HCN Healthcare is interviewing immediately for an experienced professional for our hospital. To learn more and to be considered for an interview please email your resume to jobs@hcnhealthcare.com?? Resume must be reviewed for consideration.
We look forward to reviewing your resume and scheduling an interview to share more details. JOB CODE: doottbxdejun1212 Brought to you by the HOSPITAL CONNECTION NETWORK
Responsible for directing the fiscal functions of the corporation in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, other regulatory and advisory organizations and in accordance with financial management techniques and practices appropriate within the?Behavioral?healthcare industry.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES -??? Develop the finance & accounting strategy and metrics for the organization including debt management, financing, cash flow management, etc. -??? Act as the Finance and Accounting Subject Matter Expert for the organization -??? Create and manage strategic relationships with external Finance & Accounting service providers, including banks and auditors as well as establishing and maintaining strong relationships with internal senior executives to identify their needs and provide a full range of business solutions. -??? Collaborate with the executive team and other individuals on operational issues as they arise; provide strategic recommendations based on financial analysis, projections and other relevant data as appropriate. -??? Provide advice, counsel and creative approaches for managing emergent finance, accounting, information systems, facilities and business issues as necessary -??? Lead all aspects of fiscal oversight, planning and management for the organization. -??? Lead development of financial policies and procedures. -??? Oversee cash flow planning and management, including weekly updates to cash flow forecasts. -??? Oversee and direct treasury, investments, banking, internal controls and compliance. -??? Oversee implementation of organization-wide finance initiatives. Hospital Connection Network Please bookmark us at: www.hcnhealth.com Search/Apply for jobs at www.hcnhealthcare.com
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NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks are rising in early trading on Wall Street as optimism builds that a budget deal will be reached in Washington.
Later Thursday Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will meet with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid to push the negotiations forward.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 50 points at 13,034 shortly after the opening bell.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index was up seven points at 1,416 and the Nasdaq composite rose 20 points to 3,012.
The Commerce Department raised its estimate for U.S. economic growth to an annual rate of 2.7 percent in the July-through-September period.
That's much better than the 2 percent rate estimated a month ago and more than twice the 1.3 percent rate logged in the April-June quarter.
ProductionHub recognized the Blind Judoka documentary as one of the top ten picks for nonprofit videos in 2012. ProductionHUB applauded the nonprofit video for bringing quality to the ?table? with incredible production value, hard-hitting storytelling, and a simple message of dedication and underrated in sensitivity about an inspirational blind female Judo Paralympian dedicated to representing the USA at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London and member of the Blind Judo Foundation.
Redmond, WA (PRWEB) November 29, 2012
TakePart.com, the digital arm of Participant Media Productions learned of the work, mission and vision of the Blind Judo Foundation and was so inspired, they corporately were determined to create a documentary. After contacting the two Co-Founders, Coach Willy Cahill and Ron C. Peck and researching the Foundation, they were further assured and inspired to tell a story.
The documentary is based around a blind individual initially discovered at the Olympic Training Center Camp in Colorado Springs, CO. Campers were being introduced to various sports for the blind. Willy Cahill of Cahill's Judo Academy, the former US Olympic and US Paralympic Judo Coach was introducing the sport of Judo.
One of thirty-five camp attendees stood out as having exceptional athletic talent for Judo. This potential Judo candidate was invited to Cahill's Judo Academy in San Bruno, CA. It wasn't long thereafter that Jordan Mouton was hooked and ready to dedicate herself to the sport of Judo.
The Blind Judo documentary is inspirational with a surprise ending and will bring tears to your eyes and warmth to your heart. Blind and visually impaired individuals learn about building confidence, character, making commitments, learning humility, respect and responsibility through training in a sport called Judo.
ProductionHUB is an online marketplace for Broadcast TV, Motion Pictures, Pro Video, Live Events, Corporate and Digital Media Production.
The Blind Judo Foundation is a nonprofit organization that introduces blind and visually impaired individuals starting as early as the age of six and young adults. In 2013 our blind and visually impaired wounded warriors returning for Iraq and Afghanistan will be recruited to the sport of Judo.
Help make a difference in the life of a blind and visually impaired individual with a year-end 100% tax deductible donation so the Blind Judo Foundation can continue its mission of empowering the blind with introductions and training in the sport of Judo at Blind Judo Foundation or contact Ron Peck at 1-425-444-8256 or roncpeck(at)blindjudofoundation(dot)org
Ron C. Peck Blind Judo Foundation 425-444-8256 Email Information
Windows: If you're getting a little tired of the handful of low-resolution backgrounds for the Start screen in Windows 8, Stardock's Decor8 gives you all the tools you need to personalize it to your heart's content.
Decor8 lets you ditch the stock backgrounds for the Start screen and replace them with images you've downloaded, including high-resolution photos from the web. You can even add custom effects to the background like blurring and fading so it suits you just right. Decor8 also lets you select a photo of images and rotate the Start screen background periodically. Additionally, the app lets you choose how many columns and rows of tiles are on the Start screen, and Decor8 also gives you the tools to design your own color scheme for Windows, so you're not stuck with the colors available in the default settings.
You can try Decor8 free for 30 days, after which it'll start nagging you to buy a full license. The app will only set you back $5, so if you know you'll enjoy the features it offers, you may as well buy it outright. Otherwise, grab the demo and give it a try first.
Senex Energy Limited (Senex) is pleased to advise that successful exploration on the western flank of the Cooper Basin has confirmed the presence of an oil field at Spitfire.
The Spitfire-2 deviated oil exploration well targeted the mid-Birkhead Formation. It is located 530 metres north west of the Spitfire-1 oil exploration well in PEL 104 and approximately two kilometres west of the Growler oil field in PRL 15 (Senex 60% and Operator; Beach Energy Limited 40% in both permits). It was designed as a follow-up well to the Spitfire-1 exploration well, which delivered good oil shows but was plugged and abandoned as uncommercial in February 2012.
Ensign Rig 48 commenced drilling on 17 November 2012 and reached total depth of 1,900 metres on 23 November 2012. Wireline logs confirmed the presence of a gross oil column of nearly seven metres (vertical thickness) in the Birkhead Formation over the interval 1,713.9 metres to 1,720.7 metres (vertical depth) with interpreted net oil pay of 6.5 metres (vertical thickness).
Source: Senex Energy Limited
To access over 3,000 of the latest oil projects from across the world visit Projects OGP for free trial today
Could the couch in your living room be toxic? Some scientists say yes. A study in this week?s Environmental Science and Technology ?journal measured just how many toxic flame-retardant chemicals are in our furniture. Researchers found that 85% of couches contained some combination of flame retardant chemicals in their cushion foam.?Aside from upholstered furniture, flame retardant chemicals can also be found in car seats and nursing pillows, or any other product that has polyurethane foam. In addition, it can be used in carpeting and electronics. Research has linked the chemicals to reproductive problems and low birth weights , as well as neurological and developmental issues in children. Other studies have found these chemicals to be associated with hormone imbalances and possibly cancer . However, the American Chemistry Council pointed out in a statement that such chemicals are beneficial. "Flame retardants can be an effective way to meet fire safety standards, and are designed to prevent fires from starting and if a fire does occur, slow its spread?and provide valuable escape time." "This study confirms what we would expect to find: Furniture manufacturers use flame retardants to meet established fire safety standards, which help save lives," the chemistry council said. "There is no data in this study that indicate that the levels of flame retardants found would cause any human health problems." The couch study was the first large-scale survey of its kind, investigating the foam inside 102 couches from across the United States. Researchers say that most couches have flame retardants in their cushion and pillow foam in order to meet a California flammability standard, known as TB 117, that requires the foam to withstand an open flame for 12 seconds. Couches that meet the standard have a label that clearly states it meets the California standard. However, manufacturers are not required to label if they do use the flame retardant chemicals. Even if there is no TB 117 label, the study found that couches are still likely to have them. ? In fact, 64% of couches with no TB 117 label were still found to have flame retardants in them. Study author and chemist Arlene Blum explained, ?The government makes rules that certain standards have to be met, and they don?t say how to meet them, but often the least expensive way to meet them is with certain flame retardants, such as Penta and Tris.? In fact, the chemical Tris was actually the most commonly found flame retardant in couches despite the fact that Tris is listed as a carcinogen in California, and was banned from children?s pajamas in 1977 ?by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The next most commonly found chemicals in couches are known as Polybrominated?Diphenyl Ethers, or PBDEs. The Environmental Protection Agency is currently investigating PBDE?s because of their concern to human and environmental health. In fact, the hazards are such a concern that U.S. manufacturers voluntarily began phasing out some PBDEs beginning in 2004. However, manufacturers have since replaced them with other fire-retardant chemicals. According to the EPA, ?PBDEs are not chemically bound to plastics, foam, fabrics, or other products in which they are used, making them more likely to leach out of these products.? Filed under: Environment , Living Well Tagged: Nadia Kounang ? CNN Medical Producer
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This undated publicity photo provided by the Sundance Institute shows Keri Russell, left, and Bret McKenzie, in a scene from the film, "Austenland," included in the U.S. Dramatic Film competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute)
This undated publicity photo provided by the Sundance Institute shows Keri Russell, left, and Bret McKenzie, in a scene from the film, "Austenland," included in the U.S. Dramatic Film competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute)
This undated publicity photo provided by the Sundance Institute shows Jessica Biel in a scene from the film, "Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes," included in the U.S. Dramatic Film competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute)
This undated publicity photo provided by the Sundance Institute shows Rooney Mara, left, and Casey Affleck, right, in a scene from the film, "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," included in the U.S. Dramatic Film competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute, Steve Dietl)
This undated publicity photo provided by the Sundance Institute shows a scene from the film, "99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film," included in the U.S. Documentary Film competition for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute)
This undated publicity photo provided by the Sundance Institute shows Keri Russell, left, and JJ Feild, in a scene from the film, "Austenland," included in the U.S. Dramatic Film competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The Sundance Film Festival has an apparent record lineup of female directors competing for its top honor this January.
Half the entries ? eight of the 16 films ? announced Wednesday in the festival's U.S. dramatic competition were directed by women for the next installment of Robert Redford's independent-cinema showcase, which runs Jan. 17-27 in Park City, Utah.
Going back to 1992, the best showing previously for female filmmakers was in 2000, when six of the 16 U.S. dramatic contenders were directed by women.
Sundance organizers were still trolling back to the early years of the festival's 33-year history, but this January's eight competition films appears to be most ever from women and the first time the entries have been evenly split between female and male directors.
Among the competition films from female filmmakers are Francesca Gregorini's "Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes," whose cast includes Jessica Biel and Frances O'Connor in the story of a troubled girl fixated on a mysterious neighbor; Lynn Shelton's "Touchy Feely," featuring Rosemarie DeWitt, Allison Janney and Ellen Page in a tale of a massage therapist who develops a distaste for bodily contact; and Liz W. Garcia's "The Lifeguard," with Kristen Bell as a reporter who moves home to Connecticut and takes a job as a lifeguard.
The festival's U.S. dramatic lineup also features the first Sundance entry for "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe, who stars as Allen Ginsberg in director John Krokidas' "Kill Your Darlings."
Male directors still dominate the big-screen, but the low-budget indie world has been narrowing the gender gap. Sundance director John Cooper said some Sundance film categories have had a nearly even split between male and female directors in the past, a sign that more and more women are breaking into filmmaking.
"I think that's absolutely it," Cooper said. "Also, what we've found is that through our short-film programs, they've been coming close to 50-50 in certain years or at least a high level of women directors. So it's more of a coming-up-through-the-ranks situation" as female directors graduate from short films to feature-length stories.
Sundance has scheduled 113 feature-length films, chosen out of 4,044 titles submitted.
The festival will feature four opening-night films, one each from its U.S. drama and documentary and world-cinema drama and documentary categories. Among the opening films is director Cherien Dabis' U.S. drama contender "May in the Summer," in which she stars as a woman in conflict with her family after returns home to Jordan as her wedding nears.
Other films in the U.S. dramatic lineup include "Napoleon Dynamite" co-writer Jerusha Hess' directing debut, "Austenland," starring Keri Russell and Jennifer Coolidge in a romance about a "Pride and Prejudice"-obsessed woman searching for love at a Jane Austen theme resort; "In a World ...", the directing debut of actress Lake Bell, who stars in the story of a woman trying to follow her father's footsteps to become a voice-over star; Jill Soloway's "Afternoon Delight," with Kathryn Hahn and Juno Temple in the tale of a Los Angeles housewife who takes in a stripper as a live-in nanny; and David Lowery's "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," featuring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck in a drama about an escaped prisoner crossing the Texas hills to reunite with his family.
The U.S. documentary competition also has an even gender split, with eight of the 16 films directed or co-directed by women. That's not a record, though, as women have made stronger in-roads into documentary filmmaking and have accounted for more than half of the entries in Sundance's non-fiction lineup in the past.
Among films in the U.S. documentary program are Audrey Ewell, Aaron Aites, Lucian Read and Nina Kristic's "99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film," which examines the 2011 protests over economic inequality; Martha Shane and Lana Wilson's "After Tiller," profiling doctors providing late-term abortions after the murder of a colleague by an abortion opponent; and Gabriela Cowperthwaite's "Blackfish," which explores the consequences of captivity for killer whales, one of which was involved in the deaths of three people.
The opening-night film for the U.S. documentary lineup is Morgan Neville's "Twenty Feet From Stardom," a portrait of pop music's generally anonymous backup singers. On the world-cinema front, the opening-night dramatic entry is Chilean director Sebastian Silva's "Crystal Fairy," with Michael Cera and Gabby Hoffmann in a South American road trip adventure, while the opening documentary is British filmmaker Marc Silver's "Who Is Dayani Cristal?," chronicling the search for the identity of an anonymous body found in the Arizona desert.
Sundance announces its lineup of premieres featuring bigger-name stars and filmmakers on Monday.
Google has just acquired coupon targeting company Incentive Targeting. The acquisition was confirmed in Tweet from Mike Dudas, who is on the team building Google?s mobile commerce business. Google confirmed the acquisition to TechCrunch.
The company partners with retail chains to provide a targeted marketing and coupon service to manufacturers of grocery and consumer products. Incentive Targeting?s patent-pending technology aims to help marketers create personalized, relevant promotions?and measure ROI in real time.
A Google spokesperson issued this statement ?We look forward to working with Incentive Targeting in our ongoing efforts to help consumers save time and money and enable retailers deliver relevant discounts to the right customers.?
As Dudas wrote in his Tweet, it appears that Google will be using the technology from the startup to power highly targeted manufacturer and private label coupon programs. Essentially, he says, the company does ?for retail couponing what Google [does] for online advertising: make simple, relevant, measurable, & effective?
It?s unclear what the acquisition price was, but the company has raised $4.4 million in funding.
So what does this mean for Google? Well, it looks like part of the company?s commerce strategy will center around delivering more personalized deals and coupons to its users, perhaps via Wallet. It?s not surprising that Google is heading down this road?every commerce and payments company is. But in order to deliver more personalized offers, Google needs to have actual purchasing and intent data; which is harder to come by. Incentive Targeting?s technologies could also be offered to advertising customers as well.
We know a new version of Wallet is in the works, so perhaps we?ll get more insight into Google?s commerce plans and personalization strategy soon.
Here?s the announcement:
We are excited to announce that Incentive Targeting has been acquired by Google!
When we founded Incentive Targeting in 2007, we set out to do for retail couponing what Google had done for online advertising: make it simple, relevant, measurable, and effective. So, it is both humbling and gratifying to be joining the ranks of the company that inspired our initial vision.
As part of Google, we will have the resources and expertise to continue the transformation of couponing from a way to give discounts to a way to build business. And, we can now work towards that vision as part of a company that improves the lives of hundreds of millions of people every day.
We didn?t reach this milestone alone. From day one, we have relied on the support and commitment of our retailers, brands, investors, partners, and advisors, as well as the hard work and dedication of our team. We could not have done this without them, and as we look ahead, we are thrilled to be part of Google!
We?ve contacted Google for additional comment on the acquisition.
Joblessness among residents in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metro area slipped modestly in October, falling one tenth of a percentage point to 9.5 percent.
The region's unemployment remained the highest among the state's 14 metro areas. The marginal movement in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate frustrated labor market observers. But, behind the unemployment rate were positive signs. The number of jobs in the region was up 5,700 over the same time in 2011, according to establishment data - a tally of the number of jobs within the metro area. Also, more than 9,000 people joined the labor force over the last 12 months, a sign that more people were looking for work and felt more confident they would find it.
The numbers, combined with other economic indicators, has Dana Harris, Ph.D., professor of business in Keystone College in La Plume, more confident in the economic improvement than at any point since the recession.
"The unemployment rate is hovering high," she said. "But it is a slight decrease, and with personal income risings, the housing market rebound, and consumer confidence at a high, there is a growing sense of optimism."
On a county level, Lackawanna's unemployment rate was 8.7 percent, Luzerne was at 9.5 percent and Wyoming was at 10.1 percent. Pennsylvania's statewide unemployment was 8.1 percent, a bit higher than the U.S. October unemployment of 7.9 percent.
The seasonally adjusted data show that more people were working in October, with the ranks of the employed growing 2,600 in October alone. That improvement has had a limited effect on the unemployment rate, however. The number of unemployed, 27,600, was unchanged from the previous month. But the labor force, those working or looking for work, continued to expand in October. Over the year, for example, the labor force grew by 9,200, faster than the additional jobs being created.
Satyajit Ghosh, Ph.D., professor of economics and finance at the University of Scranton, calculated what the region's unemployment rate would have been if the labor force remained what it was in October 2011. Under that scenario he calculated that region's unemployment rate would have been 6.5 percent.
"Our job growth seems like it is anemic but we need to look at it in the proper perspective," he said. "A growing labor force is an expected part of a recovery."
Among the most improved job sectors over the last year was the catch-all professional and business services with 1,500 new jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 1,300 jobs.
Also, the closely watched construction/mining and manufacturing sectors each added 800 jobs over the year. Transportation/warehousing/utilities added 800. No sector lost more than 200 jobs in October compared to same month a year ago
While Dr. Ghosh dismisses rankings as not very meaningful, the region's unwanted distinction as having the state's highest unemployment irks him.
"I know it is a relative ranking," Dr. Ghosh said. "Someone has to be first and someone has to be last. I don't want to be last."
WASHINGTON (AP) ? After their worst start in history, the Washington Wizards became a national punch line. On TNT, Charles Barkley compared them with the Washington Generals, and a local newspaper had photos of fans wearing paper bags over their heads at Monday's 26-point loss to San Antonio.
The jokes can stop ? at least for now.
Washington earned its first victory after starting the season with 12 straight losses, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 84-82 on Wednesday night.
"When you're 0-12, guys are going to make fun. That's our business, guys," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said.
"When you get to this level, you've got to have some thick skin, and you've got to be able to overcome those kind of things."
Washington survived a scoreless 6:47 in the fourth when Jordan Crawford, who had 19 points, hit on a 3-pointer with 2:06 to play. The Wizards finally took the 84-82 lead on Emeka Okafor's two free throws with 39.1 seconds remaining.
Damian Lillard was called for traveling with 28 seconds left. After Nene was called for an offensive foul, J.J. Hickson missed a jumper with 2.8 seconds to play. The Wizards lost the ball with 0.2 seconds to go, but held on to end the skid.
"Well, we made it interesting, but we won," Wittman said.
Nine teams started the season 0-13, and the Wizards were tired of the ridicule they'd been subjected to ? locally and nationally ? as they crept toward the Nets' NBA record-worst start of 0-18.
"We don't want to go down in history as one of the worst teams ever," Washington forward Chris Singleton said.
Wittman, whose team travels to New York on Friday and plays Miami next Tuesday, knows the next win may be hard to get.
"We just broke through the ice. I've lived in Minnesota for 15, 17 years. That ice was 4 or 5 feet deep, but it's broken through now," Wittman said.
Trevor Ariza had 14 and Kevin Seraphin added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Washington, which ended the third quarter on a 23-7 run to take a 68-59 lead, then padded its lead to 15 barely three minutes into the fourth.
The 79-64 lead seemed safe ? even for the Wizards ? but the Trail Blazers ran off 16 straight points to take a 80-79 lead with 2:27 to play.
Lillard and Nicolas Batum led Portland, losers of three straight, with 20. LaMarcus Aldridge had 17. Hickson had 15 points and 19 rebounds.
"Loss is a loss, but this one definitely stings knowing the team is 0-12. You never want to be the team they get the win on but we were that team," Hickson said.
Wesley Matthews addressed the Blazers after his team lost, and all his teammates were especially downcast.
"You don't want to be the first team, that's very embarrassing," Batum said.
Martel Webster had also used "embarrassing" to describe Washington's 26-point loss on Monday. He was a bit relieved after the game.
"We are definitely an underdog. We're definitely looked at as the losers of the league, but that's OK. We believe in each other," Webster said.
Rookie Bradley Beal wasn't celebrating his first NBA win ? one that took 29 days to get. He claimed, like most of the Wizards, to ignore the chatter on TV and in the cyber world.
"I don't pay attention to that stuff. They're on the outside looking in. They don't know how hard we work. They just see us playing and the scores," Beal said.
The Blazers hit six of their first seven shots and took a 15-4 lead four minutes into the game.
Nene entered the game with 1:43 to play and helped spur the Wizards to a 37-31 lead with six minutes to play in the first half. At halftime, the teams were tied at 43-all.
After missing the first nine games of the season with a left foot injury, Nene played two games before missing Monday night's loss. He had six points in 19 minutes.
"For tonight: fresh air, that's all I can say," Nene said.
Notes: Washington F Trevor Booker missed his fourth straight game with a right knee injury. ... This was the 100th all-time meeting between the teams. Portland leads 52-48. ... The Wizards' bench outscored the Trail Blazers' 46-4. ... Portland has four more games in eight days left on this season-high, seven-game road trip: at Boston, Cleveland, Charlotte and Indiana.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2012) ? Given recent extreme weather events -- the summer's brutal heat and subsequent drought, followed by Superstorm Sandy's disastrous path -- newly green-conscious consumers may be wondering how to lessen their carbon footprint this holiday season. Plant biologist Clint Springer, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, says that buying a real Christmas tree may not solve the world's climate ills, but it is better than using an artificial one for a few years and tossing it.
"At this time of year, choosing a real Christmas tree is one way that an average person can make a difference in terms of climate change," Springer says. "A study as recent as 2009 (Ellipsos) concluded that a 7-foot cut tree's impact on climate is 60 percent less than a 7-foot artificial tree used for six years. So while cut trees are not carbon-neutral, in terms of carbon-use, they are better than artificial trees."
Springer acknowledges that many families choose artificial trees because they may not have easy access to real trees, they may be too costly, or because they have tree allergies.
"Ultimately, people need to make the choice that makes the most sense for their family, but they should keep in mind that real Christmas trees do not trigger allergic reactions," Springer says. "Farm-raised trees are too young to be reproductive in most cases, so pollen is not an issue. It's possible, though, that some people might be sensitive to the natural scent of the trees." In that case, Springer recommends choosing pines over firs, which usually carry a weaker scent.
But the question remains for some: Do live Christmas trees bring mold into the home? "From what we know about household allergens like mold spores, a house with a real tree does not usually show a higher rate of indoor air pollution than a house with an artificial tree, because mold spores found on live trees do not usually become air-borne." (Wyse and Malloch, 1970.)
If buying a real tree is not an option, Springer says there are other ways for consumers to green their holiday celebrations.
? Consider using LED lights. A typical 50-light strand of C7 bulbs, often used for outdoor lighting, uses approximately 99 percent more energy than an LED strand of the same number of lights.
? Buy local and sustainably farmed produce for holiday gatherings. This lessens the use of fossil fuels for transportation, cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions, a major contributor to global climate change.
? Buy organic produce. Though pricey for some families, buying organic produce is an even better choice for party season. Organic food is not farmed with artificial fertilizers, which require a tremendous amount of fossil fuels to produce.
? Recycle whenever possible. Consider using wrapping paper or boxes made from recycled material and be sure to recycle them once the gift giving is over.
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Over the past seven years, Stifel Financial Corp Chief Executive Ronald Kruszewski has impressed Wall Street with a series of acquisitions that quintupled the regional brokerage's revenue and rewarded shareholders with a nearly four-fold increase in returns over the last five years.
Still, some investors view Kruszewski's latest deal, to buy money-losing investment bank KBW Inc , as a much riskier proposition. Some question the wisdom of spending $575 million to build out a middle-market investment banking business at a time when tougher financial regulations are posing a threat to profits of giants such as UBS AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Moreover, after years of expansion, Stifel's board is starting to worry that Kruszewski may be overextended. Before announcing the KBW deal on November 5, the board was mulling whether to appoint a senior administrator or president to help him run the company, according to one director. Kruszewski is currently chairman and president, as well as chief executive.
"We talk about him moving too fast, and whether we have the infrastructure to move as fast as we're moving," said Robert Lefton, a psychologist who has been on Stifel's board for 20 years.
But he stressed that the board supported the KBW deal and was very happy with Kruszewski, who has been CEO for 12 years and is Stifel's largest individual shareholder with a 1.6 percent stake worth more than $26 million.
"He has a very clear sense of where he's heading," Lefton said. "When he came aboard, we were a struggling little regional firm barely eking out a living. He has put together what he told us he would."
Another board member echoed Lefton's comments. "Even if there is a modest recovery, (KBW) will be a very smart acquisition because he bought it off the bottom," said Robert Grady, a Stifel director and former Carlyle Group partner. "I wouldn't bet against him."
Kruszewski, 53, has said he wants to better balance revenue between the St. Louis-based company's retail and institutional brokerages. The deal to buy KBW, which specializes in advising small banks and thrifts on mergers and capital-raising, takes him closer to that goal.
If he succeeds, Stifel will be able to compete with Jefferies Group Inc - whose market value is twice Stifel's $1.6 billion - to raise money for companies with revenue of $100 million to $1 billion. Big banks like Goldman and Morgan Stanley largely ignore this middle-market segment.
Unlike Kruszewski's previous acquisitions, KBW brings complex integration issues. Stifel already has dozens of bankers, analysts and salespeople serving financial companies, so employees are worried that the merger could bring job cuts.
"He is already pretty exposed to the institutional securities business, and ... financial services is not a great business right now," said Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Douglas Sipkin. "He is a very smart guy, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me."
In addition, money managers who trade through both Stifel and KBW do not want to pay twice for research and other products, so parsing the benefits of the merger becomes difficult.
"To distinguish between the two from Stifel's business perspective is going to be tricky," said Mark Kuzminskas, director of equity trading at Robeco Investment Management.
In an interview, Kruszewski defended the KBW deal, and said it and the 2010 purchase of Thomas Weisel Partners, which specializes in banking for technology companies, are core components of his middle-market corporate strategy.
"I'm not predicting that next year is going to be a blowout year for financial companies, but I'm not being reckless," he said. "Institutional (brokerage) is much more cyclical and, of course, you take a lot more risk. It is also a high profit-margin business when things are working."
Investors do not appear to be convinced. At Monday's close, Stifel shares had declined 2.9 percent this year, compared with an uptick of 1.1 percent for the NYSE Arca Securities Broker/Dealer Index.
CRAFTY NEGOTIATOR
Kruszewski, the son of a fireman from South Bend, Indiana, has an accounting degree and, according to people who have worked with him, a steel-trap mind for absorbing new data and translating it into action.
He demonstrated discipline earlier this year, passing on the acquisition of Morgan Keegan from Regions Financial Corp because the price was too high, Lefton said. Raymond James Financial Inc later purchased the Tennessee-based brokerage.
"At the beginning of every year, I have no idea what we'll do," Kruszewski said. "Strategic planning is for people who have too much time on their hands. Our plan is to be in a position to take advantage of opportunities."
KBW was one such opportunity. The company had lost more than $60 million since the financial crisis of 2008 and was cutting 15 percent of staff. It was also weighing radical changes in its operations after another down year for financial services deals and capital-raising, a person close to KBW said.
Kruszewski drove a hard bargain. He required about 95 key employees to waive change-of-control clauses that would have let them sell their shares, and he compelled them to sign noncompete agreements. He also won control of $250 million of cash on KBW's balance sheet to help finance the cash-and-stock transaction.
You never want to negotiate against that man," said Scott McCuaig, the retired president of Stifel Nicolaus, the company's principal brokerage subsidiary. "He gets his hands dirty and works deals until they come to fruition. Nobody is going to snooker him."
(Reporting by Jed Horowitz and Olivia Oran; Editing by Paritosh Bansal and Steve Orlofsky)
The Ravens are 9-2, but it hasn?t been an easy season.? Apart from key injuries and periodic ineffectiveness and a defense that ain?t what it used to be, coach John Harbaugh had to deal with an unexpected uprising last month.
The moment came, according to Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports, on Halloween morning.? Back from a bye-week break after a backbreaking loss to the Texans, Harbaugh told the team that they?d be practicing in full pads.? Several veteran players openly challenged their head coach.
?It was practically a mutiny,? a Ravens player told Silver.? ?It came very close to getting out of control. But the way Coach Harbaugh handled it was amazing.? He let people have their say, and he listened, and he explained himself, and pretty soon it was like a big group-therapy session.? In the end, a lot of positive things were said.? We didn?t practice in pads, but we came out of there stronger as a group.?
Coincidentally (or not), the Ravens haven?t lost since then.
?I?ve never seen a head coach handle anything like that as well as he did,? a Ravens assistant who attended the meeting told Silver.? ?There were some things said where we were like, Damn.
?A lot of coaches would have acted like dictators and been very sensitive about the way their authority was being questioned.? John said, ?Hey, let?s talk about this.?? He showed great leadership.? Instead of worrying that it would make him seem weak, he turned it into a strength.?
Harbaugh realizes the value of encouraging players to speak their mind.
?I wasn?t threatened by it,? Harbaugh said.? ?That?s the main thing.? And, you know, they had some good points, and I had some good points.? Other guys stood up and said some great things.? To me, it embodied everything that you should have on a team.
?The point was that, we have what I call ?Open Mic,? and we can all say anything that we need to say and have to say. You know then that you?re responsible ? when you say it, everybody?s gonna hear it, so you?d better make it your best stuff.
?That brings out the best.? Otherwise, it?s ?Why are they sneaking around talking behind corners??? You know what I mean?? If you?ve got something, you put it right out here in front of me.? I?m man enough to handle it.? If you?re right, then you?re right!? It?s OK to be right.? But more important it?s OK to be wrong.? And it?s OK for me to be wrong, too.?
By being willing to admit that he?s wrong and make changes, Harbaugh could be poised to take his team right to the Super Bowl.
In fact, the only thing Harbaugh may have done wrong in this episode is to let it be known what happened.? Now, other coaches facing similar challenges may opt not to be hardheaded, which could help their own teams play better, possibly when playing the Ravens.
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Forensic experts took samples from Yasser Arafat's uncovered corpse in the West Bank on Tuesday, trying to determine if he was murdered with the hard-to-trace radioactive poison, Polonium.
Palestinians witnessed the funeral of their hero and longtime leader eight years ago, but conspiracy theories surrounding his death have never been laid to rest.
Many are convinced their icon was the victim of assassination by Israeli agents, and may have been poisoned wittingly or unwittingly by a Palestinian. They may remain convinced of that, whatever the outcome of this autopsy.
Arafat's body was uncovered in the grave and samples removed without moving the corpse. The tomb was resealed in hours and wreaths were placed by Palestinian leaders including Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
The head of the Palestinian investigation committee, Tawfiq Tirawi, said the procedure went smoothly. A Palestinian medical team took samples and gave them to each of the Swiss, French and Russian forensic teams.
"We need proof in order to find those who are behind this assassination and take it to the ICC (International Criminal Court)," he said. "When we have proof, we will go to the ICC for it to be our first case to try those whose policy is assassinations."
French magistrates in August opened a murder inquiry into Arafat's death in Paris in 2004, after a Swiss institute said it had discovered high levels of polonium on clothing of his which was supplied by his widow, Suha, for a television documentary.
"The state of the body was exactly what you would expect to find for someone who has been buried for eight years," Health Minister Hani Abdeen told a news conference. "There was nothing out of the ordinary."
RESULTS IN SPRING 2013
Jordanian doctor Abdullah al Bashir, head of the Palestinian medical committee, said about 20 samples were taken and analysis would take at least three months.
"In order to do these analyses, to check, cross-check and double cross-check, it will take several months and I don't think we'll have anything tangible available before March or April next year," said Darcy Christen, spokesman for Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland that carried out the original tests on Arafat's clothes.
Arafat was always a freedom fighter to Palestinians but a terrorist to Israelis first, and a partner for peace only later. He led the bid for a Palestinian state through years of war and peacemaking, then died in a French hospital aged 75 after a short, mysterious illness.
No autopsy was carried out at the time, at the request of Suha, and French doctors who treated him said they were unable to determine the cause of death.
But allegations of foul play surfaced immediately. Arafat had enemies among his own people, but many Palestinians pointed the finger at Israel, which confined the leader to his West Bank headquarters in Ramallah for the final two and a half years of his life, after a Palestinian uprising erupted.
Israel denies murdering him. Its leader at the time, Ariel Sharon, now lies in a coma from which he is expected never to awake. Israel invited the Palestinian leadership to release all Arafat's medical records, which were never made public following his death and still have not been opened.
Polonium, apparently ingested with food, was found to have caused the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006. But some experts have questioned whether Arafat could have died in this way, pointing to a brief recovery during his illness that they said was not consistent with radioactive poisoning. They also noted he did not lose all his hair.
Eight years is considered the limit to detect any traces of the fast-decaying polonium and Lausanne hospital questioned in August if it would be worth seeking any samples, if access to Arafat's body was delayed as late as "October or November."
Not all of Arafat's family agreed to the exhumation. Arafat's widow watched on television from her house in Malta.
"This will bring closure, we will know the truth about why he died. I owe this answer to the Palestinian people, to the new generation, and to his daughter," a tearful Suha told timesofmalta.com.
(Removes reference to Israelis from 1st paragraph, edits.)
(Additional reporting by Chris Scicluna in Malta; Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Douglas Hamilton, Tom Pfeiffer and Jason Webb)
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Snowmobile Helmets aid.Following is an report by the employees of the Canadian publication SmartRisk and highlights the dangers connected with snowmobilinga sport that is well-liked not only in Canada, but also in the U.S.
Snowmobiling remains popular for Canadians searching for a fun recreational activity, or a versatile mode of winter transportation. But it also continues to top the list of winter?s most lethal sports.The identical is true in the U.S.
According to a research released in 2003 by the Canadian Institute for Health Info, 16% of extreme sports and recreational injuries in Canada in 2000/2001 involved snowmobiles. That ranks second only to cycling (18%).
Most of these injured on snowmobiles had been males in their early 30s. And of the 92 men and women admitted to hospital with snowmobile injuries, completely one quarter had drunk alcohol or taken drugs just before heading out into the snow. Also, many were not wearing snowmobile helmets.
The risk of severe injury can be considerably decreased by not consuming alcohol prior to snowmobiling, or prior to participating in any winter sports, says Dr. Robert Conn, President and CEO of SMARTRISK. People need to understand that by riding a snowmobile with out a helmet or following they have been drinking, they are taking an enormous risk which can have tragic consequences.
Snowmobile aid is readily readily available in Canada and the U.S. at sports centers and on-line. Use your browser to find online sources or snowmobile helmets a click of your mouse could make the distinction amongst obtaining exciting and obtaining no life at all.
Examine snowmobile parts.The operating condition of your snowmobile is of utmost significance. There are now on-line web sites exactly where you can acquire snowmobile components to maintain your machine in tip leading condition.
A malfunctioning part can not only ruin your snowmobile, but it can result in a serious and at times fatal accident. It is crucial to note that any sport or recreation that involves complicated machinery (such as a snowmobile or a motorcycle) needs continual vigilance to keep that machine in great and risk-free running order.
NEW YORK (AP) - Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber says the league is at "the finish line" in negotiations with New York City to acquire land to build a stadium in Queens that would become home for the league's 20th team.
Garber says after that deal is agreed to, there would have to be negotiations with the city and state as part of the approval process to build on the 10-acre site in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The parkland used for the stadium would have to be replaced, and a deal would have to be reached with the New York Mets to use their parking lots adjacent to Citi Field.
Garber says the new team could start play for the 2016 season. He also says the New York market is the only one David Beckham doesn't have the right to buy into and the New York Red Bulls, who play in Harrison, N.J., don't have the right to block a second team in the New York area.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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MLS names Best XI ? no surprises
PST: For the first time in 10 years, the team has 3 forwards, but positions have always been a loose thing when it comes to recognizing the season?s best.
Burning more calories is easier when working out with someone you perceive as betterPublic release date: 26-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Brandon Irwin bcirwin@k-state.edu 785-532-6765 Kansas State University
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The key to motivation in physical activity may be feeling inadequate. One Kansas State University researcher found that those who exercised with a teammate whom they perceived to be better increased their workout time and intensity by as much as 200 percent.
Brandon Irwin, assistant professor of kinesiology, was the principle investigator in a study that tested whether individuals engage in more intense physical activity when alone, with a virtual partner or competing against a teammate.
"People like to exercise with others and make it a social activity," Irwin said. "We found that when you're performing with someone who you perceive as a little better than you, you tend to give more effort than you normally would alone."
For the first part of the study, college-age females exercise on a stationary bike six sessions in a four-week period. They told participants to ride the bike as long as they could. On average, each participant rode for 10 minutes.
Next, the same group of participants returned to the lab for more exercise sessions, but was told they were working out with a partner in another lab whom they could see on a screen. In reality, this was only a looped video. Participants also were told that their virtual partner was part of the first study and had ridden the bike approximately 40 percent longer than them.
"We created the impression that the virtual partner was a little better than the participant," Irwin said. "That's all they knew about their partner. In this group, participants rode an average of nine minutes longer than simply exercising alone."
While this 90 percent increase was promising, Irwin said he and his team had a hunch that the motivation could go even further. The participants were invited back to the lab for more exercise sessions with a virtual partner. This time, though, they were told they were on a team with their partner.
"We told them they were working together to achieve a team score," Irwin said. "The team score was the time of the person who quits first. The participants believed that in the previous trial, they didn't exercise as long as the other person. We created a situation where the participant was the weak link."
Participants in this team trial exercised approximately two minutes longer than simply working out alongside someone. However, Irwin added that the results look different over time.
"This was an average, but over time the difference got much bigger," he said. "In the beginning, the participants were exercising about a minute longer than the partner group. By the last session, participants in the team group were exercising almost 160 percent longer than those in the partner group, and nearly 200 percent longer than those exercising as individuals."
Irwin said this might be because those who believed they were exercising with a partner built a rapport over time and didn't want to let the partner down. He said the team was initially surprised at the drastic increase over time in participants working out with a teammate.
"If they're constantly working out with someone who's beating them, we wondered how motivated people would be to keep coming back and getting beat again," Irwin said. "It turned out to be exactly the opposite. Over time, it can be very motivating, as long as the conditions are right."
Irwin said research has shown that if an exercise partner or teammate is roughly at the same level or is exponentially better, the motivation disappears. He and his team found that a partner who worked at a level approximately 40 percent better was optimal.
"In certain fitness goals, like preparing to run a marathon, consider exercising not only with someone else, but with someone who is that much better," Irwin said. "For an extra boost, consider some type of team exercise that involves competition, like playing basketball at a regular time throughout the week."
In the future, Irwin wants to continue using virtual partners to increase the time and intensity of physical activity, but he hopes to move beyond false partners.
"I want to partner people up with actual individuals, not just prerecorded workout partners," he said. "Similar to matchmaking software for romantic relationships online, individuals from different sides of the country could be matched up based on their fitness goals and levels. Using technology, you could run with someone using your smartphones."
Irwin is currently researching this option and hopes to bring it to fruition within the next several years.
###
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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.
Burning more calories is easier when working out with someone you perceive as betterPublic release date: 26-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Brandon Irwin bcirwin@k-state.edu 785-532-6765 Kansas State University
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The key to motivation in physical activity may be feeling inadequate. One Kansas State University researcher found that those who exercised with a teammate whom they perceived to be better increased their workout time and intensity by as much as 200 percent.
Brandon Irwin, assistant professor of kinesiology, was the principle investigator in a study that tested whether individuals engage in more intense physical activity when alone, with a virtual partner or competing against a teammate.
"People like to exercise with others and make it a social activity," Irwin said. "We found that when you're performing with someone who you perceive as a little better than you, you tend to give more effort than you normally would alone."
For the first part of the study, college-age females exercise on a stationary bike six sessions in a four-week period. They told participants to ride the bike as long as they could. On average, each participant rode for 10 minutes.
Next, the same group of participants returned to the lab for more exercise sessions, but was told they were working out with a partner in another lab whom they could see on a screen. In reality, this was only a looped video. Participants also were told that their virtual partner was part of the first study and had ridden the bike approximately 40 percent longer than them.
"We created the impression that the virtual partner was a little better than the participant," Irwin said. "That's all they knew about their partner. In this group, participants rode an average of nine minutes longer than simply exercising alone."
While this 90 percent increase was promising, Irwin said he and his team had a hunch that the motivation could go even further. The participants were invited back to the lab for more exercise sessions with a virtual partner. This time, though, they were told they were on a team with their partner.
"We told them they were working together to achieve a team score," Irwin said. "The team score was the time of the person who quits first. The participants believed that in the previous trial, they didn't exercise as long as the other person. We created a situation where the participant was the weak link."
Participants in this team trial exercised approximately two minutes longer than simply working out alongside someone. However, Irwin added that the results look different over time.
"This was an average, but over time the difference got much bigger," he said. "In the beginning, the participants were exercising about a minute longer than the partner group. By the last session, participants in the team group were exercising almost 160 percent longer than those in the partner group, and nearly 200 percent longer than those exercising as individuals."
Irwin said this might be because those who believed they were exercising with a partner built a rapport over time and didn't want to let the partner down. He said the team was initially surprised at the drastic increase over time in participants working out with a teammate.
"If they're constantly working out with someone who's beating them, we wondered how motivated people would be to keep coming back and getting beat again," Irwin said. "It turned out to be exactly the opposite. Over time, it can be very motivating, as long as the conditions are right."
Irwin said research has shown that if an exercise partner or teammate is roughly at the same level or is exponentially better, the motivation disappears. He and his team found that a partner who worked at a level approximately 40 percent better was optimal.
"In certain fitness goals, like preparing to run a marathon, consider exercising not only with someone else, but with someone who is that much better," Irwin said. "For an extra boost, consider some type of team exercise that involves competition, like playing basketball at a regular time throughout the week."
In the future, Irwin wants to continue using virtual partners to increase the time and intensity of physical activity, but he hopes to move beyond false partners.
"I want to partner people up with actual individuals, not just prerecorded workout partners," he said. "Similar to matchmaking software for romantic relationships online, individuals from different sides of the country could be matched up based on their fitness goals and levels. Using technology, you could run with someone using your smartphones."
Irwin is currently researching this option and hopes to bring it to fruition within the next several years.
###
[ | 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.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe is preparing to follow the United States in delaying the introduction of stricter rules on bank capital while it lobbies for a rethink of the U.S. stance, EU sources said.
The delay could push back the start of global rules in Europe, known as Basel III, by about six months, or even longer if diplomats and lawmakers fail to break a deadlock on a law meant to be phased in from the start of 2013.
On the surface, the postponement would be good news for small banks in particular, because it would give them a chance to adapt to a complex new law still being finalized by EU member countries and the European Parliament.
But any hold-up would compound uncertainty after the U.S. decision to abandon the January 2013 target, undermining the global Basel accord and promised capital reforms to prevent a re-run of the financial crisis.
"Whatever happens, the new law cannot become effective on January 1," said one EU official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The middle of the year would be a realistic assessment."
The secretary general of the Basel Committee, which designed the new regime, insisted on Tuesday that its launch would go ahead as planned, but conceded that some countries would miss the deadline.
"A large number of jurisdictions have everything in place and are ready to go on January 1, 2013," Wayne Byres told Reuters on the sidelines of a financial sector conference in Abu Dhabi.
"We are persisting with the date, and those not ready on January 1 can be ready thereafter."
IN PRACTICAL TERMS, IMPOSSIBLE
Brussels is worried that the decision in Washington to ignore the deadline will put EU banks at a disadvantage against U.S. rivals allowed to put off applying its strict standards.
The delay has caused concern in the EU's executive European Commission. Michel Barnier, the commissioner in charge of regulating finance, has written to U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to express his worries, officials said.
In his letter, a copy of which was also sent to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Barnier pushes for clarity on when Washington will introduce the capital rules and flags the risks if the United States and Europe take different tacks, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
"The U.S. is dragging its feet, which is not fair," one of the officials said.
But privately, many officials in Brussels concede that the same is likely to happen in the 27-member European Union and that the bloc will also be forced to delay implementation, marking a further setback in efforts to reform finance.
By standardizing EU capital rules, the law would also make it easier for the European Central Bank to supervise lenders, the first step towards a banking union - a cornerstone of closer fiscal integration in the euro single currency area.
"In practical terms, it seems to be impossible to do something that is implemented by January 1, but officially that hasn't been said," a senior lawmaker in the European Parliament said.
Banks have been pushing for a delay of the new rules until the beginning of 2014, arguing that the U.S. move would put them at a disadvantage.
INDECISION
The global accord hatched by central bankers and regulators meeting in Basel, Switzerland, demands that lenders set aside more capital to cover losses such as unpaid loans.
It also lays down higher standards in determining what kind of assets a bank can use to meet these capital levels. For example, a limit on the use of hybrid debt that banks previously relied on, but which unraveled in the crisis.
The European Union is struggling to agree on many aspects of the package, including what kinds of assets can be considered liquid, or available at short notice.
The European Parliament is also demanding tough limits on bonus payouts in the EU law that introduces Basel; a demand that has irritated Britain.
After months of tortuous, often late-night negotiations between the parliament and EU member states, issues such as bonus caps remain unresolved and agreement on the broader rules has yet to be reached.
"There is a general feeling in the context of the euro zone crisis that not only is there a democratic deficit, but also an executive deficit. The institutions are just not able to take decisions," said Nicolas Veron of Brussels think tank Bruegel.
"We see that in the crisis, with Greece and the euro zone, but also on issues such as Basel," he said.
The drawn-out process of signing off a law has also frustrated regulators. "This is not a good situation," said one. "They are holding themselves up for ridicule if they don't adapt on time."
(Additional reporting by Stanley Carvalho in Abu Dhabi; Editing by Rex Merrifield and David Goodman)
Windows: If you're getting a little tired of the handful of low-resolution backgrounds for the Start screen in Windows 8, Stardock's Decor8 gives you all the tools you need to personalize it to your heart's content. 
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Public release date: 26-Nov-2012
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