YouTube Changes Its Search Ranking Algorithm To Focus On Engagement, Not Just Clicks

youtube logoYouTube just announced that it is changing its search ranking algorithm to highlight videos that keep viewers engaged. The idea here, says YouTube, is to "reward engaging videos that keep viewers watching." Because of this change, YouTube expects that the time viewers spent watching videos from search will increase in the near future.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ECBhqE91GG4/

wooly mammoth no child left behind no child left behind neurofibromatosis steve jobs fbi file suge knight obama birth control

Great Tips for Small Online Businesses 2012 | Vietbac Security

Take great pictures to increase sales. Nothing is more disappointing to customers than cruising the Internet for something to buy and stumbling across a product that sounds great but has a bad or non-existent picture. Let customers see what they are buying by displaying quality photographs on your website of all the products that you offer. Take multiple pictures to show different views when necessary.

If you are selling a product that you make, be absolutely sure that you know how much it is costing you to create, because you do not want to be losing money. A basic wholesale mark-up would be twice the price of cost. A standard retail mark-up would be twice the price of wholesale. Make your price-point something both you and your customers can live with.

Many people think that they can start a business at home with nothing and make it work. While this might be the case sometimes, you should always have an emergency fund and an investment set aside, to help grow your business and offset any sudden emergencies. A good business has a good cushion, and does not red line its way to the top.

Dress for success. In a home office scenario, you may feel the desire to work in your pajamas. Just because you can doesn???t mean you should. Dress up for work like you would for any other business. This puts you in the right mind set to be as productive as possible.

You will want to rent a post-office box for receiving any mail related to your home business. It is not safe to publish your address online, and you need to be careful. Having a PO box is a security measure and will prevent someone you don???t know from coming to your home unannounced.

Once you decide to start a home business you need to get online. It is essential that you choose the right host for your site. The first thing you need to do is figure out what your needs are. Do you want a simple HTML site or do you plan on including features such as a discussion board, a database and ecommerce? Your hosting company must support all of the features you need at a reasonable price.

You can write off part of your internet bill on your taxes if your home business is internet based. Be honest as this will protect you in case of an audit.

If you are going to splurge on any home office furniture, splurge on a very comfortable office chair. You are going to spend many, many hours in this chair and if it is uncomfortable, you will not be as productive as you could be and you could technically, do damage to your body.

Join a few online forums and discussion groups that focus on the subject of home business. A quick Internet search will turn up quite a few good sites, and you can glean some wonderful information from them. There are also many online blogs that you will find helpful. Don???t be afraid to ask questions.

If you are going to start a home business you should only sell items you have an interest in. If you don???t like or believe in what you are selling then you won???t convince your customers to buy it either. If you don???t like the product then don???t sell it.

If you have developed a product that you want to sell on a wholesale basis, identify your potential business customers through search engine results, local stores or word of mouth. Contact these stores via email, asking them if you can send them a free sample or wholesale package with several samples. Follow up after sending to help make the sale.

Make sure your home business web site looks professional and is designed with the user in mind. While there are numerous options to build your own site for little or no cost, often investing a little in a clean and professional design pays off quickly. Visitors are more likely to return again or recommend your site if it is easy to use and appealing.

Take breaks. Keeping a home business going can take a lot of work, and many work at home business owners work non-stop as long as they can. This is a mistake. Taking regular breaks makes you in fact more likely to have a clear head when dealing with business issues.[adboxr]

Find out how to accept credit card purchases for your home business. There are several wonderful web sites online that can help you with the process. You can also check with your bank to see if they can help. You need to make it as convenient as possible for people to buy your product; if it is a hassle, they probably will not want to bother completing the deal.

Related Posts:

Source: http://www.vietbacsecurity.com/2012/10/great-tips-for-small-online-businesses-2012/

john derbyshire kinkade thomas kinkade paintings easter bunny navy jet crash virginia beach isiah thomas passover

'Walking Dead': 5 things to know about season 3

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

You smell that? That's the smell of dead flesh, rotting corpses and gunpowder. You know what that means..."The Walking Dead" is back! Mmmm, take a big sniff.You smell that? That's the smell of dead flesh, rotting corpses and gunpowder. You know what that means..."The Walking Dead" is back! Mmmm, take a big sniff.


Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2012/10/12/14401055-walking-dead-5-things-to-know-about-season-three?lite

safeway standing rib roast its a wonderful life its a wonderful life rex ryan yule log ham recipes

BlackBerry 10 ?L Series? model shown off in Mexican sales demo [video]

{ttle}

{cptn}","template_name":"ss_thmb_play_ttle","i18n":{"end_of_gallery_header":"End of Gallery","end_of_gallery_next":"View Again"},"metadata":{"pagination":"{firstVisible} - {lastVisible} of {numItems}","ult":{"spaceid":"7665149","sec":""}}},{"id": "hcm-carousel-1513467214", "dataManager": C.dmgr, "mediator": C.mdtr, "group_name":"hcm-carousel-1513467214", "track_item_selected":1,"tracking":{ "spaceid" : "7665149", "events" : { "click" : { "any" : { "yui-carousel-prev" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"prev","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } }, "yui-carousel-next" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"next","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // no more pages, don't beacon again // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } } } } } } })); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {(function() { try{ if (Math.floor(Math.random()*10) == 1) { var loc = window.location, decoded = decodeURI(loc.pathname), encoded = encodeURI(decoded), uri = loc.protocol + "//" + loc.host + encoded + ((loc.search.length > 0) ? loc.search + '&' : '?') + "_cacheable=1", xmlhttp; if (window.XMLHttpRequest) xmlhttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); else xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); xmlhttp.open("GET",uri,true); xmlhttp.send(); } }catch(e){} })(); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings = '"projectId": "10001256862979", "documentName": "", "documentGroup": "", "ywaColo" : "vscale3", "spaceId" : "7665149" ,"customFields" : { "12" : "classic", "13" : "story" }'; Y.Media.YWA.init(Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {if(document.onclick===YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.newClick){document.onclick=YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.oldClick;} }); }); });

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackberry-10-l-series-model-shown-off-mexican-174026619.html

Nashville TV Show VP debate yankees drew brees drew brees sandusky Sam Champion

China Nobel winner Mo likely to steer clear of politics: translator

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's newest Nobel laureate, novelist Mo Yan, could use his new-found stature to make a subtle difference in the arena of freedom of speech in China, but he is more likely to keep his head down and avoid politics, his translator said on Friday.

The 57-year-old Chinese author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature on Thursday, has achieved his success by working within a system with distinct boundaries, not ignoring them, said Howard Goldblatt, who has translated several of Mo's works into English, including the acclaimed "Red Sorghum". The book was later the basis for a film directed by Zhang Yimou.

"I think Mo Yan could actually, in a very nuanced way, make a difference and get some of this stuff happening," Goldblatt said by telephone from Boulder, Colorado, referring to improving freedom of speech and conditions for writers.

"To be honest with you, I doubt that he will. I think he's just a novelist who doesn't want to be involved in those things."

"He wants to continue to write, and to continue to write the kinds of things he needs and wants to write he has to live within certain parameters."

Mo is the first Chinese national to win the prize, which comes with a financial reward of $1.2 million, and the decision was celebrated by state-controlled media in China and on popular Chinese microblogging sites.

Critics have said the decision was odd, and that Mo's works were not artistically original, emulating Latin American authors. Dissident artist Ai Weiwei said Mo carried the "taint of government".

Such comments were neither accurate nor fair, though, said Goldblatt, who noted that Mo started writing his trademark fantastical novels before reading Latin American works by authors including Gabriel Garcia-Marquez.

"If he's influenced by anything he's influenced by Chinese storyteller traditions, by the mindset and the concept of place by Faulkner," he said, referring to U.S. writer William Faulkner.

"NO PUSHOVER"

Mo is a Communist Party member who grew up in a small town and served in the military, which Goldblatt said colored his world view. But he was not very different, in that respect, to other authors in China.

"They are all party members, and they are all members of the (state-backed) writers union," Goldblatt said.

"You have to be. And all of these other writers are writing under the same strictures, they're writing in the same environment, they know the rules, they do essentially what he does."

Mo is not a pushover, though. He has not been afraid to push the literary limits and some of his works have been banned in China. His 1988 book "The Garlic Ballads", which Goldblatt later translated into English, depicts folly and brutality in Communist policy, which leads to tragedy.

Twelve years ago, when Chinese-born author Gao Xingjian was awarded the Nobel literature prize, Beijing attacked the exiled dissident writer and sharply criticized the Nobel award committee. Mo publicly defended Gao.

"He was one of a very, very small number of writers who came out and defended Gao Xingjian saying 'He's a good writer, he's Chinese, all of these things that you're saying are simply not true'."

"You know, he respects and likes the dissidents," said Goldblatt.

"He just doesn't want to become one of them in exile."

(Editing by Sui-Lee Wee and Robert Birsel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-nobel-winner-mo-likely-steer-clear-politics-042531079.html

mumia uss arizona memorial uss arizona memorial d day red solo cup new planet new planet

Video: Engineered flies spill secret of seizures

Friday, October 12, 2012

In a newly reported set of experiments that show the value of a particularly precise but difficult genetic engineering technique, researchers at Brown University and the University of California?Irvine have created a Drosophila fruit fly model of epilepsy to discern the mechanism by which temperature-dependent seizures happen.

The researchers used a technique called homologous recombination ? a more precise and sophisticated technique than transgenic gene engineering ? to give flies a disease-causing mutation that is a direct analogue of the mutation that leads to febrile epileptic seizures in humans. They observed the temperature-dependent seizures in whole flies and also observed the process in their brains. What they discovered is that the mutation leads to a breakdown in the ability of certain cells that normally inhibit brain overactivity to properly regulate their electrochemical behavior.

In addition to providing insight into the neurology of febrile seizures, said Robert Reenan, professor of biology at Brown and a co-corresponding author of the paper published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience, the study establishes the fruit fly model as a viable genetic platform for the study of epilepsy and validates the use of homologous recombination, which could also be applied to other genetically linked diseases.

"This is the first time anyone has introduced a human disease-causing mutation overtly into the same gene that flies possess," Reenan said.

Engineering seizures

Homologous recombination (HR) starts with the transgenic technique of harnessing a transposable element (jumping gene) to insert a specially mutated gene just anywhere into the fly's DNA, but then goes beyond that to ultimately place the mutated gene into exactly the same position as the natural gene on the X chromosome. HR does this by outfitting the gene to be handled by the cell's own DNA repair mechanisms, essentially tricking the cell into putting the mutant copy into exactly the right place. Reenan's success with the technique allowed him to win a special grant from the National Institutes of Health last year.

The new paper is a result of that grant and Reenan's collaboration with neurobiologist Diane O'Dowd at UC?Irvine. Reenan and undergraduate Jeff Gilligan used HR to insert a mutated version of the para gene in fruit flies that is a direct parallel of the mutation in the human gene SCN1A that causes febrile seizures in people.

When the researchers placed flies in tubes and bathed the tubes in 104-degree F water, the mutant fruit flies had seizures after 20 seconds in which their legs would begin twitching followed by wing flapping, abdominal curling, and an inability to remain standing. After that, they remained motionless for as long as half an hour before recovering. Unaltered flies, meanwhile, exhibited no temperature-dependent seizures.

The researchers also found that seizure susceptibility was dose-dependent. Female flies with mutant strains of both copies of the para gene (females have two copies of the X chromosome) were the most susceptible to seizures. Those in whom only one copy of the gene was a mutant were less likely than those with two to seize, but more likely than the controls.

While the researchers at Brown compared the seizure susceptibility of whole flies, O'Dowd, lead author Lei Sun, and colleagues at Irvine studied individual fly neurons implicated in seizure activity to see how they behaved as the brains were heated. What their measurements revealed in the mutant flies were flaws in how "GABAergic" neurons take in sodium through channels in the cell membrane. Under normal circumstances, the neurons inhibit brain overactivity. But the mutants' mishandling of sodium led them to fail electrically.

"When [O'Dowd's team] isolates those currents due to the sodium channel, which is what's mutated in this case, and she compares the normal animals to the disease-model animals, what happens is the mutant channels pass too much current," Reenan said. "The channels open too easily and they take more effort to close. They open too soon and they close too late. That effect is magnified at higher temperature. Then the neuron can't send any [inhibitory] signals."

Searching for therapies

With a useful genetic model of epilepsy in fruit flies, Reenan said he is optimistic that researchers can now look for potential treatments for the disease. The next step, he said, is to use the practice of "forward genetics" to look for further mutations that might counter febrile seizures.

Given thousands of flies with model of the disease, scientists can purposely subject them to different DNA-altering conditions and then look to see if any flies lose their propensity for seizures. Among those that do, the researchers can then identify the specific genetic alteration responsible and determine whether that could ever be clinically applied. For example, if it turns out that a mutation proves therapeutic because it causes a certain protein to be overexpressed, then perhaps that protein could be refined into some kind of biologic pharmaceutical.

Reenan said he'd expect to see researchers follow a similar roadmap for other diseases as well.

"Knock-in of specific disease-causing mutations into the fly genome has the potential to provide a rapid and low-cost platform for studying the cellular mechanisms of heritable human diseases," the authors wrote. "In addition, knock-in flies can be used in combination with forward genetic screens to identify suppressor and/or enhancer mutations, a strategy that is challenging in humans and rodent models but well established in Drosophila."

###

Brown University: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau

Thanks to Brown University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 51 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/124441/Video__Engineered_flies_spill_secret_of_seizures

coachella lineup coachella 2012 lineup school delays joran van der sloot honey badger critics choice awards 2012 colbert president

Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 8-Inch and 10-Inch Skillet Twin ...

Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 8-Inch and 10-Inch Skillet Twin PackReviewed by on Oct 11 Expand upon your existing Farberware Classic Series cookware with this collectable, specialty piece. One of the most used pans in any well-eq Expand upon your existing Farberware Classic Series cookware with this collectable, specialty piece. One of the most used pans in any well-equipped kitchen. Skillets have sloped sides so that foods slide out easily. Used for cooking omelets, quesadillas, sauteing vegetables, searing steaks, fish and poultry. Posted by 220.55

Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 8-Inch and 10-Inch Skillet Twin Pack

  • Includes sn 8 inch and 10 inch skillet
  • Durable stainless steel construction for durability and exceptional beauty.
  • Thick aluminum core base for even heat distribution.
  • Dishwasher safe and oven safe to 350?F / 180?C.
  • Limited lifetime warranty

Expand upon your existing Farberware Classic Series cookware with this collectable, specialty piece. One of the most used pans in any well-equipped kitchen. Skillets have sloped sides so that foods slide out easily. Used for cooking omelets, quesadillas, sauteing vegetables, searing steaks, fish and poultry.

Source: http://hobrosolutions.com/farberware-classic-stainless-steel-8-inch-and-10-inch-skillet-twin-pack/

hangover cure lebron james engaged auld lang syne end of the world 2012 pink martini times square 2012 predictions

Take time to manage your business | Xero Accounting Software

There are two parts to being in business, doing the work and managing the business. Most people in business spend way too much time doing and not nearly enough time managing.

Nirvana for an entrepreneur is when all they do is manage the business.This is when the business owner evolves into a Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer. However most SMEs simply are not big enough to sustain a full time person running the business. If this is your position then you must take time to stop doing the business and spend some time managing the business.

In my experience the best way to do this is to have a regular board meeting. Most businesses have monthly board meetings and probably miss one or two a year, so end up with about ten. Two monthly might be better for you, but I feel the minimum is quarterly meetings.

I also suggest you appoint either your accountant or someone else that you respect to act as your chairperson. This will give you the discipline to devote the correct amount of time and energy in managing your business. You may also want to include someone from your team and if possible another independent director with expertise in an area that you are weak.

The next thing you need to do is have some regular reporting. The Management Report in Xero is perfect for this and covers off all the key financial data. If you have a strategic plan that you have converted into a budget the Management Report in Xero can compare your actual results to the budget. This is an excellent level of reporting. It is likely that you will have some key factors that seriously affect your business that are nonfinancial and I suggest you look at the best way to collect that data and put it in a report, even better if it is being compared to a target.

Your board report needs to be published to your board members at least two days before the board meeting, to allow enough time for people to read and consider the contents, especially if the report includes items that require opinion from the board members. Board meetings are a great time to ask questions and consider different opinions.

Once you have your board report built you need to hold your board meeting. I currently sit on four boards, two of which I am the Chairman. The agenda I like to follow is:

? ?AGENDA

  1. Apologies
  2. Minutes from previous meeting
  3. Action items from previous meeting
  4. CEO report
    a. Next 3 months
    b. Sales & Marketing
    c. Operations
    d. Finance
    e. HR
  5. Specific Growth Plan
    a. Top of mind for the CEO
    b. Next hires
    c. Funding
    d. Execution
  6. Annual discussion topic
  7. General Business
  8. Time, date and location of the next board meeting

Board meetings normally run for one to two hours, but can sometimes be longer. You need to be careful that the time taken to build the report(s) for the board is not too onerous, or you will start to get sick of the process. Quite often in the case of board reporting less is more.

You will note in my Agenda above I have ?Annual discussion topic? and I think that needs further explanation. Once a year I like to build an annual plan for the board meeting and come up with 6-8 topics that we need to consider and spend 20-30 minutes devoted to that topic at each meeting. Quite often these will come from the strategic plan. They quite often include big ideas, what-ifs, risk reviews, or reviews of certain elements of the business, like the marketing strategy for example.

I hope you agree that managing your business is as important as doing your business. True entrepreneurs can do both really well. Running board meetings may seem old fashioned to some, but they work really well. How important do you see management is in respect to entrepreneurship and how do you execute this in your business?

?

Source: http://blog.xero.com/2012/10/take-time-to-manage-your-business/

matthew broderick tax refund calculator huntington disease west memphis three taxes game of thrones season 2 trailer sag award winners

Pill Popping Pets | Canine Chat: Dog Tales and Other Stories - Blogs

Do Dogs Need Supplements?


cDiane Rich

Over the past 20 plus years in this? business, I have consulted with breeders, Holistic and Conventional Vets and others?as to their opinions about nutrition and supplements.? And?, you know what they say about opinions.??? Can be confusing.

Some Vets and breeders find that feeding a dog a well balanced commercial diet is sufficient. Other breeders and Holistic Vets usually recommend supplementation whether a client feeds commercially prepared foods or a raw diet to their furry companion.

Information is power, so getting?opinions, talking with your Vet and doing your own?research?finding what works best for your particular pet is the most important. What works for your friend?s dog may not work for your dog.You must be aware of your pet?s overall health to determine what if any supplements could prove beneficial vs. harmful.

Remember, nothing you give whether prescription meds or nutritional supplements is without possible side effects.

It is helpful to research the benefits of supplements however when reading studies it is important to find out who financed the study providing the statistics.? Best to find results of a study performed by an independent agency. Be wary of businesses that provide glowing studies on product they sell.

A study published in 2010, for instance, noted that though fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects at low concentrations, increased dietary consumption can increase the risk of free radical damage in the body.

Again, the studies are limited, but one study?showed no significant difference between dogs that received fatty acid supplements and those that didn?t, while the other showed only limited effectiveness. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), however, released an overall positive press release concerning the studies, indicating that fish oil may improve arthritis symptoms for dogs.

A 2010 review of the evidence concluded there is some evidence that fish oil supplements can improve coat quality and reduce the dosage of steroid medications needed to control itching, but that the effects were small.

Confusing? Yes it is.

According to a report by the National Academies on the safety of dietary supplements for horses, dogs, and cats, ?Growing numbers of pet owners are giving their pets dietary supplements in hopes of supporting their health.? At the request of the FDA, the Natural Research Council convened a committee of experts to assess the safety of supplements. The report concluded the following:

  • It is clear that safety of the same supplements in humans does not guarantee safety in animals.
  • The absence of laws and regulations that specifically address animal dietary supplements causes considerable confusion to the industry and the public.

When working with my clients, I?recommend they let their Vet know what supplements, including herbal remedies the pet receives and at what dosages.

Questions to Consider:
1.? Are supplements necessary??
2. Can the supplement?be harmful?
3. How much is too much?
4. What are the risks?
5. Does the supplement meet industry standands??
6. Does the supplement meet the claims on the label?
7. Any long term adverse affects from continued use of a particular supplement?
8. Any information supporting quality and purity?

Not easy to find answers to the questions listed?above.? The industry?is only lightly regulated.?The FDA ?oversees? animal supplements. ?

I am not convinced that the nutrients in processed commercial dry dog food retain the?full potency.? Overcooking vegetables can destroy the nutritional benefits so I?believe?it is?the same with processed dry food.??I do supplement my dog?s diet.??


cDiane Rich
I am not promoting these products for your particular pet?nor endorsing these manufacturers but these are two products I?add to my dog?s food.

Pharmaceutical grade fish oil and organic virgin coconut oil are?supplements I add to my dog?s food.???With any supplement, it is important to start with low quantity to get the dog use to it and observe if there is a reaction to it.? .

Supplements can cause vomiting, loose stools, diarrhea, or even gas just to name a few reactions.

New pup owners want to do the best for the new addition but it is incredibly important not to over-supplement a growing puppy.?If, when I am in a client?s home and see multiple bottles or packages of pet supplements on the counter?I get concerned if the?puppy owner has been over-sold supplements at a pet store. I believe you must be your dog?s advocate as to diet and supplements and not be so quick to whip out the credit card.?

Please read the labels, do your homework??and?consult your Vet.

Be cautious of claims for supplements?that sound too good to be true especially if the claim boasts a cure for serious diseases.

Healthy Woofs,
Diane
Diane Rich Dog Training, LLC
www.spokesdog.com
askdiane@spokesdog.com
www.twitter.com/spokesdog

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/caninechat/2012/10/12/pill-popping-pets/

nicole richie lyme disease symptoms esperanza spalding jessica sanchez robert kennedy cardinals san diego weather