WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - It's one of the biggest changes to the U.S. military in our nation's history.
Soon, for the very first time, women will be able to actively serve in front-line combat.
Thursday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, announced he will lift a ban on women serving in combat.
In a news conference he said he believes women have become an integral part of the military's ability to succeed.
Panetta made his announcement with the Joint Chiefs chairman, General Martin Dempsey.
Panetta said not everyone can meet the qualifications to be a combat soldier but said everyone is entitled to the chance. ? He said the qualifications will not be reduced, and with women playing a broader role, the military will be strengthened.
Local military personnel said they stand behind Panetta's decision to lift the ban.
"One thing in the military that you get used to is adapting to your environment no matter what it is and no matter what the challenges are," Major Paul Heslin with Purdue's ROTC said. "This just happens to be, or could be, a social challenge that command and leadership will provide guidance to the soldiers."
"They've always done the same thing as any other male officer or enlisted soldier," Noah Rausch with Purdue's ROTC program said. "In the past, they haven't been allowed in the combat branch. But in any other situation they've been in combat and they serve right alongside and they still go overseas."
Panetta's order will open 200,000 more jobs to women primarily in the Army and Marines.
The services will have until May to draw up a plan for opening all units to women and until the end of 2015 to actually implement it.
?Good Morning America? teamed up with Reader?s Digest on a special series, ?13 Things Experts Won?t Tell You.?
This month, Reader?s Digest unveils the secrets weight loss professionals won?t tell you, like how to maximize your workouts, what may be holding you back from losing weight and how to get the most bang for your buck.
1. Do not arrive at a training session in the following states: a. on an empty stomach, b. coming off a cold/stomach bug, or c. on four hours? sleep. It wastes your time and a personal trainer?s when your body isn?t fueled, hydrated and ready to work.
2. If you find your workouts are getting a little stale, a trainer is a great way to put some pep in your push-ups. If you can?t afford one, get some friends together for a small group session. They cost less per person ? and working out with friends is proven to improve your commitment and overall weight loss.
3. To kick start your metabolism, opt for intervals. In a recent study, women who did 20 minutes of cycling sprints lost three times as much fat as those who cycled slowly and steadily for 40 minutes.
4.When you hit the point where you think you can?t go on, imagine you have a trainer right next to you, cheering for you. Studies show that actively encouraging yourself improves outcomes.
5.You can do OK at the drive thru. There are now some reasonable options if you look for them.? Stay away from anything with the word ?crispy,? steer clear of all mayo-heavy sauces (use mustard instead) and stick to no-fat dressing.
6.Nibble on the move. If you are shopping and fading from hunger, avoid settling in at the food court and, instead, nibble your way through a shopping marathon.? Pick up a snack, such as a hot pretzel, a small bag of roasted nuts from a kiosk or even a chicken taco and nibble on the move.? Portable meals can still weigh you down, so check calorie counts?on your mobile phone before you go.
7. Douse your afternoon slump or hunger pangs with water.? The energy drop that hits in afternoon is likely a combination of perfectly natural factors ? the results of a light lunch, mild dehydration, a momentarily lack of iron or a crash off that coffee you had at the late-morning meeting.? Before wandering to the cafeteria or fridge, start your recovery with a tall glass of water, which boosts your blood flow and, as a side benefit, makes you feel full.
8. It?s hard to win against a cookie. While food is not addictive the way cocaine or alcohol is, there are some uncanny similarities.? When subjects at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia were shown the names of foods they liked, the parts of the brain that got excited were the same parts activated in drug addicts.
9. Your bedroom, not the kitchen might be making you fat. Sleep deprivation upsets our hormone balance, triggering both a decrease in the hormone leptin (which helps you feel full) and an increase of the hormone ghrelin (which triggers hunger).? As a result, we think we?re hungry even though we aren?t ? and so we eat.? Sleep may be the cheapest and easiest obesity treatment there is.
10. Your weight really is genetic. When scientists first discovered a gene in certain chubby mice, they called it simply the fatso gene.? Turns out, people with two copies of the gene were 40 percent more likely to have diabetes and 60 percent more likely to be obese than those without it.? Those with only one copy of the gene weighed more too.? But your ?destiny? is no excuse.
11. Ear infections can taint your taste buds. In one study of more than 6,000 people, researchers found that people over age 35 who had suffered several ear infections had almost double the chance of being obese.? Why?? These infections can damage a taste nerve running through the middle ear.? When researchers found the at former ear-infection patients were a little more likely to love sweets and fatty foods, they theorized that the damaged nerve might cause them to have a higher threshold for sensing sweetness and fattiness.
12. Fat might be your mom?s fault. A growing body of science suggests that sugary and fatty foods consumed even before you?re born can mess with your weight.
13. At dinner, make yourself useful serving people and cleaning up.? It gets you away from your plate, but still makes you a vital part of the meal.
*Web Extra Tips: What Your Personal Trainer Won?t Tell You*
If you concentrate on the exercise you are doing with the same intensity as talking about the latest gossip about your life, you would find it easier.
Trainers know you are eating more than you tell them.
It takes more than writing a check or showing up for training sessions to make you fit and healthy. It?s what you do before and after you meet with your trainer, including choices with food, alcohol and workouts, and a commitment to a new lifestyle.
Ask you trainer what she or he does to keep educated in the field. An educated trainer will get better results and provide variety to keep you engaged and motivated in your workouts.
When you are late, it is a waste of your money, a waste of my time and disrespectful.
Trainers see through your stall tactics. ?I think I need to fill my water bottle.? ?Let me get a dry towel real quick.? ?Oh, I need to go to the bathroom again.? Nice try. But you?re paying for the session, so make every minute count.
There is a difference between pain and burn, and you need to be honest with your trainer about which you?re feeling. If you push so hard that you injure yourself, you both lose.
Whatever the text or email says, it can wait until you?re done with your workout. And no, you cannot text and put forth 100 percent effort at the same time.
The trainer does not have time to get sick. Cancel your session if you?re carrying germs.
Gear matters. Don?t expect to get maximum performance and results by working out in the ratty gym shoes and shorts you dug out of that old box of college dorm clothes. Invest in a good pair of sneakers. Your feet and joints will thank you, and so will your trainer.
Remember that a 30-minute session at max effort is better ? and cheaper ? than 60 minutes of dawdling and half-effort.
Stop whining and push through those last few reps.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Frozen cash machines and canceled classes marked another day of a cold snap gripping large swaths of the United States on Friday, with a winter storm threatening the Northeast's evening commute.
A rapidly moving storm glazed the Midwest and South and headed east, threatening to bring snow and ice to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast for the evening rush hour, forecasters said.
"It's the type of conditions that cause extreme travel nightmares because things just get so slippery," said meteorologist Evan Myers on Accuweather.com.
Because the storm is dumping ice and no more than an inch of snow, it was difficult for plows to clear the roadways, he said.
"It's so cold out that all the anti-skids and things that they use on a highway (are) really not very effective," the meteorologist said.
In upstate New York, authorities considered charging a father who left his 1-year-old son strapped in a car seat for 8 hours while he went to work on Thursday, when temperatures never got above 15 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 9 Celsius).
He had forgotten to drop the child at day care and became aware of the error when his wife called to ask about the child, said Lieutenant Robert Winn of the Colonie Police Department.
"Luckily the car was parked in a spot that received sunlight through the day," said Winn, noting the child was examined at a local hospital and released.
After a week of frigid temperatures in New York City, chilled residents seeking cash for a warming cup of hot cocoa were frustrated to find their assets frozen as some automated teller machines stopped working in the cold.
In Indiana, ice-slickened roadways were blamed for more than 50 crashes, and sections of Interstates 69 and 64 were shut because of accidents, Indiana State Police said.
Treacherous travel conditions in Tennessee, caused by freezing rain, caused pileups on roads and led to canceled flights at Nashville airport. Classes at most schools in the middle of the state were closed or delayed.
In North Carolina, public schools announced early closures in anticipation of worsening weather conditions.
Forecasters said the cold would continue on Saturday and temperatures would start creeping up on Sunday.
(Additional reporting by Tim Ghianni in Tennessee, Susan Guyett in Indiana, Colleen Jenkins in North Carolina; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Sofina Mirza-Reid)
Heating, cooling and lighting our houses belches out a third of our carbon dioxide and sucks a lot of money out of our wallets in the process. There are so many guides and websites that tell you what to do fix this from insulating your walls to changing your windows. But if you are into frugal green living, what should you do first? What is the most effective thing to do? What gives the most bang for your buck?
A few years ago the Rocky Mountain Institute came up with the Cool Citizens Guide where they not only suggest what should be done but they calculate a cost per ton of carbon saved so you can tell what is the most effective place to put your money.
It isn?t a new document and we are talking 1992 dollars, but it is the relative cost per ton saved that is important. It is old enough that some numbers are probably off; changing bulbs to CFLs is relatively expensive, as electricity was cheaper then and bulbs a lot more costly.
For example, changing windows is expensive and costs $133.88 per ton of carbon saved; changing to a programmable thermostat is cheap and comes in at $ 9.34 per ton of carbon saved. So before the vinyl window salesman tells you to fix your windows, do all of the cheap and effective stuff first. second- do all the free and effective stuff first:
Free Stuff:1. Lower water heater temperature to 120?F2. Increase AC thermostat by 3?F3. Wash clothes in cold water4. Air dry clothes during summer5. Turn off unneeded lights
Just doing that will save 1600 tons of carbon and $250 per year. ::Green Your Home for Winter: Where To Start 6. Get a Programmable Thermostat: $9.34 per ton CO2 saved
a setback, or programmable thermostat has the biggest bang for the buck of any single thing you can do; it costs only $9.34 per ton of carbon saved, and is getting better all the time as the price of the electronics drop. A setback thermostat can save up to 15 percent on your heating bill.
For houses with radiant floors or old hot water radiator systems, there is a really slow response time because of the thermal inertia in the systems. I used to say that setbacks wouldn?t work for these, but new thermostats track the performance of your heating system, figure out when to turn it on, and basically plan ahead. After all, nothing makes you want to jump under the covers than a cool house before you go to bed!::More 7. Stop the Air Leaks: $10.77 per ton CO2 saved
Next up on the RMI Guide is to seal large air leaks, cheap to do (mostly labor, minimal materials), costing a mere $ 10.77 per ton of carbon saved. In an old, pre-1945 house, the air leaks can add up to the equivalent of a hole in your wall 21 inches in diameter! Natural Resources Canada (NRC) says that in a house vintage 1946-80 the hole is 16 inches, and in a modern conventional home, 14 inches. When you think about it that way it becomes obvious that there is a lot of heat loss, it is like leaving a window open all winter. ::More
8. Insulate Your Water Heater: $12.66 per ton CO2 Saved
Here we have a really easy one, that costs only $ 12.66 for every ton of carbon saved. You can buy kits at hardware stores or the big boxes like Home Depot or Lowes, that come with straightforward instructions. ::More 9. Add Attic Insulation: $ 15.56 per ton CO2 Saved
Many houses have attics that are accessible via a hatch in the hall or a cupboard; if you have this, insulating your attic is not that hard, and delivers a good bang for the buck; RMI estimates it will save you 2,142 pounds of CO2 per year, at a cost of $15.56 per ton. We think R-50, or about 16? of glass fiber insulation is a good target. Glass fibre is cheap, relatively easy to install, and noncombustible, so we will look at that first but it is not your only option. ::More 10. Install Efficient Showerheads: $18.02 per ton of CO2 Saved
Almost as easy as wrapping your water heater, changing your shower head costs only $18.02 for every ton of carbon dioxide saved, and saves you $21 per year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that showers use about 17 percent of residential water use, totaling 1.2 trillion gallons per year. ::More 11. Weatherize Your Windows: $25.02 per ton of CO2 Saved
If you live in the north in a drafty old house, this is an important one. The window salesman may tell you that you have to replace those old wood windows, but they are often part of the character and charm of the house, the replacements are usually vinyl, and it costs a lot of money.
RMI suggests that weatherizing your old windows will save 621 pounds of carbon at a cost per ton saved of $25.02; I suspect it is much more money saved than that. These instructions are for double-hung windows, but they work for most kinds. The products I use are a seal and peel caulk (wonderful stuff; no matter how bad you are at caulking it just peels off in the spring) and heat-shrinking film. I lust after magnetic interior storms but that is more expensive. ::More
12. Install Faucet Aerators: $27.27 per ton of CO2 Saved
After spending the weekend winterizing our windows, next up on the RMI list is dead easy by comparison and cheap too; saving $6.22 and 110 pounds of carbon, at a cost per ton saved of $27.27. I am frankly surprised that such a little step does this much at all, but by mixing air with water you use less water and that means less water heating. ::More
On a bang-for-your buck basis, it all goes up from there.
It doesn?t mean you shouldn?t do them; some are cheap (like cutting phantom power loads in half, costing $128 per ton but cheap to do) and some are really expensive and not that effective (like adding low-e films to existing windows, topping the list at $241 per ton of CO2 saved). It is not always intuitive, but it is useful if you are trying to live a frugal green life.Other ideas for greening your house for winter, without cost per ton:Reduce Home Energy Use, Without Spending a CentFind Money to Winterize Your HomeDe-lint Your Dryer Written by : Lloyd Alter
For the original article click here: http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/12-ways-to-green-your-home-for-winter-what-gives-you-the-most-bang-for-the-buck.html
Ractopamine is safe for use in Brazilian porkPublic release date: 24-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Madeline McCurry-Schmidt madelinems@asas.org 217-689-2435 American Society of Animal Science
Feed additive has no affect on meat quality or taste
Animal scientists in Brazil have found that a small dose of the feed additive ractopamine can boost pork production without changing how pork looks or tastes.
In the latest issue of the Journal of Animal Science, researchers report that a 5 mg/kg dose of ractopamine increased muscle mass and feed efficiency, and had no noticeable effect on pork marbling, fat content, toughness or color. The researchers came to this conclusion by testing pork from 340 pigs raised under commercial conditions.
"We found that if [pork producers] use 5 mg/kg of ractopamine in the finishing diet of swine that should result in no detrimental effects on fresh pork quality and cooked pork palatability," said Natlia Bortoleto Athayde, an animal scientist at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil.
Ractopamine is a common feed additive in Brazilian and U.S. pork production. The additive increases the size of muscle fibers by increasing protein synthesis in muscle cells. Many pork producers use ractopamine because it allows pigs to grow larger with less feed.
However, some scientists have reported reduced pork quality with higher doses of ractopamine. To test this finding, Athayde and other researchers split a herd of pigs into three groups and gave them 0, 5 or 10 mg/kg of ractopamine during the last 28 days before slaughter. They then slaughtered the pigs and tested the pork pH, temperature, color, drip loss, marbling, intramuscular fat, cooking loss and tenderness. According to Athayde, analyzing meat color is important because meat color changes can be a sign of stress in an animal.
The researchers found that though 5 mg/kg had no noticeable effects, pork from the 10 mg/kg pigs was lighter and less tender than pork from control group pigs. Athayde said this confirms previous studies showing that 5 mg/kg is an appropriate dose in Brazilian commercial pork production.
"Pork is the most animal protein consumed in the world, and Brazil is currently the fourth largest producer of this meat," said Athayde. "We export about 15 percent of pork we produce and we believe it is extremely important to know the quality of the meat that we offer to the world."
Athayde recommends further studies of how ractopamine affects animal behavior, consumer health and the environment.
###
This paper is titled "Meat quality of swine supplemented with ractopamine under commercial conditions." It can be read in full at journalofanimalscience.org.
Media Contact:
Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
American Society of Animal Science
Scientific Communications Associate
217-689-2435 / madelinems@asas.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
Ractopamine is safe for use in Brazilian porkPublic release date: 24-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Madeline McCurry-Schmidt madelinems@asas.org 217-689-2435 American Society of Animal Science
Feed additive has no affect on meat quality or taste
Animal scientists in Brazil have found that a small dose of the feed additive ractopamine can boost pork production without changing how pork looks or tastes.
In the latest issue of the Journal of Animal Science, researchers report that a 5 mg/kg dose of ractopamine increased muscle mass and feed efficiency, and had no noticeable effect on pork marbling, fat content, toughness or color. The researchers came to this conclusion by testing pork from 340 pigs raised under commercial conditions.
"We found that if [pork producers] use 5 mg/kg of ractopamine in the finishing diet of swine that should result in no detrimental effects on fresh pork quality and cooked pork palatability," said Natlia Bortoleto Athayde, an animal scientist at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil.
Ractopamine is a common feed additive in Brazilian and U.S. pork production. The additive increases the size of muscle fibers by increasing protein synthesis in muscle cells. Many pork producers use ractopamine because it allows pigs to grow larger with less feed.
However, some scientists have reported reduced pork quality with higher doses of ractopamine. To test this finding, Athayde and other researchers split a herd of pigs into three groups and gave them 0, 5 or 10 mg/kg of ractopamine during the last 28 days before slaughter. They then slaughtered the pigs and tested the pork pH, temperature, color, drip loss, marbling, intramuscular fat, cooking loss and tenderness. According to Athayde, analyzing meat color is important because meat color changes can be a sign of stress in an animal.
The researchers found that though 5 mg/kg had no noticeable effects, pork from the 10 mg/kg pigs was lighter and less tender than pork from control group pigs. Athayde said this confirms previous studies showing that 5 mg/kg is an appropriate dose in Brazilian commercial pork production.
"Pork is the most animal protein consumed in the world, and Brazil is currently the fourth largest producer of this meat," said Athayde. "We export about 15 percent of pork we produce and we believe it is extremely important to know the quality of the meat that we offer to the world."
Athayde recommends further studies of how ractopamine affects animal behavior, consumer health and the environment.
###
This paper is titled "Meat quality of swine supplemented with ractopamine under commercial conditions." It can be read in full at journalofanimalscience.org.
Media Contact:
Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
American Society of Animal Science
Scientific Communications Associate
217-689-2435 / madelinems@asas.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
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.
There are two central components to good health in everyday living: the physical and the emotional. But in addressing either of those aspects of health, it can be helpful to understand that they each feed into the other.
A positive approach to physical health and a positive attitude in mental health are both important aspects of life, and in fact, they encourage each other. Working toward better physical fitness leads to more than just weight loss. It also leads to a more positive attitude, and better mental health, in turn, actually encourages improvements in physical health.
There are a number of causes for the benefits that improvements in both can provide, including both physiological changes and benefits coming from social implications of each.
How Exercise Encourages Better Mental Health
Exercise is obviously a major component of good physical health. What goes underappreciated, however, is the great benefit that exercise can provide for mental and emotional health.
Scientifically speaking, exercise has a number of positive effects that lead to improvements in mood and outlook. When the body exerts itself, it releases chemicals called endorphins, which provide positive feelings to combat strain on the muscles. In addition, exercise causes the release of immune system chemicals that add to good feelings, and the higher body temperature that results from exercise also has a calming effect.
In addition to the physiological effects, the physical benefits of exercise can lead to improvements in mental outlook. Increased levels of exercise lead to improvements in body image and higher confidence. Because exercise, such as running or working out at a gym, frequently takes place in a social atmosphere, it can facilitate more social interaction and further positive feelings. Running and other forms of exercise also offer a good way to deal with mental stress, as well as an opportunity for quiet thought.
Attitude and Physical Health
The benefits of exercise on mental health are clear, but it?s also the case that improved mental health and a more positive attitude can also have a variety of beneficial effects for physical health.
A positive attitude provides the foundation for better total health. At a chemical level, a positive outlook allows less stress and lower blood pressure. People with an optimistic outlook tend to deal with stress in healthier ways and overcome setbacks more quickly, helping them avoid the negative health effects that can pile up as a result of depression and mental strain. Whereas depression can have a variety of negative physical effects, from changes in sleeping and eating habits to greater fatigue, a positive attitude allows people to function at their highest level.
Along with lower blood pressure, positive thinkers tend to exhibit healthier amounts of chemicals that are important to the immune system, thereby improving resistance to illness and allowing people to get over such sickness faster.
Studies show that optimism and positive thinking has a very real effect on prevention and recovery rates for even severe conditions. The numbers show that the immune system is more effective in fighting off the common cold, but the benefits extend much further. Patients with an optimistic outlook tend to recover better and faster from diseases like cancer, heart disease, and even AIDS and are far less likely to exhibit symptoms of hypertension or diabetes.
Thus, having a positive attitude can have a significantly beneficial effect on physical health, as well. The two work in tandem: Just as exercise can help prevent high blood pressure, arthritis, and worse, mental health can facilitate the same kind of improvements simply through a positive attitude. The two are important for each other, so don?t forget about either.
Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon, writing for Healthline.com ensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.
Stop Struggling and Start Living!
Success in life is not about luck! It?s about managed thoughts, focused attention and deliberate action. Personal success and personal failure all start in the mind. Tap into the power of your unconsciousness mind and eliminate negative beliefs that have been holding back from reaching your personal goals.
Take back control of your thoughts and your life! Grab a copy of Develop the Mental Strength of a Warrior? today so that you can start living the life you?ve always dreamed of.
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A study recently accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal makes a startling suggestion about so-called "robo-polls" in the 2012 Republican presidential primaries, raising the question of whether these automated surveys may have been adjusted to match live-interviewer polls.
The paper, produced last spring, says its findings mean that aggregated results of pre-election polls - the "poll of polls" summaries popular on some political news websites - may be "misleadingly precise," if many polls included in their averages were manipulated to match preferred estimates.
The authors, Joshua Clinton, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University, and Steve Rodgers, a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, note that their results "are necessarily suggestive rather than definitive" - indicating the possibility that robo-polls, in which phone calls are automatically dialed with questions posed by a recorded voice, were adjusted to match previously released traditional polls, not proving it. They also say that given a lack of data they did not test the reverse possibility, that traditional polls were altered to match automated ones.
Previous reports have found pre-election horse race estimates from robo-polls (also known as IVR polls, for "interactive voice response") to be as accurate as those obtained using traditional polling methods. Clinton and Rodgers confirmed that, in part: Examining 159 pre-election results, they report that robo-polls were as accurate as traditional surveys when a traditional survey in the contest was released first - but were less accurate when that was not the case.
"There is no difference in the accuracy of IVR polls and human polls when IVR polls occur after a human poll, but IVR polls do significantly worse if human polls are not conducted first," they report. "The apparent equivalence of IVR polls and human polls in the 2012 Republican primary appears to depend on human polls being conducted prior to the IVR polls."
They say this outcome, obtained through a series of statistical analyses, "suggests, but certainly does not prove, that at least some IVR polls may use earlier human polls to adjust their results to ensure that they are not notably different from existing polls and beliefs."
Robo-polls are automated telephone surveys in which recorded instructions direct participants to press numbers on their telephone keypads in response to polling questions. They depart from traditional, live-interviewer polling techniques in a variety of ways, and generally make only landline telephone calls, despite the large number of adults reachable only by cell phone. ABC News policy is not to report robo-poll surveys.
The Clinton/Rodgers study has limitations. It's based on a small sample - of 106 IVR polls included in the study, just 17, in a total of five states, were produced before live-interviewer surveys in the same contest. "This is why we're a little tentative in what we're doing," Clinton told me. "It's possible that what's going on is something goofy in those five states."
Nonetheless, the results are statistically significant, and per Clinton the paper has been accepted for publication as a research note in the April edition of "P.S.: Political Science and Politics," a peer-reviewed journal of the American Political Science Association. More's on the way: Clinton says he and Rodgers are in the midst of repeating their analysis on a much larger dataset, including pre-election polls from 2008 and 2010 alike.
OVERLAND PARK, Kansas (Reuters) - A convicted felon pleaded guilty to dealing in hundreds of firearms without a license from his wife's beauty salon using the promotional slogan "where beauty and bullets collide," authorities said on Thursday.
The couple operated a combination hair salon and sporting goods shop that featured massages and manicures as well as rifles and revolvers, authorities said. The couple set up a website with the url www.beautyandbullets.com.
"She would promote the idea that it was important for women to feel safe," said James Cross, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas.
Some of their marketing showed guns with sequins on them, Cross said. While the wife styled hair and helped sell guns during the week at the Augusta, Kansas salon, her husband supplemented the shop sales with dealings at weekend gun shows.
Jeffrey Eberhart, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in guns for nearly three years even though he could not be licensed as a federal firearms dealer because he is a convicted felon, the prosecutor's office said. Eberhart's felony convictions were for arson and prior illegal possession of a firearm.
Tracey Eberhart, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to keep records of firearms transactions. Authorities said she applied for and was granted a firearms dealers license in 2009 after telling authorities that she intended to cater to gun-buying women. She did not disclose that her husband would be selling the guns.
Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of five years in federal prison for Jeffrey Eberhart and three years probation for Tracey Eberhart.
(Reporting By Carey Gillam; Editing by Greg McCune and Andrew Hay)
Jan. 22, 2013 ? Public acceptance of climate change's reality may have been influenced by the rate at which words moved from scientific journals into the mainstream, according to anthropologist Michael O'Brien, dean of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Missouri. A recent study of word usage in popular literature by O'Brien and his colleagues documented how the usage of certain words related to climate change has risen and fallen over the past two centuries. Understanding how word usage affects public acceptance of science could lead to better science communication and a more informed public.
"Scientists can learn from this study that the general public shouldn't be expected to understand technical terms or be convinced by journal papers written in technical jargon," O'Brien said. "Journalists must explain scientific terms in ways people can understand and thereby ease the movement of those terms into general speech. That can be a slow process. Several words related to climate change diffused into the popular vocabulary over a 30-50 year timeline."
O'Brien's study found that, by 2008, several important terms in the discussion of climate change had entered popular literature from technical obscurity in the early 1900s.
These terms included:
Biodiversity -- the degree of variation in life forms within a given area
Holocene -- the current era of Earth's history, which started at the end of the last ice age
Paleoclimate -the prehistoric climate, often deduced from ice cores, tree rings and pollen trapped in sediments
Phenology -- the study of how climate and other environmental factors influence the timing of events in organisms' life cycles
Not every term was adopted at the same rate or achieved the same degree of popularity. Biodiversity, for example, came into popular use quickly in only a few years in the late 80s and early 90s. Other terms, like Holocene or phenology, have taken decades and are still relatively uncommon.
"The adoption of words into the popular vocabulary is like the evolution of species," O'Brien said. "A complex process governs why certain terms are successful and adopted into everyday speech, while others fail. For example, the term 'meme' has entered the vernacular, as opposed to the term 'culturgen,' although both refer to a discrete unit of culture, such as a saying transferred from person to person."
To observe the movement of words into popular literature, O'Brien and his colleagues searched the database of 7 million books created by Google. They used the "Ngram" feature of the database to track the number of appearances of climate change keywords in literature since 1800. The usage rate of those climate change terms was compared to the usage of "the," which is the most common word in the English language. Statistical analysis of usage rates was calculated in part by co-author William Brock, a new member of MU's Department of Economics and member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Note: A portion of O'Brien's experiment can be repeated using any computer with internet access.
1. Go to http://books.google.com/ngrams
2. Enter terms such as "climate change," "global warming," or "anthropogenic" and note how they have changed in usage over the past century.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Missouri-Columbia.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
R. Alexander Bentley, Philip Garnett, Michael J. O'Brien, William A. Brock. Word Diffusion and Climate Science. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (11): e47966 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047966
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
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SANAA, Yemen (AP) ? Yemeni security officials say an airstrike launched by a U.S. drone killed at least three suspected al-Qaida militants in a province near the Saudi border.
Tuesday's strike in the Jawf province northeast of the capital Sanaa was the fourth such attack to hit al-Qaida militants since Saturday, a higher-than-usual frequency that indicates a stepped up campaign by the Americans and their Yemeni government allies.
The security officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Al-Qaida in Yemen is considered among the world's most active branch of the network, having planned a series of foiled or aborted attacks on U.S. territory.
The United States rarely comments on its military role in Yemen, but has acknowledged targeting al-Qaida militants in the past.
It has been a record flu season so far, and people are doing whatever they can to avoid coming down with the ailment. But what can you do if you already have it?
Enter Jeni?s Splendid Ice Creams. The Ohio-based company?s Influenza Sorbet won?t cure the flu, but it will definitely make you feel better, said Jeni Britton Bauer, the company?s founder and president.
The Influenza Sorbet contains honey, ginger, orange juice and lemon juice. And if that weren?t enough, it also has Maker?s Mark bourbon and cayenne pepper.
The result is a soothing sorbet with kick. It might not be what the doctor ordered, but Bauer said it works.
?My mother and grandmother made something very similar to that as a drink when I was a kid, even with the whiskey,? Bauer said Sunday. ?Whiskey, honey and lemon juice and that was our cough medicine and they would thin it out and make it into a hot drink.?
Her company makes ice cream, but she got the idea to add the sorbet to her product line in 2004.
?When the flu hit in 2004, it was like supposed to be the worst flu since 1918 and it was like all over the news people were dying from it. It was horrible and I thought, ?Gosh I could do this sorbet,?? she recalled.
The sorbet also contains pectin, which coats the throat. The honey lubricates the throat and the cayenne pepper helps clear the nasal passages, she added.
The result is a product that soothes irritated throats and relieves scratchiness, helping suffers get needed sleep, she said.
With the severity of this flu season, interest in the Influenza Sorbet is soaring, Bauer said.
But the sorbet is more than just a home remedy. It tastes good, she said.
?It is really delicious,? she said. ?The cayenne doesn?t have flavor, it just has the kick, the physical property of the heat, and then all of the other ingredients are just so perfect together. You can just imagine it as a cocktail. A whiskey sour plus ginger.
?All those things go together so well and it really tastes great,? she said, adding that she had customers who buy it when it?s available and store it in their freezers so they can have it during the summer.
But don?t just take Bauer?s word for it. One food blog waxed poetic about the Influenza Sorbet.
In a 2009 post on thekitchn.com, a review said the sorbet was so good it was ?almost worth getting the flu for.?
Jeni?s Influenza Sorbet will be available through February and into March. It retails for $12 per pint and is sold at all Jeni?s stores in Columbus, Cleveland and Nashville, as well as on the company?s website.
A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.
Christine Rae will team with CelebrityPress, a leading book publishing company, and several leading experts from around the world to release the book, ?Home Staging Secrets.?
Toronto, Ontario. ? January 7, 2013 ? Christine Rae, President and CEO of CSP International, has joined a select group of the world?s leading home staging experts co-write the forthcoming book titled, ?Home Staging Secrets: The World?s Leading Experts Reveal Their Secrets for Getting Maximum Value for Your Home with Minimal Effort.? Nick Nanton, Esq., along with business partner, JW Dicks, Esq., recently signed a publishing deal with each of these authors to contribute their expertise to the book, which will be released under their CelebrityPress imprint.
Christine Rae is known as the leading expert and trendsetter of the Real Estate Staging Industry. In her role as President and CEO for CSP International, ?she steered the company to the top of the excellence chart for her industry. The CSP International Academy is known as a successful incubator for ?would be? entrepreneurs with a decorating flair who want control over their own destiny, while building successful, profitable businesses of their own. CSP International provides a safe haven for learning, support, knowledge, best practices and leading market trends. Graduates from the Academy benefit from a reputation of excellence, helping them gain credibility and recognition as they market and develop their own business.
Christine and her unique signature CSP? Real Estate Staging Business Program is accredited through RESA from whom she has received awards, accolades, and recognition ? including Innovator of the Year. ?Currently six US colleges across the country endorse the program. Her book, Home Staging for Dummies?, has also been selected as the textbook on Staging at several colleges in Canada.
?Home Staging Secrets?will feature proven secrets and strategies to help both real estate agents and homeowners get houses ready for sale. They go ?way past? the old standby sales advice to transport your house to a new level of sales readiness and marketability ? one that appeals to a broader range of buyers ? with the specific goal of selling it in a shorter time for a higher price. The book is expected to be published in April 2013.
To learn more about Christine Rae please visit http://www.stagingtraining.com
About Christine Rae:?
Christine?s success stems from her work ethic, desire for excellence, integrity and integral goodness. In a very competitive industry, what sets CSP International? apart are the differentiators and the driving force to be of service and value to the student. ?From the outset, CSP International core values, mission, ?pay it forward? philosophy and their apprenticeship program have been the catalyst for the myriad of differentiators which set CSP apart.
Christine has also developed and trademarked EcoStaging?. In February 2012 she was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award from the Real Estate Staging Association for her work and contributions to the industry.? She is an Industry Expert Blogger for REALTOR? magazine, a regular contributor to Real Estate Magazine and is the Green Staging Expert for HomeGain?. ?Christine was also a guest on the Michael E Gerber TV show, featured on NBC, ABC, FOX and CBS. She has been a featured speaker and keynote for many industry events including six Stagers Expo?s, Real Estate Staging Association, a Real Estate event in Sydney Australia, and expert speaker at the California Association of Realtors convention.
About Celebrity Press?:
Celebrity Press? is a business book publisher that publishes books from thought leaders around the world. Celebrity Press? specializes in helping its authors grow their businesses through book publishing. Celebrity Press? has published books alongside Brian Tracy, Dr. Ivan Misner, Ron Legrand, Mari Smith, Kelly O?Neil, Alexis Martin Neely and many of the biggest experts across diverse fields.
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I had heard great things about the organization by alumni as well as have had great discussions and assistance from Liz and Linda. They have always been there to answer any and all my questions, they are polite and super efficient?
Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of being a trainee in CSP?s intensive three-day staging training workshop with Nairn Friemann in New York City?
I am an alumni of Certified Staging Professional. I would like to express my thanks to Nairn Friemann (CSP? Instructor), and CSPI? Business Training Academy taught at Purchase College, NY for the opportunity of partaking in their three day home staging course last year.
This year, I enrolled in the course again as a refresher, and ?
I don?t know where to start. It was a fantastic class; it was such a pleasure to meet Christine and Lynelle?It was a lot of information in 3 days! I am happy and thrilled that I took this class ? Thanks to everbody for their help!! Sincerely, Mira B. Mississauga, ON
Kid Cudi may be beefing big time with his label over allegations that they're not promoting his tunes to radio, but the G.O.O.D. Music MC seems to have no problems with Hollywood. After a well-received stint as a lovable dope slinger on HBO's canceled "How To Make It in America," Scott Mescudi has signed on [...]
Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, some organizations are offering gun training and concealed-weapons classes for free. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports.
By M. Alex Johnson, staff writer, NBC News
With the debate over gun violence reshaped by the shooting deaths of 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school last month, lawmakers across the country are pushing proposals to arm teachers in the classroom. But many of them may be wasting their time.
More than a third of the states already allow teachers and other adults to carry guns to school. In most cases, all you need is the equivalent of a note from the principal ? you usually don't even need law enforcement approval.
NBC News reviewed the firearms and education laws in all 50 states and found that 18 of them allow adults to have a loaded gun on school grounds, usually as long as they have written permission.
That's for pretty much any reason; the list doesn't include states that generally ban guns but carve out narrow exceptions for specific activities like safety demonstrations or military formations and parades.
During a Tea Party forum in Fort Worth, Texas Gov. Rick Perry became one of the first prominent officials after the Dec. 14 shootings to call for teachers to be allowed to carry firearms to work ? even though Texas already allows any qualified adult to do so as long as the principal OKs it.
Since then, lawmakers in several states have jumped on board with proposals that mirror laws already on the books.
In Alabama, for example, state Rep. Kerry Rich, a Republican representing DeKalb and Marshall counties, has proposed legislation that would give schools the option of letting their teachers or administrators carry guns.
They already have that option.
In Kentucky, lawmakers said last week they're contemplating ?legislation that would let teachers and administrators pack a weapon after completing safety training.
Kentucky school boards already have the authority to allow that.
Oregon state Rep. Dennis Richardson, a Republican representing Central Point, said in an e-mail to schools superintendents in his district that, he too, supported allowing teachers to carry weapons at school.
Oregon school boards can already give that permission.
Self defense The real debate is over proposals to create exemptions from gun bans in states that don't have them. Such measures have been introduced or proposed in Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee. (The Michigan Legislature passed a bill last year, but Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed it.)
DE DOORNS, South Africa: South African police on Monday fired a stun grenade to disperse a pre-dawn protest in the southwestern grape growing region, as labour unrest resumed after a weekend hiatus.
Officers had come under attack in De Doorns, a major fruit-growing region and the epicentre of violent strikes for better wages.
"At approximately 3:00 am (0100 GMT) police members on foot patrol in the informal area of De Doorns were attacked by a group of people," said November Filander, police spokesman for the region.
Police used "a stun grenade to disperse the group," he told AFP. Three people were arrested for public violence.
Unions at the weekend vowed to intensify violent stoppages in the picturesque Western Cape wine lands to push for a wage hike from 69 rand ($8, six euros) to 150 rand a day.
Many of those on strike are seasonal workers, according to farmers.
Police last week used rubber bullets as they fought running battles with the thousands of strikers in the strife-hit areas. At least 125 arrests were made in three days of clashes.
The Bawsi Agricultural Workers' Union of South Africa (Bawusa) general secretary Nosey Pieter said the strikes would continue as the farmers had not come up with a tangible offer at talks held on Friday.
"The resounding message is that the strike will continue," he said.
He alleged that the main farmers union Agri SA was attempting to "sabotage" wage talks launched by individual farmers and unions.
"This is the hypocrisy of some of the partners," he added.
Government mediators at the weekend offered to facilitate talks.
Delhi is the capital city and the political hub of India. Every political activity in the country traces its roots here. It has been the seat of power for several rulers and many empires for about a millennium. Many a times the city was built, destroyed and then rebuilt here. Interestingly, a number of Delhi's rulers played a dual role, first as destroyers and then as creators. No wonder chroniclers of Delhi culture - from Chand Bardai and Amir Khusro to present days writers - have never been at a loss for topics. In Delhi, you will discover that the city is sprinkled with dazzling gems: captivating ancient monuments, fascinating museums and art galleries, architectural wonders, a vivacious performing-arts scene, fabulous eating places, 5 star hotels and bustling markets.
The factfile Area: 1,483 sq km Latitudinal parallel: 28.3oN Longitudinal meridian: 77.13oE Altitude: 293 m above sea level Average Temperature: 45oC (Max) - usually in May - Jun, 5oC (Min) - usually in Dec - Jan Desirable Clothes: Woollen for winters and light cotton for summers Rainfall: 714 mm Monsoon: July to mid-September Population: 1.25 Crore (Census 2011) Season: Extreme climate with very hot summer and very cold winter Best time to visit: October to March STD Code: 011 Languages: Hindi, English, Urdu and Punjabi Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Bahai Fai
A few prime tourist spots in Delhi
Swaminarayan Akshardham Qutab Minar Humayun's Tomb Lodi Gardens Presidential Palace (Rashtrapati Bhavan) ISKCON Temple Chhatarpur Temple Gandhi Smriti Birla Mandir Temple (Lakshmi Narayan) Rajpath Malai Mandir, New Delhi Habitat World Convention Centre Bahai Lotus Temple India Gate Red Fort (Lal Quila)
Where to stay
Delhi is one of the India's busiest entry points. It has a wide range of accommodation available from deluxe 5 star luxury hotels, with top-notch restaurants, 24-hour coffee shops, swimming pools, travel agents and shopping arcades, to middle-range hotels and guest houses offering good services and a comfortable stay, down to economical tourist lodges. There are a few Tourist Hostels, Working women's Hostels, Service Apartments, Camping Sites and Dharmashalas as well.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Delhi is from October to March when the weather is at its best. During this period flowers are at their blooming best, the weather is pleasant and enjoyable to experience Incredible Delhi.
Climate
Delhi's has an extreme climate. It is very hot in summer (April - July) and cold in winter (December - January). The average temperature can vary from 25oC to 45oC during the summer and 22oC to 5oC during the winter. In summer adequate precautions need to be taken, to avoid the intense heat, such as wearing light cotton clothing, wearing a hat or sunshade while going outdoors and drinking plenty of liquids. In winter, wearing warm or woolen clothing will protect you from the cold.
About the Author: Hotels in Goa - There are several budget hotels in goa, beach hotels in Goa and getting details of five star hotels in goa is quite easy. five star hotels in delhi , budget hotels in manali, budget hotels in agra, budget hotels in hyderabad.
President Obama had a simple message at his press conference Monday: I won the election, and, this time, that?s going to mean something. Long gone was the chastened president of 2011 who often seemed tentative in the wake of the Republican takeover of the House. In his place was a man clearly convinced that the country that voted for him 10 weeks ago has his back today in his battles with Congress.
For Democrats, it was a welcome display of confidence and resoluteness. For Republicans, it was painful evidence of their unequal status and proof? that the White House underestimates their resolve in the upcoming fight to raise the debt ceiling. For both sides, it was a clear reminder that the president who takes the oath of office in just six days will have no honeymoon to enjoy. It?s going to be a rough month as the debt-ceiling deadline looms.
The president was firm from the start, proclaiming his intent ?to carry out the agenda that I campaigned on.? He prefaced his position with ?as I said on the campaign,? lest anyone forget that he waged his successful reelection campaign on the question of tax fairness and a ?balanced? approach to deficit reduction. ?Turns out,? he said pointedly, ?the American people agree with me. They listened to an entire year?s debate over this issue, and they made a clear decision about the approach they prefer.?
Later, when pressed by Major Garrett of CBS and National Journal, he again stressed the public support for his position. ?We just had an entire campaign about it,? he said. ?And, by the way, the American people agreed with me that we should reduce our deficits in a balanced way.?
Pointedly, he cast House Republicans who talk loosely about default and deeper spending cuts as out of step with the electorate, saying, ?Despite that conversation and despite the election results, the position that?s been taken on the part of some House Republicans is that, no, we?ve got to do it our way.?
Clearly emboldened by his reelection, the president was not reticent to throw what he sees as his mandate in the face of Republicans, calling them out on what he sees as their irresponsibility on the debt and suggesting that elections have consequences. It was reminiscent of his health care summit with Republicans on Feb. 25, 2010, when he sharply reminded Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that he had lost the 2008 election, telling McCain, ?John, we are not campaigning anymore.?
But even if the Republican takeaway from Monday?s press conference is that the president really does mean he won?t negotiate with them over the debt ceiling, it is still quite murky just how that works practically. If congressional leaders tell the White House there is no way they can pass the needed debt measure, will the president refuse to talk with them or refuse to help find a way out before lasting damage is done to the economy?
Obama was pressed by Garrett. But the president committed himself only to have ?a conversation? with Republicans about spending. He continued to insist that conversation is divorced from the debt vote even though Republicans see the two as inextricably linked.
?I am not going to have a monthly or every three months conversation about whether or not we pay our bills, because that in and of itself does severe damage. Even the threat of default hurts our economy,? he said, twice declaring, ?We are not a deadbeat nation.?
Republicans wasted little time firing back, demanding far more than a ?conversation? about debt and showing no sign of willingness to surrender on the debt vote.? House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, issued a statement in which he claimed the public is on the side of the GOP. ?The American people do not support raising the debt ceiling without reducing government spending at the same time,? he contended.
Even before the press conference, Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, had called Obama?s refusal to negotiate ?the most preposterous thing I?ve ever heard,? telling the Associated Press, ?He?s going to have to negotiate.? Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had suggested that Obama thinks he is a king, not an elected president. And Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., had bluntly said the president is ?out of his mind? if he thinks he?ll get the debt ceiling raised without negotiating with Republicans.
After his confident press conference, no one can doubt the president?s determination to avoid such negotiations. But even for a freshly inaugurated president, and even after such a strong performance, it is far from clear just how he can ignore the demands of an equally determined House majority with the fate of the American economy at stake.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Some normally warm California spots shivered Sunday as early morning temperatures plunged, leaving even polar bears at the San Diego Zoo seeking shelter. But growers in the Central Valley were relieved to learn most orange and lemon crops probably avoided significant damage despite temperatures in the high 20s.
"We were just a little bit colder, by a degree or two," said spokesman Paul Story of California Citrus Mutual, a growers' trade association. "For the navel oranges, that's not cold enough to do a measurable amount of damage."
He said more sensitive mandarin oranges may have suffered some minimal damage.
It was the third night of successful crop protection for farmers, who run wind machines and water to protect their fruit. Growers faced at least one more night of work as the forecast called for cold weather into Monday.
In the Los Angeles area, famously torrid Woodland Hills, which usually makes news for its triple-digit temperatures, had an overnight low of 30 degrees. That was warm compared to Lancaster in north Los Angeles County, which hit 15 degrees.
Temperatures reached the low 20s in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In the East Bay city of Walnut Creek, the National Weather Service reported an overnight low of 23 degrees, while in the Santa Clara County community of Scotts Valley, the temperature dropped to 26.
Meanwhile, in the Sierra Nevada, temperatures plunged below zero overnight, and after a day in the 20s, another subzero night was expected.
In San Diego, zookeepers offered extra heat and shelter for some animals, including polar bears. While the bears tolerate frigid climes, the zoo animals lack the fat layers that naturally occur in the wild and protect them from the cold. So, zookeepers offer them "warming apparatuses," zoo spokeswoman Jenny Mehlow said.
"The animals do take this in stride because they're wearing a nice, warm fur coat," she said.
The cold air was flowing east into neighboring Arizona, where metropolitan Phoenix was approaching the halfway point in a four-day cold snap that's expected to mark the coolest stretch the area has seen since 1988. Temperatures on Saturday night dipped to 30 degrees at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and 25 degrees.
Low temperatures across Arizona on Saturday night included 23 at Tucson International Airport and 7 below in Flagstaff.
3 Geeks and a Law Blog: Client-Side Legal Project Management ? Why It Will Matter skip to main | skip to sidebar
Client-Side Legal Project Management ? Why It Will Matter
Legal Project Management (LPM), perhaps THE legal buzz-phrase of 2012 continues to increase in popularity. The basic thinking behind it is centered on efficiencies. Many clients are asking their firms to become more efficient. As I have noted in the past, they might want to be more specific about what they mean by efficiency. However, LPM will likely be an effective tool for firms to use in providing legal services for clients at lower costs. Recently I met with some project managers (PMs) to learn from them and increase my knowledge on the subject. These were project managers involved in commercial real estate building projects. What is unique about their business is that they represent clients, versus general contractors or architecture firms. My first question for them was: Why Clients? I assumed the project managers working with the building contractors would be more than sufficient. Why would a client pay more for their own project managers? The reason was made clear by some of their comments. They said architects were focused on building the most functional and attractive buildings. Construction contractors meanwhile were focused on delivering on spec and under budget. Neither of these goals were entirely focused on the client?s agenda. Therefore the role of the client-side PM has the potential to bring significant value. I saw a direct analogy to project management in the legal space. Here the law firm functions as both the architect and the contractor. The law firm agenda is delivering the most effective legal service with the best possible outcome. Or in other words, they want to be the best lawyers they can be. It?s not that they don?t care about the client?s agenda; it?s just that they can never fully appreciate it. Added to that situation - the client's agenda can shift over time. As a pricing guy, I am always focused on developing fee options that align law firm and client interests. Yet even the best fee deal is not a full alignment of agendas. In fact that full agenda alignment is unattainable. Two people will differ on agendas, so we can?t expect two organizations to ever come close to that ideal. The project managers shared with me a number of examples where their involvement increased value and lowered costs. One of their clients I know commented that they easily saved more on their project than the cost of the extra PMs. And the client was happier with the results. Obviously not all legal matters will benefit from a similar client-side PM resource. However, there are likely savings for clients to realize in many practice areas. And beyond savings, the client will realize more effective legal services. (This comment should make Ron Baker happy.) Of course I am crystal-balling here a bit. The LPM space is embryonic at best. I predict a bit more evolution will be needed before a client-side LPM option is embraced. Either way, it was interesting to learn from another industry and see that new ideas are being employed in other industries as well.
Heating, cooling and lighting our houses belches out a third of our carbon dioxide and sucks a lot of money out of our wallets in the process. There are so many guides and websites that tell you what to do fix this from insulating your walls to changing your windows. But if you are into frugal green living, what should you do first? What is the most effective thing to do? What gives the most bang for your buck?
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Public release date: 24-Jan-2013
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either of those aspects of health, it can be helpful to understand that they each feed into the other.
