TinyReview was one of TechCrunch's favorite startups from the third 500 Startups Accelerator class that graduated in February. Then it was touted as an "Instagram for Reviews," allowing users to easily add text to images, and then link them to certain locations. Users could also share those photos out to various social networks, like Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. But a funny thing happened: The founding team realized that their users weren't just posting reviews -- they were using the app to add funny text to their pictures, which may or may not have been linked to a location or business, and create memes out of them. So the startup pivoted a little bit to go after that use case, and re-branded as TinyPost.
LAUDERHILL ? Scores of Jamaica?s high school alumni and sports enthusiasts will make way to the Lauderhill Sports Complex for the exciting South Florida 4th Annual Jamaica High School Alumni Soccer and Netball Tournament this Labor Day Weekend. The Sports Complex, located at 7500 West Oakland Park Boulevard, Lauderhill, Florida 33319, will roar to life on Sunday, September 2nd at 10am through 6pm and again on Monday September 3rd from 10am through 9pm.
The tournament is expected to be bigger and better than last year?s staging as twenty-four teams compete to win the National Weekly Championship Trophy and a cash prize. The champions also win the honor of giving back to their high schools in Jamaica as they also win a donation of sporting equipment for their Alma Mater.
?I think JHSASN have started a wonderful thing in hosting this alumni soccer tournament, which in turn benefits the Alma Mater of the winning team. This is a very good idea and I hope more alumni will get involved so we can, through JHSASN, be able to give back more to our Jamaican schools in an attempt to affect the lives of our current and future students for many more years,? says Ms. Rosemary Boothe, Treasurer, St Mary High School Alumni Association, South Florida Chapter, and 2011 defending champions.
We encourage all past students to come wearing their school colors and participate in the festivities as we introduce the Jamaica High School Alumni Sporting Network (JHSASN) Alumni Village. The Alumni Village gives all Alumni Associations the opportunity to build their membership base by networking and recruiting new members, showcasing and selling their Alumni memorabilia?s and merchandise while competing to win a prize for the best school spirit. The event is also a way for Jamaica high school past students to come together in a reunion setting, in an attempt to relive their past exploits in a fun and entertaining competitive sports arena.
JHSASN proudly welcome this year?s Alumni Soccer Teams: St. Mary High, Cornwall College, Camperdown, Calabar, Wolmers, Excelsior, Herbert Morrison, Ruseas, STETHS, St Mary's College, Mannings, Meadowbrook, Ferncourt, Titchfield, William Knibb and Kingston College. Netball: Vere Technical, Mt. Alvernia High, Excelsior High, Herbert Morrison Technical, Dunoon Technical, St Hilda's High, Queens High, Meadowbrook High, Ardenne High.
?We are coming with blood in our eyes to defend our title? says St Mary?s High, JHSASN defending champions.
2011 Winners: Netball-Vere Technical, Soccer- St Mary High School
For more information about the South Florida Jamaica High School Alumni Soccer and Netball Tournament or the Jamaica High School Alumni Sporting Network (JHSASN) please log on to our website at www.jhsasn.com.
The clip make a vow for lent from 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002) with Josh Hartnett What's with the purple banners? Lent starts today. It'll be a long 40 days this year. I'm giving up my one vice. Those precious little madeleine cookies dipped in a Starbucks' Mocha. It's so hard giving up what you love the most. I've got it! Jesus Christ, I'llve got an answer. And the question is? Nicole. Again? No sex for Lent. For 40 days. If I can do that, it'll all be okay. That isn't what Lent is. Lent is about sacrifice and growth through self-denial. Lent is to remember- How Christ felt during the fast in the desert. I grew up in the same house as you, moron. When it comes down to it, that's what this is. This is growth. This is self-denial. This is sacrifice. Dude! It's not that simple, Matt. Trust me. It is that... You're right. You're totally right. Sex alone is not enough. It has to be sex and all things sex-like. You'll never be able to do that. Here's the plan. One, no sex. Two, no sexual intimacy of any kind. No nibbling, no biting... ...no scratching, no sucking, no fondling. None of that. And three... ... no masturbation. You won't last a week. Oh, you're wrong, Brother. I'm gonna go the distance. Ranked 4.00 / 5 | 111 views | 0 comments
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How to Create Intimacy By Being Mindful
Personal Development: Mind, Body, Spirit, Wealth http://bit.ly/1CzU2A -- How To Develop Mindfulness As A Way To Get More Intimate With Yourself. How do you spend time with you? What works for you? Distributed by Tubemogul. 7 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (01:29) Submitted By: TodayIsThatDay Tags: Personal Development Goals Self Improvement Mind Spirits Intimacy Mindful Categories: How To
How to Create Intimacy By Being Mindful
Personal Development: Mind, Body, Spirit, Wealth http://bit.ly/1CzU2A -- How To Develop Mindfulness As A Way To Get More Intimate With Yourself. How do you spend time with you? What works for you? Distributed by Tubemogul. 3 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (01:29) Submitted By: TodayIsThatDay Tags: Personal Development Goals Self Improvement Mind Spirits Intimacy Mindful Categories: How To
Understanding Real Intimacy
If you develop real self esteem you will delight in someone you RESPECT getting close and seeing you, real intimacy. There is a fallacy that men are afraid of intimacy and woman crave it. The truth is that intimacy has less to do with gender or age than is has to do with real self esteem. www.oneclearmessage.com Ranked 3.17 / 5 | 137 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (02:52) Submitted By: RichardEP Tags: Building Self Esteem Intimacy Relationships Communication Respect Categories: Other
Intimacy & Responsiveness For Women
http://www.chargedaudio.com/freesubliminal.html Grab Your FREE "Ultimate Success Unleashed" Subliminal Cd and "Keys To Successful Living" eBook Absolutely Free Today! 89 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (01:12) Submitted By: leelawn Tags: Intimacy & Responsiveness For Women Greg Frost Self Help Binaural Beats Subliminal CD Categories: How To
Intimacy & Responsiveness For Men
http://www.chargedaudio.com/freesubliminal.html Grab Your FREE "Ultimate Success Unleashed" Subliminal Cd and "Keys To Successful Living" eBook Absolutely Free Today! 18 views | 0 comments
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Being Your Fullest Expression -Part 1
Being Big- Being the fullest expression of ourselves Problem- Living a life unlived. Major roadblocks to living a big life. ?Fear of being seen as egocentric, self-centered or selfish ?Playing small for others (fear of making others feel bad) ?Negative beliefs (childhood, family or difficult experiences) ?Fear of finding out if our negative beliefs are actually true Is there room for more meaning in you life? www.WorkingOnRelationships.com Twitter- @sevinPhilips www.Facebook/SevinPhilipsMFT Ranked 1.82 / 5 | 78 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (03:48) Submitted By: Sevin Philips MFT Tags: Personal Freedom Codependency Friendship Intimacy Relationships Self-improvement Fighting Help Advice Sevin Philips Patience Trust Counseling Categories: How To
Being Your Fullest Expression Part2
Personal freedom: Each one of us has a unique expression; we all can express ourselves in smaller ways and yet be just as beautiful. Don?t believe me- find out for yourself, your own experience is your best teacher. Suggestions: ? Explore how you stop yourself (ie. Negative stories) ? Give yourself permission to find out ? Be curious, you don?t have to know in order to explore Process is organic- outcome may not be what you expected. ? Find supportive people ? Empty-handed leap into the unknown ? Being scared is a normal part of the process ? If you fall down, it isn?t failure www.WorkingOnRelationships.com Twitter- @SevinPhilips www.Facebook/SevinPhilipsMFT Ranked 1.69 / 5 | 104 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (05:21) Submitted By: Sevin Philips MFT Tags: Personal Freedom Codependency Friendship Intimacy Relationships Self-improvement Fighting Help Advice Sevin Philips Patience Trust Counseling Categories: How To
Relationships: Dating Part 2 "Chemistry or Fantasy?"
Sevin Philips, MFT Dating: Is this chemistry or am I in fantasy? Socialization- Movies/childhood stories Discernment: Want vs. need, Ask the question: Do they want the same thing? Dating Suggestions: 1. Make a list- get clear about what you want in a partner vs. what is essential. 2. Letting go of the person in a good way vs. stop calling 3. Make it a gift not a democracy- Come up with creative ideas; take over on a date night. WorkinOnRelationships.com Twitter- @SevinPhilips Facebook.com/SevinPhilipsMFT Ranked 2.97 / 5 | 136 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (07:26) Submitted By: Sevin Philips MFT Tags: Break-ups Cheating Codependency Dating Family Friendship Intimacy Romantic Relationships Self-improvement Sex Infidelity Fighting Help Advice Sevin Philips Patience Trust Counseling Categories: How To
Pursuer and Distancer in a Relationship
Sevin Philips, MFT provides answers to the many questions in relationships. Get the support and advice for couples, dating, friends or family. The help you need when you need it. Learn about the push/pull effect of the pursuer and distancer and some instruction on how to change for the better. www.WorkingOnRelationships.com Twitter @SevinPhilips - www.SFtherapy.org - www.Facebook.com/Sevin PhilipsMFT Ranked 2.66 / 5 | 253 views | 0 comments
Click here to watch the video (04:51) Submitted By: Sevin Philips MFT Tags: Codependency Dating Family Friendship Intimacy Romantic Relationships Self-improvement Fighting Help Advice Sevin Philips Mft Video Articles Patience Trust Counseling Working Categories: How To
In the wake of numerous food-borne illness outbreaks this year, two health and environment organization are suing the federal government for failing to protect the food supply.
By Carey Gillam,?Reuters / August 29, 2012
In the wake of numerous E. coli outbreaks this year, two health and environment organization are suing the federal government for failing to protect the food supply.
Mike Blake/Reuters/File
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Two US health and environment organizations sued the federal government on Wednesday for what the groups say is a failure to implement and enforce a new food safety law that could help prevent thousands of deaths caused by food-borne illnesses each year.
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The groups said government officials had repeatedly missed mandatory deadlines for issuing final regulations required by the Food Safety Modernization Act.
They are asking a federal court to order officials at both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Office of Management and Budget to force the agencies to start enforcing th law.
"President Obama says the passage of this bill is one of the hallmarks of his first administration," said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director with the Center for Food Safety, which is one of the plaintiffs.
The other plaintiff is the Center for Environmental Health. Both it and the Center for Food Safety are non-profit public interest advocacy groups.
Over the past year, the United States has had numerous outbreaks from food-borne illnesses tied to salmonella, E. coli and listeria. In July, food sickness was linked to cantaloupe.
About 3,000 deaths are caused by food-borne illnesses and about 48 million people, or one in six Americans, gets sick from food contamination every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The bill is useless unless the agencies actually promulgate regulations that make it work," said Kimbrell. "This is very serious. They are twiddling their bureaucratic thumbs while Americans become sick and die."
A spokeswoman for the FDA had no immediate comment and an official with the Office of Management and Budget could not immediately be reached for comment.
The Food Safety Modernization Act was the first food safety overhaul in over 70 years for the United States. It was signed into law in January 2011. But lacking implementation of the law's provisions, most of the U.S. food system continues to operate under what public health advocates say are outdated laws. The new rules have remained at the White House's Office of Management and Budget since late 2011 when the Food and Drug Administration submitted proposed versions.
The rules would establish standards for possible sources of contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables, and make importers responsible for the safety of food they import. They would also force food companies to identify possible causes of contamination and specify actions to prevent them.
According to the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, FDA has failed to meet hundreds of deadlines established with the law, seven of which are the required promulgation of major food safety regulations.
FDA was supposed to establish standards for analyzing and documenting hazards and implementing preventative measures by July 4 of this year, but did not do so, the suit says.
As well, FDA was to set minimum standards for safe production and harvesting of certain types of fruits and vegetables and publish notice of its proposed rulemaking by Jan. 4, 2012, but did not do so, according to the lawsuit.
"These are the basics on standards, procedures, traceability... upon which the entire system is based," said Kimbrell. "They haven't done what is required to actually begin the process of getting this new food safety law in place."
Reporting by Carey Gillam in Kansas City; Editing by Lisa Shumaker.
"Wreck-It Ralph," if nothing else, is all about smashing through stereotypes. John C. Reilly provides the voice of the titular Ralph, a video game villain who is sick of his bad guy label and sets out to show a different side of himself by invading other realms of the gaming universe. One such realm is [...]
Why Exercise? Is it just a fad or are there actual health benefits? Should everyone Exercise? What motivates people to exercise?
These are many legit questions that are worth asking at the thought of embarking on any exercise trail. Diligence is required to reap the rewards of exercising so you should not just started without equipping yourself with the right info at the risk of either under- or over-exerting yourself!
So yes, if you are a pro-healthy living, life loving cheerful person, consider this as a countdown (in no particular order though) to some fabulous reasons why everyone should actually exercise. And to be fair, I have excluded the obvious most common motivating reason: to have a desirable physique!
1.????? Achieving your Weight loss goals
Although the popular notion that the primary aim of exercise is for weight loss and/or body building, exercising has much more to offer. Weight loss as a key health benefit of exercise needs to be rightly categorized: as a long-term goal.
Obviously, the weight loss part is probably sold too heavily to people starting fitness programs and as human experience has shown, people have trouble sticking with something if they don?t see results quickly. So whatever weight loss goal you have when starting a fitness program, don?t make it your only goal but it could be a good place to start.
2.????? Ward-off your risk of Chronic Diseases and complications
Physical activity and exercising is indispensible in both the prevention and management of hypertension, coronary heart diseases (heart attacks) and diabetes all of which are directly linked to obesity. Simple lifestyle modifications like ?being on the move? and making conscious efforts to exercise are highly recommended by health practitioners for the control of many chronic diseases. Other examples of lifestyle modifications are dieting/healthy eating, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake.
3.????? Exercise notably helps in Cancer prevention
With respect to cancer prevention, exercising earns a high recommendation indirectly from its fat burning ability. But in addition, exercise directly supports the excretion of toxic waste from the body, especially the cell damaging and cancer causing ?free radicals?. The role of exercising as a cancer preventive measure has been particularly documented for cases of breast cancer (where it is linked to decreasing hormonal levels in premenopausal women).
4.????? Getting the most of your meals
Did you know that physical activity improves digestion and the absorption of nutrients from food? While severe stress interferes with food digestion, Exercise actually increases utilization of nutrition.
Exercise sends nutrients and oxygen to the muscles and other tissues in your body and makes your heart and lungs work more efficiently thereby helping with blood circulation.
5.????? Brain Power
It will interest you to know that exercise doesn?t only give power to your muscle but to your brain also. Physical exercise has been discovered to improve the ?brain power? by helping mental function. Exercising increases energy levels as well as promotes the secretion of serotonin in the brain which leads to improved mental clarity/boost that makes for results in a more productive day. It also aids memory and so decreases the gravity of dementia and Alzheimer?s disease in old age.
6.????? Enjoy Fitness to the very core
Exercise helps to tone the muscles, strengthen the bones and firm up cartilages. This reduces the odds of having some of those aches or body pains often experienced in late adulthood grossly due to physical inactivity. It is certainly beneficial in easing the pains of arthritis in old age. In a nutshell, regular exercising is a free ticket to a lifestyle of staying healthy.
Last week we made the snack that kept on giving, tiny little peanut butter chocolate chip energy bites that lasted us the whole week. I made them Sunday night and they lasted for school snacks, mid morning snacks, afternoon snacks and recovery snacks.
They lasted in a baggie in my purse, the lunch boxes, backpacks, pretty much everywhere I went I took my balls?them with me.
Yes, they?re balls. And I can?t help saying it. And if I?m not saying it out loud, I?m saying it in my head.?I?m immature. I already know. It reminds me of?Schweddy Balls.?Yes also it?s a?Pinterest find, I pretty much find and make Pinterest recipes like I?m getting paid for it.
So here?s the recipe! And as you?ll notice, you can take so many liberties with it, it?s crazy! So go ahead, get creative! I?d love to see the balls you come up with!
Peanut Butter No Bake Energy Bites
Don?t my balls look good? Sorry.
Ingredients:?
1 cup dry oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then, form into balls whatever size you like. The recipe called for?2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes, so feel free to add that (we will, we just didn?t this time.) Things we will also add one day (but are not limited to) dried cranberries, almonds, agave nectar, other yet unnamed dried fruit. Keep them sealed tightly in a container in the fridge and take them out as needed! We LOVED THEM.
Amazing!
Enjoy!
Print it, pin it (or both!) You will thank me later!!!
? Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!
Michael J. Schiemer B.S. CPT
Owner of FRUGAL FITNESS Worldwide Wellness & Elite Cheapskate?
Owner & Personal Trainer of RESULTS Private Fitness Boston, MA Author of The Frugal Diet, The Frugal Workout, & The Ultimate Fitness Guide Series?FRUGAL FITNESS TV?|?Twitter?|?Facebook?|?Fitness eBooks
Performance Management is both a critical and an essential measure for delivering successful results in an organization by improving the work and developing the capabilities of teams and individuals. This task must be handled with utter significance as the overall success of an organization completely relies on it. The human resource team is basically responsible for handling all the issues related to performance and its management. Managing employee conduct will help in the effective delivery of strategic and operational goals. There is a clear and immediate correlation between using performance management tools or software for delivering an improved business and organizational results.
There are various tools which can be utilized in order to manage the work of the individual employees, a team, or the complete staff in an organization. Integration of such Performance Management Tools will ensure that goals are consistently being achieved in an effective and efficient manner. Performance management tools completely focus on the working of an organization, a department, employee, or even the processes to build a product or service, as well as many other areas.
Using the Key Performance Indicator or KPI software is one of the methods of implementing these tools. This KPI Dashboard comes with both simple and complex features. KPIs are metrics that link organizational vision with individual action to deliver accurate and efficient outcomes for the industry success. These dashboards come up with fully automated system that calculates the complete conduct of the employees regularly and generate on time reports, thus providing a complete record of the entire industry crew. Keeping a track record of the entire crew will help in ensuring that the work activities are aligned with the organization's strategy, goals and achievements. There will be a clear view of each individual and what actually an employee is doing at the work front. By applying the KPI Dashboard to employee goals and work, you can create a direct link between all of the key success factors that have been derived from the overall strategy to the direct achievement of the employee.
KPI Dashboards are a critical business tools that helps in performance management and also to take important strategic decisions at your work. Dashboard captures key performance indicators from the enterprise data and presents them in a single view to both the employees as well the administration. This direct view helps to monitor the entire business process. This resolved view will help the organization in drawing the success chart of their organization.
These KPI dashboards come up with very handy software for easy access to both the staff and the administration. Each employee can access this software and have the complete conduct report of them. They can locate their position with reference to the company goals and see their contribution towards the success. Every employee can improve their performance and also the organizational heads can develop and enhance the workforce effectiveness in accomplishing the organization?s mission.
When Performance Management Tools are employed with efficient metrics for measuring organizational or employee work conduct, you will have an assurance that all the specified goals are achieved on time and all the assigned tasks are aligned well to each and every employee in an organization. For further details visit http://www.bullseyeevaluation.com/
?Employee recognition increase motivation engagement and productivity According to a recent survey employees are not satisfied with the quantity or quality of feedback.
? Only 1 in 10 American employees are ?very satisfied? with their job.
? 59 percent of employees are not satisfied according to a recent 2012 SHRM survey, contrasting with 42% of HR professionals
Employee recognition increases motivation, engagement and productivity. It allows managers and peers to reinforce positive behaviors 360-degree feedback and recognition is provided on a frequent basis....
Social networking is frequently touted as one of the greatest ways to drive new business. Just keep writing, blogging, podcasting, tweeting, or pinning and the sales will eventually follow. That may be true, for some. But for most of us, sales and marketing is still a 1:1 process. Meeting people in person makes the difference.
If you?ve wondered how to make online social networks turn into profitable business networking, then this review of Biznik is for you. Biznik is an online networking community for independent business people.
I have been using Biznik since 2008 and it has opened up a number of sales for my company. It is similar to other social networks in terms of creating a profile about yourself and your company, but at its core it has created a space for independent business owners to send to and receive referrals from one another as well as establish their expertise in the articles section.
Being a member of Biznik means that you take the business you own seriously, and want to network with other business owners who feel the same way.?Last summer, I created a marketing event with Infusionsoft small business expert, Tyler Garns, and we successfully pulled in 55 attendees mostly via Biznik. It was a seriously engaged group ? we had a ton of discussion and creative brainstorming among the group.
They offer free and premium memberships. I have toggled between pro levels and free level depending on business events I?m planning. Basic paid level membership starts at $79/year.
What I really like:
Online to real world. There?s a strong sense of ?let?s meet in person? at Biznik.
A profile that is optimized for search. I have heard many members say their Biznik profile shows up on page one for a keyword that is relevant to their business.
A real hands-on approach when you start: You get a personal message from the directory of community who offers to help you get going.
Their old tagline: Business networking that doesn?t suck.
Event management tool so that you can register and communicate with attendees. Biznik manages payment processing at no additional cost for ProVIP membership level.
What I?d like to see:
There used to be a referral tool, and it was a great idea, but they disabled it. I?d like to see a way to track or manage or engage with the referral itself.
A way to filter your network by category/location/relationship.
Overall, I love Biznik as a social network. It is a wonderful collection of committed business owners who understand that business happens when you truly connect, in person and online. It takes both.
If you?re looking for a more local and regional way to find other independent business professionals, who might be allies or potential customers, Biznik is worth a look.
About TJ McCue
TJ publishes Tech Biz Talk, a site that reviews business apps of all types and provides how-to posts and tutorials. Share your application or service at his Facebook page and share details about your company/app in the comments below. TJ actively studies all searching for new apps to write about. Learn more about TJ.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat looks over the podium during a sound check at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat looks over the podium during a sound check at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie looks over the podium during a sound check at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat looks over the podium during a sound check at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Blunt and brash, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would seem the perfect Republican to skewer President Barack Obama and fire up thousands of GOP loyalists.
That's exactly what he was expected to do late Tuesday when he delivers the keynote address before the Republican National Convention.
His mission: making the case against Obama.
Christie's outspoken style has made him a Republican Party star and helped earn him the plum, prime-time speaking spot.
He rocketed to GOP stardom in 2009, winning the Democratic-heavy Eastern state the year after Obama was elected and establishing a reputation as confrontational to big labor and public employees.
Indeed, early in last year's GOP nominating campaign, Republicans uninspired by Romney aggressively urged Christie to seek the nomination.
New York delegate David Shimkin said he admired Christie's frankness.
"He doesn't seem to have a filter. A lot of candidates don't do that," Shimkin said of Christie.
As keynote speaker, Christie is tasked with making the opening pitch for presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who remains something of a mystery to voters even though polls show him locked in a close contest with Obama.
Christie considered running for the nomination himself but months ago decided to endorse Romney, who made a personal entreaty for Christie's support as the GOP primaries were getting under way.
Christie on Tuesday waved off a published report that he had turned down an offer to be Romney's running mate because he didn't think Romney could win in November.
"Not only do I believe he can win, I think he will win," Christie told "CBS This Morning."
Temperamentally and stylistically the opposite of the buttoned-up Romney, Christie acknowledged the former Massachusetts governor has work to do to close the sale with some voters, especially women.
"Mitt Romney's going to have to win this campaign. He's going to have to let the American people see who he is," Christie said on ABC's "Good Morning America," adding that Romney's choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate had brought more energy to the ticket.
After toppling Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in 2009, national Republicans embraced Christie for his tough talk on fiscal matters and for taking on public employee unions, especially teachers. Videos of Christie berating teachers at town hall meetings quickly went viral, giving Christie a large national audience. Critics dubbed him "Governor YouTube," suggesting he was more interested in getting publicity for himself than for improving New Jersey's finances.
Christie has disclosed little about he will say in the speech, but said it would include a discussion of "the New Jersey experience and what the experience might mean for the country in terms of governing and hard choices."
That drew a jeer from Democrats, who said viewers shouldn't buy Christie's claim of a "Jersey comeback." They pointed to economic data showing the state still grappling with weak employment and high property taxes.
"Chris Christie is taking the stage in Tampa tonight to talk about his favorite topic: himself," state Assemblyman John Wisniewski told reporters during a conference call. "Gov. Christie's record in New Jersey is certainly not a model for our nation, and the people in Tampa should know that."
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association and a likely 2016 presidential contender, went further, saying he expected Christie to deliver an "angry, Don Rickles keynote extolling the virtues of their candidate, Mitt Romney, who had one of the worst job creation rates in the nation."
Christie is popular among convention delegates, many of whom said they would have welcomed a Christie presidential candidacy.
"I just love him," said Ohio delegate Sandy Barber. "He's plain-talking. He's himself. He's someone who lets his personality come through."
___
Fouhy reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Brian Bakst in Tampa, Fla., contributed to this report.
Follow Beth Fouhy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bfouhy and Thomas Beaumont at www.twitter.com/TomBeaumont
By detecting smallest virus, researchers open possibilities for early disease detection Public release date: 28-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kathleen Hamilton hamilton@poly.edu 718-260-3792 Polytechnic Institute of New York University
NEW YORK, August 28, 2012 Researchers at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) have created an ultra-sensitive biosensor capable of identifying the smallest single virus particles in solution, an advance that may revolutionize early disease detection in a point-of-care setting and shrink test result wait times from weeks to minutes.
Stephen Arnold, university professor of applied physics and member of the Othmer-Jacobs Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and researchers of NYU-Poly's MicroParticle PhotoPhysics Laboratory for BioPhotonics (MP3L) reported their findings in the most recent issue of Applied Physics Letters, published by the American Institute of Physics.
Their technique is a major advance in a series of experiments to devise a diagnostic method sensitive enough to detect and size a single virus particle in a doctor's office or field clinic, without the need for special assay preparations or conditions. Normally, such assessment requires the virus to be measured in the vacuum environment of an electron microscope, which adds time, complexity and considerable cost.
Instead, the researchers were able to detect the smallest RNA virus particle MS2, with a mass of only 6 attograms, by amplifying the sensitivity of a biosensor. Within it, light from a tunable laser is guided down a fiber optic cable, where its intensity is measured by a detector on the far end. A small glass sphere is brought into contact with the fiber, diverting the light's path and causing it to orbit within the sphere. This change is recorded as a resonant dip in the transmission through the fiber.
When a viral particle makes contact with the sphere, it changes the sphere's properties, resulting in a detectable shift in resonance frequency.
The smaller the particle, the harder it is to record these changes. Viruses such as influenza are fairly large and have been successfully detected with similar sensors in the past. But many viruses such as Polio are far smaller, as are antibody proteins, and these require increased sensitivity.
Arnold and his co-researchers achieved this by attaching gold nano-receptors to the resonant microsphere. These receptors are plasmonic, and thus enhance the electric field nearby, making even small disturbances easier to detect. Each gold "hot spot" is treated with specific molecules to which proteins or viruses are attracted and bind.
Arnold explained that the inspiration for this breakthrough technique came to him during a concert by violinist Itzhak Perlman: "I was watching Perlman play, and suddenly I wondered what would happen if a particle of dust landed on one of the strings. The frequency would change slightly, but the shift would be imperceptible. Then I wondered what if something sticky was on the string that would only respond to certain kinds of dust?"
In experiments, the researchers successfully detected the smallest RNA virus in solution, and they are now training their sights on detecting single proteins, which would represent a major step toward early disease detection.
"When the body encounters a foreign agent, it responds by producing massive quantities of antibody proteins, which outnumber the virus. If we can identify and detect these single proteins, we can diagnose the presence of a virus far earlier, speeding treatment," Arnold said. "This also opens up a new realm of possibilities in proteomics," he said, referring to the study of proteins. "All cancers generate markers, and if we have a test that can detect a single marker at the protein level, it doesn't get more sensitive than that."
This patent-pending technology, coauthored with postdoctoral fellow Siyka Shopova and graduate student Raaj Rajmangal, is ultimately designed for a point-of-care device capable of detecting viruses or disease markers in blood, saliva or urine. Testing for commercial applications is already under way.
The sensor itself, called a Whispering Gallery-Mode Biosensor, is unique to Arnold's work. Its name derives from the famous Whispering Gallery in the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Much the way its unique acoustics allow a whisper to be heard anywhere within the circular gallery, light traveling within the glass sphere of the biosensor orbits many times, ensuring nothing on the surface is missed.
The technique was pioneered by NYU-Poly MP3L post-doctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, along with Stephen Holler, NYU-Poly alum and now an assistant professor of physics at Fordham University. A technology entrepreneur, Holler founded NovaWave Technologies, a chemical sensor company, at one of NYU-Poly's business incubators. Thermo Fisher Scientific, one of the world's leading providers of scientific and laboratory equipment, acquired NovaWave in 2010. Other authors of the paper are Venkata Dantham, NYU-Poly postdoctoral fellow; Vasily Kolchenko, now professor at New York City College of Technology's Department of Biological Sciences; and Zhenmao Wan, currently a graduate student in the Department of Physics at Hunter College of CUNY.
###
This research was originally supported by provost seed funds from the New York University (NYU) School of Arts and Sciences, in a grant jointly awarded to Arnold and NYU Professor of Physics David Grier. The National Science Foundation provided additional funding.
About Polytechnic Institute of New York University
Polytechnic Institute of New York University (formerly Polytechnic University), an affiliated institute of New York University, is a comprehensive school of engineering, applied sciences, technology and research, and is rooted in a 158-year tradition of invention, innovation and entrepreneurship: i2e. The institution, founded in 1854, is the nation's second-oldest private engineering school. In addition to its main campus in New York City at MetroTech Center in downtown Brooklyn, it also offers programs at sites throughout the region, around the globe and remotely through NYUe-Poly. NYU-Poly is an integral part of NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU Shanghai and the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) in downtown Brooklyn. For more information, visit www.poly.edu.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
By detecting smallest virus, researchers open possibilities for early disease detection Public release date: 28-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kathleen Hamilton hamilton@poly.edu 718-260-3792 Polytechnic Institute of New York University
NEW YORK, August 28, 2012 Researchers at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) have created an ultra-sensitive biosensor capable of identifying the smallest single virus particles in solution, an advance that may revolutionize early disease detection in a point-of-care setting and shrink test result wait times from weeks to minutes.
Stephen Arnold, university professor of applied physics and member of the Othmer-Jacobs Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and researchers of NYU-Poly's MicroParticle PhotoPhysics Laboratory for BioPhotonics (MP3L) reported their findings in the most recent issue of Applied Physics Letters, published by the American Institute of Physics.
Their technique is a major advance in a series of experiments to devise a diagnostic method sensitive enough to detect and size a single virus particle in a doctor's office or field clinic, without the need for special assay preparations or conditions. Normally, such assessment requires the virus to be measured in the vacuum environment of an electron microscope, which adds time, complexity and considerable cost.
Instead, the researchers were able to detect the smallest RNA virus particle MS2, with a mass of only 6 attograms, by amplifying the sensitivity of a biosensor. Within it, light from a tunable laser is guided down a fiber optic cable, where its intensity is measured by a detector on the far end. A small glass sphere is brought into contact with the fiber, diverting the light's path and causing it to orbit within the sphere. This change is recorded as a resonant dip in the transmission through the fiber.
When a viral particle makes contact with the sphere, it changes the sphere's properties, resulting in a detectable shift in resonance frequency.
The smaller the particle, the harder it is to record these changes. Viruses such as influenza are fairly large and have been successfully detected with similar sensors in the past. But many viruses such as Polio are far smaller, as are antibody proteins, and these require increased sensitivity.
Arnold and his co-researchers achieved this by attaching gold nano-receptors to the resonant microsphere. These receptors are plasmonic, and thus enhance the electric field nearby, making even small disturbances easier to detect. Each gold "hot spot" is treated with specific molecules to which proteins or viruses are attracted and bind.
Arnold explained that the inspiration for this breakthrough technique came to him during a concert by violinist Itzhak Perlman: "I was watching Perlman play, and suddenly I wondered what would happen if a particle of dust landed on one of the strings. The frequency would change slightly, but the shift would be imperceptible. Then I wondered what if something sticky was on the string that would only respond to certain kinds of dust?"
In experiments, the researchers successfully detected the smallest RNA virus in solution, and they are now training their sights on detecting single proteins, which would represent a major step toward early disease detection.
"When the body encounters a foreign agent, it responds by producing massive quantities of antibody proteins, which outnumber the virus. If we can identify and detect these single proteins, we can diagnose the presence of a virus far earlier, speeding treatment," Arnold said. "This also opens up a new realm of possibilities in proteomics," he said, referring to the study of proteins. "All cancers generate markers, and if we have a test that can detect a single marker at the protein level, it doesn't get more sensitive than that."
This patent-pending technology, coauthored with postdoctoral fellow Siyka Shopova and graduate student Raaj Rajmangal, is ultimately designed for a point-of-care device capable of detecting viruses or disease markers in blood, saliva or urine. Testing for commercial applications is already under way.
The sensor itself, called a Whispering Gallery-Mode Biosensor, is unique to Arnold's work. Its name derives from the famous Whispering Gallery in the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Much the way its unique acoustics allow a whisper to be heard anywhere within the circular gallery, light traveling within the glass sphere of the biosensor orbits many times, ensuring nothing on the surface is missed.
The technique was pioneered by NYU-Poly MP3L post-doctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, along with Stephen Holler, NYU-Poly alum and now an assistant professor of physics at Fordham University. A technology entrepreneur, Holler founded NovaWave Technologies, a chemical sensor company, at one of NYU-Poly's business incubators. Thermo Fisher Scientific, one of the world's leading providers of scientific and laboratory equipment, acquired NovaWave in 2010. Other authors of the paper are Venkata Dantham, NYU-Poly postdoctoral fellow; Vasily Kolchenko, now professor at New York City College of Technology's Department of Biological Sciences; and Zhenmao Wan, currently a graduate student in the Department of Physics at Hunter College of CUNY.
###
This research was originally supported by provost seed funds from the New York University (NYU) School of Arts and Sciences, in a grant jointly awarded to Arnold and NYU Professor of Physics David Grier. The National Science Foundation provided additional funding.
About Polytechnic Institute of New York University
Polytechnic Institute of New York University (formerly Polytechnic University), an affiliated institute of New York University, is a comprehensive school of engineering, applied sciences, technology and research, and is rooted in a 158-year tradition of invention, innovation and entrepreneurship: i2e. The institution, founded in 1854, is the nation's second-oldest private engineering school. In addition to its main campus in New York City at MetroTech Center in downtown Brooklyn, it also offers programs at sites throughout the region, around the globe and remotely through NYUe-Poly. NYU-Poly is an integral part of NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU Shanghai and the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) in downtown Brooklyn. For more information, visit www.poly.edu.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Dejan Kovacevic reports (since confirmed) that the Pittsburgh Pirates have released starter Erik Bedard. We weren?t expecting that. Really, I never expect Bedard?s tenure anywhere to end without some hellacious injury of some sort.
Bedard has struggled mightily lately, giving up 16 runs in his last three outings. They were teams with good offenses ? Milwaukee, St. Louis and the recently quite productive San Diego Padres ? but that?s an awful lot of crooked numbers. For the year he?s 7-14 with a 5.01 ERA.
Kovacevic believes it?s possible that the Pirates want to see more of?Kevin Correia in the rotation. It?s also possible that everyone in Pittsburgh is kinda freaking out as their nightmare August draws to a close.
Great for
A romantic retreat for two: think wine tasting, poolside relaxation, country strolls, quiet dinners and chilled evenings in ? equally, a large family or group of like-minded friends to take several rooms or the whole house.
With whom
Ideally, your honey.
Memorable moment
Dinner at the ?Host?s Table.? Once a week the family holds a ?Table d'h?te? on a specified day in their sumptuous formal dining room. Brimming with period pieces and a 24-seat dining table, the setting was just as memorable as the meal. Dinner was a delicious display of color and taste, made with the freshest of ingredients and paired with wines of the region. Two dishes in particular we will never forget! Trust me: this is an experience most rarely get to have in life.
Best time to go
Spring to early summer months when the lavender is in full bloom. August is too hot! September & October are gorgeous.
Good to note
The entire home can be rented ? just imagine a wedding here! Contact: laura@invillas.com to enquire.
Be aware
The property is not a ?hotel' nor an inn. It is a family home with rooms to stay (all ensuite and all immaculately restored and very top-end in design and comfort). The downfall, and a reason many may not book to stay here, is that meals are not served outside of breakfast, but one dinner per week. So, guests must venture out for every lunch & dinner ? 10+ minutes drive away, rather than being able to stay & enjoy the utterly gorgeous settings of this Tuscanate Provencal villa!
Room options
Eleven guestrooms ranging from Prestige Rooms to Junior Suites to Suites, each with their own inspiring views of the property and gardens. Every room is assigned a historical name significant to Baulieu and decorated in his/her honor and antiques and beautiful furnishings make for a truly unique feel. Expect luxurious European interiors rich in color and comfortable in design. All rooms come with the necessary amenities including well functioning air-conditioning (can be a challenge in this area), free WiFi, a safe, hairdryer, iPhone dock, and Nespresso machine.
Service & vibe
The hosts and house manager are incredibly kind and beyond helpful. It feels like staying at a distant relative?s extravagant home ? attentive and accessible, but never overbearing.
Food
Continental breakfast is served daily in one of a few gorgeous spots on the property ? a delicious affair with coffee and fresh juices, cakes and croissants, local breads and jams, vegetables and eggs, honey and cheese. Regrettably, lunch & dinner are not served here unless the whole house is rented. The family chef, Christophe, is extremely talented churning out the highest quality Provencal style dishes one can imagine. It helps that his sourcing from the region (and Italy) is a 'no-holds bar' approach! However, only once per week can one experience his delicious concoctions, as VB is, remember, a 'family home' rather than a hotel/guesthouse.
Price per night
$520 to $1680 a night, breakfast included
To Do & See
Stroll, shop Aix en Provence ? approx. 20 minutes by car. Villages: Lourmarin & Cadenet are closest and very charming, the other villages of Luberon are all between 20 to 45 minutes away including Gordes & Cassis.
Sport & Activity
There are a handful of excellent golf courses nearby ? the house manager would be happy to set up tee time for you, as well as horse riding in the area, and of course the many seasonal Festivals of Jazz/Classic music etc. Find all the basic info here: www.aixenprovence.com/v/festivals/
Spa & Grooming
The Villa doesn?t have a spa but it does have a lovely pool for swimming as well as a hammam for relaxation. And if you?re feeling really sore from a day out on foot, the house manager can arrange a massage either in your room or out in the vineyard.
To Eat
There are a handful of tasty restaurants within a 15-20 minute drive. Here are a few of the owner's favorites: La Feni?re (in Lourmarin), Pierre Reboul, La Tomate Verte & Les Deux Gar?ons (all in Aix), QUAI 70 (in Puyricard)
To Buy
A visit to this special design shop in Aix en Provence: 'Designers Studio' (on Rue Boulegon) ? a real must!
Where
13840 Rognes en Provence
Getting there
A 3-hour drive from Paris or 30 minutes from Marseille-Provence Airport; 2 hours to Nice Airport. 30 minutes from the epicenter of the Luberon.
ARVADA, Colo. (AP) ? A nation at war, crippling joblessness and a looming budget standoff that could wreck the economy have been overshadowed in recent days by an issue that polls show doesn't even crack voters' lists of top 10 concerns: abortion.
Missouri Republican Todd Akin's comment that women who were victims of "legitimate rape" rarely become pregnant touched off furious maneuvering by Republicans and Democrats alike, the latest iteration of a campaign that has been driven by both sides' need to court a small slice of the American electorate. Several hundred thousand independent suburban women will play an outsized role in deciding whether President Barack Obama keeps his job.
Obama's campaign continued to press the issue Monday. In a tweet from (at)BarackObama, it noted that the GOP platform calls for outlawing abortion in cases of rape and incest. "Make sure the women in your life know: The GOP wants to take us back to the 1950s on women's health."
On Sunday, Mitt Romney accused Obama's campaign of sinking to a sad low by trying to link the GOP candidate to Akin's statements about rape and abortion.
Romney also conceded that the controversy is hurting the Republican Party, and GOP chairman Reince Priebus said Akin's insistence on staying in the Missouri Senate race could cost the party its shot at winning control of the Senate in November.
"It really is sad, isn't it, with all the issues that America faces for the Obama campaign to continue to stoop to such a low level," Romney said in an interview on "Fox News Sunday."
Romney's comments were in response to Obama's contention that the Republican candidate has locked himself into "extreme positions" on economic and social issues and would surely impose them if elected president.
"I don't think that if Congress presented him with some of the items that are in the Republican platform at this convention that would, for example, entirely roll back women's control over their reproductive health, that he would stand in the way," Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press published Saturday.
The charges and countercharges reflect an ongoing political skirmish that shows no signs of letting up about two months before Election Day.
While suburban women are always a sought-after demographic in presidential campaigns ? 10 million more women than men voted in 2008 ? both sides agree that this campaign has been marked by an unusual intensity of debate over women's issues, particularly reproductive rights.
Both sides have clashed this year over Romney's calls to end federal funding of Planned Parenthood, Republican demands to let some employers with religious beliefs avoid covering workers' birth control costs and a Democratic political operative's chastising of Romney's wife for being a housewife.
Polling data is mixed and hotly debated over whether the abortion issue helps candidates who favor abortion rights or those who oppose them. But Tony Robinson, a political science professor at the University of Colorado, Denver, said that Republicans are in peril this time because the stances they are now talking about ? like banning abortion in cases of rape or restricting birth control ? are ones that are widely unpopular.
"Whatever party is driven to its most extreme positions on this is punished by the electorate," Robinson said.
Democrats and some independent analysts say Republicans kicked off the debate by tacking hard to the right during the GOP primary.
"Rick Santorum is really the person they have to blame for this attention now," said Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women and Politics Institute at American University, referring to the former Pennsylvania senator and strong abortion foe, who fought to pull social conservatives away from Romney during the primary.
In the hours after Akin's comments, Democrats leapt at the chance to link him to the Republican presidential ticket ? almost as quickly as Romney, his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, and other prominent conservatives ? scrambled to condemn the remarks.
Democrats noted that Ryan had co-sponsored a controversial bill of Akin's that they contended would redefine rape, announced a list of abortion rights activists as speakers at their upcoming convention and a weeklong national swing of female surrogates dubbed the "Romney/Ryan: Wrong for Women" tour.
Meanwhile, Republicans, who have their own woman-heavy lineup of convention speakers, defended their inclusion of a plank in their party platform outlawing abortion in the case of rape.
Colorado is one of the most competitive presidential states, where pollsters estimate about 100,000 undecided voters ? the majority of whom are females who favor abortion rights ? will decide the race. Both campaigns are fighting hard in the state for the women's vote.
The Romney campaign holds weekly women's phone banks, where female volunteers gather to call other women and urge them to back the Republican ticket. The Obama campaign holds meetings, house parties and canvasses for women, and has television ads attacking Romney's stance on reproductive rights in heavy rotation.
During a campaign visit earlier this month, Obama was introduced by Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student who was called a "slut" by Rush Limbaugh for her prepared testimony to a Senate committee that health insurance should cover birth control.
"When it comes to a woman's right to make her own health care choices," Obama said of his opponents, "they want to take us back to policies better suited to the 1950s than the 21st century. Colorado, you have to make sure it doesn't happen."
On Thursday, in an interview with a Denver television station, Romney was asked how he would close the gender gap that persistently shows women favoring Obama.
"I think the issues women care about are the issues that our campaign is focused on ? which is, Number One, making sure that women and their kids and other members of their family are able to have good jobs," he said.
Analysts say both candidates face risks.
Romney needs only look to the last competitive election in Colorado, when Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet defied the 2010 GOP landslide by eking a narrow victory over his Republican opponent, Ken Buck.
Bennet painted his opponent as insensitive to women's issues while a debate also raged over a statewide ballot measure to grant legal rights to a fertilized egg. It was overwhelmingly defeated by a 70-30 percent margin but is returning to the ballot in November. Democrats here have eagerly noted that Ryan sponsored a similar bill in Congress.
Veteran Colorado pollster Floyd Ciruli said Obama must be careful not to look "extreme" in his use of reproductive issues, but that he's been lucky because Republicans keep bringing them up on their own.
Ciruli said the women swing voters the president is targeting "love politics to be above politics. They love for all of us to be together. They can be very put off by narrow appeals."
Both sides note that Obama's pitch on women's issues may also rally his sometimes disaffected base ? just as critical in a nail-biter race where few have yet to choose sides. Indeed, on a recent morning in this key swing suburb, every one of a half-dozen women interviewed on the contest had already made up their minds.
Colleen Faust, a 70-year-old retired teacher and Democrat, recalled writing a paper about a woman's right to birth control when she graduated college in 1965. "I grew up in pre-Roe v. Wade and I don't trust the Republicans," she said, referring to the landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion.
Cherie Harris, 48, a self-identified strong conservative who owns a firearms and self-defense business, scoffed at arguments about women's health issues. "That's a big smoke screen," she said. "My 21- and 22-year-olds, how're they going to be able to find jobs? That's what I worry about as a woman."
FILE- In a Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012, file photo, Trader Frank Cannarozzo, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Trading volume, the number of shares bought and sold each day, is down by a fifth from last year, more evidence that relatively few investors are pushing up stocks as Main Street folks abandon the market. "August is usually slow, but this is terrible," says Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
FILE- In a Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012, file photo, Trader Frank Cannarozzo, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Trading volume, the number of shares bought and sold each day, is down by a fifth from last year, more evidence that relatively few investors are pushing up stocks as Main Street folks abandon the market. "August is usually slow, but this is terrible," says Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
NEW YORK (AP) ? The biggest story in the stock market Monday was Apple, but that wasn't saying much.
Stocks barely moved. Trading was light, even by the slumberous standards of August. Investors ? those who weren't on vacation ? killed time waiting for a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke later this week.
In the meantime, there wasn't much else to guide them. Apple was one of the only shreds of action in an otherwise dull market.
The stock shot to an all-time high of $680.87 and finished at $675.68, up $12.46, or 1.9 percent. Late Friday, a jury found that Samsung copied some of the features of the iPhone and iPad, and Samsung could be forced to take products off the shelves.
Apple's move wasn't the biggest on the stock market Monday. Best Buy, Hertz, Dollar Thrifty and other companies all moved by bigger percentages.
But the Nasdaq composite index and Standard & Poor's 500 index are weighted by stock market value, so the biggest companies are the most important. A small change in Apple can influence the market more than big swings by smaller companies.
Apple makes up more than 13 percent of the Nasdaq composite, and helped the index grasp a slight gain, rising 3.4 points to 3,073.19. It makes up 5 percent of the Standard & Poor's 500 index, which finished down 0.69 point to 1,410.44.
The Dow Jones industrial average, which does not include Apple, fell 33.30 points to 13,124.67.
Apple is the biggest company by stock market value in American history, worth $633 billion as of Monday. That's more than 100 times the value of Best Buy or Hertz, and about 260 times as much as Dollar Thrifty.
Overall trading was subdued ? just 2.4 billion shares. The only quieter day this year was July 3, a Tuesday that fell before a midweek Fourth of July.
"The market is kind of on hold until Jackson Hole," said Randall Warren, chief investment officer of Warren Financial Service in Exton, Pa., referring to the Wyoming resort town where Bernanke will speak. "Probably Apple is the only thing that's moving the market today. It's stunning how big they are."
Investors will scour Bernanke's remarks for clues about whether the Federal Reserve will buy more government bonds or take other action to try to speed up the economic recovery.
But some investors doubt there's much the Fed can do. The Fed's two previous rounds of bond-buying, launched in March 2009 and November 2010, were designed to lower interest rates, but short-term rates are already near zero.
"Who cares what the Fed's going to do?" said Steve Quirk, senior vice president of the trader group at TD Ameritrade in Chicago. "It's not effective anymore anyway."
Shares of Hertz and Dollar Thrifty jumped because Hertz announced it would buy its rival. Hertz shares rose 8.1 percent, or $1.06, to $14.21. Dollar Thrifty rose 7.5 percent, or $6.08, to $87.08.
Best Buy climbed 56 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $17.87 after announcing that its founder would be able to pursue his plans to buy the company and take it off the public stock market.
But mostly, trading was quiet. Out of 19 trading days this month, the Dow has moved more than 1 percent only once. On five days it has been virtually flat, moving less than one-tenth of a percentage point.
In Europe, the debt crisis trudged along, but with no real steps forward or back.
The head of Germany's central bank repeated his opposition to a bond-buying plan that could lower borrowing costs for countries like Spain and Italy but that would require Germany to foot most of the bill.
Germany's finance minister and economy minister weighed in over the weekend, saying they wouldn't give Greece more time to make the spending cuts that Germany has demanded.
But none of the comments came as a surprise, and bigger events lie ahead. German courts will decide next month whether Germany is constitutionally allowed to keep participating in bailouts.
Norm has full-time work and struggles with debt management.
Norm has dug himself a deep hole, and he fears he'll soon be buried by bills and interest payments.
"I don't know what I do with my money," says the manufacturing worker in his late 20s. "I guess I just suck at managing it."
Norm's finances:
Income:
$39,590 ($2,309 a month net)
Expenses:
$1,859 (excludes debt payments, except for car loan)
Debts:
Car loan: $398 a month; $13,224 owing at 18.5 per cent interest
Home electronics loan: $100 a month; $1,353 owing at 32.8 per cent interest
Credit card 1: $100 a month; $1,113 at 19.8 per cent
Credit card 2: $112 a month; $1,117 owing at 27.99 per cent interest
U.S. bank loan: $2,764 owing at 31.9 per cent (in arrears)
Speeding ticket: $291
Utility bill owing: $234
Total owing: $20,096
?
Norm earns about $40,000 a year, taking home about $2,300 a month, but he owes more than $20,000. And all of his debts bear interest rates exceeding 18 per cent, including a car loan for more than $13,000. He says he asked his bank for a consolidation loan that would charge a lower interest rate, but he was turned down earlier this year.
Still, he has been chipping away at his debts over the last year, making a little more than the minimum payments. Yet missteps from the past continue to haunt him.
Collection agencies are hounding him for a loan from a U.S. bank from four years ago, an unpaid utility bill and a speeding ticket an ex-girlfriend got while driving his car.
"All in all, I've been through a couple of bad relationships where I've invested a lot of money and just came out of them with nothing at all, except debt."
Now living with his parents, Norm says he wants to get out of debt as quickly as possible and save for the future.
The problem is, he's not sure how.
"I want to learn how to budget and become debt-free, but where do I even start?"
Debra Jonasson-Young is a money coach, a for-fee profession that helps people develop better personal-finance habits.
She says things aren't as bad as they may seem for Norm because he's got a good income and his cost of living is low.
"With Norm living at home, it's a great time for him to deal with his outstanding debts and develop some solid money-management disciplines," she says. "Once his fixed and discretionary monthly expenses are taken into consideration, including his car payment, he appears to have enough money to manage his outstanding debts within a reasonable period of time."
His monthly fixed expenses are rent, his cellphone and car expenses, including his car-loan payment. They total $957.
His other costs, such as clothing, cigarettes ($240), groceries and entertainment, are about $800 a month.
He should also start saving -- which he can do, even though he's got substantial debt payments.
"It's important that Norm sets up a savings account in order to get used to saving, as well as set up an emergency fund for such items as car repairs," she says. "Norm can afford to save $100 every month, and this money should go into a separate account."
Even after paying all these expenses, he still has about $450 a month for debt payments.
"Norm currently is $6,871 in debt, not including his car loan for $13,225," Jonasson-Young says. "Although one quick solution would be for him to sell his car to pay his debts, the value that he would get for it would not fully solve his problem, and he still requires transportation to get to work."
Norm will have to grind it out each month, paying what he can until his debts are paid in full.
His most pressing debt is a $2,764 bank loan that's been turned over to a collection agency.
"They are willing to settle for a one-time payment of $1,650; however, he would need to come up with the money now, which he is unable to do," she says.
"The positive news is if he is diligent about paying $450 month against his debts, as well as using his tax return next year -- likely about $1,500, as per 2011 -- he will be debt-free within 14 months."
Norm should use the following strategy to tackle his debts: Make the minimum payments on each debt every month and then allocate the extra money on the highest interest-bearing debt. Once that debt is paid in full, he can focus on the next highest and keep at it until all debts are paid off in a little more than a year.
He should also call the creditor holding the loan that is in arrears, saying he would like to set up a monthly payment plan to pay off the outstanding balance of $2,764 in 14 months, which Jonasson-Young factored into his debt-payment schedule.
Now he'd only have the utility bill of $234 and the traffic ticket of $291 left to be paid. And here's one way he can eliminate them both within a few weeks.
Norm spends about $240 a month on cigarettes, and says he'd like to quit by using a smoking-cessation drug. He could take his first month of emergency savings to purchase a prescription, and that would free up $240 each month that could be used to pay those two bills. If he can indeed quit smoking, the ticket and utility bill will be paid off in less than three months.
Afterward, he can save that money each month, increasing his emergency savings cushion, which will help him stay on track financially.
"With debt repayment dealt with, he will then really need to turn his attention toward what he really would like to do when he is finally debt-free," she says.
Does he want to move out into his own place? Would he like new furniture? Would he like to travel?
"Having clear goals helps us make better choices when it comes to our money," she says. Norm should also consider contributing to his work pension. He'd be contributing about $233 a month -- a little less than he spends now on cigarettes. With his employer matching his contributions, he'd be saving more than $6,000 a year and receive a substantial tax refund every spring.
Norm has a lot going for him, Jonasson-Young says. He's young, has a good job and most importantly, he knows he needs to change his behaviour with money. Now all he's got to do is follow through. "If Norm takes on this challenge, not only will he feel the freedom that comes from being debt-free, he will also find he will always have the money for the truly important things in his life."
TinyReview was one of TechCrunch's favorite startups from the third 500 Startups Accelerator class that graduated in February. Then it was touted as an "Instagram for Reviews," allowing users to easily add text to images, and then link them to certain locations. Users could also share those photos out to various social networks, like Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. But a funny thing happened: The founding team realized that their users weren't just posting reviews -- they were using the app to add funny text to their pictures, which may or may not have been linked to a location or business, and create memes out of them. So the startup pivoted a little bit to go after that use case, and re-branded as TinyPost.
TJ publishes Tech Biz Talk, a site that reviews business apps of all types and provides how-to posts and tutorials. Share your application or service at his Facebook page and share details about your company/app in the comments below. TJ actively studies all searching for new apps to write about. Learn more about TJ. ![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 28-Aug-2012
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