Thursday, May 31, 2012

Courageous Golf Is Not Always What You Think It Is

You may well think of Arnie, Seve, Tiger or Phil when the subject of courage in golf comes up in conversation.

Or you might think a bit closer to home and of your own exploits, like the time you went for it and played a long fairway wood over water to reach the green on a par 5 in two, or when you risked a big blade shot but instead played a wonderfully delicate lobbed wedge over sand, landing softly on a downhill green and close to the pin.

All players and shots we rightly consider as courageous?but I want to offer up another definition of courage in golf.

Firstly, let me ask you this?

What is courage?

Well I like to describe it as

"Facing down your fear" I think this covers most scenarios.

And what do we fear?

Of course everyone is different, it's often said people fear public speaking over death, plenty of people fear snakes and spiders, some heights and others water. But many people love these, so we all fear different things.

But I know the most universal fears people have is the fear of change, or the fear of the unknown. To such an extent, a lot of us will stay in a place, job or relationship we don't like rather than face our fear of the unknown and have the courage to change.

In your golf game, the thought of change may fill you with dread and fear. And here's why I think it may bother you?

It's what I describe as the false association most players make between "striving for consistency in their game" and "consistently doing the same things".

Yes it is true if you do the same things over and over you are behaving consistently, but rarely does this equate to playing golf consistently well.

If you approach your golf game the same way as you always have, do you expect better results, or will you get the same results as you always had.

Einstein described insanity as "doing things the same way over and over and expecting different results"

Now this is where you need courage in golf. The courage to face the unknown.

Ask yourself:

Are you good in all aspects of the game?

Do you need to make changes?

Now summon up the courage to answer these questions honestly, have you known the answers for a while but not faced your own fear of change?

Let's get courageous and take these 3 steps to help you make the changes you need to have a breakthrough.

Carry out a self-assessment, find just one area you need to change; for example, it could be your putting, sand play or mental approach.

Call on someone you trust, a professional, a coach or golf buddy. Have the courage to tell them you know you need to make some changes, and you are ready to make them - ask what changes they think you need to make. When you are genuine and people can see you are serious, they will help you much more than you might expect.

Take Action -face down the fear, it could be booking a putting lesson, or a lesson on sand play, perhaps you need to engage a mental game coach; maybe you have been cruising in social play, avoiding club competitions afraid you'll get a handicap adjustment outwards. Whatever it may be - face it down, take an action to overcome your fear.

Be Courageous.

By using these three steps you will learn change isn't to be feared, and being courageous enough to overcome your fear is easier than you think. It takes some practice for sure, but remember this:

Courage is like a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets.

About the Author:
Paul D'Arcy is a regular golfer who has been searching for consistency and improvement in his golf game. It took him 2 years, but he did it; he discovered how to get the game he wanted and he became much more consistent, and got down to scoring mid to low 70's. He can give you practical golf lessons to improve your golf game with ease.

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A rare gain for the Dow on hopes for China growth

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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

First lady's book: On growing seeds, healthy kids

WASHINGTON (AP) ? From the beginning, Michelle Obama's kitchen garden has been an overachiever, churning out more peppers, parsley and eggplant than expected, and generating interest that ? yes, really ? crosses oceans.

Now, the first lady has added a 271-page book to her gardening resume, and Americans can read all about the planting misses that came with the hits, get tips on gardening at home, and, Mrs. Obama hopes, draw some inspiration that just might change their lives. Oh, and if it happens to help her husband's re-election campaign, that would be nice, too.

Lofty goals for a book about a garden.

In "American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America," Mrs. Obama holds out the raised vegetable beds on the South Lawn as "an expression of my hopes" for the nation's children. "Just as each seed we plant has the potential to become something extraordinary, so does every child," she writes.

The $30 book, released Tuesday by Crown Publishers, traces how a city kid from the South Side of Chicago who became a working mother and then a political spouse found herself fretting on that first planting day, March 20, 2009, about whether an L-shaped stretch of soil would prove fertile ground for a national conversation "about the food we eat, the lives we lead, and how all of that affects our children."

The book, which answers that question with a resounding yes, arrives just in time for her husband's re-election campaign.

And while the book is decidedly non-political, that fits perfectly with the Obama campaign's view that the first lady can do her husband a world of good simply by pushing the non-threatening causes such as healthy living that have made her a far more popular figure than the president himself. Mrs. Obama's favorability rating in the latest AP-GfK poll was 70 percent, compared with 58 percent for her husband.

The book's release comes with a flurry of media appearances. She's already been a TV frequent flyer to promote her "Let's Move" campaign to combat childhood obesity ? doing pushups with Ellen DeGeneres, playing tug-of-war with Jimmy Fallon in the White House and serving veggie pizza to Jay Leno. She says she gets asked about the garden wherever she goes, around the world.

The book is chock full of colorful, glossy photos of luscious-looking vegetables, complete with a cover picture in which the first lady's blouse seems to be color-coordinated with the eggplants in her bulging basket of produce. Bo, the popular family dog, gets plenty of cameo appearances. There are maps tracing the growth of the garden over the past three years, and stories about community gardens around the country. Even a how-to on creating a compost bin.

The book is divided into four sections marking the seasons, and includes a complement of recipes for each.

There are inside stories about planting travails that will ring true with any weekend gardener: pumpkins that wouldn't grow, cantaloupes that tasted blah, blackberry bushes that wouldn't play nice with the raspberry bushes and an invasion of cucumber beetles, among them. The first lady makes clear she's not the one doing most of the hoeing and weeding, crediting school kids, White House chefs and grounds crew and enthusiastic volunteers from all over the White House chain of command with providing lots of manpower.

And there are bits of historical trivia woven throughout: John Adams ordered up the first White House garden, but it was never harvested after he lost re-election. Thomas Jefferson was obsessed with trying to grow a four-foot-long cucumber. Heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, at 101 now a figure in the John Edwards' corruption trial, helped redesign the Rose Garden for President John Kennedy.

There are also bits of personal history: Mrs. Obama's father worked as a boy on one of the vegetable trucks that would deliver produce to neighborhoods, and had a reputation for sneaking pieces of fruit. Her mother's family had a plot in a neighborhood victory garden on the corner of an alley, and the kids had to eat their vegetables or go to bed without supper.

It is a tradition for first ladies to use books to advance their causes. Hillary Clinton wrote the best-seller "It Takes a Village," about the importance of community in raising children; and Laura Bush collaborated with daughter Jenna on a picture book about a reluctant reader, with "Read All About It!"

This is Michelle Obama's first book. She got no advance payment, and plans to donate all her proceeds to the National Park Foundation for programs that promote gardening and healthy eating, and to help care for the White House garden.

___

Online:

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanGrown?ref=ts

___

Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nbenac

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Google, Samsung unveil new version of Chromebook

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Google will try to win more converts to a computer operating system revolving around its popular Chrome Web browser with a new wave of lightweight laptops built by Samsung Electronics.

Tuesday's release of the next-generation Chromebooks will give Google and Samsung another opportunity to persuade consumers and businesses to buy an unconventional computer instead of machines running on familiar software by industry pioneers Microsoft Corp. and Apple Inc.

Unlike most computers, Google's Chromebooks don't have a hard drive. They function like terminals dependent on an Internet connection. The laptops come with 16 gigabytes of flash memory ? the kind found in smartphones, tablet computers and some iPods. Two USB ports allow external hard drives and other devices to be plugged into the machines.

Chromebooks haven't made much of a dent in the market since their debut a year ago. In that time, more people have been embracing Apple's iPad and other tablet computers ? a factor that has contributed to a slowdown in sales of personal computers.

The cool reception to Chromebooks has raised questions about whether Google misjudged the demand for computers designed to quickly connect to its dominant Internet search engine and ever-expanding stable of other online services, ranging from email to a recently introduced file-storage system called Drive.

Google says it always intended to take things slowly with the Chromebooks to give its engineers time to understand the shortcomings of the machines and make the necessary improvements.

"This release is a big step in the journey to bringing (Chromebooks) to the mainstream," said Sundar Pichai, Google's senior vice president of Chrome and apps

The upgraded laptop, called "Series 5 550," is supposed to run two-and-half times faster the original machines, and boasts higher-definition video. Google also added features that will enable users to edit documents offline, read more content created in widely used Microsoft applications such as Word and Excel, and retrieve material from another computer at home or office. More emphasis is being placed on Chrome's Web store, which features more than 50,000 applications.

The price: $449 for models that only connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi and $549 for a machine that connects on a 3G network. Samsung's original Chromebooks started out with prices ranging from $429 to $499. Like the original Chromebooks, the next-generation machines feature a 12.1-inch screen display and run on an Intel processor.

Google and Samsung also are introducing a "Chromebox" that can be plugged into a display monitor to create the equivalent of desktop computer. The box will sell for $329.

The latest Chromebook and new Chromebox will be available online only, beginning in the U.S. Tuesday followed by a Wednesday release in the United Kingdom. The products will go on sale in brick-and-mortar stores for the first time in still-to-be-determined Best Buy locations next month.

The expansion beyond Internet-only sales signals Google's determination to attract a mass audience to its Chromebooks, just as it's done with smartphones running on its Android software. More than 300 million mobile devices have been activated on Android since the software's 2008 release.

Without providing specifics, Pichai said several other computer manufacturers will release Chromebooks later this year. Google plans to back the expanded line of Chromebooks with a marketing blitz during the holiday shopping season in November and December.

One reason Google is confident Chromebooks will eventually catch on is because the Chrome Web browser has attracted so many fans in less than four years on the market. The company says more than 200 million people worldwide currently are using the Chrome browser.

Like other laptop and desktop computers, the Chromebooks will have to contend with the accelerating shift to the iPad and other tablets. The iPad 2, an older version of Apple's tablet line, sells for as little as $399, undercutting the new Chromebook. Other low-cost tablets are expected to hit the market later this year. One of them might even be made by Motorola Mobility, a device maker that Google bought for $12.5 billion earlier this month. Google so far hasn't commented on Motorola's future plans for the tablet market.

The new Chromebooks also are hitting the market at a time when some prospective computer buyers may be delaying purchases until they can check out machines running on Windows 8, a makeover of Microsoft's operating system that is expected to be released in September or October. Microsoft designed Windows 8 so it can be controlled through touch as well as keyboards. That versatility is expected to inspire the creation of hybrid machines that are part laptop, part tablet.

Associated Press

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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

5 Tips for Good Customer Service | Zaplee

It doesn?t matter how good your product is or how hard you work if you don?t have good customer service. This is particularly true when you are running a small business, like many of Zaplee?s cloud call center customers. No matter how many new customers you bring in, you won?t get repeat customers without great customer service. So here are 5 tips for good customer service to keep your small business on its A game.

Step #1: Always, always, always answer your phone.

If a customer calls and gets nothing but an endless ring, they will hang up and call someone else. No one wants to wait around and keep trying their call again; they?ll just move on to the next business. Of course, if you are running a small business, you may be running a one-man show, and you can?t always be there to answer the phone. Zaplee?s cloud call service makes sure that the phone always gets answered, even when you can?t be there to pick it up yourself.

Step #2: Be a good listener.

Too many businesses have a standard script in place, and they recite the same lines, no matter what the customer has to say. So pay attention to your customers and respond appropriately and personally to their concerns.

Step #3: Go above and beyond the call of duty.

Be helpful to everyone, even if there is no immediate profit in sight for you. If a customer contacts you and you don?t have what they are looking for, tell them who can help them. People remember these acts of kindness, and they will come back to you when they do need your services later on. It always pays off to be kind in the long run.

Step #4: Address complaints.

You can?t always please everyone, but you can certainly try. Listen attentively to the customer?s concerns, be sympathetic, and do whatever you can to correct the situation. This can make all the difference in whether that customer becomes a repeat customer or moves on to another business the next time around.

Step #5: Give your customers more than they are expecting.

Any time you can throw in something extra, whether it?s in the form of additional product or superior service, you are giving your customers something they aren?t getting anywhere else. Going that extra mile will bring customers back to you in the future.

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Black Keys, Martin Solveig To Perform At MTV Movie Awards

The Keys and Solveig join previously announced performers Fun. and Wiz Khalifa at the big show, airing live on June 3.
By James Montgomery


Black Keys' Dan Auerbach
Photo: Getty Images

The Black Keys and DJ Martin Solveig have been added to the list of performers at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards, joining previously announced acts Fun. and Wiz Khalifa on the big show.

The Keys will be performing their hit "Gold on the Ceiling" — they premiered the video for the song on MTV back in February — while Solveig will serve as the house DJ, remixing themes from some of the most iconic films of all time, including "Star Wars," "Jaws" and "Pulp Fiction."

The 2012 MTV Movie Awards will air live on Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET/PT from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Comedian Russell Brand will serve as host for the show, and from the sound of things, he's, uh, very excited by the opportunity.

"The MTV Movie Awards incorporates two of my favorite things: movies and awards," Brand said. "If somehow group sex could be involved, it would be the greatest night of my life."

We'll see what we can do, dude. The 2012 MTV Movie Awards will bring together the biggest names in entertainment for what's sure to be an irreverent night. Kristen Stewart, Emma Stone and Chris Hemsworth are among the stars who will be on hand to present Golden Popcorn statuettes. "The Hunger Games" and "Bridesmaids" are the most-nominated films. And as if all of that isn't enough, we'll also unveil exclusive footage from the summer's most anticipated film, "The Dark Knight Rises."

Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET.

Related Photos

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Jason Calacanis and Kevin Pollak Launch Streaming TV Network 'This


Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 19, 2010

Technology and entertainment personalities Jason Calacanis and Kevin Pollak today announced they have joined forces on a new Internet-based television network, This Week In, Inc. The startup has closed a modest angel round ($ 300,000) from a group of investors including Calacanis; Sky Dayton, founder of Earthlink and Boingo; and Matt Coffin, founder of LowerMyBills.com. Podcast pioneer and former Mahalo.com CTO, Mark Jeffrey is heading up the network as co-founder and CEO.

Calacanis explained, ?The production of high-quality, live-streaming, video content has finally arrived. In the same way blogs grew from passion projects in 2005 to thriving businesses in 2009, streaming shows are poised to breakout.? Previously Calacanis launched 100 blogs with Weblogs Inc. including Engadget, Joystiq and Autoblog. Weblogs was purchased by AOL.

?I?m thrilled to be working with two visionaries like Jason and Kevin, and look forward to building a great company with them in the years to come,? said Jeffrey.

Jeffrey previously co-founded social network ZeroDegrees and sold it to IAC/InterActiveCorp in 2004. He also co-founded ThePalace, Inc. in 1995 which sold to Communities.com, Inc. in 1998. His first podcast novel got 2.4 million downloads, leading to a publishing deal with Harper Collins.

Building on the success of their popular, award-winning programs, This Week in Startups and Kevin Pollaks Chat Show, This Week In debuts with a promising lineup of eight shows, all professionally produced from the network?s studio in Santa Monica, Calif. and staffed by passionate hosts. The network intends to create 30 shows over the next two years. This Week In will be holding an Open Casting Call for new show hosts on Saturday, May 22, 2010 beginning at 11 am at the This Week In office located at 902 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA.

According to recent statistics from The Nielsen Company, online video usage has increased more than ten percent year-over-year. eMarketer estimates that 66.7% of US Internet users ? 147.5 million people ? are watching video online each month.

?The timing for a network like This Week In is finally right,? said Mark Jeffrey, co-founder and CEO of This Week In. ?With the popularity of podcast-playing devices like the iPad and offerings like Boxee bringing Web video to living room television screens, high-quality programming can now be delivered via IP with the same potential for viewership as a cable channel.?

This Week In generates revenue through targeted sponsor plugs integrated with the show commentary. Some notable sponsors to date have included Bing, Sonos, WebSpy, UStream, Storm on Demand and Virtacore. All episodes are distributed through the network Web site along with YouTube, iTunes, Boxee, Justin.tv, Ustream and the iPad AppStore, among others.

About This Week In

Based in Santa Monica, CA and founded by Jason Calacanis, Kevin Pollak and Mark Jeffrey, This Week In, Inc. offers a network of shows covering a wide variety of topics from technology to entertainment. Produced out of its Santa Monica studio, This Week In shows feature guest experts, founders, movie stars, comedians, technologists and CEOs all keeping you up to speed on whats happening this week with a fast and funny style. Informative and entertaining, ThisWeekIn is the place for whatever your interests may be. To learn more, please visit http://www.thisweekin.com.

# # #

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Monday, May 28, 2012

Sterling's Weekly Free Energy Review on SmartScarecrow Show: May 24, 2012

By Sterling D. Allan
May 24, 2012

Electricity generated from water: BlackLight Power announces validation of its scientific breakthrough ? Zydro Energy Device takes Archimedes Principle and a "eureka moment" to over-unity energy ? LENR-to-Market Weekly ? A Joe Cell's Unit Charge ? Genesis Self-Sustaining Generator Prototype and Documentation Pops up on eBay ? Tabletop Brown's Gas Electrolyzer ? Blue Science Goes Live

Recording?

Smart Scarecrow Blog Post Accompanying this Show

Show Notes

  • Featured / Best Exotic FE: Nuclear > Cold Fusion >
    LENR-to-Market Weekly -- May 24, 2012 - Highlights this week include Rossi's claim to have achieved 600 ?C, his positive response to Hank Mills agreeing to post more data; speculation about how the Greek crisis will effect Defkalion; video of Brillouin's reactor in operation; video of Mitch Swartz's reactor in operation; new NASA video about LENR. (PESN; May 24, 2012)
  • Featured: Joe Cell >
    A Joe Cell's Unit Charge - "I determined that as a Joe cell is being charged in its normal charge cycle, and while low level electrolysis is taking place; the cell develops a voltage that has never before been addressed. I refer to this voltage as unit charge. Unit charge can be in the hundreds or even thousands of volts." (PESN; May 19, 2012)
  • Organizations >
    Blue Science Goes Live - Project Camelot has launched a new website: Blue-Science.org "to shine light onto the suppressed physics and technologies that have been kept from us. This site is a place for those pursuing new technologies to share their thoughts and discuss the viability of new discoveries and research." Lists PESWiki as a primary link. (Project Camelot; May 20, 2012)

See also

Page posted by Sterling D. Allan
Last updated May 25, 2012
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Google's Motorola buy seen boosting Android in workplace

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Health and Fitness: Hand Wrist Pain Article Category

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Bella?s Chinese New Year

I fell in love with the title character of the new eBook, Bella?s Chinese New Year, by Travel with Bella. She is a happy little American girl with bright red curly hair who lives in Singapore with her parents. Her delightful and friendly personality makes it easy for her to make new friends in the world around her. Bella is respectful of the culture she lives in and helps the reader to learn of new traditions. In Bella?s Chinese New Year, Bella?s school is having an exciting big Chinese New Year?s party and we follow her as she gets ready for school, travels there, and arrives to join in the festivities. Along the way, Bella teaches little ones Mandarin vocabulary and Chinese culture through picture/word association. Children can learn about Bella?s qipao (her fancy red dress), how to say hello (nihao) in Mandarin, all about the Lo Hei salad tradition and much more. At the very end of the story there is a Mandarin pronunciation guide with all of the words featured throughout the story. Bella?s Chinese New Year can be read three ways: Read to Me (great for little ones learning to read), Read it Myself (kids can read at their own pace), or Auto Play (automatically narrates the story and turns the pages for children). The one thing that I wish this app had is more interactive elements to help keep little children engaged as they listen to the story. Overall I quite enjoyed Bella?s Chinese New Year. Not only did my little girl learn more about Chinese culture, so did I.

*Bella?s Chinese New Year is available for both the iPhone and iPad.

Price When Reviewed for iPhone Version: $1.99

Price When Reviewed for iPad Version: $2.99

See the Bella?s Chinese New Year for iPhone in iTunes

See the Bella?s Chinese New Year for iPad in iTunes

Requirements for iPhone Version: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Requirements for iPad Version: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Seller: Travel with Bella

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.

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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Lady Gaga cancels Indonesian show after threats

Muslim men shout slogans during a rally against U.S. pop singer Lady Gaga's concert that is scheduled to be held on June 3, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, May 25, 2012. Lady Gaga might have to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia because police worry her sexy clothes and dance moves undermine Islamic values and will corrupt the country's youth. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Muslim men shout slogans during a rally against U.S. pop singer Lady Gaga's concert that is scheduled to be held on June 3, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, May 25, 2012. Lady Gaga might have to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia because police worry her sexy clothes and dance moves undermine Islamic values and will corrupt the country's youth. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Muslim men shout slogans during a rally against U.S. pop singer Lady Gaga's concert that is scheduled to be held on June 3, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, May 25, 2012. Lady Gaga might have to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia because police worry her sexy clothes and dance moves undermine Islamic values and will corrupt the country's youth. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Muslim men hold up banners during a rally against U.S. pop singer Lady Gaga's concert that is scheduled to be held on June 3, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, May 25, 2012. Lady Gaga might have to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia because police worry her sexy clothes and dance moves undermine Islamic values and will corrupt the country's youth. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Muslim students shout slogans during a rally against U.S. pop singer Lady Gaga's concert that is scheduled to be held on June 3, outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, May 25, 2012. Lady Gaga might have to cancel her sold-out show in Indonesia because police worry her sexy clothes and dance moves undermine Islamic values and will corrupt the country's youth. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

(AP) ? Lady Gaga canceled her sold-out show in Indonesia after Islamist hard-liners threatened violence, claiming her sexy clothes and provocative dance moves would corrupt the youth.

The controversy was a blow to the predominantly Muslim country's reputation for combining free speech and democracy with a mostly moderate brand of the faith.

Fans were devastated, despite the promoter's offer of full refunds. Some accused police ? who refused to issue a permit over concerns about security ? of buckling to the will of a small group of thugs.

The planned "Born This Way Ball" concert has been on-again-off-again from the start.

But on Sunday, it was final, said Minola Sebayang, a lawyer for Big Daddy, the promoter of the June 3 show.

"It's unfortunate," he said. "But with threats if the concert goes ahead, Lady Gaga's side is calling it off. This is not only about Lady Gaga's security, but extends to those who will be watching her."

Indonesia, a secular nation of 240 million, is often held up by the U.S. and others an example of how democracy and Islam and can coexist. In many ways they are right. Since emerging from dictatorship just over a decade ago, sweeping reforms have resulted in direct elections, while vastly improving human rights and freeing up the media.

But a small extremist fringe has become more vocal ? and violent ? in recent years, attacking Christians and members of other religious minorities, transvestites, atheists and anyone else deemed "immoral."

The most notorious group, Islamic Defenders Front, called Lady Gaga a "messenger of the devil" and vowed to turn out at the airport by the thousands if she tried to step off the plane. Others said they bought tickets so they could wreak havoc from inside the 52,000-seat stadium in the capital, Jakarta.

Police responded by denying the necessary permits. Then, after public outcry, they said they'd reconsider ? but only if Lady Gaga agreed to tone down her act.

Instead, she pulled the plug on what was supposed to be the biggest stop on her Asian tour.

Michael Rusli, head of Big Daddy, promised "Little Monster" fans full refunds.

But that provided little consolation to people like 25-year-old Johnny Purba.

"This only shows to the world how weak security forces are in this country, how police are afraid of a bunch of hard-liners," he said.

"Gaga's two-hour show will not hurt Indonesian Muslims. For God's sake, she is not a terrorist!"

Around 50 others, dressed up like the pop diva, performed a mob flash dance at a shopping mall in the capital, Jakarta, to some of her biggest hits.

Hard-liners, however, were ecstatic.

"This is a victory for Indonesian Muslims," said Salim Alatas, one of the leaders of the Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI. "Thanks to God for protecting us from a kind of devil."

Earlier, Murhali Barda, a spokesman for the group, said supporters had purchased more than 150 tickets to the concert.

He'd posted a picture on his Facebook page of a man hiding his identity with a turban and sunglasses and holding a $50 ticket to the "Ball."

"We have gotten Lady Gaga tickets," the caption said. "Not to watch but for us to enter."

"Our target is to stop the concert," he wrote, providing little more detail. "We would force them off the stage but not harm the audience."

Associated Press

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From the movie Things I Don't Understand - A grad student forms a cathartic relationship with a local bartender hiding his own secrets and a terminally ill hospice patient she?s interviewing for her thesis on what happens after we die.
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Former CIA spy spills secrets on Twitter; Also, Google's self-driving car takes a legally blind man to Taco Bell; Finally, an 86-year old gymnast wows the crowd in Germany. "CBS This Morning" co-hosts Erica Hill and Gayle King report on some of the hot stories working their way around the web.
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Saturday, May 26, 2012

Dis Generation: Taking Advantage Of #Outsourcing Growth In Africa ...

Kagem Tibaijuka founded Kagem Tibaijuka & Co, a B2B marketing company based in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. But, all of her clients are based outside Tanzania. While India is part of the outsourcing boom, companies like Kagem Tibaijuka & Co, customize marketing campaigns for international small businesses in markets such as London and Prague. They are a part of the sudden outsourcing growth on the continent.

According to Kagem, ?outsourcing is traditionally seen as something in the IT sector to cut costs but in marketing, outsourcing from a business to business angle can be an excellent way for small businesses to focus on what they do best and allow us to do the heavy lifting for them to ensure that they meet their business goals.?

Kangem Tibaijuka & Co has worked with companies like Peachy Loans, Designer-Clothes.co.uk and Signature Car Hire.

?Kagem was contracted to create fashion guides to go on my e-commerce website. I would say it was high quality writing that Kagem provided, it ticked all the boxes in terms of the way I wanted it written. I would work withKagem again on new projects? Matt Seigneur atDesigner -clothes, writes in a testimonial.

?We always put their priorities first which is why clients work with us to create campaigns that will resonate with their buying audience,? states Kagem.

How can more entrepreneurs venture into the business of outsourcing? What business opportunities are there for African countries?

In this interview, Kagem shares her experience and sheds more light on the business of outsourcing and how African businesses can take advantage of the surge. Enjoy! Click here to view the full interview

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cosmetic surgery is not about having a great adventure | health article

In everything that we do, there are always risks involved. For the adventurous, these risks can be a good thing. However, cosmetic surgery is not about having a great adventure because you are risking more than your hard-earned money. Cosmetic surgery is still a surgery and the basic risks of any kinds of surgery still apply to cosmetic surgery.Another risk is the money factor. Cosmetic surgery really costs a lot of money. It can be irritating and frustrating to spend money for a surgeon who is inefficient to do his job. Yes, you can always claim damages when things went wrong, but the trauma you underwent still matter at the end.

One important fact is that cosmetic surgery does not offer perfection, just improvement. So it is good to be clear about that limitation. The procedure is lengthy and the recovery also takes time. And in spite of cost involved, you are still exposed to potential risks. The risk that has to be most obvious one is that the result might not be what you expect and your health is also at risk.Because of these ever-present risks, many people attempt to avoid surgery in any case. However, more and more people are choosing cosmetic surgery to change their appearance, even multiple times. It is important to have the help of a qualified physician perform your surgery in order to minimize your risk of adverse side effects.Every cosmetic surgery procedure is done to try to improve the way something looks. Unfortunately, some procedures end up causing things to look worse or maybe not quite the way things were expected. Be sure to convey to your plastic surgeon anything that bothers you about your results. Often times, a simple revision procedure can be undertaken which corrects the problem.

Ultimately the procedure can be very safe if you go to a doctor who you can trust who has experience performing the procedure. A good doctor will take great care on sterilizing important equipment as well as making sure you are given the right dose of chemical solution on your face.The first thing that you need to do is to consider this form of surgery as a very serious and complex medical procedure. It often depends on the fact as to how you perceive it. Is it out of necessity or vanity that you are getting this surgery done. If it is out of vanity that you are getting the surgery done then for you the entire experience could something similar to going to the beauty salon or getting a facial done.
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Inside Practical Home Improvement Solutions Methods

Many people think that home improvement is impossible to do by themselves. Every year, month, week, and day people try to make improvements to their homes, only to fail miserably. Home improvement is not as difficult as people think. This article contains many easy ways to improve your home.

Home improvements can be a lot of fun when you do it yourself. Make them more enjoyable by having a positive attitude and enjoying the job along the way. Take before and after photos to show your friends and family what you did as the job progressed and feel the pride of doing it yourself.

When you are planning home improvement projects, it can be useful to look around for some inspiration. Visit the library or book store and glance through decorating magazines. Bring home color samples and carpet or fabric swatches. Spend time getting a feel for what you really want, so you will be ready when the time comes to start the project.

Install radiant heat under your new tile floors. There are kits available for the do-it-yourself homeowner, and it?s really not rocket science. It will make a dramatic difference in the ?wow? factor of your home both to guests and to potential buyers. Invite them to take their shoes off and feel the heat!

Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas that you can?t taste or smell. If you inhale too much of it, however, it could be fatal. Young children are particularly susceptible to the poison. Don?t take the chance! These detectors are cheap and easily installed. Check out a look at vintage telecaster guitars for intelligent data.

Looking for a way to improve your home? Instead of hiring an interior designer to decorate your home for you, buy home decor magazines and books to use as inspiration. Give yourself some time to learn. Take some design elements from pictures you see, and use other people?s ideas to help spark your creativity. Spend the money you would on an interior designer on your furniture and accessories instead.

Guessing wrong about a sale item can put you in a very uncomfortable position since you probably won?t be able to return it. Carry a tape measure and a list of the dimensions of your rooms with you all the time. In this way, if you see the perfect item of furnishing, appliance, or fixture on sale, you will be able to measure it to see if it will fit the space you have in mind.

Whether you are improving your own personal residence or an investment property that you will use for resale or renting, the tips we have discussed in this article will set you well on your way to higher property values as well as hassle free and financially responsible remodeling projects.

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Twitter index: Tweeps show love for 'American Idol' finalist Jessica Sanchez

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Friday, May 25, 2012

'American Idol' Finale Ratings Plummet

While Phillip Phillips' win drew a record 132 million votes, ratings were down 30 percent.
By Gil Kaufman


Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez and Ryan Seacrest on 'American Idol'
Photo: Getty Images

It was the best of times and the worst of times for "American Idol" this week. Yes, a record 132 million votes came in on Tuesday night to help Phillip Phillips
 take home the top prize. But when the ratings for the finale were tallied up, well, nobody was popping corks or firing up the confetti cannons anymore.

Ponder this: Ratings for the season 11 finale were half of what they were during the 2003 season when Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken duked it out in front of 38 million viewers. Half is still 21.5 million, but that number is way down (27 percent) from the 29.3 million who saw Scotty McCreery take home the crown last year.

In fact, according to final Nielsen Co. figures, Wednesday night's "Idol" viewership is the smallest ever for the show's finale. Not only was the tune-in number an all-time low, but the show's 6.4 rating among the coveted adults 18-49 demographic was down 30 percent from last year as well.

"Idol" can take some solace in easily beating the finale ratings for such up-and-coming rivals as "The Voice" (11.93 million viewers, 4.4 rating) and "X Factor" (12.59 million viewers, 3.8 rating). The ratings decline this year was expected, since season 10 got a bit of a boost when Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler were added into the mix following the departure of former lead judge Simon Cowell.

Though it came into the season with the bragging rights as the #1 show on TV, "Idol" shed nearly 25 percent of its audience this year, falling below 20 million viewers for the first time since 2003. According to reports, the steepest drop-off was among viewers 18-49, the most sought-after demographic among networks.

The other shoe to drop on Thursday was that for the first time in eight years, "Idol" will not finish the season as the top-rated primetime program. According to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC's "Sunday Night Football" finished the 2011-2012 season as the dominant primetime program in total viewers and in all key audience demographics. "Football" averaged 20.7 million viewers this season and an 8.0 rating in the 28-49 demo.

The Wednesday night "Idol" performance broadcasts averaged 19.7 million viewers and 18.3 million on Thursday for the season, along with a 6.2 rating on Wednesday's.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Nuclear talks with Iran set to resume next month

World powers negotiators arrive at the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq, Wednesday, May 23, 2012. Negotiators from the U.S. and five other world powers sat down Wednesday with a team of Iranian diplomats to try to hammer out specific goals in the years-long impasse over Tehran's nuclear program.(AP Photo/Mohammed Ameen, Pool)

World powers negotiators arrive at the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq, Wednesday, May 23, 2012. Negotiators from the U.S. and five other world powers sat down Wednesday with a team of Iranian diplomats to try to hammer out specific goals in the years-long impasse over Tehran's nuclear program.(AP Photo/Mohammed Ameen, Pool)

EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, left, poses for a photo with Iran's Chief Nuclear Negotiator Saeed Jalili in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, May 23, 2012. Negotiators from the U.S. and five other world powers sat down Wednesday with a team of Iranian diplomats to try to hammer out specific goals in the yearslong impasse over Tehran's nuclear program. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

(AP) ? Iran and six world powers wrapped up talks Thursday still far apart over how to oversee Tehran's atomic program, but with resolve to keep dialogue going as an alternative to possible military action.

Envoys said they will meet again next month in Moscow after negotiations stretched out for extra hours and a sandstorm shut the airport in Iraq's capital. But the two sides agreed on little else during two dramatic days of discussions that underscored the serious challenges of reaching accords between Iran and the West.

"It is clear that we both want to make progress, and that there is some common ground," European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is formally leading the talks, told reporters. "However, significant differences remain. Nonetheless, we do agree on the need for further discussion to expand that common ground."

Saeed Jalili, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, offered a lukewarm assessment of what the negotiations achieved, in light of European and American refusal to lift tough sanctions as Tehran had hoped.

"The result of the talks was that we were able to get more familiar with the views of each other," Jalili said at a press conference after Ashton left.

The Baghdad discussions began with hopes for progress before each side accused the other of failing to offer meaningful, realistic proposals. More tellingly, they also showed that U.S. diplomats and others are pressing neither for quick deals nor for ultimatums that could derail the sensitive talks.

"We are moving in a step-by-step process," a senior American official told reporters in Baghdad's heavily protected Green Zone. "It's good for them. It's good for us. It's good for the world."

The tempered approach offers insights into shifting American priorities over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

The U.S. has gradually moved off its demands for an immediate and complete halt to Iran's ability to make nuclear fuel, which the West and allies fear could someday provide the foundations of warhead-grade material. Iran denies it seeks atomic arms.

Instead, the Baghdad talks unveiled a Western-backed incentive package that seeks to end Iran's highest-level uranium enrichment as a first step. That leaves open speculation that Washington could ultimately accept Iran's demand to keep its enrichment labs in operation ? although possibly at reduced levels to produce lower-grade fuel suitable for its lone power-generating reactor.

Such a compromise would likely require Iran to reciprocate with moves such as allowing greater U.N. nuclear inspections and suspending work at a bunker-like enrichment site south of Tehran.

The senior U.S. official said it was still "premature" to delve into this type of endgame bargaining. "It's having the discussion about the end of the road before you've taken the first step in the road," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations more candidly.

In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said significant differences remain between the two sides and that it's now up to Iran "to close the gaps."

"Iran now has the choice to make: Will it meet its international obligations and give the world confidence about its intentions or not," Clinton said.

The overall message, however, was somehow to keep talking. The Moscow negotiations are set for June 18-19.

"All parties in the talks want to gain time," said Bruno Tertrais, a senior researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research in Paris. "The Western countries want sanctions to keep hitting Iran, and Iran wants to keep the talk of military action in the distance."

The open channels between Iran and the six-nation bloc ? the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany ? could push back threats of military action that have shaken oil markets and fostered fears of triggering a wider Middle East conflict.

Oil prices rose toward $92 a barrel Thursday with the negotiations failing to hit a fast-track stride.

Israeli leaders, on the other hand, have been highly critical of the talks, claiming it allows Iran to buy time and drive a wedge between Washington and Jerusalem. On Wednesday, Israel's defense minister, Ehud Barak, said even possible moves by Iran to open its nuclear facilities to greater U.N. inspect don't rule out a possible Israeli military strike.

The world powers opened the Baghdad talks with a U.S.-backed proposal calling on Tehran to halt the production of 20 percent enriched uranium, which is the highest grade of enrichment that Iran has acknowledged.

In exchange, the world powers offered benefits, including medical isotopes, some nuclear safety cooperation and spare parts for civilian airliners that are needed in Iran.

Staking out a hard-line reply, Iran emphasized it has every right to pursue uranium enrichment for peaceful uses. Jalili said Iran would consider suspending the 20 percent level but only if the world powers recognize its right to enrich uranium.

He also said the West would have to give in to demands to supply Iran with enough nuclear fuel to run a Tehran medical research reactor that currently depends on the 20 percent-level enriched uranium.

"It could be an issue for cooperation over discussions related to the Tehran reactor," Jalili said.

Western leaders fear the 20 percent-level material ? well above the 3.5 percent enrichment needed for energy-producing reactors ? can be turned into warhead grade at about 90 percent enrichment in a matter of months. Iran insists its reactors are only for energy and research.

Iran went into the talks urging the West to scale back on recently toughened sanctions, which have targeted Iran's critical oil exports and have effectively blackballed the country from international banking networks. The 27-nation European Union is set to ban all Iranian fuel imports on July 1, shutting the door on about 18 percent of Iran's market.

The senior U.S. official predicted the pace of the talks would speed up in upcoming rounds.

"We are urgent about it, because every day we don't figure this out is a day they keep going forward with a nuclear program," the official said. "And there are all kinds of assessments about how long it will take them to get there."

"We still think we have some time for diplomacy, but it's not indefinite," he said.

Talks resumed in Istanbul last month more than a year after an attempt at Western dialogue with Iran collapsed.

Iran pushed for the second round in Baghdad as a way to showcase its regional influence and close ties to the Iraqi government after the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq. During the talks, a mortar strike outside the Green Zone killed at least one person and wounded eight, according to police and medical officials. The level of violence has dropped dramatically in Iraq, although deadly attacks on security forces and civilians are still common.

___

Associated Press writer Brian Murphy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Lease Accounting blog: Today's board meeting: Setting the stage

This morning the FASB and IASB held a joint meeting at the FASB offices in Norwalk (part of a series of joint meetings all week long). The first item on today's agenda was a review of the outreach done on expense recognition options for the new lease accounting standard. As reported in my prior blog entry, the staff (and board members) held a number of outreach events with financial statement preparers, users, and auditors, and summarized the results in a paper available online.

Board members discussed their reactions to the responses received. They heard a strong plea for simplicity from the various constituents. Essentially all board members agreed that Approaches B & C were not practicable, even though several of them expressed that they felt one or the other was conceptually the best choice. That leaves Approach A (capital/finance lease accounting), Approach D (straight-line expense recognition), or a combination of the two, with the need to define some dividing line between them. (And, as one board member noted, there is a third model that they've already agreed to: operating lease accounting, off balance sheet, for leases of 12 months or less.)

In the discussion, calculation of the balance sheet with Approach D was clarified:? I'm going to make another post that looks at the calculations under Approach D a bit more. In essence, it's a plugged number, though the staff person didn't like the use of that word. But some board members are concerned about the conceptual basis for the calculation, considering that it doesn't fit the normal definition of amortization and depreciation. They want lease accounting to be consistent with the overall Conceptual Framework of accounting that they've been working on for years.

They noted that in outreach, real estate lessees almost unanimously preferred Approach D. Equipment lessees generally preferred Approach A. However, there are many permutations on leasing, and board members noted that it won't be possible to make the accounting fit every different motivation that management has for entering into a lease.

Some board members would prefer symmetry between lessee and lessor accounting, in part because it seems easier to defend conceptually. Others noted that lessor accounting is generally not considered broken, and that leasing of investment property is already being scoped out of the project, so they were less concerned about symmetry.

While IASB Chairman Hans Hoogervorst noted that some European standard-setters don't agree with putting leases on the balance sheet, he noted that support for that move was almost universal among the preparers and especially users of financial statements. It seems clear that that decision will not be revisited.

The boards plan to vote in June on the expense recognition profile. The staffs were directed to present as options Approach A, Approach D, and a combination, with several alternatives for how to draw the line between A & D (similar to current IAS 17; real estate vs. equipment; and others). The staff stated that they expect to have a few wrap-up questions to deal with at the July meeting, and they would then prepare the Revised Exposure Draft.

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Small Business Week: Section 179 Deductions - CBS Boston - CBS ...

(credit: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images)

(credit: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images)

BOSTON (CBS) ? Normally if you purchase capital equipment for your business you don?t get to expense the total cost of the equipment the year you buy it.

You depreciate the equipment over its useful life, expensing a portion each year on your tax return, which could be anywhere from three to seven years. Buy equipment for $50,000 and you would write off $10,000 a year for 5 years.

Congress, in hoping to encourage economic growth, made some changes in the depreciation laws for small businesses thru this year.

You can expense business equipment up to $139,000 using the IRS Section 179 Deduction. And once you have used up your section 179 deduction there is another bonus for this year. You can depreciate 50% of the new equipment acquired.

You cannot use the 179 deduction for structural changes in a building like new windows but you can still depreciate those items over their useful life.

A window AC would be eligible for the deduction. Property attached to your building but not a structural component such as ovens or a printing press would be eligible for the deduction. Things you could take with you if you moved.

If you set up your consulting business and you buy a computer, monitor, software, a scanner, a copier, telephone, and the furniture to put the new equipment on and a back-friendly office chair to sit in for $7,000. Well all of that $7,000 could be written off in one year.

To be eligible for the section 179 deduction the asset must be used at least 50% for business in the first year it is placed into service. So if your kids are playing games or doing homework on the computer in the evenings you should not take a 100% deduction. Now I doubt if the IRS deduction police are going to pay you a visit but it?s the right thing to do! The IRS does rely on us to do the right thing when we file our taxes.

The equipment must also have been bought for the business. So if you are starting that consulting business and you have a two-year-old computer you cannot use the 179 deduction for the computer.

This deduction is not automatic. The IRS requires you to file form 4562 to get the deduction.

You may also want to get a copy of the IRS publication 946, How to Depreciate Property.

Also the IRS has a help number for businesses, 800-829-4933.

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