Source: www.nytimes.com --- Sunday, March 24, 2013
The Israeli Military said it destroyed a machine-gun post in Syria after two patrols were fired on from across the cease-fire line in the Golan Heights. ...
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Malcolm Gladwell capitalized on research conducted by Roger Barnsley (et al., 1985) by suggesting in his 2008 book, Outliers, that there is an ?Iron Law of Canadian Hockey.? This theory is also known as the relative age effect in psychological research and it suggests that the older a player is when they begin training for a sport, the more likely they are to achieve success in that sport.
In fact, in a talk posted on YouTube, Gladwell goes even further, saying, ?In absolutely every system in which hockey is played, a hugely disproportionate number of hockey players are born in the first half of the year.? He says this in the context of a talk about society not taking advantage of opportunities to improve human potential.
?Logic tells us there should be as many great hockey players born in the second half of the year,? suggests Gladwell, ?as born in the first half. But what we can see here, there?s almost no one born it the end of the year, everyone?s from the beginning.?
But is this actually true ? are more elite hockey players born in the first half versus the second half of the year?
I was listening to this talk and couldn?t help but wonder, ?This seems like a really perhaps-too-neat result. Is this actually true? Does the relative age effect impact your likelihood to be a great hockey player??
So first I went over to Wikipedia and found this list, List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News from 1998. This is a quick and dirty way of testing the hypothesis at face value ? are the hockey greats of the world more likely to have been born in the first half of the year?
Only 39 of the hockey players on the list have Wikipedia entries, so they were the easiest to verify their date of birth. Of those 39 players, 20 were born in the first half of the year, and 19 were born in the second half. Hmmm? that doesn?t really seem to jive with Gladwell?s claims.
So finding some support that perhaps the issue isn?t as clear-cut and dried as Gladwell suggests, I turned to PsycINFO, the psychological research database. It didn?t take long to find a study that had the same questions I did ? does the relative age effect (RAE) actually predict excellence in sports?
Gibbs, Jarvis & Dufur (2012) suggest that the answer is no. In a far more systematic approach than my quick and dirty review of a top 100 list, the researchers examined the distribution of birth months for the first round draft picks of Canadian players in the NHL for the years 2007-2010. Then they looked at 1,109 players who played on major league rosters from 2000-2009.
Last, they examined All-Star and Olympic hockey rosters from 2002-2010. These are the elite players of hockey ? the cream of the crop.
So what did they find?
In our analyses, we found a strong relative age effect that eventually fades, then reverses across levels of hockey play among Canadian-born players.
In our first data, early birth-month advantage is apparent in the Medicine Hat Tigers championship roster of 2007
(56%) and for their opponents the Vancouver Giants (44%), but it is less true of the same teams three years later (33% and 39% respectively). [These were the teams Gladwell highlighted in his book chapter.]The effect is also apparent among Canadian-born first round draft picks, with 40 percent, 41 percent, 47 percent, and 33 percent born in the first quarters of 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 respectively.
But for the average player in the NHL, the effect seems to fade. Although the first round draft picks confirm Gladwell?s law (33?47 percent across 2007?2010) ? a reflection of their Major Junior Hockey performance ? the percent of all Canadian hockey players in the NHL born in the first three months is a modest 28 percent.
But it gets worse. Among the most elite hockey players, the effect completely reverses ? it?s better to be born later in the year if you want to become one of the great hockey players: ?The combined average of the All-stars and
Olympic rosters [born in the first three months of the year] is 17 percent.? Compare this to the 28 percent noted above and you see that it actually hurts your chances to be born earlier in the year if you want to play in the Olympics or on an All-Star team.
Last, the researchers found one more perhaps-not-so-surprising result ? players born earlier in the year have shorter hockey careers ? an average of a year less than those born in the last three months of the year (Gibbs, Jarvis & Dufur, 2012).
The incongruous findings come from Gladwell confusing simply playing on a team with being an elite player in that sport. He defined success in hockey as simply making the team ? a way most people who play sports probably wouldn?t agree with. The researchers sum it up nicely:
Our findings illustrate how critical it is to define hockey success. When hockey success is defined as playing Major Junior Hockey, the effect is strong, as Gladwell reported in the popular press.
But the effect diminishes when success is defined as making the NHL, and fades when performance and skill are considered.
When hockey success is defined as the most elite levels of play, the relative age effect reverses.
Now here?s the real problem ? these YouTube talks and videos don?t get updated or removed. Nobody is going to come along and point out that the things Gladwell says in this talk aren?t necessarily true based upon our latest understand and research.
Remember his line, ?Logic tells us there should be as many great hockey players born in the second half of the year.? Well, actually the data suggests that this is, in fact, true after all.
And that?s the challenge of disseminating pop-psychology tidbits on video and in books ? their conclusions will remain forever etched, while the science and research data continue to move forward.
Finally, it?s a reminder that psychology and sociology data rarely results in neat, clean conclusions. While initial research might draw such conclusions, later more-nuanced, rigorous research often demonstrates the problems with those first studies.
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Watch the Gladwell YouTube talk: Malcolm Gladwell Explains Why Human Potential Is Being Squandered
Read Ben Gibbs? blog entry on his research: Relative Age Effect Reversal Found At Elite Level of Canadian Hockey
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References
Barnsley, RH, Thompson AH and Barnsley PE. (1985). Hockey success and birthdate: The relative age effect. Canadian Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (CAHPER) Journal 51: 23?28.
Gibbs, B.G., Jarvis, J.A., & Dufur, M.J. (2012). The rise of the underdog? The relative age effect reversal among Canadian-born NHL hockey players: A reply to Nolan and Howell. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 47, 644-649.
Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The Story of Success. New York: Little, Brown.
Footnotes:
Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by John M. Grohol, PsyD (or subscribe to their feed).
????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 23 Mar 2013
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
APA Reference
Grohol, J. (2013). The Relative Age Effect in Sports: It?s Complicated. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 24, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/03/23/the-relative-age-effect-in-sports-its-complicated/
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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/03/23/the-relative-age-effect-in-sports-its-complicated/
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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African mining firm Exxaro has resolved a dispute with striking workers who will on Monday resume production, which was halted more than two weeks ago at five of its collieries, company and union officials said on Saturday.
The stoppage had threatened supply of coal to state power utility Eskom , which uses the commodity to generate 85 percent of the electricity for Africa's biggest economy. Exxaro is Eskom's second-largest coal supplier.
"The issue was resolved at midnight and all workers will return to work on Monday. The dispute was over a bonus and that bonus was granted," said National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba Seshoka.
Exxaro spokesman Hilton Atkinson confirmed a deal had been reached in the early hours of Saturday.
"At this stage it's hard to say when we will get to full production ... probably a few days after production resumes," he told Reuters.
Exxaro had said on Wednesday it could dismiss the 3,200 coal miners participating in the illegal strike if they refused to return to work by next week.
The strike turned violent earlier this week, with police firing rubber bullets at strikers at one mine.
The strike started at two mines on March 5 and spread to other operations as workers pressed for bonuses the company refused to pay because targets had not been met.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exxaro-miners-end-strike-union-085752347--finance.html
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This guest article from YourTango was written by Diane Spear, LCSW-R.
Melissa and Tom (whose names have been changed to protect their privacy) argued as they drove to meet their vocal coach.
?Why do you want to sing The Wind Beneath My Wings?? she asked. ?It?s such a clich?, and I?ll never hear the end of it from my Dad.?
?You?re not doing much better with that Shania Twain song,? Tom rebutted, ?Everyone?s going to hear it and remember that Shania Twain?s husband left her for the assistant. Doesn?t bode well, does it??
Melissa and Tom were determined to make their June wedding an entertaining event, complete with readings by Melissa?s sisters, both of whom are actresses, and additional music by Tom?s brother, who is a singer/songwriter. Melissa wanted to wear a green dress to symbolize her commitment to environmental issues, but Tom worried that people would think it was strange.
So many details! Should they select chairs by price or comfort? Should they go with freesia or flowers that are more showy? Which kind of champagne should they choose for the toast? Chocolate fountain or Viennese table? And then there are the seating charts.
Tom and Melissa spend their non-working hours fighting about, well, everything wedding-related. Tom is beginning to question whether he really wants to marry Melissa, and Melissa wonders why she never noticed how conventional Tom is. Does he really value his uptight relatives? opinions about the color of her dress more than he cares about her only opportunity to don her dream dress?
Does their situation sound familiar to you? We?ve all known a Bridezilla or two ? women who are so over-the-top about the wedding that they forget about the groom. But what happens to couples that get so lost in wedding planning that they forget to focus on the bigger issue ? namely, the marriage that lies ahead?
With that question in mind, here are my ?lucky seven? suggestions for getting the focus where it belongs, so that you and your fianc? can get your marriage off to a good start:
1. Relax about the appearances, starting with yourself and your fiance.
This is not the time to drop twenty pounds, become a marathon runner or turn him into a gym rat. My client Emma got engaged to Kurt (both names have been changed), booked a personal trainer for three sessions a week, and began a crash diet. Eight months after the wedding, she came to see me because she wasn?t enjoying her life ? just as she hadn?t enjoyed her engagement or her wedding.
Thinking back about her wedding, she said, ?I have beautiful wedding pictures, but I wish I?d bagged the trainer and the diet and had fun instead! I was a size zero on my wedding day, and Kurt jokingly referred to me as his incredible shrinking bride. He likes curves, but I was stuck on this idea that if I was the thinnest, blondest bride, I?d be the happiest bride.? She laughs ruefully. ?So there I was: the most uptight bride. And poor Kurt! I had him biking thirty miles five days a week to get in shape. Not fun!?
2. The devil is in the details.
Usually that phrase means to pay attention to the details, but if you get stuck in all the wedding details, you?re missing the fun. Is anyone really going to remember whether you had the lavender napkins or the deep purple ones? If they do, that?s their problem! I assure you that beveled edges on the cakestand can?t guarantee a good marriage.
3. Stick to your budget.
Your relationship isn?t going to fail if you get married in a garden or a church instead of a Spanish castle, but regardless of the venue, there are choices all along the way that can either break your budget or respect it. Why start your marriage with the stress of unnecessary debt? The wedding is about your commitment to each other; it?s not proof of your magnificence.
4. Don?t stress over the wedding vows.
Approach your wedding vows as something you want to say to your partner, rather than a proclamation to the world of your love or proof of your brilliance. Steve and Betsy (names changed) spent several weekends camped out at opposite ends of their apartment with writer?s block, trying to compose the perfect wedding vows. Would people think the vows were silly? Were they too emotional? Too unconventional? Too sexist?
I suggested that they talk to each other about what they especially love about each other, something they struggle to accept about each other, and take their vows from that. After all, It?s not for Bartlett?s Quotations; it?s for you and your partner. And since you and your partner are not Tom Hanks winning an Academy Award and using the acceptance speech as a love letter to your partner, take the pressure off and remember that the traditional vows are there for a reason. Alternatively, you can look online for some that fit your style.
5. Think of the reception as a fun party for you to enjoy with your friends and family.
One bride?s father had the idea that the reception should be a cabaret show, and it was his responsibility to keep all the guests entertained. The bride and groom wanted something fun and low-key, not a spectacle that demanded everyone?s attention. They put together a playlist of songs that had meaning for them, ones they knew their older relatives enjoyed, and ones they knew would get people out on the dance floor. They looked at the reception as a fun party, not a place to prove their talent, hipness or anything else.
6. If possible, outsource the planning.
Jane?s mother loves planning parties and was thrilled that Jane and Philip (names changed) gave her the basic idea of what they wanted before turning her loose to be creative. Meanwhile, Eliza and Mark (names changed) couldn?t afford a wedding planner and didn?t have relatives who could pitch in, but they had a group of very talented friends who volunteered to manage the various parts. They gave each friend a budget and free rein.
One friend was a sous chef at a fancy restaurant who volunteered to prepare the food, another one did the flowers, Eliza?s brother sang at the ceremony and had musician friends join him to provide music for the party, and Mark?s sister shot video. If you don?t have a close relative with those talents who?s enthusiastic about taking on the plans, hire a wedding planner.
7. Remember that you and your partner are on the same side!
Your partner may not be as interested in all of the ?stuff? as you are, whether it?s registry ?stuff? or what type of wedding you have. That doesn?t mean he?s wrong or doesn?t care about you. It just means that he?s not you.
Not everyone has an opinion about everything connected with the wedding. He may be more focused on planning a fun trip and enjoying being together when the whole thing?s done. He may be more interested in marrying you than in being your groom. When you have a difference of opinion or approach, stop and say ? aloud, or to yourself ? ?I think we?ve forgotten we?re on the same team, which is the whole point! Let me do something warm to connect with you.?
These ?lucky seven? tips are variations on a theme: It?s the marriage that?s important. If you and your partner can stay on the same side, relax about appearances, compromise and have fun with each other along the way, you?ve learned some of the basics of a satisfying married life!
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More marriage advice from YourTango:
Contributed by YourTango.com, an online magazine dedicated to love, life and relationships. From dating to marriage, parenting to empty-nest, relationship challenges to relationship success, YourTango is at the center of the conversations that are closest to our over 3 million readers' hearts. With daily contributions from our Experts, we have a little something for everyone looking to create healthier lives. We're excited to offer our contributions to the PsychCentral community, and invite you to visit us on YourTango.com.Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by YourTango Experts (or subscribe to their feed).
????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 23 Mar 2013
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
APA Reference
Experts, Y. (2013). 7 Tips on How Not to Let Wedding Fever Ruin Your Relationship. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 24, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/03/23/7-tips-on-how-not-to-let-wedding-fever-ruin-your-relationship/
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In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, the Eman Mosque is seen destroyed after a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old cleric known to all Syrians as a religious scholar, at the Mazraa district, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, March 21, 2013. A suicide bomber blew himself up during evening prayers inside a mosque in Damascus Thursday, killing a top Sunni Muslim preacher and longtime supporter of President Bashar Assad and least 13 other people, state TV reported. Al-Buti's death is a big blow to Syria's embattled leader, who is fighting mainly Sunni rebels seeking his ouster. (AP Photo/SANA)
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, the Eman Mosque is seen destroyed after a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old cleric known to all Syrians as a religious scholar, at the Mazraa district, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, March 21, 2013. A suicide bomber blew himself up during evening prayers inside a mosque in Damascus Thursday, killing a top Sunni Muslim preacher and longtime supporter of President Bashar Assad and least 13 other people, state TV reported. Al-Buti's death is a big blow to Syria's embattled leader, who is fighting mainly Sunni rebels seeking his ouster. (AP Photo/SANA)
Map locates suicide bombing Syria
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, the Eman Mosque is seen destroyed after a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old cleric known to all Syrians as a religious scholar, at the Mazraa district, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, March 21, 2013. A suicide bomber blew himself up during evening prayers inside a mosque in Damascus Thursday, killing a top Sunni Muslim preacher and longtime supporter of President Bashar Assad and least 13 other people, state TV reported. Al-Buti's death is a big blow to Syria's embattled leader, who is fighting mainly Sunni rebels seeking his ouster. (AP Photo/SANA)
In this undated photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old cleric known to all Syrians as a religious scholar, speaks at a press conference. Al-Buti, a top Sunni Muslim preacher and longtime supporter of President Bashar Assad was killed in a suicide bombing in the Eman Mosque, at the Mazraa district, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, March 21, 2013, state TV reported . (AP Photo/SANA)
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, the desk of Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old cleric known to all Syrians as a religious scholar, is seen after a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Eman Mosque in the Mazraa district, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, March 21, 2013. A suicide bomber blew himself up during evening prayers inside a mosque in Damascus Thursday, killing a top Sunni Muslim preacher and longtime supporter of President Bashar Assad and least 13 other people, state TV reported. Al-Buti's death is a big blow to Syria's embattled leader, who is fighting mainly Sunni rebels seeking his ouster. (AP Photo/SANA)
BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian President Bashar Assad vowed Friday to avenge the death of a senior pro-government cleric who was killed along with dozens of people in a suicide bombing at a Damascus mosque, saying he would "purge our country" of the militants behind the attack in the heart of the capital.
Both Assad and the rebels seeking to topple him blamed each other for Thursday's bombing at the mosque. At least 49 people were killed, including the 84-year-old preacher and his grandson, the government said, in one of the most brazen assassinations of the Syrian civil war.
Although the cleric was despised by the rebels for his unwavering support of the regime, opposition leaders condemned his killing.
In a rare statement on Syrian state media, Assad framed the attack as part of a terrorist conspiracy against his government and praised the slain preacher, Sheik Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti.
"Your works full of truthfulness and belief were the best expression of the essence and light of Islam in confronting the powers of darkness and extremist thought that considers others infidels," Assad was quoted as saying by the SANA news agency.
He blamed "terrorists" ? his standard shorthand for the opposition ? for the attack, and vowed to "purge our country of them."
"And this is a promise from the Syrian people, and I am one of them, that your blood, that of your grandson and the blood of all today's martyrs and all martyrs of the homeland will not go in vain," the statement from Assad said.
Al-Buti, Syria's best-known cleric and the most prominent religious figure killed so far in the conflict, had supported the regime since the early days of Assad's father and predecessor, the late President Hafez Assad, providing legitimacy to their rule. Sunnis are the majority sect in Syria while Assad is from the minority Alawite sect ? an offshoot of Shiite Islam.
The opposition Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Right put the death toll in the bombing at 52. No group claimed responsibility for the blast.
The exile opposition Syrian National Coalition blamed Assad's government for the attack, arguing that the bomber could have only reached the heavily guarded mosque with regime support.
"He who does not hesitate to bomb mosques, universities and bakeries and target residential areas with Scud missiles cannot be expected to refrain from carrying out terrorist explosions that kill innocent Syrian civilians," the statement said.
Coalition leader Mouaz al-Khatib, who rose to prominence preaching in the same historic mosque as al-Buti, acknowledged their political differences.
"We almost never agreed with his political opinions and we see his position toward rulers as not theologically sound, but we view his killing as a crime that opens the doors of evil that only God knows," al-Khatib said on his Facebook page.
He suggested the regime had a hand in the bombing, saying he thought al-Buti was changing his views on the civil war.
"We think the regime liquidated him, fearing that a courageous position from him would flip the entire balance," he said.
Al-Buti's killing exposed the weak links between the rebel fighters on the ground and their purported political leadership, and it could boost the government's argument that Islamic extremists dominate the uprising.
In Amman, Jordan, President Barack Obama said Assad is sure to go but added that he was worried about Syria becoming a haven for extremists afterward.
Standing beside King Abdullah II of Jordan, Obama said the international community must work together to ensure there is a credible opposition ready to take over.
"Something has been broken in Syria, and it's not going to be put back together perfectly immediately ? even after Assad leaves," Obama said. "But we can begin the process of moving it in a better direction, and having a cohesive opposition is critical to that."
Al-Buti's killing came near the start of the third year of the Syrian crisis, with rebel and regime forces largely stalemated and an estimated 70,000 people dead. The opposition is trying to get organized enough to provide basic services to people in rebel-held areas and better coordinate the hundreds of independent groups fighting across Syria.
Earlier this week, the coalition elected an interim prime minister. Coalition members hope U.S.-educated Ghassan Hitto will encourage world powers to back the rebels with badly needed funding and weapons.
But so far, the coalition has failed to project its authority inside of Syria or exercise any control over the groups fighting Assad on the ground, many of them fueled by extremist ideologies and calling for an Islamic state.
Most expect it was one of those groups that killed al-Buti, reflecting how little the opposition's exile leadership has over groups on the ground.
Hilal Khashan, political scientist at the American University in Beirut, dismissed opposition claims that the regime killed al-Buti and said it was unlikely that the killing would cause many Syrians to changes sides in the war.
Although a Sunni Muslim like most of the rebels, al-Buti's continued defense of Assad pushed many in his sect away long ago.
"Sunnis who are against Assad have already made their choice and gone to the opposition, and I don't think that those in the opposition who are condemning it are really against it," he said.
Instead, the attack ? the conflict's first suicide bombing inside a mosque ? could mark the start of a dark new stage in the civil war.
"Attacking a mosque and killing worshippers is not a blow to the government or a victory for the opposition," Khashan said. "I see it as a small example of what will happen in post-Assad Syria."
Al-Buti's funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Damascus following noon prayers. Assad declared it a day of mourning.
Also Friday, the U.N.'s top human rights body extended its investigation into suspected abuses in Syria through March 2014, a half-year longer than originally proposed.
The panel, which began its work in August 2011, said earlier this month that it was collecting evidence on 20 alleged massacres in Syria, a reflection of the civil war's growing brutality.
Elsewhere in Syria, activists reported shelling and clashes in the northern province of Aleppo, the suburbs of Damascus and the southern province of Daraa.
In neighboring Lebanon, pro- and anti-Assad gunmen fought in the northern port city of Tripoli, leaving six people dead and more than 20 wounded, according to state-run National News Agency. Clashes between the Sunni neighborhood of Bab Tabbaneh, which supports Syria's rebels, and the adjacent Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen, which supports Assad, have broken out repeatedly in recent months.
Also in Tripoli, the Lebanese army said a soldier was killed and several others wounded in an army raid to capture several gunmen.
Syria's crisis began with political protests in March 2011 and has since become a civil war.
Many fear that violence in Syria could unsettle Lebanon since the countries share a complex web of political and sectarian ties and rivalries that are easily enflamed.
___
Associated Press writer John Heilprin contributed reporting from Geneva.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? Build a state university in the swamplands of south Florida. Move the athletic program to the highest level in college sports and hire a self-made millionaire basketball coach. When his team makes the NCAA tournament, say in Year 2 of its eligibility, beat a tradition-rich opponent like a Georgetown.
That is Florida Gulf Coast University's formula for success.
It took 16 years, and now the school from south Florida is the talk of March Madness.
"Fort Myers is kind of rocking and rolling right now," FGCU forward Eddie Murray said Saturday, less than 24 hours after the No. 15 Eagles beat second-seeded Georgetown 78-68. "They're really excited. This is a big thing for the city and I'm glad we could deliver this."
It was one heck of a delivery.
Suddenly, a school with an enrollment of about 12,000, whose first graduating class wore the caps and gowns in 2001, is getting national attention because of a basketball team loaded with players whose best recruiting offers were from conferences like the Atlantic 10 and Missouri Valley.
The teenagers bought into the pitch from Andy Enfield, a coach made millions starting up a document imaging and contract management company in the health care industry, and who happens to be married to former supermodel Amanda Marcum. They have three children.
Hard to argue with that kind of salesman.
"Yes, we sold this vision," said Enfield, who has also spent time as an assistant coach in the NBA and at Florida State, and has been a shooting consultant for several NBA players. "It wasn't play San Diego State in the (third) round on a Sunday in Philadelphia, it was a vision of success, it was a vision of ... what they could expect in the classroom, off the court and on the basketball court. That's the vision we sell, and I think that's most recruiting. You have to let players know what they should expect from you during their time at school."
Enfield's motto is simple and he's lived up to it.
"I aim for the stars," he said.
Right now he's taking the team and the school with him.
"The biggest thing he's given me has just been confidence," Murray said. "There have been things technique-wise but the biggest thing has definitely been confidence."
The Eagles (25-10) put on a classic performance against Georgetown, putting on an offensive display unlike any seen against the Hoyas this season. Their 21-2 run in the second half stunned and delighted the sellout crowd at the Wells Fargo Center, and their ability to hold off final charge by the Big East team, sold the fans on the legitimacy of the win.
"Early on in the game I kind of thought that more people would be going for the underdog, but they weren't really too vocal in the beginning," Murray said. "As we started getting a couple of dunks here and there, knocking down a couple of 3s and going on a big run against Georgetown, the crowd really started to erupt, become more vocal. The place really started rocking there for a while. Yeah, all these people in Philadelphia have really come to like our team and are rooting for us."
So is a lot of the country, despite the Eagles shattering bracket sheets.
"I've received congratulatory message and advice from other coaches, people in the media, family, friends, people I haven't seen or heard from in 20 years," Enfield said, estimating his phone had 450 text messages ? and counting.
While Fort Myers and nearby Naples may be known for their retirement communities, the area also has some good golf courses, wetland areas ? and the wildlife that comes with them.
"You would see wild animals crossing the road," said Murray, a local who grew up about 20 miles away from the FGCU campus. "Personally, I've seen everything from wild boar, bobcats and, of course, alligators."
That didn't deter the students ? and basketball players ? from attending school on a campus just a few minutes from the Gulf of Mexico that has dorms overlooking a beach on a lake.
"I'm from Orlando, so even being from Florida, a lot of people that I'm close to, they didn't even know where Florida Gulf Coast was or they never heard of it," said Sherwood Brown, the Atlantic Sun player of the year, who led the Eagles against Georgetown with 24 points.
One person who knows something about FGCU is Steve Fisher, the coach of San Diego State (23-10), which will face the Eagles with a berth in the Sweet 16 at stake. A No. 15 seed has never made it to the regional semifinals, while the Aztecs are looking to do it for the second time in three seasons.
"I probably knew more than any coach in America about them because I've got a condo that I've had from my days in the Midwest in Fort Myers Beach, a stone's throw from Florida Gulf Coast," said Fisher, who coached Michigan to the 1989 national championship and two other Final Four appearances.
"I read all about them starting sports. I went over to the campus. I've been on the campus. I've toured it.
"They're good. I think it's legitimate."
Fisher said the low seeding and the short history has nothing to do with this team.
"If we were playing a shirts and skins game with all 64 teams and you brought all the teams out there and watched them warm up, you'd be hard pressed to say, 'Well, this is a team that's not supposed to win,'" he said. "They're good. They're talented. They're well-coached. And they played terrific last night."
The Aztecs broke open their 70-55 win over Oklahoma with a late run behind Jamal Franklin, who leads the San Diego State in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
"We can't get ahead to the Elite 8 or the Sweet 16," Franklin said. "Tomorrow is Sunday and that brings Florida Gulf Coast in our path and we've got to worry about playing a good team and we've got to worry about getting that win."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/coach-leads-florida-gulf-coast-ncaa-success-231225164--spt.html
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NEW YORK (AP) ? The agency in charge of Internet addresses says it's given preliminary approval for 27 new suffixes ? all in Chinese, Arabic and other languages besides English.
They are the first approved out of nearly 2,000 bids submitted last year. The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers previously said it was reviewing the non-English bids first. ICANN expects additional approvals in the coming weeks.
Winning bidders must now work out contractual and other details. The new suffixes could be available for use as early as the middle of the year.
Proponents of the new suffixes hope the expansion will lead to online neighborhoods of businesses and groups around specific geographic areas or industries and help non-English speakers avoid typing English domain names like ".com."
___
Online:
http://gtldresult.icann.org
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Trapster has been around for many years now, and although it has gone through a lot of changes since 2010 none may be as important as the move today to version 4.0. The newest version of Trapster leaves no portion of the interface or functionality untouched -- improvements can be found across the entire app. There's a new and user-friendly main interface, but the revamp goes all the way through to the settings.
Best of all, the mapping data has been improved substantially with the switch to the latest HERE Maps as the base, with a new 3D view and vector-based images. So what makes the new version of Trapster so great? Read on past the break and see what version 4.0 has to offer.
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/rdD2yauyXUw/story01.htm
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday it will close 149 air traffic control towers beginning on April 7 to meet required automatic spending cuts.
Another 40 towers previously slated for closure will remain open, the agency said in a statement.
"We heard from communities across the country about the importance of their towers and these were very tough decisions," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. "Unfortunately we are faced with a series of difficult choices that we have to make to reach the required cuts under sequestration."
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said the agency would work with affected airports and operators to ensure procedures are in place to maintain a high level of safety.
In early March, the FAA proposed closing 189 contract air traffic control towers as part of its plan to meet the $637 million in cuts required under budget sequestration.
The agency said on Friday it had decided to keep 24 of the towers open because closing them would have a negative impact on the national interest.
Another 16 towers under a "cost-share" program were spared because the required 5 percent cut to that portion of the budget did not require the towers to be closed.
(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by Todd Eastham)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/faa-says-close-149-control-towers-meet-budget-191202567.html
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Today in the age of the Internet, your business marketing goals must include at the minimum an Online presence, even better a comprehensive website. Years ago, the Internet did not come into play with your business? strategic marketing plan. Now, it is a vital component. If you haven?t realized this by now, your business can be doomed.
Marketing plans now have a large portion of work to be done on the Internet. Some might think?my business doesn?t sell anything online, so why bother with all the work and even costs. Your clients more than likely want some information about your business before they even step into your door. An online presence can at the very least provide them with contact and location information. But in reality, today?s consumer is much more educated than in the past. Consumers research business?, period. They like to know who you are, what you do and why your business is the best for their needs. If you provide them with a web presence, they can answer some of theses questions before speaking with anyone in your business.
An online web presence offers your business a permanent identity, the first steps to Branding your business. With a business e-mail address, you can make contact with others in a professional manner, no more cryptic or off-the-wall e-mail addresses for your business needs. Remember, a key point is that you are showcasing your business, just like you would in the traditional way. Tell potential clients about your skills, what you can do for them, market the associations and groups you participate in, share free information to the customer, your business must captures the needs of your potential customers always, and if possible you can obtain world-wide exposure, not just local or regional. Exposing the community groups and associations you belong to builds trust with potential clients, you are a reputable business so let them know. Internet users desire information, free information. You can provide them this service, offer tips, advice, user manuals, white papers, and the list goes on. Expanding your exposure is a basic traditional marketing target anyway, why not try to reach around the world?can?t hurt right?
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Okay so we?ve established your business needs a web presence for a list of reasons. Now, how does this fit into your marketing plan? Essentially, your strategic, precise plan of action just increased ten-fold. That?s okay, a web presence is a necessity, not an option. So first your marketing plan needs to be re-worked and expanded. Most, if not all, marketing companies already have an online strategy that will fit your present situation. Remember, just like traditional marketing, online marketing costs money. It?s a fact and there is no way to get around this one. But your business needs to put this online marketing into the investment category. Your web presence can even provide a measurable return on investment. So relax and let?s start from the beginning of the basics.
The basis of your online presence is of course your web site. Now there are two obvious options: create your own website; or have it designed and developed professionally. There is some simple logic here?.if your website looks cheap and average, that can make or break a sale, although if your site exudes professionalism, quality and honesty your odds of making a new sale to a new client are much greater. So please seriously ponder going the professional route. There are some affordable options that will provide you with quality without emptying your wallet.
But before you or your web designer begin the design process, ponder a few things: what are your goals and purposes; how and what information should you present; what type of information could you get back from the visitors (e.g. contact information, feedback, and even demographics). Planning is the key to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You must set in place the goals for your visitors to your site and assess your audience, probe what they need, want, and don?t want.
One final important focus, in this introductory article, should be on projecting why your business is the most qualified to fill the visitor?s needs and establishing a much desired level of authority and honesty. Having your audience trust your company goes a long way. Now, get started planning.
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Source: http://dadycandoit.com/its-time-for-your-business-to-have-an-online-presence/
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posted by Bukit Batok East New Media Champion @ 10:09 AM ? 
Source: http://bukitbatokeast.blogspot.com/2013/03/family-scrapbook-workshop.html
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STOCKHOLM (AP) ? Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB reported Thursday a 10 percent fall in its first-quarter net profit, to 2.46 billion kronar ($380 million), mainly due to unfavorable weather conditions and a tough economic climate.
Net sales during the December to February period, the company's fiscal first quarter, were 28.4 billion kronar, up from 27.8 billion kronar.
The international retail industry was hit by bad weather during parts of the period, particularly in Europe and North America, H&M said, and cautioned that an unusually cold start to the current quarter will delay the start of the spring collection.
The company was also hurt by shifts in foreign exchange markets as the Swedish krona strengthened against other currencies.
Sales in Asia remained strong and the newly launched mobile-adapted H&M shop online launched in January was well received by customers, H&M said.
CEO Karl-Johan Persson said sales in the quarter had been below expectations and cautioned that 2013 would remain "challenging." He said H&M would open outlets in five new countries ? Chile, Estonia, Lithuania, Serbia and Indonesia ? bringing the total number of new H&M stores this year to 350, with more expansion plans next year, including launching outlets in Australia. H&M is also planning to start a new sportswear and accessories range at the beginning of 2014.
H&M's share price was up some 2 percent at 4.30 kronar in midday trading on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.
Founded in 1947, H&M has more than 2,800 stores in 48 countries. It said it was on target to continue increasing the number of stores annually by 10-15 percent.
In addition to H&M, the group includes the brands COS, Monki, Weekday and Cheap Monday, & Other Stories as well as H&M Home. It employs more than 100,000 people worldwide.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/h-m-profits-fall-amid-tough-economy-bad-121740172--finance.html
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japan.internet.com recently reported on the seventh regular survey by goo Research into mobile devices, with the focus this time on tablets.
Between the 4th and 9th of March 2013 1,085 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.6% of the sample were male, 13.5% in their teens, 15.8% in their twenties, 21.4% in their thirties, 17.4% in their forties, and 32.0% aged fifty or older.
I really do feel that tablet use is increasing; on my commute there is invariably at least one person using a tablet, and the most common uses appear to be general surfing or reading. Today I say my first person running LINE chaton one; an issue with that is that it is easier for people to read what you are talking about, however.
The spousal unit wants a tablet; a Nexus or Kindle Fire are quite affordable these days, so I am tempted...
Read more on: goo research,tabletFirst, the sample were asked what kinds of mobile devices they owned. 57.8% said standard feature phones, 51.6% notebook or netbook computers, 42.8% smartphones, 29.0% portable game machines, 28.6% portable music players, and so on, with tablet computers coming in at 14.6%, up from 9.0% the previous time this survey was conducted. These 158 tablet owners were asked the following.
Q1: What OS does/do your tablet(s) use? (Sample size=158, multiple answer)
iOS 53.8% Android 47.5% Windows 3.2% WebOS 0.0% BlackBerry 0.0% Other 0.6% iOS is down four percentage points, and Android is up five; Windows has collapsed from 11.3%.
Q2: Would you like a tablet? (Sample size=927, non-tablet owners)
Yes, and have plan to buy 4.7% Yes, but no plan to buy 42.4% No 52.9%
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhatJapanThinks/~3/xJ8l3BplTiE/
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Vice President Joe Biden (L) is greeted by Pope Francis in Saint Peter's Basilica after??Vice President Joe Biden didn?t return from Rome with a new treaty, or any major public agreement to pursue a common foe or a common purpose. If there was a peacemaking push, it was in the sometimes difficult relationship between President Barack Obama?s administration and the Catholic Church. And the main headline didn?t even need to include him: ?Pope Francis celebrates installation mass.?
But one thing Biden did during his whirlwind visit to Rome?not even 48 hours on the ground?was highlight American prestige and the symbolism of U.S. global leadership, crucial but hard-to-measure sources of ?soft power? influence in world affairs.
Sure, there were a couple of what the media has come to describe as ?Biden being Biden? moments (a label his communications staff has tried to appropriate). At a time when partisan Washington feuds over painful spending cuts known as sequestration, Biden joked that sequestered Cardinals who speedily picked a new pope had proven more decisive than, say, partisan Washington.
?I didn?t realize you?d arrange for a new pope so quickly,? Biden said to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano as they met in the Quirinale Palace.
"They are quicker than Italian politics," Napolitano replied in English.
"They're quicker than American politics," the vice president said with a grin.
And he quipped that he had to attend an evening reception with American cardinals ?or I?ll lose my soul." (Oh, for pete?s sake, it was a joke, though perhaps one given an edge by the aforementioned tensions between Church and State.)
So what did Biden bring to Europe, apart from a fleet of black vehicles with ?Taxation Without Representation? license plates, a small army of Secret Service agents, a phalanx of staff, and a letter from Obama to the new pope (contents unknown)?
First, prestige. Lyndon Johnson may have disparaged the vice presidency as worth roughly a "bucket of warm [censored]," but news stories about Pope Francis?s installation mass invariably mentioned Biden among the guests who had come to (figuratively?) kiss the ring. Yes, it goes both ways?Biden?s presence affirmed the Vatican?s power in world affairs (and domestic U.S. politics) even as it showcased the importance of American support for the venerable institution.
Second?let?s call it ?relations maintenance.? We won?t know for months, if ever, what impact Biden?s conversations with Italy?s president and outgoing prime minister about the state of European financial affairs will have.
But Italy is an important ally. (Do you care about the Sept. 11 2012 attack on the American compound in Benghazi? Then you care about U.S.-Italian relations. Italy maintains a potent intelligence presence in North Africa, and notably in Libya, a former colony.) And with Europe struggling to climb out of its financial crisis, Italy?s troubled economy worries officials in Washington?especially when coupled with its political dysfunction (though Italians might say the same about the American economy).
And the Vatican has traditionally played an important role in world affairs.
Perhaps only foreign policy nerds (guilty!) will note that Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci?s meeting with Biden on Monday was unveiled at the last minute, after the announcement that the vice president would meet with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic. (Kosovo won its independence from Serbia thanks in large part to NATO military help.)
As for that meeting with Nikolic? Biden?s office said the vice president highlighted ?our desire for a deeper partnership in the years ahead??but also better relations with Kosovo.
?The vice president continues to encourage both Serbia and Kosovo to take the steps necessary to normalize relations to advance their European integration and to ensure a more secure and prosperous future for the people of both countries,? Biden?s office said.
The vice president also met with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, notably thanking Warsaw for ?its agreement to host planned Missile Defense assets.? (Yup, ?Missile Defense? capitalized in the statement from Biden?s office.)
Biden?s office didn?t say it, but the meetings with leaders of Serbia and Poland came at a time when Washington is worriedly watching relations with Russia.
The only controversy in Rome may come from the fact that Biden and House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, both Catholics who have defended access to abortion, took Communion. Conservative Catholics have condemned that in the past.
Vice President Joe Biden gestures while entering to meet Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinale??
What will come of Biden?s trip? Maybe a few photos from Pope Francis? installation mass, and the official receiving line. Maybe a couple of allies reassured about the degree to which Washington values them. Maybe a better sense of just how bad things might get in Europe before they get better. Maybe a little push to Serbia and Kosovo to make nice. A reaffirmation that the United States still dominates world affairs despite China?s assertive rise. Nothing dramatic, though, at least in the short term. Just the grind of American diplomacy.
Just Biden being Biden.
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VATICAN CITY (AP) ? After a week marked by acts of simplicity and openness, Pope Francis finally let his words do the talking as he officially began his stewardship of the Catholic Church on Tuesday.
"Please," he implored the tens of thousands, both poor and powerful, gathered outside St. Peter's Basilica. "Let us be protectors of creation, protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment."
It was a message Pope Francis has hinted at, but now he made it clear, as he urged the economic, political and religious leaders arrayed before him not to allow "omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world."
On a day of warm, blue skies, the 76-year-old pope thrilled the crowd as he arrived in the sun-drenched piazza in an open-air jeep, shouting "Ciao!" to well-wishers and kissing babies handed up to him.
At one point, as he neared a group of people in wheelchairs, he signaled for the jeep to stop, hopped off and approached a disabled man held up to the barricade by his family, blessing him and then kissing him on his forehead.
It was a gesture from a man whose short papacy so far has been defined by such spontaneous forays into the crowd, which seem to surprise and concern his security guards.
"I like him because he loves the poor," said 7-year-old Pietro Loretti, who came from his home in Barletta in southern Italy to attend the Mass. Another child, 9-year-old Benedetta Vergetti from Cervetri near Rome, also skipped school to attend. "I like him because he's sweet like my dad," she said.
The Argentine native is the first pope from Latin America and the first named for the 13th-century friar St. Francis of Assisi, whose life's work was to care for nature, the poor and the most disadvantaged.
In Buenos Aires, thousands of people packed the central Plaza de Mayo square to watch the ceremony on giant TV screens, erupting in joy when Francis called them from Rome, his words broadcast over loudspeakers.
"I want to ask a favor," Francis told them in Spanish. "I want to ask you to walk together, and take care of one another. ... And don't forget that this bishop who is far away loves you very much. Pray for me."
Back in Rome, Francis was interrupted by applause as he declared his role as the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics was to open his arms to "the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison."
"Today, amid so much darkness we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others," he said. "To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope. It is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds."
After the celebrations die down, Francis has his work cut out as he confronts a church in crisis.
Retired Pope Benedict XVI spent his eight-year papacy trying to reverse the decline of Christianity in Europe, without much success. While growing in Africa and Asia, the Catholic Church has been stained in Europe, Australia and the Americas by sex abuse scandals.
Closer to home, Francis is facing serious management shortcomings in a Vatican bureaucracy in dire need of reform.
Francis hasn't indicated how he might tackle those greater problems, focusing instead on messages and gestures that signal a total shift in priority and personality from his German theologian predecessor.
On Wednesday, Francis may reveal some of his ecumenical intentions, as he holds an audience with Christian delegations who attended his installation. On Friday, he will put his foreign policy chops on display in an address to the ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.
He plans to call on Benedict at Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat south of Rome, on Saturday, and the next day to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square.
Next week, Francis presides over all the rites of Holy Week, capped by Easter Sunday Mass on March 31, when Christians mark the resurrection of Christ, an evocative start to a pontificate.
Tuesday was the feast of St. Joseph, and Francis made special mention in his homily of the carpenter saint's "lowly, concrete and faithful service."
He later telephoned Benedict, the former Joseph Ratzinger, to wish him a happy name day, and the Vatican said in a statement that the pope emeritus has been following the celebrations with "intense interest" and "assures his successor his continued closeness in prayer."
At the start of the Mass, Francis received the gold-plated fisherman's ring, which recalls how St. Peter fished for food and later for souls, and a wool stole symbolizing his role as shepherd of his flock. The ring was something of a hand-me-down, first offered to Pope Paul VI, who presided over the latter half of the Second Vatican Council, the meetings that brought the church into the modern world.
Francis also received vows of obedience from a half-dozen cardinals ? a potent symbol given that Benedict is still alive and was reportedly watching the proceedings on TV.
A cardinal intoned the rite of inauguration, saying: "The Good Shepherd charged Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep; today you succeed him as the bishop of this church."
Flags from around the world, including Argentina's blue and white flag, fluttered above the crowd, which the Vatican said numbered 150,000-200,000 people. Civil protection crews closed the main streets leading to the square to traffic and set up barricades for nearly a mile along the route to try to control the masses and allow official delegations through.
Some 132 official delegations attended, including more than a half-dozen heads of state from Latin America, a sign of the significance of the election for the region. Francis's determination that his pontificate would be focused on the poor has resonance in a poverty-stricken region that counts 40 percent of the world's Catholics.
In the VIP section was U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, Taiwanese President Ying-Jeou Ma, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, Prince Albert of Monaco and Bahrain Prince Sheik Abdullah bin Haman bin Isa Alkhalifa, among others. All told, six sovereign rulers, 31 heads of state, three princes and 11 heads of government attended, the Vatican said.
Francis directed his homily to them, saying: "We must not be afraid of goodness or even tenderness."
After the Mass, Francis stood in a receiving line for nearly two hours to greet each of the government delegations in St. Peter's Basilica, chatting warmly and animatedly with each one, kissing the few youngsters who came along with their parents and occasionally blessing a rosary given to him.
Unlike his predecessors, he did so in just his white cassock, not the red cape.
Among the religious VIPs attending was the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Bartholomew I, who became the first patriarch from the Istanbul-based church to attend a papal investiture since the two branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago. Also attending for the first time was the chief rabbi of Rome. Their presence underscores the broad hopes for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue in this new papacy, given Francis' own work for improved relations.
In a gesture to Christians in the East, the pope prayed with Eastern rite Catholic patriarchs and archbishops before the tomb of St. Peter at the start of the Mass, and the Gospel was chanted in Greek rather than the traditional Latin.
But it is Francis' history of living with the poor and working for them while archbishop of Buenos Aires that seems to resonate with ordinary Catholics who say they are hopeful that Francis can inspire a new generation of faithful who have fallen away from the church.
"As an Argentine, he was our cardinal. It's a great joy for us," said Edoardo Fernandez Mendia, an Argentine who was in the crowd. "I would have never imagined that it was going to be him."
Recalling another great moment in Argentine history, when soccer great Diego Maradona scored an improbable goal in the 1986 World Cup, he said: "And for the second time, the Hand of God came to Argentina."
___
Reporter Daniela Petroff contributed.
___
Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-francis-protect-poor-earth-233743125.html
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FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2012 file photo, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is pictured during an interview with the Associated Press at his office in the Capitol in Denver. Hickenlooper will sign legislation Wednesday, March 20, 2013 that sets limits on ammunition magazines and expands background checks for firearms, marking a Democratic victory in a state where gun ownership is a treasured right and Second Amendment debate has played out in the wake of two mass shootings. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2012 file photo, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is pictured during an interview with the Associated Press at his office in the Capitol in Denver. Hickenlooper will sign legislation Wednesday, March 20, 2013 that sets limits on ammunition magazines and expands background checks for firearms, marking a Democratic victory in a state where gun ownership is a treasured right and Second Amendment debate has played out in the wake of two mass shootings. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)
DENVER (AP) ? Firearms play an outsized role in the hearts of Coloradans. It's a frontier state that adopted gunslingers Buffalo Bill and Doc Holliday as native sons, where treasured guns are routinely passed from generation to generation.
So when Colorado's Democratic governor made known that he plans to ratchet back gun rights Wednesday by signing two limits into law, Republicans and gun-rights supporters gasped.
Then they set to work trying to undo the new laws to limit most ammunition magazines to 15 rounds and to expand required background checks to private and online gun sales.
At least two ballot petitions had been filed. Some Republicans hinted at lawsuits. More predicted political repercussions for Democrats in a state poised to be first outside the East Coast to put new restrictions on firearms after last year's mass shootings in Aurora and Newtown, Conn.
Gov. John Hickenlooper says he supports gun rights. But a few months after famously saying the Aurora movie theater shooting couldn't have prevented by gun control, the self-described moderate started explaining how his thinking changed.
"When you look at what happened in Aurora, a great deal of that damage was from the large magazine on the AR-15 (rifle). I think we need to have that discussion and say, 'Where is this appropriate?'" Hickenlooper said in a December interview.
The governor didn't ask for a magazine limit in his opening address to lawmakers this year, but he asked for expanded background checks.
"Surely, Second Amendment advocates and gun control supporters can find common ground in support of this proposition: Let's examine our laws and make the changes needed to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people," Hickenlooper said.
Lawmakers sent him both, plus a measure to revive fees for gun purchasers needing background checks. Both become effective July 1.
When Hickenlooper signaled he'd sign them all, reaction was swift. A suburban Denver gun-accessories maker, Magpul Industries, said it would make good on a threat to leave the state.
"It is disappointing to us that money and a social agenda from outside the state have apparently penetrated the American West," the company said in a statement.
Republicans were angry and saddened, too. GOP lawmakers have tried and failed to expand gun rights in reaction to the mass shootings. They said Monday that the governor's careful reputation as a moderate compromiser was in danger.
"If he signs these bills, I have to come to the conclusion that he's more interested in his national prospects than he is his legacy here in Colorado," said Republican Sen. Greg Brophy, who represents a rural part of the state's eastern plains. "These are not moderate. These are extreme, and just really unpopular."
Other Democratic gun control proposals are pending in the state Legislature but haven't attracted the opposition of the magazine limit and the expanded background checks. Those measures drew thousand to the Capitol to pack legislative hearings, more activists outside regaling lawmakers by honking car horns in protest for hours.
Gun control bills still pending in the state Legislature include a ban on gun ownership by people accused of domestic-violence crimes and a measure to eliminate online-only safety training for people seeking concealed-weapons permits.
Two more Democratic gun control bills were withdrawn when they appeared to lack support for passage. Those included a new liability standard for gun owners and sellers, and a ban on concealed weapons on public college campuses.
Republican gun ideas were hastily rejected earlier this year. Those ideas included expanding gun laws to allow teachers to carry concealed weapons, and a failed attempt to require armed security guards at businesses that ban concealed weapons.
___
Ivan Moreno can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/IvanJourno
Kristen Wyatt can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/APkristenwyatt
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News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch
Wall Street Journal?employees based in China were investigated last year by the Justice Department over a claim of allegedly bribing Chinese officials, according to the newspaper's own Sunday?report.
News Corp., the corporate parent of the global financial publication, found "no evidence" to corroborate the Justice Department's claim, the Journal said.?
GUEST COLUMN: Warning to Hollywood: Chinese Hackers Want Your Secrets
The newspaper wrote that in early 2012, News Corp. was reached by the Justice Department, which stated that it "had received information from a person it described as a whistleblower who claimed one or more Journal employees had provided gifts to Chinese government officials in exchange for information."
A News Corp. spokesperson told the Journal: "After a thorough review of our operations in China conducted by outside lawyers and auditors, we have not found any evidence of impropriety at Dow Jones."
STORY: Chinese Hackers Target Major U.S. Media Outlets
Earlier this year, the Journal, as well as the New York Times and other media outlets, reported that its computers had been compromised by Chinese hackers who may be linked to the government.
In February, in a round of arrests surrounding the ongoing News Corp. phone hacking inquiry in the U.K., News International employees of the tabloid The Sun?were?arrested for bribing officials.
Last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission reportedly opened an investigation looking into whether Hollywood studios had allegedly bribed Chinese officials in order to get larger access to the market.?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thr/business/~3/qAe1i3HAqQk/story01.htm
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If small businesses can't afford to pay their staff a living wage, they should probably not be in business at all, a union leader says.
First (Finance, Industrial, Retail, Stores and Transport) Union general secretary Robert Reid said that while the movement supporting a living wage of $18.40 an hour minimum was generally targeted at large corporations and city councils, some undercapitalised SMEs needed to think about their business practices as well.
"Why should a worker suffer for being employed by a business that maybe shouldn't exist," Reid said.
"One which won't invest in technology but thinks it can exist because it pays staff starvation wages."
Reid was responding to earlier comments from Auckland employment law specialist Max Whitehead who said the introduction of the proposed living wage would send thousands of Kiwi business owners fleeing across the Tasman after their small businesses failed.
With most Kiwi SMEs already borrowing to stay alive and many business owners themselves taking home the equivalent of the minimum wage, the proposed living wage would be the last straw, he said.
Reid said there was a danger of having a "race backwards" if key decisions on the country's direction were based only on placating SMEs.
"We are in danger of those business owners then saying they'd be better off if the minimum wage was $10 or $5 or nothing at all." Reid added that several SME owners had already "been among the first" to commit to paying staff the proposed living wage.
One is Jesse Chalmers, owner of West Auckland company Tonzu, producers of organic tofu.
Chalmers said the company's decision to pay several of its staff the $18.40 rate was a mix of ethics and business. The crucial thing was there had to be tangible rewards for the business.
One of the key provable rewards should be a reduction in staff turnover, which was a burden for many SMEs, she said.
"Less tangible but still definitely a reward would be having employees that want to be here and who are proud to work for the company." But the increased wage bill still had to make good business sense, she said.
"As a producer of organic products which are very competitive on price with mainstream products, we have a very close relationship with our finances," Chalmers said.
"We are always looking for saving and efficiencies, less wastage. So that is where the cost of implementing the wage increase would come from.
"It's amazing how, when you really have an incentive, you can always find cost savings."
Tonzu had "eight to nine" staff, six of whom would be affected by the wage increase, which would be implemented over a year and be based on an incentive system.
"We do expect something back from our employees in exchange," Chalmers said. "It's not just a case of you get this for turning up to work."
She did not support across-the-board implementation of the living wage as it would hit a lot of SMEs hard.
It was best floated as an option for owners to consider.
"Some SMEs really struggle with their financial management as it is and these times people are struggling.
"It needs to be done carefully.
"But I think it's important to at least have the conversation," she said.
Westpac chief economist Dominick Stephens said an across-the-board shift to the proposed "living wage" would lead to increased unemployment as businesses increasingly opted for automated technology instead of paying staff, and greater reliance on imports.
"Ultimately, whether you implement these things is a judgment for society to make," Stephens said.
"Do we want a society with a greater reliance in imports, automation and [to] improve the lot of those in employment at the expense of those young people coming in?
"That's for a democracy to decide."
Large increases lifting the minimum wage above where the free market put it - "and I think it [proposed living wage] may be moving toward that" - very clearly affected employment, Stephens said. "It would worsen things for the most vulnerable members of society and improve the lot of those who stayed employed."
- ? Fairfax NZ News
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/8437166/Living-wage-a-test-of-small-business-mettle
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