Giant mushroom: This fungus has not yet been identified. But it's not big enough to dislodge Oregon's giant honey mushroom as the largest in the world.
By Marc Lallanilla,?LiveScience / July 30, 2013
China's Yunnan province is known as the "Kingdom of Mushrooms" for its rich diversity of more than 600 species of edible fungi.
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But even the hungriest of mushroom fans might find this monster mushroom, recently discovered in Yunnan, a little hard to swallow.
The mushroom, a species that has yet to be identified, measures 37 inches (93 centimeters) across the top and weighs about 33 pounds (15 kilograms), according to Science World Report. [Magnificent Microphotography: 50 Tiny Wonders]
Fungi, including mushrooms, are neither plants nor animals and instead form their own group of living organisms that generally reproduce by spores and contain nuclei with chromosomes. Perhaps surprisingly due to their plantlike appearance, fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants.
China's mushroom industry is a multimillion-dollar operation, with sales equivalent to $44 million in 2005, according to The Diplomat. And some of the finest and costliest specimens, such as the rare Tricholoma matsutake mushroom ? highly prized as a delicacy in Japan ? come from Yunnan.
The giant mushroom discovered in China might not be safe to eat; many mushrooms are poisonous. Two women in California were killed recently after eating a soup made of toxic mushrooms.
On the other hand, there may be some therapeutic benefits to certain mushrooms. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University believe the hallucinogen found in "magic mushrooms" might someday help treat a variety of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and addiction.
It remains to be seen whether the massive 'shroom discovered in China is a record-breaking fungus for its species, but it certainly won't be the world's largest mushroom: In 1998, a giant honey mushroom (Armillaria ostoyae) was discovered growing underground in Oregon. The specimen is estimated to be some 2,384 acres (965 hectares) in size, and at least 2,400 years old.
Follow Marc Lallanilla on Twitter?and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook?& Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.
Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Lawrence Livermore engineering team makes breakthrough in solar energy researchPublic release date: 30-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Ken Ma ma28@llnl.gov 925-423-7602 DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
LIVERMORE, Calif. The use of plasmonic black metals could someday provide a pathway to more efficient photovoltaics (PV) --- the use of solar panels containing photovoltaic solar cells --- to improve solar energy harvesting, according to researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
The LLNL Materials Engineering Division (MED) research team has made breakthroughs experimenting with black metals. These nanostructured metals are designed to have low reflectivity and high absorption of visible and infrared light. The MED research team recently published their black metals research results in a cover-page article in the May issue of Applied Physics Letters titled "Plasmonic Black Metals in Resonant Nanocavities."
Authored by MED physicist and research team member Mihail Bora, the article details the work of the Nanophotonics and Plasmonics research team led by LLNL Engineer Tiziana Bond.
It describes the team's concept of black metals, which are not classic metals but can be thought of as an extension of the black silicon concept. When silicon is treated in a certain way, such as being roughened at the nanoscale level, it traps light by multiple reflections, increasing its solar absorption. This gives the silicon a black surface that's able to better trap the full sun's wavelength spectrum.
Similarly, black metals are produced by some sort of random nanostructuring -- either in gold or silver -- without guaranteeing a full, reliable and repeatable full solar absorption. However, Bond's team developed a method to improve and control the absorption efficiency and basically turn the metals as black as they want, allowing them to increase, on demand, the absorption of a higher quantity of solar wavelengths. Her team built nanopillar structures that are trapping and absorbing all the relevant wavelengths of the entire solar spectrum.
"Our article was picked for the cover story of Applied Physics Letters because it represents cutting-edge work in the area of plasmonics, the broadband operation obtained with a clear design and its implication for the photovoltaic (PV) yield," Bond said.
This new LLNL technology could one day be used in the energy harvesting industry such as PV. By incorporating metallic nanostructures with strong coupling of incident light, broad spectral and angular coverage, the LLNL team is providing a path for more efficient photovoltaics and thermovoltaics (a form of energy collection) by means of plasmon-exciton conversion, according to Bond and Bora.
###
The article can be view at this link: http://apl.aip.org/resource/1/applab/v102/i25/p251105_s1
The teams' black metal research will also be featured in the September issue of Nature Photonics.
Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides solutions to our nation's most important national security challenges through innovative science, engineering and technology. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
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Lawrence Livermore engineering team makes breakthrough in solar energy researchPublic release date: 30-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Ken Ma ma28@llnl.gov 925-423-7602 DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
LIVERMORE, Calif. The use of plasmonic black metals could someday provide a pathway to more efficient photovoltaics (PV) --- the use of solar panels containing photovoltaic solar cells --- to improve solar energy harvesting, according to researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
The LLNL Materials Engineering Division (MED) research team has made breakthroughs experimenting with black metals. These nanostructured metals are designed to have low reflectivity and high absorption of visible and infrared light. The MED research team recently published their black metals research results in a cover-page article in the May issue of Applied Physics Letters titled "Plasmonic Black Metals in Resonant Nanocavities."
Authored by MED physicist and research team member Mihail Bora, the article details the work of the Nanophotonics and Plasmonics research team led by LLNL Engineer Tiziana Bond.
It describes the team's concept of black metals, which are not classic metals but can be thought of as an extension of the black silicon concept. When silicon is treated in a certain way, such as being roughened at the nanoscale level, it traps light by multiple reflections, increasing its solar absorption. This gives the silicon a black surface that's able to better trap the full sun's wavelength spectrum.
Similarly, black metals are produced by some sort of random nanostructuring -- either in gold or silver -- without guaranteeing a full, reliable and repeatable full solar absorption. However, Bond's team developed a method to improve and control the absorption efficiency and basically turn the metals as black as they want, allowing them to increase, on demand, the absorption of a higher quantity of solar wavelengths. Her team built nanopillar structures that are trapping and absorbing all the relevant wavelengths of the entire solar spectrum.
"Our article was picked for the cover story of Applied Physics Letters because it represents cutting-edge work in the area of plasmonics, the broadband operation obtained with a clear design and its implication for the photovoltaic (PV) yield," Bond said.
This new LLNL technology could one day be used in the energy harvesting industry such as PV. By incorporating metallic nanostructures with strong coupling of incident light, broad spectral and angular coverage, the LLNL team is providing a path for more efficient photovoltaics and thermovoltaics (a form of energy collection) by means of plasmon-exciton conversion, according to Bond and Bora.
###
The article can be view at this link: http://apl.aip.org/resource/1/applab/v102/i25/p251105_s1
The teams' black metal research will also be featured in the September issue of Nature Photonics.
Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides solutions to our nation's most important national security challenges through innovative science, engineering and technology. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
###
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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.
India menjadi tuan rumah GP pertama kali pada 2011.
Grand Prix India kemungkinan akan dihapus dari kalendar Formula Satu tahun depan, kata bos F1 Bernie Ecclestone.
"Apakah India akan dilaksanakan? Mungkin tidak," kata Bernie di Grand Prix Hongaria, seperti dikutip kantor berita Reuters.
Saat ditanya apakah ada masalah dengan ajang balap di Greater Noida, dekat New Delhi, Ecclestone menjawab, "Sangat politis."
Ecclestone, yang memimpin Formula Satu selama puluhan tahun, menyusun kalendar dan biasanya mempresentasikannya di hadapan Federasi Otomotif Internasional untuk meminta persetujuan mereka setiap bulan September.
Ia saat ini harus memilih maksimum 20 dari 22 balap untuk dimasukkan ke kalender.
Rusia, akan memulai debut mereka di Sochi, Laut Hitam, menjelang akhir tahun dan sebuah GP lain di New Jersey adalah dua even baru yang direncanakan untuk 2014.
GP Austria juga direncanakan kembali diadakan setelah absen selama 11 tahun.
India pertama kali menjadi tuan rumah GP pada 2011 dan mendapat ulasan positif dari komunitas Formula Satu.
Tahun ini GP India sebenarnya dijadwalkan untuk diadakan pada 27 Oktober tetapi setelah pernyataan Ecclestone, dunia balap masih harus menunggu kepastian.
It is no secret that the Giants once-dominant defensive line fell off production-wise last year. Star defensive ends Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul combined for 10.5 sacks, way down from totals in years passed. However, defensive line coach Robert Nunn believes that his group of players is ready to get back to form in 2013.
Nunn started off by saying, ?Justin (Tuck) has probably had his best offseason since I?ve been here. I think he?s in the best physical shape and seems to be in a great state of mind.?
He also believes that injuries were a huge factor?for Tuck?s down production last year and that if he can stay healthy, he will be back to his 2011 form. Though he only missed one game in 2012 due to a shoulder injury, Tuck was nagged by the injury for the entire year. He put up his lowest sack total and second lowest tackle total (45) since becoming a full-time starter in 2006.
Another veteran Nunn had high praise for is Mathias Kiwanuka, who is making the switch back to defensive end full-time after being an outside linebacker hybrid for the past few season. Nunn praised Kiwanuka?s locker room presence, ?The toughness he brings, the leadership he brings to that group, we?re looking forward to that. We need toughness and he?s just that.?
Kiwanuka is coming off a season in which he totaled three sacks in limited pass rushing duty. However, he is returning to his natural position of defensive end, which he played throughout college and for the first three seasons as a Giants before moving to outside lineback. In 2008, Kiwanuka had a career high in sacks with 8, all as a defensive end.
A newcomer to the defensive line is making waves with Nunn as well.
Second round pick Johnathan Hankins has caught his coach?s attention while running with the second team during the summer. ?He?s really surprised me,? Nunn said. ?He?s gotten right with his body. He has worked, he has trimmed up, he?s gotten stronger. If he continues to do that, he is another young player I think can contribute to the this team. He?s looked good.?
Hankins, who was an All-American and an all Big-Ten member at Ohio State last year, has a lot of work to do to catch up to starting tackles Linval Joseph and Cullen Jenkins, but he has already beat veterans Marvin Austin and Shaun Rogers up the depth chart. On the second team he is playing alongside veteran newcomer Mike Patterson. It sounds like Nunn is not afraid to throw ?Big Hank? into the lineup if he can keep his weight down and conditioning up.
The Giants defensive line is looking to replace ten total sack from last year due to the departures of key contributers?like Christ Canty and Osi Umenyiora, along with defensive tackle Rocky Bernard. They will rely heavily on Jenkins, but there is no doubt that Hankins and draft classmate Demontre?Moore have the talent to step in and contribute to the team.
El Segundo, Calif. ? Kurt Rambis is returning to the Los Angeles Lakers? coaching staff as an assistant to Mike D?Antoni.
The Lakers hired former NBA head coaches Rambis and Johnny Davis on Monday to fill out D?Antoni?s coaching staff for his second season with the club.
Rambis was a key role player and a bespectacled fan favorite for the Lakers during the "Showtime" era. He has been associated with the team in various capacities for three decades, including a brief stint as the head coach.
He served as an assistant coach from 1994-99, 2001-04 and 2005-09, helping to guide the team to two NBA titles and four Finals appearances during coach Phil Jackson?s tenure. Rambis went 24-13 as the Lakers? head coach during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, and he spent two stints in the Lakers? front office.
"Kurt is a great basketball mind, extremely good at working with big men, and his experience as a head coach in this league is going to prove very helpful to our staff," D?Antoni said.
Rambis was thought to be a possible heir to Jackson before leaving to take over the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2009. Rambis was fired in 2011 after going 32-132 in two seasons with the rebuilding franchise.
Around the league
Unrestricted NBA free agent Daniel Gibson surrendered to police Monday to face a second-degree battery charge. Gibson is accused of breaking another man?s jaw with a punch during an argument at a nightclub on July 8, New Orleans Police spokeswoman Remi Braden said. Gibson?s wife, Keyshia Cole, sang at the Essence Festival on July 6. Online court records show he was released on $20,000 bond.
Mavericks ? Dallas has signed first-round pick Shane Larkin, who is likely out until training camp in October with a broken right ankle. Larkin is slotted to make $1.28 million in the point guard?s first season under the rookie salary scale. The Mavericks traded down twice in the draft and ended up with the rights to Larkin, the son of Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin. He was taken 18th by Atlanta.
story continues below
Rockets ? Houston has signed veteran free agent center Marcus Camby. It is the second stint for Camby in Houston after he played for the Rockets in 2012. The 39-year-old played 19 games for Houston that season and averaged 7.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. He was shipped to the New York Knicks by the Rockets in July 2012.
Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A standard capacity DVD, like the one pictured, has a capacity of about 4.7 GB; a Blu-ray can have around 50GB; and the proposed format could have up to 300GB.
First there was the CD, which held 700 megabytes. Then the DVD, which held 5 gigabytes. Then the Blu-ray disc, with 50 gigs. What's next? Sony and Panasonic hope it will be a 300-gigabyte disc they're jointly researching that could hit in 2015. But might we have abandoned discs altogether by then?
Sony wrote up the joint-development agreement in a press release, citing the many strengths of optical media as justification for the project:
Optical discs have excellent properties to protect them against the environment, such as dust-resistance and water-resistance, and can also withstand changes in temperature and humidity when stored.
However, both Sony and Panasonic recognized that optical discs will need to accommodate much larger volumes of storage in years to come given the expected future growth in the archive market, and responded by formulating this agreement.
For years, the companies that make discs like these have worked to make the lasers, materials, and other components more precise, and have added more recordable layers, improving capacity. Just this last November, TDK announced a 1-terabyte disc based on refined versions of today's technologies.
But reading between the lines and taking current trends into account, the companies' enthusiasm seems a little forced. After all, the most popular new devices in the world, tablets and smartphones, both rely exclusively on flash memory rather than spacious but cumbersome hard drives, let alone optical discs. And that's only when they're not streaming that data or downloading it from cloud storage.
Even full-on computers, desktop and laptop, are far less likely to have a disc drive than they used to. Apple took the lead in 2008 with the drive-less MacBook Air, and since then support for discs has become increasingly rare.
That's why the proposed format is being framed as more of a professional tool: a high-capacity medium for the companies' pro-level video cameras and backup archives. After all, Sony and Panasonic gear is deeply embedded in TV and film, and a big bump in capacity like this will be attractive to the many creatives who rely on those devices to store hours of HD video for shows and films.
Will there be a new format war in 2015 as these mega-discs come to market? Or will we have moved on to flash and cloud storage? Chances are a bit of both ? and by making sure that both will actually exist then, Sony and Panasonic are covering their bases.
Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.
Not to put to fine a point on it, but this comes as a surprise from the religious?! Their gods are born of virgins. You want a god-man? Just make sure his mother never experienced a?penis in her.
Because, women are vile, detestable, seductresses who lead men into temptation and take them away from the true path of enlightenment of YHWH, Jesus, Allah, Zeus, Quetzacoatl, Chango, etc., etc. Of course, it has nothing whatsoever to do with male hormones, and the desire to spread their DNA. Nooooooo. Men are pure as the driven snow. You see, all those rapes and sexual perversions inflicted on the weaker sex are all their fault. If they had a penis like us, all would be well with the world.?
PTT Global Chemical Plc (PTTGC) and the Royal Thai Navy say the oil slick off Rayong province has been contained and is unlikely to cause environmental damage.
Locals along Mae Ramphung Beach of Muang district and nearby beaches said Sunday there was no longer an oil odour noticeable in the air, as there had been on Saturday.
The spill took place on Saturday about 20km southeast of the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Rayong.
Locals did not spot any oil on the beach and said they believe the authorities could contain the spill.
Oil spill dispersants were deployed from a hastily assembled flotilla of ships and boats from the Royal Thai Navy and other sources, in an apparently successful effort to stop the slick from reaching shore. (Photo by Panumas Sanguanwong).
The spill resulted from a leak along a PTTGC pipeline that supplied crude to its refinery.
It took place about 6.50am on Saturday when a tanker was loading crude to the offshore pipeline.
About 50,000 litres of oil leaked into the sea.
The company said a naval plane surveyed the affected area in the sea and found the spill was noticeably shrinking and the remaining oil slick was thin.
The company confirmed the slick was contained and oil-spill dispersants were being sprayed.
Five company boats and five other vessels from the Royal Thai Navy, the Marine Department and IRPC Plc were deployed for the clean-up.
Oil Spill Response Co of Singapore also sent a plane, experts and dispersant spray equipment to Rayong Sunday.
PTTGC said it expected the mission would be completed Sunday.
It also deployed officials to monitor the quality of seawater along the beaches of Rayong to ensure the response mission prevented any adverse impact on the marine environment.
Rear Adm Thiwa Daramuang, chief-of-staff of the First Naval Area Command, said the area of the oil slick was contained to about 500m wide and 1km long.
The navy deployed its Samaesan ship to assist in the mission. It also deployed a C-130 transport airplane to pour chemicals that would help contain the oil.
The rear admiral said the oil slick was unlikely to reach the coast of Rayong and the ecosystem in the area should remain intact.
Map Ta Phut industrial estate director Pratheep Aeng-Chuan said the oil spill area Sunday morning had decreased to about 500 sq m, or about 15-20% of the original spill area on Saturday.
He sent staff to monitor the quality of seawater along the coast from Map Ta Phut to Khao Laem Ya hill near Samet island in the next two weeks.
He said the oil slick was about 10km from Khao Laem Ya Sunday.
Meanwhile, fishermen in Rayong demanded PTTGC compensate them and tourism operators for the environmental damage.
Chaturas Iamworaniran, president of an association of small-scale fishermen in Rayong, said the oil spill would certainly affect the fishing industry and could also threaten tourism.
He said the company had merely applied chemicals to sink the leaked oil, and this would have long-term environmental effects in the long run. He urged concerned parties to work out solutions.
We are specialists in creating online business in Latin America?Countries . As a e-commerce Agency?we transform e-commerce ideas in e-commerce businesses that sell . ?And we got it because we?managing completely?the e-commerce business processes?using our large experience
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Our team consists of more than 100 professionals,?the best specialists in each of the technical processes required to create an online business, ?all of us have created our own businesess,?and participated in many others during the last 15 years.?so we know what to do?and when to do it,?to set up an internet business .
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We really try to be simple in the operation of our business, and used this simplicity to develop each new project, each new alliance, always looking for a long term relationship with?each Entrepreneur.
We work in a very clear way. Showing from first time how we work and what we want to get from, and we want to get the same?of each new Partner
To Develop each new ecommerce project we use five main lines of work:
1- ecommerce investment: We Invest economic and Technical resources over Internet businesses with solid ecommerce and expansion process,
2- ecommerce Consulting:?We fully develop internet business of entrepreneurs and local businesses,?covering all creation and development costs for?a percentage of the internet sales?by an agreed time.?
3-Online Business Consultants:?We manage the Internet business development?for companies that looking to?create online business and adapt your company to this new business. We?providing our expertise to adapt the people and processes of the company to new business?, normally?leading a team that is already part of the company. ?Adapting the Internet operations of the company processes.
4-eCommerce DropShipping Services:?We build and develop the Online business of Manufacturers and Local Business for Online sales Percentage.?Working in a ?Dropshipping way ?.
we manage the internet sales generation and the company team will be responsible for customer attention, payments and logistics in?a simple and effective agreement.
We cover all the cost of creation -edition-insertion and full development of each internet Business handle all technical processes on the Internet , while the company team handle the real business .?And when the project start to?generate sales we will receive a percentage of sales?during agreed time to recover our investment?and of course to earn money.
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We Build a new and parallel Online Presence for online businesses that are already active. building a new and neutral image for the end Customer, getting new traffic segmented and a substantial position improvement in the client?s main website.
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We will build a Online business system parallel to your current internet business?and that through neutral promotion of your brand and products generate lots of quality traffic
b)-eCommerce Affiliation program
Once created platforms and mini sites or blogs, sumary new online presence, and new sources of quality traffic ?,?must maintain and enhance the positioning of these sites?using the keywords used by the target audience, by posts, press releases and social -viral expansion, we will?take the cost of this processes getting a commission on your sales.?and do this using an affiliate program with a?monitoring software?that records visits from the new sites to your online store and?recording purchases and their amounts
This is clearly our Work system, Currently our network of e-commerce agencies are?developing?projects with our five ecommerce programs in 8 countries?and growing?if you fit with our work philosophy and want to boost or create your internet business in partnership with us let us know you want to collaborate
Welcome to a brand new episode of CrunchWeek, the show that brings a few of us writers together in front of the TechCrunch TV cameras to dish on some of the more interesting stories from the past seven days.
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a ceremony commemorating the signing of the Korean armistice 60 years ago at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, July 27, 2013. (Department of Defense Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel Hinton)
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You Are Here: Home ? Africa/International ? Delta wins Best Flight Experience to Africa
Page last updated at Saturday, July 27, 2013 7:07 AM //
Readers of the Executive Travel Magazine have for the second consecutive year named Delta Air Lines as the ?Best Flight Experience to Africa? in 2013.
In the magazines Leading Edge awards, which recognize travel providers that offer innovative, high quality products and services to business travelers, Delta won gold status, the highest level award, ahead of South African Airways and British Airways.
A statement issued by Delta promised to continue investing in its customers? experience by enhancing onboard product with the roll-out of fully flat-bed seats as well as improving airport facilities with the new state-of- the-art terminals both in New York and Atlanta.
?Since launching service to Africa in 2006, we have grown from 22 weekly flights between the African continent and the United States to 50 this summer which reflects that our customers value the service we offer?, the statement said.
As a leading airline between Africa and the United States, Delta provides a daily nonstop service between Johannesburg and Atlanta, Accra and New York-JFK, Lagos and Atlanta, and three weekly services between Monrovia and New York-JFK, via Accra as well as four times weekly nonstop services between Dakar and New York-JFK.
?Passengers flying to the U.S. benefit from convenient onward connections to over 160 destinations from Atlanta and 60 from New York-JFK, including popular destinations in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean?, the statement said.
It said Delta?s Business Elite customers flying on services to and from Johannesburg and Nigeria benefitted from 180-degree, fully flat-bed seats and the custom-designed seats offer direct aisle access, as well as on Demand in-seat entertainment, adding that the flat-bed seat would be rolled out to Accra and Monrovia by the end of 2013.
?Delta also offers Economy Comfort and customers flying in Economy benefit from up to four additional inches of legroom for 35 full inches of seat pitch and 50 percent more recline than Delta?s standard Economy class seat. Delta will also begin the rollout of onboard Wi-Fi across the international fleet in 2014 adding to the existing Wi-Fi services available on all of Delta?s domestic U.S. fleet?, it said.
The statement said passengers travelling through New York-JFK, would now enjoy Delta?s new expanded and upgraded facilities at Terminal 4, opened in May 2013, following a $1.2 billion expansion.
Empowering your customers? Think twice about social media campaignsPublic release date: 26-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mary-Ann Twist JCR@bus.wisc.edu 608-255-5582 University of Chicago Press Journals
Companies that empower consumers by involving them in important processes such as product development shouldn't also try to influence them through social media, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
"Peer-to-peer marketing and consumer empowerment may not be compatible. Empowered consumers resist social influence by either discounting the opinions of others or deliberately expressing opinions that diverge from those of other consumers," write authors Mehdi Mourali (University of Calgary) and Zhiyong Yang (University of Texas, Arlington).
Empowering the consumer has become a popular business practice. For example, M&M's, Mountain Dew, and other brands seek to empower consumers by giving them some control over product development (customers are allowed to vote on new colors, flavors, or products). At the same time, companies are increasing their attempts to influence consumers through social media.
Previous research has assumed that empowered consumers either pay no attention to the opinions of other consumers or dismiss them entirely when judging a product. However, the authors found that consumers who were made to feel empowered didn't always just ignore the opinions of others. In fact, some empowered consumers deliberately expressed opposing views and rebelled against attempts to influence them.
Companies that succeed in empowering their customers may find it difficult to implement a successful social media campaign. Empowered consumers will either ignore or rebel against any perceived attempt to influence them.
"Many companies have embraced the concept of consumer empowerment. However, they should consider whether attempts to integrate social influence (word-of-mouth marketing, social network marketing, buzz marketing) might backfire with empowered consumers," the authors conclude.
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Mehdi Mourali and Zhiyong Yang. "The Dual Role of Power in Resisting Social Influence." Journal of Consumer Research: October 2013. For more information, contact Mehdi Mourali (mehdi.mourali@haskayne.ucalgary.ca) or visit http://ejcr.org/.
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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.
Empowering your customers? Think twice about social media campaignsPublic release date: 26-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mary-Ann Twist JCR@bus.wisc.edu 608-255-5582 University of Chicago Press Journals
Companies that empower consumers by involving them in important processes such as product development shouldn't also try to influence them through social media, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
"Peer-to-peer marketing and consumer empowerment may not be compatible. Empowered consumers resist social influence by either discounting the opinions of others or deliberately expressing opinions that diverge from those of other consumers," write authors Mehdi Mourali (University of Calgary) and Zhiyong Yang (University of Texas, Arlington).
Empowering the consumer has become a popular business practice. For example, M&M's, Mountain Dew, and other brands seek to empower consumers by giving them some control over product development (customers are allowed to vote on new colors, flavors, or products). At the same time, companies are increasing their attempts to influence consumers through social media.
Previous research has assumed that empowered consumers either pay no attention to the opinions of other consumers or dismiss them entirely when judging a product. However, the authors found that consumers who were made to feel empowered didn't always just ignore the opinions of others. In fact, some empowered consumers deliberately expressed opposing views and rebelled against attempts to influence them.
Companies that succeed in empowering their customers may find it difficult to implement a successful social media campaign. Empowered consumers will either ignore or rebel against any perceived attempt to influence them.
"Many companies have embraced the concept of consumer empowerment. However, they should consider whether attempts to integrate social influence (word-of-mouth marketing, social network marketing, buzz marketing) might backfire with empowered consumers," the authors conclude.
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Mehdi Mourali and Zhiyong Yang. "The Dual Role of Power in Resisting Social Influence." Journal of Consumer Research: October 2013. For more information, contact Mehdi Mourali (mehdi.mourali@haskayne.ucalgary.ca) or visit http://ejcr.org/.
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Fire boat response crews battled the blazing remnants of the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon, off Louisiana, in April 2010.
Halliburton Energy Services has agreed to plead guilty and pay the maximum fine for destroying evidence in the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the company and the Justice Department said Thursday.
Besides agreeing to pay a $200,000 fine, Halliburton accepted three years' probation for its guilty plea to one misdemeanor count related to deletion of records.. In return, the Justice Department stipulated that it won't pursue further charges in the April 2010 explosion at the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, which killed 11 rig workers and caused the largest oil spill in U.S. history.
Halliburton, which helped run the rig, separately contributed $55 million to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a gift that both sides said was voluntary.
The settlement, which is subject to court approval, was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in New Orleans. It said employees were directed to destroy the results of Halliburton computer reconstructions of the blowout in May and June 2010.
The Justice Department said that in agreeing to plead guilty, Halliburton "has accepted criminal responsibility" for destroying the evidence. In a statement, Halliburton chose to highlight what it called "the company's significant and valuable cooperation" in the investigation.
In November, oil giant BP, which leased the rig from Transocean Ltd. of Switzerland, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and obstruction of Congress in a settlement and agreed to pay $4.5 billion in fines and penalties ? including the largest criminal fine ever, $1.256 billion. It still faces possible damages of up to $17.6 billion in separate proceedings under the Clean Water Act.
Transocean reached a settlement with the Justice Department in January in which it agreed to pay $1.4 billion in fines and penalties.
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This story was originally published on Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:25 PM EDT
Lamar Odom has assured his wife Khloe Kardashian-Odom he has not had an affair and has dismissed the woman as a notorious ''NBA groupie''.
The basketball player - who plays for the LA Clippers team - has allegedly told his wife that Jennifer Richardson is a fantasist who tries to bed players but he has never been romantically involved with her.
A source told RadarOnline.com: ''Lamar has told Khloe that Jennifer absolutely isn't his mistress, and that the two were never romantically involved, according to Lamar, Jennifer is a notorious NBA groupie, and follows various teams around during the season.''
The couple - who featured in their own 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' spin-of reality series - have been rocked by
Jennifer's sensational claims that Lamar began an affair with Jennifer in January 2012 before she broke it off in March this year.
She has claimed in an interview with Star magazine that Lamar, 33, told her he loved her and that they would meet up in different cities for sex when he was playing away matches.
However, the claims have been refuted by those close to Lamar while he and Khloe, 29, have refused to comment on her allegations.
The source explained : ''There are at least seven to 10 hardcore female groupies that follow the Clippers on the road. The women are actually friends, and know that most of their desired conquests are married. It doesn't faze them. For the ladies, it's all about hooking up with a player, and they are very aggressive in their pursuits.
''Jennifer has been relentless in her pursuit of Lamar. Khloe is aware of the temptations that Lamar faces out on the road, and she is choosing to believe him at this point.''
Medicine is evidence-based?but that doesn't mean the evidence is always correct. A new report reveals that doctors have reversed their position on an astonishing 146 established medical practices in the last ten years. Uh... mulligan?
Any savvy business owner knows the power of social media and uses it wisely.?
Several prominent energy providers around the country, for instance, get the concept of social media and successfully use various platforms to communicate and connect with their customers, as well as to keep the general public informed on topics related to energy consumptions and related products.
Energy Providers Putting a Charge in Social Media
A December 2012 report published by a research company revealed that between 60 to 70 percent of adults use some form of social media on a daily basis.
Since providing energy is all about having good connections, energy providers should certainly take full advantage of the power of social media to facilitate those connections with customers and gain a competitive advantage over those energy providers who don?t use social media.
Zpryme, a research and consulting company, compiled statistics in a March 2012 report that revealed the top energy providers in the country who get the importance of social media, particularly Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube platforms.
Those social media savvy energy providers, the platforms they use, and their respective connections with customers are as follows >>>
Facebook is the preferred social media platform for these companies:? Reliant Energy (over 19,000 ?Likes?), Florida Power & Light (over 14,000 ?Likes?), and Detroit Edison (over 13,000 ?Likes?);
Twitter is the preferred social media platform for these companies: San Diego Gas & Electric (over 16,000 followers), Public Service Electric & Gas (over 9,000 followers), and Virginia Electric & Power Co. (over 8,000 followers);
YouTube is the preferred social media platform for these companies:? Florida Power & Light (over 200 subscribers), Puget Sound Energy (over 100 subscribers), and Duke Energy Carolinas (over 100 subscribers).
How Energy Providers Use Social Media
When energy providers use social media, it allows customers to ask questions and offer feedback to their energy providers, as well as learn more about the services they offer, and discuss rate hikes and the cost of electricity or other utilities.
Facebook is the ideal place for energy providers to connect with their customers and keep them informed about energy efficient tips and strategies to lower their bills.
Twitter offers one of the quickest ways for energy providers to notify customers about power outages, as well as when they can expect restoration of power.
YouTube allows energy providers to post educational and informational videos, as well as instructional tutorials for DIY home improvements that increase energy efficiency.
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About the author
K'Lee Banks has written numerous articles on business topics and social media, including business reputation managementand the best social media options for businesses to use.
Scholarships and grants paid for about 30 percent of college costs in the 2012-2013 academic year, up from 25 percent in 2008-2009.
A new study finds parents are footing a smaller portion of the college tuition bill as families become more cost-conscious. The burden is shifting to the student, who now has to depend on money from other sources to pay for rising college costs ? and many are also finding "free money" to pay for a large chunk of the tab.
According to a new report released Tuesday by Sallie Mae, scholarships and grants have trumped parental contributions as the number one source of paying for college for the first time in four years.
Scholarships and grants paid for about 30 percent of college costs in the 2012-2013 academic year, up from 25 percent in 2008-2009, the Sallie Mae study found. Meanwhile, contributions from parental income and savings dropped from 36 percent four years ago to 27 percent today. Student borrowing has risen four percent in that time and now covers for 18 percent of college costs.
(Read more: Student loan rates at 9% That's a better deal?)
"Student borrowing has leveled off in the past few years, but parent income and savings has come down considerably," says Sarah Ducich, senior vice president for public policy at Sallie Mae. Parents are "just as willing to stretch to pay for college," she says, "but they don't have the money they had pre-recession."
Meanwhile, as parental contributions have declined, "college and universities are stepping up," Ducich says. That may also be another factor that has changed who pays for education costs. "The majority of students getting scholarships are getting them from universities and colleges," she says.
Eric Charity got a free ride from Penn State University and he didn't hesitate to take it - even though the school was not his first choice. Charity had dreamed of following in the footsteps of his older brother and cousins, who graduated from Princeton University. But he changed his mind after being offered a full academic scholarship to Penn State.
"When it was my time, my parents really needed some help financially for me to attend school," he says. If he had gone to Princeton or the University of Virginia, his other top choice, Charity says he "would have been in severe debt." With the university scholarship as well as private scholarship from a local non-profit, Charity paid for tuition, room and board, fees and other expenses (including a new computer and school supplies) for four years with scholarships. He graduated from Penn State in 2010 and earlier this year got his law degree from William and Mary, which he chose in large part due to cost.
(Read more: Most expensive colleges, any way you slice it)
Students and their families are increasingly following Charity's path. "We've seen parents bring their spending down. They're eliminating schools more frequently as they go through the (college selection) process, so that by the end about two-thirds of families have eliminated a school due to cost," Ducich says, referring to Sallie Mae's new report on "How America Pays for College."
As incoming students and their families see recent graduates facing a tough job market, they are also more reticent to spend or borrow great sums of money for college, financial advisors say. "If your college educated kids make less money, then you spend less money on their degree," says Ivory Johnson, founder of Delancey Wealth Management. "If you hear stories about degreed friends who are burdened by student loans, then you borrow less money."
Using that lens, more families are choosing colleges and universities based on cost. It's an encouraging trend, Ducich says. "Making the choice that's affordable not just for the first year but the fourth year as well is so important."
(Read more: Watch all education spending, not just college)
Tips for finding free money for college
Sallie Mae, the nation's largest private student loan provider, offers these tips to help students find more scholarships:
Start searching for scholarships as early as possible. You can begin as early as ninth or tenth grade, as scholarships for younger students sometimes have less competition. The key is to start early and renew efforts year after year to take advantage of additional opportunities.
Sign up for a free online scholarship search service.Sallie Mae?s free database lists more than 3 million scholarships worth over $16 billion.
Expand your search. Not all scholarships will be found online: check with local clubs, religious organizations, employers and your guidance counselor. Local scholarships tend to be less competitive. Also, corporations often award scholarships to their customers or children of employees.
Don?t be intimidated by the competition. Scholarship judges look for other qualities such as leadership and volunteerism, and many don?t ask for GPA or standardized test scores. Make sure to showcase commitment and depth with involvement in campus clubs or organizations.
Don?t overlook unusual opportunities. Some organizations offer scholarships to highlight interesting career opportunities, hobbies or products. In fact, there are scholarships such as the Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award and the Stuck at Prom Duck Brand Duck Tape Scholarship Contest.
Search year round. There are many scholarships available all year long, and scholarships due in the winter can have less competition. Treat scholarship searching and applying like a part-time job, as many opportunities come up throughout the year.
Watch out for scholarship scams. Scholarship searches should be simple and free to use.
Follow Sharon on Twitter @sharon_epperson
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SM Ladies? Fashion Announces Plus Size Model Search Year 2The country?s destination fashion store kicks off search for the new brand ambassador of women?s plus size departmentMetro Manila ?To empower and inspire plus sized Filipinas to look and feel fashionable, The SM Store is launching its Plus Size Model Search Year 2. Along with a one-year modeling contract with SM Ladies? Fashion, the winner will also win a trip for two to an exciting surprise destination.The search is part and parcel of SM Ladies? Fashion?s commitment to helping women of all body types find the perfect outfit for every occasion. SM Ladies? Fashion encourages women to flaunt their natural shape with chic clothes specially tailored for sexy curves.According to?Bonibelle Siy, Brand Manager of Jus? Ur Size and Jus? Jeans, ?We want to encourage full-figured women to embrace their bodies and have fun being stylish. Through our Model Search, we can help women take pride in their curves.?Budding female models aged 16 to 40, at least 5?2? in height, and size 2L to 4L can get their unique participation code by purchasing an item from in-house brands?Jus? Ur Size?and?Jus? Jeans. Participants can get application forms and details by visiting the Ladies? Wear Department of SM Stores nationwide or online at smladiesfashion.com and SM Ladies? Fashion on Facebook.
SM Ladies? Fashion Plus Size Model Search 2013 runs from April 15 to June 16. The top 8 finalists will get a chance to compete for the grand prize and the privilege of being an SM Ladies? Fashion brand ambassador.
Jenna Pertgen: A Model Through and ThroughSM Ladies? Fashion Plus Size Model Search?s first winner shares her experiences
Two years ago, Jenna Pertgen was your average Filipina student, busy balancing her social life with her studies, sports, and fine arts. Today, she gets approached by people at her hometown in Bacolod, asking if that was her they saw on posters. As the first-ever winner of the SM Ladies? Fashion Plus Size Model Search, Jenna has been the face of the brand and an inspiration for full-figured women across the country.
Jenna always enjoys recounting how her amazing journey began: ?One day my mom and I went shopping at SM Bacolod and one of the sales representatives came up to us and advertised the contest. So I joked with my mom, telling her to join because she always wanted to be a model.? And she answered back saying, ?You join! So I don?t have to buy clothes for you anymore!?? The very next day, I took some photos and sent in my entry for the contest. ?
What followed was an unforgettable experience, a combination of makeovers, modeling and styling classes, and photo shoots that catapulted Jenna from her quiet life to becoming one of the Philippines? more recognizable faces.
Since giving her acceptance speech at the competition?s end, Jenna has been a model in every sense of the word; aside from representing SM Ladies? Fashion?s plus size brands, Jus? Ur Size and Jus? Jeans, the vivacious 21-year old is more than happy to share style advice to other curvy women, helping them embrace the beauty of their bodies.
When asked how to take pride in a plus size figure, Jenna says, ?I suggest that you add some color into your life. Don?t always wear dark clothing because you think it makes you look thinner. Mix it up. Wear clothes that emphasize your assets and show the world what you have.?
Jenna will soon be passing on the torch to another fabulous young lady at the 2013 SM Ladies? Fashion Plus Size Model Search, and with it the opportunity to uplift women?s plus size fashion in the Philippines. Whoever that lucky individual may be, Jenna knows from experience just how amazing life can be when her name goes up in lights.
LONDON (Reuters) - Prince William's wife Kate gave birth to a baby boy on Monday, their first child who will be third in line to the British throne, ending hours of fevered anticipation outside the London hospital where the child was delivered.
The baby was born with William at Kate's side at 4:24 p.m. (1624 BST) and weighed 8lbs 6oz (3.8 kg).
"The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," Clarence House, Prince William's office, said in a statement.
"Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well and will remain in hospital overnight."
The boy's name will be announced in due course, the statement said but bookmakers make George the favourite name, followed by James.
As the birth was announced, a loud cheer went up from the well-wishers and media gathered outside St. Mary's Hospital in west London, where William was born to the late Princess Diana in 1982.
"Both my wife and I are overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild," Prince Charles, William's father and heir to the throne, in a statement.
"It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy."
He said he was enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time.
"We are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future," he added.
The statement from Clarence House preceded the traditional announcement which saw an envelope containing the baby's details taken from the hospital to Queen Elizabeth's London residence, Buckingham Palace.
Aides then posted the information on a gold-coloured easel outside the main gates.
The royal couple, officially known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, had arrived at the hospital shortly before 6 a.m. and entered through a back door to avoid media camped outside the main entrance.
Kate and William, both aged 31, met when they were students at St. Andrews University and were married in April 2011 in a spectacular wedding broadcast around the world.
The royal birth has provoked a similar frenzy, with national and international media keeping up a deluge of speculative reports throughout Monday from outside the hospital.
Crowds gathered outside the hospital and Buckingham Palace, eager to hear news of the birth.
"Right across the country and indeed right across the Commonwealth people will be celebrating and wishing the royal couple well," Prime Minister David Cameron told waiting reporters in Downing Street.
"It is an important moment in the life of our nation but I suppose above all it's a wonderful moment for a warm and loving couple who got a brand new baby boy. It's been a remarkable few years for our royal family."
The baby arrives at a time when the royal family is riding a wave of popularity. An Ipsos Mori poll last week showed 77 percent of Britons were in favour of remaining a monarchy over a republic, close to its best-ever level of support.
(Additional reporting by Belinda Goldsmith, Sarah Young, Limei Hoang, and Mark Anderson,; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Michael Roddy)
A Cleveland suburb was on edge after police found the bodies of three women who may have been murdered by a serial killer. NBC's Michelle Franzen reports.
By Gil Aegerter and Andrew Rafferty, NBC News
Investigators in a Cleveland suburb called off their search Sunday night for more possible victims after the recent discovery of three bodies wrapped in garbage bags.
Michael?Madison, 35, a registered sex offender, will appear in court Monday and is expected to be charged in connection with the deaths of the three women whose bodies were discovered Friday and Saturday in the town of East Cleveland, NBC station WKYC of Cleveland reported.?
Authorities continued looking for more possible victims into Sunday evening before calling off the search, East Cleveland Police Chief Ralph Spotts told reporters.
"We officially found nothing," he said. "We will not pick up the search again."
Police arrested Madison on Friday, hours after investigators found a woman's body in a garage. Two more bodies were discovered Saturday ? one in a backyard and the other in the basement of a vacant house.
All of the bodies were wrapped in garbage bags.
No identities were released, but all three victims were believed to have been killed in the past six to 10 days.?The bodies were found about 100 to 200 yards apart.?
Nathenia Crosby, 48, said Madison was a neighbor who concerned her because of his interest in her daughter.
"It's very scary, especially when he used to be talking to my daughter," she told The Associated Press. "But I told him he was too old to be talking to my daughter, because she was only 19. When I found out how old he was, I said, 'You need to move on; she's too young.'"
East Cleveland, which is home to about 17,000 residents, has many abandoned houses, and authorities continued the search because they wanted to be thorough, Mayor Gary Norton told The Plain Dealer of Cleveland.?
Norton said Madison indicated in police interviews that he might have been influenced by Anthony Sowell, who is on death row for?killing 11 women ages 24 to 52 at his home in Cleveland. Sowell, who is also a convicted sex offender, was captured in 2009.?
In court papers, prosecutors described Sowell as "the worst offender in the history of Cuyahoga County and arguably the State of Ohio."
M. Alex Johnson of NBC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published on Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:58 PM EDT
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Welcome to a brand new episode of CrunchWeek, the show that brings a few of us writers together in front of the TechCrunch TV cameras to dish on some of the more interesting stories from the past seven days.
Readers of the Executive Travel Magazine have for the second consecutive year named Delta Air Lines as the ?Best Flight Experience to Africa? in 2013.
