Eight Productivity Tools for Getting Things Done ? Business coach ...

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Welcome to the whiteboard for Session #33 of Making Business Happen Radio, the show to help you build your business playbook. This is the podcast to help you become more profitable, productive, and prepared to grow your business. I?m Dallon Christensen, your host and the founder of Whiteboard Business Partners.

This podcast is brought to you by Kent Julian?s Speak it Forward Boot Camp from May 2-4 in the Atlanta, Georgia area. I have attended this event in the past, and it is the best conference I?ve attended to help you build a speaking business. Much of what you find on my own speaking page is what I?ve learned with Kent?s guidance. Sign up using the promotional code ?whiteboard? to receive a special registration bonus for participating.

I have discussed how you must build your own workflow ideas without the help of technology. However, technology can be a tremendous way to improve your productivity. Smartphones and tablets, when used correctly, can give you the ability to stay productive and organized anywhere. These eight tools are productivity applications I?ve tested for at least one project to help me become more organized.

Asana ? The Simplified GTD Experience

• Free for up to 30 users
• I have used this for shared projects and grocery lists
• iPhone app is very easy to use
• Tags give GTD functionality
• Allows sharing and comments among team members and outside people

Evernote?- The All-in-One

• Cross-platform is the biggest benefit
• Not designed as a GTD tool, more of a reference tool
• Very flexible ? can arrange the system as you like
• Evernote?s key functionalities
  • Scanned paper
  • Forwarded e-mails
  • Tagging
  • Notebooks ? I share a notebook with my coach, for example
• $45/year or $5/month for premium version. Free version available

IQTell- The Collector

• Currently in private beta ? sign up here
• I have tested the beta and found several great features
  • Single point of access for many productivity items
    • Calendar
    • E-mail
    • Tickler items
    • Reference items
  • Can link many tools into IQTell
• Can also link multiple e-mail accounts
• Ability to create action steps and projects from a reference item or e-mail is a good touch
• Great for people who want a single point of contact for their productivity system
• Sahaf Flam, IQTell?s co-founder, is a future guest on Making Business Happen Radio.

OmniFocus?- The GTD Powerhouse

• Closest thing to a GTD-approved app ? GTD/Omnifocus manual
• Follows the GTD workflow very closely
• Many features
  • Subtasks
  • Different perspectives
• Most expensive option

?

• $11.99 on Mac App Store, $4.99 for universal iOS version
• Three structures
• Use tags for any identification desired
  • @today ? What you want to complete today
  • @next ? What you want to do next for each project
  • Could also tag with context or people names
• Clean, simple structure

Things?- The Mac Experience

• Must pay for all three versions
• Most visually appealing of the ?traditional? task apps
• No contexts like OmniFocus
• Can use tags for contexts, people, etc.
• Good mix of GTD methodology and flexibility

Trello?- The Visual Experience

• Currently free
• Corkboard concept ? Like adding cards to a series of boards
• Can set up boards by project, client, or other setup
• Ability to share with co-workers and outside users
• Colored labels have flexible use
  • Red ? Today?s tasks
  • Green ? Next actions
• My wife and I use this for many home checklists and tasks
  • Grocery lists
  • Nightly cleaning duties

Zendone?- Evernote integration

• Free beta testing as of February 2013
• Intergrates with Google Apps and Evernote
• Able to turn an Evernote item into an action item or a reference item
• Can create items from Zendone directly into Google Calendar
• iOS app available

If you enjoy what you are hearing on Making Business Happen Radio, please leave a review on iTunes. These reviews help the show gain more exposure for those looking to improve their own businesses. If you have a question for the show, please leave a voicemail from the homepage of Whiteboard Business Partners or leave an e-mail at feedback@whiteboardbusiness.com. Tune into Session #34 for an interview with serial entrepreneurs and husband-and-wife team Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor on how to make marriage and entrepreneurship work. Until next time, I?m Dallon Christensen. Now go out and make your business happen!

You might like these posts, too:

1. Taking action with the Behance Action Journal and Action Book
2. Three great CRM tools you should try ? MBHP015 (Podcast)
3. Four Applications for Making Business Happen ? MBHP025 (Podcast)
4. Getting Results with Getting Things Done ? MBHP029 (Podcast)
5. Getting Things Done is about workflow, not technology ? MBHP031 (Podcast)

Tagged as: action steps, asana, David Allen, Evernote, focus, getting things done, hogbay software, IQTell, Kent Julian, omnifocus, productivity, projects, taskpaper, Things, trello, zendone

Source: http://www.whiteboardbusiness.com/033/

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Car insurance based on driving habits comes to Utah | The Salt ...

(Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune) Allstate Insurance agent Adam Ware holds a prototype DriveWise device that he has been using in his personal car for the past few months. Allstate plans to roll out their DriveWise program which uses the device to measure customers' driving habits and charge them premiums based on the results. He was photographed outside his Sandy, Utah office Tuesday February 12, 2013.

Coverage ? Next big thing in the industry could raise privacy issues for some.

From iPod players to chargers to video screens, today?s cars are full of gadgets.

So how about adding a device that monitors how you drive? And how much privacy would you give up for a discount on your auto insurance?

?

Usage-based auto insurance available in Utah

State Farm ? Drive Safe and Save

Allstate ? DriveWise (coming in 2013)

Progressive ? Snapshot

Thanks to advancing technology, a new car insurance product is entering the Utah market known as usage-based insurance.

Here?s how it works ? You plug in a little gizmo just under the steering wheel of your car (or use On-Star) and it starts tracking your driving habits, such as speed and mileage. Then, all of that information goes to the insurance company which, based on a month or so of data, spits out your insurance premiums. It?s all optional, but insurance companies say there may be double-digit discounts for those who participate.

"I?m going to love it; my wife?s not," said Adam Ware, an Allstate agent in Sandy.

Ware installed Allstate?s DriveWise device in his two cars in December and it?s been tracking the couple?s driving habits ever since.

"It?s showing that I?m eligible for a 17 percent discount and she?s showing a 2 percent discount" for slamming on the brakes a bit too often, he said.

For Ware, it?s all about the money.

"In today?s world, if it?s going to give me a discount or an advantage, I?m all for it," Ware said.

The usage-based trend ? Consulting firm Towers Watson calls usage-based insurance an "auto insurance revolution." But the pay-as-you-use model is nothing new in consumer products, with the cell phone market leading the way. Himanshu Mishna, a University of Utah professor who studies consumer behavior, said user-based pricing benefits both businesses and consumers.

story continues below

"Having a pay-as-you-go option makes it easier for companies to segregate light users from heavy users and then charge heavy users more," Mishna said. "In addition, it gives people the freedom to use the service as much or as little as they want, which might be appreciated by consumers who won?t feel that they have been forced into a specific usage level."

But are consumers willing to swap a bit of privacy to save a buck? Mishna says yes.

"When we use a loyalty or discount card at any grocery store, we are giving up our purchase history for a 1 or 2 percent discount," he said. "If you buy diapers, they will mail you coupons for baby foods and baby soaps. So if you look around, we are already selling our privacy for small discounts."

How it?s working in Utah ? So far, only a handful of Utah?s top auto insurers are offering usage-based premium programs, and the data tracked varies from company to company. For instance, the state?s largest auto insurer, State Farm, uses On-Star to record miles driven, acceleration, braking, right and left turns, speeding over 80 mph and the time of day the vehicle was driven.

State Farm corporate spokeswoman Angela Thorpe said their Drive Safe and Save (DSS) program has been available to Utah customers since last March and their customers can save up to 50 percent.

"It?s a program that helps us better match price to risk, and that?s a good thing for our customers," said Thorpe. "This discount program tends to inspire State Farm customers to drive fewer miles, which has a positive impact on auto safety, roadway congestion, the cost of vehicle operations and the environment."

Allstate won?t introduce its DriveWise program into the Utah market until mid-year. But in the 10 states where DriveWise is now available, Allstate spokeswoman Chelci Vaughan said the average customer is getting 14 percent off their insurance premiums.

"It?s certainly been a popular option," Vaughan said. "If you?re willing to drive with [the device], why would you not sign up for a discount? People are eager to jump at the chance for savings."

A million drivers nationally have signed up for Progressive?s Snapshot program and about two-thirds are getting a discount, said Dave Pratt, Progressive?s general manager for usage-based insurance. Pratt said since Snapshot rolled out in 2010, they?ve collected 6 billion miles worth of information, but he assured that the data is secure.

"We only use the data to calculate the discounts. We don?t sell it," he said, noting the company has a special privacy policy in place. He also said early versions of Snapshot tracked where drivers were going, but objections from customers pushed the company to remove GPS from the program.

Next Page >

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/55824151-79/insurance-allstate-based-discount.html.csp

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Can You Potty Train a Cow?

Indeed, dairy cows know when and where their udders are going to get relief and will walk themselves to the milking yard (or stable, or barn, or whatever the fuck those rural types call it).

There's a footbridge over the M6 motorway just south of Sandbach which will have cows crossing it just after 6am, no farmer/dogs/tractors in sight, because they know it's milking time.

Perhaps the answer is to use a cork to stop them going until they're in the right place. They clearly respond to the physical relief caused by being emptied.

(Either that or the pleasure of having their tits squeezed. Hmm. Self-service milking machines positioned over grating?)

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/dvcwIhEGC1Q/story01.htm

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Vowing Change, China?s Leader Airs Other Message in Private (NYTimes.com)

Vows of Change in China Belie Private Warning

By CHRIS BUCKLEY

HONG KONG ? When China?s new leader, Xi Jinping, visited the country?s south to promote himself before the public as an audacious reformer following in the footsteps of Deng Xiaoping, he had another message to deliver to Communist Party officials behind closed doors.

Despite decades of heady economic growth, Mr. Xi told party insiders during a visit to Guangdong Province in December, China must still heed the ?deeply profound? lessons of the former Soviet Union, where political rot, ideological heresy and military disloyalty brought down the governing party. In a province famed for its frenetic capitalism, he demanded a return to traditional Leninist discipline.

?Why did the Soviet Union disintegrate? Why did the Soviet Communist Party collapse? An important reason was that their ideals and convictions wavered,? Mr. Xi said, according to a summary of his comments that has circulated among officials but has not been published by the state-run news media.

?Finally, all it took was one quiet word from Gorbachev to declare the dissolution of the Soviet Communist Party, and a great party was gone,? the summary quoted Mr. Xi as saying. ?In the end nobody was a real man, nobody came out to resist.?

In Mr. Xi?s first three months as China?s top leader, he has gyrated between defending the party?s absolute hold on power and vowing a fundamental assault on entrenched interests of the party elite that fuel corruption. How to balance those goals presents a quandary to Mr. Xi, whose agenda could easily be undermined by rival leaders determined to protect their own bailiwicks and on guard against anything that weakens the party?s authority, insiders and analysts say.

?Everyone is talking about reform, but in fact everyone has a fear of reform,? said Ma Yong, a historian at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. For party leaders, he added: ?The question is: Can society be kept under control while you go forward? That?s the test.?

Gao Yu, a former journalist and independent commentator, was the first to reveal Mr. Xi?s comments, doing so on a blog. Three insiders, who were shown copies by officials or editors at state newspapers, confirmed their authenticity, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the risk of punishment for discussing party affairs.

The tension between embracing change and defending top-down party power has been an abiding theme in China since Deng set the country on its economic transformation in the late 1970s. But Mr. Xi has come to power at a time when such strains are especially acute, and the pressure of public expectations for greater official accountability is growing, amplified by millions of participants in online forums.

Mr. Xi has promised determined efforts to deal with China?s persistent problems, including official corruption and the chasm between rich and poor. He has also sought a sunnier image, doing away with some of the intimidating security that swaddled his predecessor, Hu Jintao, and demanding that official banquets be replaced by plainer fare called ?four dishes and a soup.?

Yet Mr. Xi?s remarks on the lessons of the Soviet Union, as well as warnings in the state news media, betray a fear that China?s strains could overwhelm the party, especially if vows of change founder because of political sclerosis and opposition from privileged interest groups like state-owned conglomerates. Already this year, public outcries over censorship at a popular newspaper and choking pollution in Beijing have given the new party leadership a taste of those pressures.

Some progressive voices are urging China?s leaders to pay more than lip service to respecting rights and limits on party power promised by the Constitution. Meanwhile, some old-school leftists hail Mr. Xi as a muscular nationalist who will go further than his predecessors in asserting China?s territorial claims.

The choices facing China?s new leadership include how much to relax the state?s continuing grip on the commanding heights of the economy and how far to take promises to fight corruption ? a step that could alienate powerful officials and their families.

?How can the ruling party ensure its standing during a period of flux?? asked Ding Dong, a current affairs commentator in Beijing. ?That?s truly a real challenge, and it?s creating a sense of tension and latent crisis inside the party.?

Mr. Xi and his inner circle have about 18 months to consolidate power and begin any big initiatives before preparations for the next Communist Party Congress and leadership reshuffle in 2017 start to consume elite attention, said Christopher Johnson, an analyst on China at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

?For now, he?s a guy who?s trying to be two things at once,? said Mr. Johnson, formerly a senior China analyst for the C.I.A. ?The question is: How long will they be able to get by with gestures like four dishes and a soup before they have to make the hard choices??

So far, Mr. Xi has been busy distinguishing himself from his predecessor through an energetic succession of visits and speeches. Mr. Hu, who formally remains state president until next month, when Mr. Xi will take over that post, also came to power accompanied by widespread expectations of change. But he proved to be a rigidly unadventurous leader.

In recent weeks, Mr. Xi has promised to clean up Beijing?s noxious smog and make it easier to hail a cab on the city?s congested streets. Before that, Mr. Xi also vowed that the party would allow ?sharp criticism? of its failings, and said ?power must be held in an institutional cage.?

Censors have allowed pictures showing Mr. Xi as a relaxed man of the people to spread on the Internet, including one of a jolly encounter with a man in a Santa Claus costume during a trip overseas.

Mr. Xi ?doesn?t want to be known as Hu Jintao is known, as someone who didn?t make much progress,? said Ezra Vogel, an emeritus professor of social sciences at Harvard University who recently visited China, a country he has studied for decades.

Yet Mr. Xi has qualified his promises in ways that have already disappointed some proponents of faster market-driven change and political liberalization. In one speech, Mr. Xi said that change must be piecemeal, citing Deng?s dictum that progress is made ?crossing the river by groping stones.? In another, he said Mao Zedong?s era of revolutionary socialism should not be dismissed as a failure.

He has also repeatedly demanded that the military show unflinching loyalty ? a principle that, in his view, the Soviet Communist Party under Mikhail S. Gorbachev fatally failed to uphold.

Mr. Xi, 59, is the son of a revolutionary who worked alongside Mao, until he was purged and jailed. A senior commentator for a major Chinese newspaper said that political patrimony had made Mr. Xi even more sensitive to showing that ?while talking about reform, he also wants to tell the party that he won?t become a Gorbachev.?

Unlike the former Soviet leader, Mr. Xi presides over an economy that, for all its hazards, has grown robustly over three decades, propelling China to greater international influence. But Chinese officials have warned that rising stature is also generating external rivalries and domestic demands that would magnify the damage from political missteps and schisms.

?We?re a major power, and we absolutely cannot allow any subversive errors when it comes to the fundamental issues,? Mr. Xi told party officials in Guangdong. ?If that happens, there?s no going back.?

Edward Wong contributed reporting from Beijing.

Source: http://www.asiaworks.com/news/2013/02/15/vowing-change-chinas-leader-airs-other-message-in-private-nytimes-com/

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China joins U.S., Japan in condemning North Korea nuclear test

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday in defiance of existing U.N. resolutions, drawing condemnation from around the world, including from its only major ally, China, which summoned the North Korean ambassador to protest.

The reclusive North said the test was an act of self-defense against "U.S. hostility" and threatened further, stronger steps if necessary.

It said the test had "greater explosive force" than the 2006 and 2009 tests. Its KCNA news agency said it had used a "miniaturized" and lighter nuclear device, indicating that it had again used plutonium which is more suitable for use as a missile warhead.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the third of his line to rule the country, has presided over two long-range rocket launches and a nuclear test during his first year in power, pursuing policies that have propelled his impoverished and malnourished country closer to becoming a nuclear weapons power.

China, which has shown signs of increasing exasperation with the recent bellicose tone of its neighbor, summoned the North Korean ambassador in Beijing and protested sternly, the Foreign Ministry said.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said China was "strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposed" to the test and urged North Korea to "stop any rhetoric or acts that could worsen situations and return to the right course of dialogue and consultation as soon as possible".

China is a permanent member of the Security Council.

U.S. President Barack Obama labeled the test a "highly provocative act" that hurt regional stability and pressed for new sanctions.

"The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community. The United States will also continue to take steps necessary to defend ourselves and our allies," Obama said in a statement.

The Security Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss its reaction to the test, although North Korea is already one of the most heavily sanctioned states in the world and has few external economic links that can be targeted.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the test was a "grave threat" that could not be tolerated. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the test was a "clear and grave violation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear arms program and return to talks. NATO condemned the test as an "irresponsible act" that posed a grave threat to world peace.

The test "was only the first response we took with maximum restraint", an unnamed spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry, which acts as Pyongyang's official voice to the outside world, said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

"If the United States continues to come out with hostility and complicates the situation, we will be forced to take stronger, second and third responses in consecutive steps."

North Korea often threatens the United States and its "puppet", South Korea, with destruction in colorful terms.

North Korea told the U.N. disarmament forum in Geneva that it would never bow to resolutions on its nuclear program and that prospects were "gloomy" for the denuclearization of the divided Korean peninsula because of a "hostile" U.S. policy.

South Korea, still technically at war with the North after the 1950-53 civil war ended in a mere truce, also denounced the test.

The magnitude was roughly twice as large as that of 2009, Lassina Zerbo, director of the international data centre division of the Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization, said. The U.S. Geological Survey said that a seismic event measuring 5.1 magnitude had occurred.

"It was confirmed that the nuclear test that was carried out at a high level in a safe and perfect manner using a miniaturized and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously did not pose any negative impact on the surrounding ecological environment," KCNA said.

Despite China's strong response, the test is likely to be a major embarrassment for Beijing, the North's sole major economic and diplomatic ally.

"The test is hugely insulting to China, which now can be expected to follow through with threats to impose sanctions," said Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank.

North Korea trumpeted the announcement on its state television channel to patriotic music against the backdrop of an image of its national flag.

It linked the test to its technical prowess in launching a long-range rocket in December, a move that triggered the U.N. sanctions, backed by China, that Pyongyang said prompted it to take Tuesday's action.

The North's ultimate aim, Washington believes, is to design an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that could hit the United States. North Korea says the program is aimed merely at putting satellites in space.

North Korea used plutonium in previous nuclear tests and prior to Tuesday there had been speculation it would use highly enriched uranium so as to conserve its plutonium stocks as testing eats into its limited supply of the material that could be used to construct a nuclear bomb.

"VICIOUS CYCLE"

Despite its three nuclear tests and long-range rocket tests, North Korea is not believed to be close to manufacturing a nuclear missile capable of hitting the United States.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Pyongyang had informed China and the United States of its plans to test on Monday, although this could not be confirmed.

When North Korean leader Kim, 30, took power after his father's death in December 2011, there were hopes the he would bring reforms and end Kim Jong-il's "military first" policies.

Instead, the North, whose economy is smaller than it was 20 years ago and where a third of children are believed to be malnourished, appears to be trapped in a cycle of sanctions followed by further provocations.

"The more North Korea shoots missiles, launches satellites or conducts nuclear tests, the more the U.N. Security Council will impose new and more severe sanctions," said Shen Dingli, a professor at Shanghai's Fudan University. "It is an endless, vicious cycle."

But options for the international community appear to be in short supply.

Tuesday's action appeared to have been timed for the run-up to February 16 anniversary celebrations of Kim Jong-il's birthday, as well as to achieved maximum international attention.

Significantly, the test comes at a time of political transition in China, Japan and South Korea, and as Obama begins his second term. He will likely have to tweak his State of the Union address due to be given on Tuesday.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is bedding down a new government and South Korea's new president, Park Geun-hye, prepares to take office on February 25.

China too is in the midst of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition to Xi Jinping, who takes office in March. Both Abe and Xi are staunch nationalists.

The longer-term game plan from Pyongyang may be to restart talks aimed at winning food and financial aid. China urged it to return to the stalled "six-party" talks on its nuclear program, hosted by China and including the two Koreas, the United States, Japan and Russia.

Its puny economy and small diplomatic reach mean the North struggles to win attention on the global stage - other than through nuclear tests and attacks on South Korea, last made in 2010.

"Now the next step for North Korea will be to offer talks... - any form to start up discussion again to bring things to their advantage," said Jeung Young-tae, senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, urged North Korea to refrain from further provocation.

EU member Denmark called on China to step up to the plate and use its influence to rein in its ally.

"This deserves only one thing and that is a one-sided condemnation," said Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal. "North Korea is likely the most horrible country on this planet."

(Additional reporting by Jack Kim, Christine Kim and Jumin Park in SEOUL; Linda Sieg in TOKYO; Louis Charbonneau at the UNITED NATIONS; Fredrik Dahl in VIENNA; Michael Martina and Chen Aizhu in BEIJING; Mette Fraende in COPENHAGEN; Adrian Croft, Charlie Dunmore and Justyna Pawlak in BRUSSELS; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/seismic-activity-detected-north-korea-usgs-032529887.html

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Chavez undergoing "delicate" cancer treatment: Venezuela's vice president

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is undergoing "complex" alternative treatments more than two months after having cancer surgery in Cuba, his vice president said on Wednesday.

The 58-year-old socialist leader has not been seen in public since he went to Havana for the operation on December 11, his fourth surgery for cancer in 18 months.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro did not give details of the alternative treatments the president was receiving. Chavez has never said what type of cancer he is suffering from, and critics accuse the government of excessive secrecy over his condition.

"Today our commander is undergoing alternative treatments ... they are complex and difficult treatments that must, at some point, end the cycle of his illness," Maduro said in comments on state TV.

The government, which rejects allegations it has not been transparent about Chavez's health, says he has completed a difficult post-operative period and has started a "new phase" of his recuperation. It has not given details of this new phase.

Any new vote in South America's top oil exporter would probably pit Maduro, Chavez's heir apparent, against Henrique Capriles, the 40-year-old governor of Miranda state, who lost to Chavez in last October's presidential election.

(Reporting by Daniel Wallis and Marianna Parraga; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chavez-undergoing-delicate-cancer-treatment-venezuelas-vice-president-224709371.html

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Home altitude tied to obesity risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Americans who live where the air is thinnest are less likely to be obese than those in low-lying areas, according to a new study.

The results don't mean people should move to higher altitudes to lose weight, said study lead author Dr. Jameson Voss. But the work suggests that elevation may be part of obesity puzzle.

Based on data for more than 400,000 people in the U.S., researchers found Americans living closest to sea level were four to five times more likely to be obese, compared to people who live well above sea level in Colorado.

"I was surprised by the magnitude of the effect? I wasn't expecting such a consistent pattern as what was emerging," said Voss, from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

About 36 percent of American adults are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rates vary across the country, however, with a higher percentage of obese adults in southern states. Western states, such as Nevada and Colorado, report the fewest obese adults.

The reasons behind the difference in obesity prevalence between states are unclear, according to Voss and his colleagues, who published their findings in the International Journal of Obesity.

One possible explanation, they write, is differences in elevation, which can affect appetite hormones, growth and how many calories the body burns.

Cynthia Beall, who researches how the body adapts to high altitudes but was not involved with the new study, said it's common for travelers to high elevations to burn more calories in their first few weeks.

"That person would probably lose some weight during the course of a three week vacation? It would in fact be an interesting question whether that would sustain," said Beall, a professor of anthropology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

To examine obesity rates at different altitudes, the researchers combined information from several databases, including a telephone health survey of 422,603 Americans from 2011.

The researchers had information on 236 people who lived at the highest altitude of at least 3,000 meters (about 9,800 feet) above sea level. Those people all lived in Colorado and tended to smoke less, eat healthier and exercise more.

The researchers also had information on 322,681 people who lived in the lowest altitude range - less than 500 m (about 1,600 ft) above sea level.

After taking into account other factors that could influence the results, the researchers found adults living in the lowest altitude range had a Body Mass Index (BMI) - a measurement of weight in relation to height - of 26.6.

That compared to people who lived in the highest altitude range, who had a BMI of 24.2.

A healthy BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9, and obesity is a score of 30 or more, according to the CDC.

Voss and his colleagues also found a drop in the risk of a person being obese was tied to every 200 m (about 660 ft) increase in elevation.

"It provides some evidence that these associations persist over the long term," Voss said.

RETIREMENT PLAYS A ROLE?

But Beall cautioned that the new findings don't prove the higher altitude prevented people from being obese.

For example, she said that other researchers have found that people living in Colorado's higher altitudes move to lower altitudes when they get sick with chronic diseases.

Voss said that he and his colleagues tried to adjust for retirement and population loss, but they write that they were not able to see how long each person actually lived at a certain elevation.

Beall told Reuters Health that it would be interesting to take a closer look at the people living in Colorado, and to see whether their obesity prevalence would change if they move to a lower altitude.

"I know from my own self that when I come back to my own activities and diet, I come back to my own weight too," she said.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/WEWACs International Journal of Obesity, online January 29, 2013.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/home-altitude-tied-obesity-risk-160612089.html

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Nokia announces Asha 310, offers dual SIM and WiFi for a Benjamin

After being deemed smartphone worthy back in September last year, the S40 platform has just gained another member with the $102 Nokia Asha 310. The follow-up to the Asha 308 and 309, the latest handset rocks a 3-inch 400 x 240 capacitive touchscreen and touts support for a pair of SIMs along with WiFi -- the very first such device to come out of Espoo. Other specs include easy swap functionality, 128MB internal storage expandable up to 32GB, Nokia's Xpress Browser, a 2-megapixel camera and Nokia Maps navigation. Alas there's no 3G, but WiFi should at least come in handy to download the 40 free EA games on offer. No word on stateside availability just yet, but expect it to land in emerging markets in the Q1 of this year.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/12/nokia-asha-310-launch/

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Bargain Hunting for Womens Plus Size Apparel | Lake Parrot Lovers ...

If acquiring womens plus size apparel is challenging, then finding clothes in large sizes at bargain prices is an even higher challenge. To get the greatest offers on plus size clothes, take into account purchasing internet, at neighborhood shops, and by way of mail-order catalogs. The following are eight approaches for saving cash:

- Appear for a sale, clearance, or outlet section on the website of your favorite retailer. Occasionally, you can save up to 80% off original prices this way. If your retailer is owned by a parent organization, also verify the parent companys website for a clearance or outlet section.

- Comparison shop for similar items at unique internet sites. If you program to wear an item only a couple of instances or occasionally, maybe you can purchase an equivalent but less costly item.

- Frequently use a search engine to appear for a coupon code your retailer will probably have. A great number of sites essentially track these coupon codes along with expiration dates to assist shoppers save. When filling out your order type on the web or in a catalog, appear for an entry for coupon code or promo code and then enter a coupon code that applies. If ordering over the internet, be confident to confirm that you have received the discount for entering the coupon code.

- Go to the internet site of your preferred plus size retailer and sign up to acquire e-mail specials. In addition, if the sign-up type delivers a print catalog, request the catalog also. By signing up, you will receive notifications by means of e-mails and catalogs of any specials the retailer might possibly be obtaining. Note that you ought to sign up only with retailers that seriously interest you or your mailbox may very well turn into crammed with excessive e-mails.

- Acquire clothes out-of-season or pre-season. Lots of retailers will supply steep discounts on out-of-season things.

- Get machine-washable clothing. The price of possessing to dry clean an item will make that item expensive in the lengthy run. If you are not confident no matter if an item is machine-washable, be sure to ask the retailer ahead of you get.

- Stop by nearby stores that carry plus size clothing and browse via their clearance racks. Some neighborhood retailers attempt to speedily rid their racks of excessive inventory to make room for the newest style.

- Obtain items that coordinate well with what you currently have in your wardrobe in terms of styling and color.

Utilizing the above techniques will assist you save on plus size clothes. Dressing well should not have to be an expensive endeavor for the full-figured lady.

To check out more, please go to: zumba fitness clothing uk

Source: http://lakeparrots.com/2013/02/bargain-hunting-for-womens-plus-size-apparel/

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Source: http://pattonglenn8.typepad.com/blog/2013/02/bargain-hunting-for-womens-plus-size-apparel-lake-parrot-lovers.html

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Computerized 'Rosetta Stone' reconstructs ancient languages

Public release date: 11-Feb-2013
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Contact: Chris Balma
balma@science.ubc.ca
604-202-5047
University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia and Berkeley researchers have used a sophisticated new computer system to quickly reconstruct protolanguages the rudimentary ancient tongues from which modern languages evolved.

The results, which are 85 per cent accurate when compared to the painstaking manual reconstructions performed by linguists, will be published next week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"We're hopeful our tool will revolutionize historical linguistics much the same way that statistical analysis and computer power revolutionized the study of evolutionary biology," says UBC Assistant Prof. of Statistics Alexandre Bouchard-Ct, lead author of the study.

"And while our system won't replace the nuanced work of skilled linguists, it could prove valuable by enabling them to increase the number of modern languages they use as the basis for their reconstructions."

Protolanguages are reconstructed by grouping words with common meanings from related modern languages, analyzing common features, and then applying sound-change rules and other criteria to derive the common parent.

The new tool designed by Bouchard-Ct and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley analyzes sound changes at the level of basic phonetic units, and can operate at much greater scale than previous computerized tools.

The researchers reconstructed a set of protolanguages from a database of more than 142,000 word forms from 637 Austronesian languages--spoken in Southeast Asia, the Pacific and parts of continental Asia.

###

BACKGROUND | PROTOLANGUAGES

Most protolanguages do not leave written records--but in some instances reconstructions can be partially verified against ancient texts or literary histories. A notable exception is well-documented Latin, the protolanguage of the Romance languages, which include modern French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan and Spanish.

For examples of protolanguage words reconstructed by the UBC tool, visit: http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/?p=80805.

---

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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.

Public release date: 11-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Chris Balma
balma@science.ubc.ca
604-202-5047
University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia and Berkeley researchers have used a sophisticated new computer system to quickly reconstruct protolanguages the rudimentary ancient tongues from which modern languages evolved.

The results, which are 85 per cent accurate when compared to the painstaking manual reconstructions performed by linguists, will be published next week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"We're hopeful our tool will revolutionize historical linguistics much the same way that statistical analysis and computer power revolutionized the study of evolutionary biology," says UBC Assistant Prof. of Statistics Alexandre Bouchard-Ct, lead author of the study.

"And while our system won't replace the nuanced work of skilled linguists, it could prove valuable by enabling them to increase the number of modern languages they use as the basis for their reconstructions."

Protolanguages are reconstructed by grouping words with common meanings from related modern languages, analyzing common features, and then applying sound-change rules and other criteria to derive the common parent.

The new tool designed by Bouchard-Ct and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley analyzes sound changes at the level of basic phonetic units, and can operate at much greater scale than previous computerized tools.

The researchers reconstructed a set of protolanguages from a database of more than 142,000 word forms from 637 Austronesian languages--spoken in Southeast Asia, the Pacific and parts of continental Asia.

###

BACKGROUND | PROTOLANGUAGES

Most protolanguages do not leave written records--but in some instances reconstructions can be partially verified against ancient texts or literary histories. A notable exception is well-documented Latin, the protolanguage of the Romance languages, which include modern French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan and Spanish.

For examples of protolanguage words reconstructed by the UBC tool, visit: http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/?p=80805.

---

[ | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/uobc-cs020813.php

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Union-Endicott wins STAC cheerleading competition

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Source: http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20130210/NEWS01/302100056/1112/

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Grill In The Chill: Hot Tips For Cold Weather BBQ ? CBS Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) -?While the weather may be frigid, hearty grillers will still brave brutal temps to brush the snow off the BBQ and turn up the heat for their favorite grilled meats.

Many people fail to realize, however, that different rules apply for barbequing in cold weather versus warmer months.

Those who are dying to?melt?away some winter blues by firing up the grill for?some juicy burgers or?steak should consider the following tips and tricks to properly ?Grill in the Chill.?

1. Winter Check-Up

If you have not checked the operation of your grill since the end of the summer, don?t wait until an hour before your guests arrive. Fire up the grill the day before and use a grill brush to clean up the grate. Also, be sure your propane tanks are full and ready to go. Charcoal grills will create better control over the temperature in the harsh conditions and give your meats a delicious smoky flavor.

2. Shield the Goods

The number one winter grilling enemy is not cold temperatures, but wind. Wind makes it difficult to keep your cooker at proper cooking temperature and may even blow out the flame if you are using a gas grill. Position your grill in a location that?s sheltered from wind but still safe. Never grill on an indoor porch or in your garage. This creates a fire hazard and risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

3. Keep the Heat

Avoid complex dishes that involve a lot of time tending to cooking food. Keeping the dishes simple allows for less time opening and closing the lid too many times. You can also warm your platters in the oven to help keep your grilled meats warm as they come off the grill.

4. Bonus Time

Meats may take longer to cook on a cold winter day. A dish that takes 20 minutes in the summer may take 40 minutes in the winter. A meat thermometer can help you determine the proper doneness.

5. Never Pierce the Casing

Those three diagonal cuts so many of us put in our hot dogs before grilling generally provide no taste improvement or enhancement. In fact, many natural juices and spices run out of these slices, diminishing the hot dog?s taste and plump appearance. Cook your hot dogs over med-low heat instead, and remove from grill once they are browned.

6. Gear Up Right

Even the quick run from the door to the grill can be a chilly one. You want to bundle up, but make sure you?re always aware of grill safety. Loose clothing and draping scarves can easily fall into the line of fire. Grab a pair of gloves with removable fingertips for the best grilling mobility.

Source: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/02/09/grill-in-the-chill-hot-tips-for-cold-weather-bbq/

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Deep fried foods increase risk of developing aggressive prostate ...

(NaturalNews) Prostate cancer will affect one in six men during the course of their lifetime, as nearly a quarter of a million new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. While many cases of the disease remain localized as a growing number of patients adopt a wait and see attitude toward the traditional slash, burn and poison treatment options, aggressive forms of prostate cancer are on the rise, threatening the lives of thousands of men annually.

Despite ever-increasing awareness that diet and cooking methods play a direct role in disease prevention and progression, consumption of overcooked and fried foods continues to increase at an alarming rate. A new research study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA has found that regular consumption of deep fried foods is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Publishing in The Prostate, scientists determined the effect appears to be slightly stronger with regard to more aggressive forms of the disease.

Past studies have shown that high heat cooking methods greatly increase the risk of developing not only prostate cancer, but digestive cancers as well. This is the first study to examine how eating fried foods increases the risk of prostate cancer. Study scientists analyzed data from two prior population-based case-control studies involving a total of 1,549 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and 1,492 age-matched healthy controls. Food questionnaires were used to determine consumption of foods including French fries, fried chicken, fried fish and doughnuts. Frequency of eating fried foods was also assessed as part of the overall evaluation.

Researchers found that men who ate one or more of these foods at least weekly had an increased risk of prostate cancer that ranged from 30 to 37 percent. The lead study author, Dr. Janet Stanford commented "The link between prostate cancer and select deep-fried foods appeared to be limited to the highest level of consumption, defined in our study as more than once a week, which suggests that regular consumption of deep-fried foods confers particular risk for developing prostate cancer."

The team determined that frying dramatically increases the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE's) on the surface of foods that triggers the formation of carcinogens such as acrylamides (found in carbohydrate-rich foods such as French fries), heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (chemicals formed when meat is cooked at high temperatures), aldehydes and acrolein. Complete avoidance of foods cooked at high temperatures or fried will dramatically lower the risk of developing prostate cancer and other digestive cancers as well.

Sources for this article include:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pros.22643/abstract
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130128142849.htm
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/fhcr-sfe012813.php

About the author:
John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.

Have comments on this article? Post them here:

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Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/039024_deep_fried_foods_prostate_cancer_carcinogens.html

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How airlines prepare for big storms

Scott Mayerowitz , The Associated Press ? ? ? 16 hrs.

NEW YORK -- As the Northeast braces for its largest winter storm in more than a year, airlines are already employing a strategy that has served them well in recent years: Cancel flights early and keep planes and crews ? and passengers ? away from snowed-in airports.

Up to 3 feet of snow was forecast along the densely populated Interstate 95 corridor from the New York City area to Boston and beyond. In response, the major airlines plan to shut down their Northeast operations by Friday afternoon, and canceled nearly 1,100 flights for Saturday.

Get blizzard updates at Weather.com

That means emergency planning for Boston's Logan International Airport, the three major airports in the New York Metropolitan area and smaller airports around the region.

WATCH NOW: Live streaming video of the Northeast blizzard

Here are some questions and answers about what the airlines are doing:

Q: What are the airlines doing differently?

A: Just a few years ago, a powerful storm dumping two feet of snow on the Northeast would have brought havoc to some of the region's busiest airports. Passengers would sit on a plane for hours, hoping to take off. Families slept on the airport floor with luggage piled up around them. The only meal options came from vending machines.

Now, having learned from storm mismanagement and the bad public relations that followed, U.S. airlines have rewritten their severe weather playbooks. They've learned to cancel flights early and keep the public away from airports, even if that means they'll have a bigger backlog to deal with once conditions improve.

Travelers can still face dayslong delays in getting home, but the advanced cancellations generally mean they get more notice and can wait out the storm at home or a hotel, rather than on a cot at the airport.

Q: Why is it smarter to cancel early?

A: It allows the airlines to tell gate agents, baggage handlers and flight crews to stay home ? keeping them fresh once they're needed again.

And by moving planes to airports outside of the storm's path, airlines can protect their equipment and thereby get flight schedules back to normal quickly after a storm passes and airports reopen.

These precautions make good business sense. They also help the airlines comply with government regulations that impose steep fines for leaving passengers stuck on planes for three hours or more. And they reduce the chance of horror-story footage of stranded passengers showing up on the nightly news.

Q: When did airlines change their storm preparations?

A: Things changed almost exactly six years ago. JetBlue was late to cancel flights as a massive snowstorm hammered the East Coast on Valentine's Day weekend in 2007. Passengers were stranded on planes for hours. When the storm finally cleared, other airlines resumed flights but JetBlue's operations were still a mess.

Other airlines took note. Severe weather manuals were updated. Reservation systems were programmed to automatically rebook passengers when flights are canceled. And travelers now receive notifications by email, phone or text message.

Q.: What should passengers do?

A.: Daniel Baker, CEO of FlightAware, says that any traveler planning to fly through the Northeast, or has a connection at one of its airports, should "change their travel plans immediately." He recommends using the airlines' websites over potentially backed up call centers.

In general, passengers shouldn't rush to the airport in hopes of getting a flight before the snow falls. Check with your airline, which will likely cancel your flight before the storm is near your airport.

The good news is that if you miss your connection, the airlines will automatically rebook you on the next available flight. The bad news is that next flight could be a while if you're traveling to or from a city that is buried under a foot or more of snow.

If you're unhappy with your rebooked flight pick up the phone and call the airline directly. Or go onto the airline's website and even consider sending a Tweet.

Q.: How tough is it for the airlines to get operations back to normal?

A.: Once the clouds clear, flights won't start up immediately.

When Superstorm Sandy hit the New York area, JetBlue's Rob Maruster, the airline's chief operating officer, equated starting up the airline again to putting together a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. It's not about staffing levels, but an overall game plan that makes sense. "At a certain point, putting more hands on the table doesn't help get it solved faster," he said.

The airlines will need to ask a lot of questions before bringing in planes.

First, are the runways open?

Next, is there public transit to get workers to the airport? If not, does the airline have enough staff staying at nearby hotels that can be bused in?

Finally, the airline has to check on all the other people needed to run an airport: the Transportation Security Administration, customs officials, caters, fuel trucks and even the people who push wheelchairs through the terminal.

Baker, the FligthAware CEO, notes that the timing of this storm does work in the airlines' favor.

"Fortunately, Saturday is the lightest travel day of the week, so airlines can use the day to restart their operations in time for the Sunday evening travel rush," Baker says.

? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/how-airlines-prepare-big-storms-1B8304323

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Medal of Honor recipient's heroic story (CNN)

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Motherhood and More: Q & A: Our Nomadic Trip around America

Our family is starting a grand adventure in April. There's actually a word for what we're going to be - digital nomads. It's apparently a "thing." (And here we thought we were being so innovative.) Seriously, Google "digital nomad families" and you will see some of the most fascinating blogs ever. Like, ever ever. I'll highlight some of them on another post.

If you're just joining us, here's a brief rundown of what we're doing and why:

1. We have to move out of our rental house at the end of April because our landlord is selling and we aren't in a position to buy.

2. My husband and I both work from home, and our kids are homeschooled. Ergo, we can technically live anywhere.

3. Since we are not bound by a lease, a mortgage, or job/school locations, we've decided to pare down our belongings, store our major must-keeps, and take our life on the road for a year. We will live like we do now (working and schooling), only from furnished rental homes all over the country. In our down time, we'll explore wherever we are and spend time with friends and family who live afar.

4. Because we can. And because we might be slightly insane.

Some of you lovely folks put forth some questions about our plans on my Facebook page. Here they are, in no particular order.

Q's and A's about Our Big Digital Nomad Trip

Are the kids helping with the planning?

If by "helping with the planning" you mean whining and complaining about having to leave our lovely home and idyllic neighborhood, then yes, they're helping. :)

No, honestly, they really don't have much of a say in where we're going at this point. We don't really either, for that matter. Much of our itinerary is being determined by budget, which I'll get into in a minute. And up to now, all of the planning has pretty much been me sifting through rental websites - not really something they can help with. But once we're on the road, they'll help a lot with deciding what places we'll explore.

How will you stay sane? No, really, I mean how will each person get enough alone time? I'm assuming you won't be staying in houses everywhere you go.

We will actually be staying in furnished condos, for the most part. They'll be small - generally two bedrooms, sometimes three. But I think we'll be okay as far as space goes. I'm the queen of needing alone time, so I really value the importance of having some space to get away. But even in the 2700 square foot house we're in now, I find it difficult to truly get away unless I leave the house. I'm like a kid magnet.

I'm actually more concerned about staying sane during the long car rides. Our first destination is a 30-hour drive. So I'm collecting ideas for keeping the moppets happy in the car. (Pass them along if you have any.)

What is your budget for this trip?

I'm glad you asked. I'm sure when people hear about our plans they probably imagine we're a wealthy family who has the means to travel the country for a year.

We're not wealthy. We're not destitute, of course, but we're sitting solidly in the middle-class, still fully in the 15% tax bracket as far as income goes. One of the main reasons we decided to go on this adventure is because we figure it'll give us an opportunity to travel without spending much extra money beyond our normal expenses.

Let me explain:

Living in our area of the Chicago suburbs, renting a nice 3- or 4-bedroom house, including all utilities and expenses, costs us approximately $2000 a month. Before you freak out one way or the other, let me just point out that for some of you that amount might seem crazy high and for others it might sound crazy low. One thing I've learned moving around a lot is that housing costs differ massively from one place to another. We could rent a smaller place for a couple hundred dollars cheaper, and a nicer place for a little or a lot more than that. But $2000 with all utilities and housing-related expenses included is a reasonable amount to budget for housing here.

So that's what we're budgeting for housing on our trip. Actually, we're budgeting more like $1800, since storage will cost about $180 per month and we're including that in our housing budget.

However, that $1800/mo for rental homes is our monthly average over the course of our year. The summer rentals are significantly higher than that, and the winter places will be significantly lower. Our most expensive place is a 3-bedroom condo in Seattle - $2700 for 3 weeks in July. Ouch. But July is expensive no matter where you go. Believe, me, I spent a lot of time trying to find our July place. (And $90 a night for a 3-bedroom condo, including taxes, is still pretty darn tootin'.)

And those expensive summer places will be offset during the off-season. The places we're looking at for the winter are $700 - $800 per month. I'm looking right now at a house in Michigan that would be $1000/month for September and October. Cape Cod, Myrtle Beach, Florida - all super cheap November through March. So on average, we should easily come out within our housing budget.

Gas costs, of course, are going to be higher than our normal expenses, so we'll have to factor that in. I'm thinking that the money we make from the stuff we're selling as we pare down our belongings will help with gas costs. And any costs that go over that will be considered vacation expense.

Food might fall into that category sometimes. Since all of the places we're staying will have full kitchens, we'll just shop and cook and eat like we normally do. I'm sure there will be some extra eating out during our long drives, but we have so many dietary issues in our family that eating out is often more of a pain than it's worth. I anticipate keeping a cooler and a bin in the car for foodstuffs, so we'll be able to take extra spices or leftover food with us from place to place. With some careful planning, I'm hoping that food won't be too much of an issue.

The only other major expense we'll have is attractions, which will be a bit tricky to navigate. We have a museum pass that gets us reciprocal admission to all kinds of museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums, so we'll be able to use that for a lot of exploring. And I'm big on finding free places. I plan on hitting as many state and national parks as we can.

Another consideration is that the kids won't be taking any classes or be in any extracurricular activities. We normally would have them in some sort of outside class or sport or something, so not having to pay for those frees up a bit of cash for exploration.

Will The Muse be able to keep up with her music lessons while on the road?

The Muse and music lessons could take up a whole other post. (Sigh) Right now, she's not taking any lessons. She took the summer off, and then we started searching for a new teacher that was closer to our house. We weren't having any luck finding a good fit, and then we decided to do this trip, so it seemed silly to hire someone for just a few months. I've now found a couple of teachers who teach online, but I'm not sure yet how we're going to proceed. So yes, there are options. We just haven't come to any decisions yet. I still have her keeping to a practice schedule so that her skills don't take too much of a beating.

Will you base your lesson plans on your location?

Lesson plans? What are those? :) Yes, we'll definitely incorporate the history and geography of wherever we are into our learning. I'm also bringing our basic curriculum materials, and we're moving some of our subjects to online/digital resources. (Honestly, we could almost exclusively homeschool using just the computers, the Kindle, and the iPad, but I'm still desperately clinging to pen and paper. So we're striking a balance as far as that goes.) But one of the major perks of this trip is getting to see historical places first hand, so yes, we'll be basing our American history and geography (and likely nature/science studies) on wherever we are.

How will you handle the tremendous amount of guilt you will most certainly feel upon leaving behind your loved ones, especially those who have been with you through thick and thin?

Gee, I wonder who could have asked this question . . .

Oh, P-Diddles. You know I'll miss you. :)

I don't feel guilty about our trip, but I do feel a bit conflicted about moving on to a different chapter in our lives. We don't know where we'll be settling when this trip is over, so it's hard to know how to feel. We may very well end up coming back here, so we're not saying any goodbyes or anything.??

Are you coming my way?/Why isn't Texas on the itinerary?

We're getting a lot of requests to go various places, and I so wish we could go everywhere! Texas may very well end up on the itinerary - we don't know where we'll be in March yet. We'll let people know as we're traveling through different areas of the country, and hopefully we can at least meet up briefly with some of you! And if anyone wants to offer us a place to stay, we'll go out of our way to take you up on it. :)

What is your ideal end result for each of you to take away with you from this trip?

Gosh, this is such a great question, and one I've thought about a lot. As it gets closer, I want to discuss it more with the rest of the family as well to see what they're thinking. So I'll share everyone else's thoughts later. But here's what I'm hoping for myself and for the family:

1. I want to build strong, interesting family memories. It's so easy to just let time go by and not have our days marked by something significant or new. This trip will be a benchmark in our family's collective memory, as well as our own individual life stories. I love that.

2. I hope that we will all see that we don't need much to be happy and live well. All we're taking with us is what will fit in the car and in a car top carrier. I love that we'll be focusing on experiences and not things, and I'm hoping that value will stick.

3. I hope we'll get to appreciate different landscapes, cultural nuances, and lifestyles as we travel the country. I want us to experience regional differences and similarities, enjoy the wildly diverse natural beauty America has to offer, and explore places we didn't even know existed.

4. I hope my kids will gain enough exposure to adversity that they'll understand that a 30-hour car ride is not the worst thing that could happen to them. :)

No, really I hope they'll understand why we chose to take this trip. Right now, the girls are a bit reticent to leave their friends and the neighborhood they've really fallen in love with. I hope they'll learn that "home" is where your family is - the rest is just geography.

Let me know if you have any other questions, and?I'll keep you posted as it all comes together.

:) Annie

Source: http://www.motherhoodandmore.com/2013/02/q-our-nomadic-trip-around-america.html

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Firstpost - ? 'Over two-thirds of Indian businesses face skills shortage'

Businesses around the world are reporting a skills shortage epidemic that is weighing on growth prospects, according to new research from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR).

Almost four in ten (39 percent) businesses around the world are struggling to recruit the right people, with a lack of technical skills cited as the primary problem (64 percent). The concern is that a lack of talent will dampen business productivity, ultimately threatening future growth and profitability, a Grant Thornton statement said Friday.

The findings for India state that it takes about an average of 96 days for an organisation to recruit skilled workers. The primary challenge faced by 76 percent Indian businesses is the shortage of technical or specific skills. The other challenges are shortage of general employability skills such as team work, communications, followed by lack of applicants and required work experience faced by 61 percent businesses, respectively.

e IBR reveals that more than one in four businesses (28 percent) expects their 2013 expansion plans to suffer as a result of skills shortages

Vinamra Shastri ? National Staff Partner, Grant Thornton in India said: ?With rampant unemployment in many mature economies; it is rather ironic that business leaders are concerned by lack of skills, but that is the fact today. In the short-term businesses will need to plug these skills gaps with people from outside the organisation as best they can. But in the longer-term they need to invest in their internal training programmes to mould the people that will help them deliver on strategy, innovate and ultimately grow.?

The reported shortage of technical skills is as much an issue in developed as emerging economies. It is cited by 61 percent of the BRIC businesses and 65 percent of their peers in the G7. A lack of both work experience (56 percent) and qualifications (54 percent) are also mentioned. One in four business leaders (21 percent) cite restrictions on immigration, the release added.

The impact of these workforce issues on business growth prospects is evident: the IBR reveals that more than one in four businesses (28 percent) expects their 2013 expansion plans to suffer as a result of skills shortages, rising to more than one in three in the BRIC economies (36 percent). This has dropped from 35 percent globally pre-financial crisis when employment levels were much higher ? particularly in mature economies, Grant Thornton said.

Firstpost encourages open discussion and debate, but please adhere to the rules below, before posting. Comments that are found to be in violation of any one or more of the guidelines will be automatically deleted:

Personal attacks/name calling will not be tolerated. This applies to comments directed at the author, other commenters and other politicians/public figures

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While you do not have to use your real name, any commenters using any Firstpost writer's name will be deleted, and the commenter banned from participating in any future discussions.

Comments will be moderated for abusive and offensive language.

Source: http://www.firstpost.com/business/over-two-thirds-of-indian-businesses-face-skills-shortage-618454.html

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