partly upstaged by his lightly vetted running mate, then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Earlier this month, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker put Obama in a tough spot when he described as "nauseating" Obama campaign attack ads against Bain Capital, the private equity firm co-founded by Romney. Booker subsequently backed off.

Trump hasn't backtracked from his suggestion that Obama wasn't born in the United States despite solid evidence that he was. He discussed it anew in TV interviews as Romney savored the Texas primary victory that put him over the top.

Romney doesn't subscribe to Trump's claims, his aides say, but he hasn't taken a public stance on them ? or spurned the real-estate mogul's fundraising help.

Another ex-rival, Newt Gingrich, has also endorsed Romney. But, like Trump, the former House speaker isn't known for an eagerness to share the spotlight.

Obama on Wednesday signed a bill reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, a measure he said would help American businesses create jobs.

Romney was continuing his push to raise money with fundraisers in wealthy California enclaves. This time, Trump won't be along.

Follow Tom Raum on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tomraum. For more AP political coverage, look for the 2012 Presidential Race in AP Mobile's Big Stories section. Also follow https://twitter.com/APCampaign and AP journalists covering the campaign: https://twitter.com/AP/ap-campaign-2012

Associated Press

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Palawan Publishing. Automotive Volumes. Straining The Bookshelf ...

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012??//??James Gent??//??Lifestyle??//??

I?m sure you?ll agree, no self-respecting petrolhead is truly worth their oil-caked soul unless their bookcase is straining with hardbound volumes of manufacturer/driver/vehicular biographies, photographic odysseys and dated car magazines. And let?s not forget the customary coffee table book either.

In this regard, Palawan (the British publishing outfit, not the island resort in the Philippines just FYI) has got the right idea. Take Racers, for example, a whopping 432 page odyssey detailing motorsport in the fifties, sixties and seventies through 300 photos and the memories of those who lived it.

The rose-tinted spectacles won?t get much downtime, since the volume in particular spotlights the racers of the breed, rather than drivers who were financially motivated.

You?ll find similar tales of by-gone days in Sixties Motor Racing, a chronicle of the decade intercut with behind the scenes stories and character development of the Stewarts, Hills and Clarks of the time. Let?s not forget exclusive photography too.

And for those of you who still have questions to pose on the Mercedes 300SL, you could check out Gullwing, a 400+ page march through the development, production, sale and rise to infamy of the aforementioned silver arrow. Spend an extra $310 and you could get yourself the two-volume Owner?s Edition.

Ah yes, an EXTRA $310. Don?t expect much change from your $600 for any of these limited edition volumes. Treat yourself by going for the leather-bound five book Sixties slipcase, for example, and you?ll be forking over the best part of two grand.

Sometimes straining the bookshelf requires straining the purse strings too.

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Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer | Baby And Women Tips

?Colorectal cancer if detected and treated early can be prevented and treated. Data indicate if this is done then the number of casualties caused by colorectal cancer can be decreased to 50%. This makes an increase in public awareness of colorectal cancer is important to note.
Over the past few years, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month which falls in March has been celebrated in various countries around the world. Months of colorectal cancer care in Europe was launched at the initiative of colorectal Europacolon patient support groups. Since 2009, Indonesia began to follow the warnings of colorectal cancer regardless of the month so hopefully more people began to recognize the illness and be alert to the symptoms.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer depends on tumor location in the intestine and whether it has spread to elsewhere in the body (metastasis). Most of the symptoms of other illnesses can appear as well, and then there is no mention here are the symptoms of colorectal cancer diagnostics. Symptoms and signs are divided into local, the Constitution (affecting the entire body) and metastatic (caused by spread to other organs).Local
Local symptoms are more likely if the tumor is located near the anus. Maybe there is a change in bowel habits (new onset constipation or diarrhea in the absence of other causes), and the feeling of incomplete defecation (tenesmus) and reduction in diameter of stool; tenesmus and change in stool form is the second characteristic of rectal cancer. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding, including parts of bright red blood in the stool, may indicate colorectal cancer, such as perhaps an increase in mucus. Melena, black stool with a lingering look, usually occurs in the upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding (such as from a duodenal ulcer), but is sometimes found in colorectal cancer when the disease is located at the beginning of the colon.
Tumors that are large enough to fill the entire lumen of the bowel can cause bowel obstruction. This situation is characterized by constipation, abdominal pain, abdominal distension and vomiting. This sometimes leads to obstructed and distended bowel sculpt and cause of peritonitis.
Local specific effects of colorectal cancer occurs when the disease has become more advanced. Large tumors are more likely to see feel the abdomen, and can be seen by a physician on physical examination. Disease can affect other organs, and can cause blood or air in the urine (the invasion of the bladder) or vagina (female reproductive tract invasion).Constitution
If the tumor has caused chronic occult bleeding, iron deficiency anemia can occur: it may be experienced as fatigue, palpitations and see the demeanor (pale appearance of the skin). Colorectal cancer can also cause weight loss, usually due to decreased appetite.
Constitutational symptoms of the more unusual is the Unexplained fever and one of several paraneoplastic syndromes. The most common paraneoplastic syndrome is thrombosis, usually deep vein thrombosis.Metastasis
Colorectal cancer most often spreads to the liver
?This can go unnoticed, but the deposits in the liver
?can cause jaundice and abdominal pain?
(due to stretching of the capsule). If the tumor
?deposit blocking the bile duct, jaundice may be
?accompanied by other features of biliary obstruction,
?such as pale feces.

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Thursday, May 31, 2012

A Social Workplace Leads to a More Open Workplace

A Social Workplace Leads to a More Relevant Workplace

A Social Workplace Leads to a More Collaborative Workplace

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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Read about moms meeting their babies for the first time >>

The package deal

Read about celebrities who became parents through adoption >>

Three more?

Read more about foster care, adoption and the Lomelino family at AdoptiveLegacy.com >>

Next up: M?Lisa talks about the foster care system >>