Ubisoft Uplay DRM found to include a rootkit ? Video Games ...

Update: It looks as though Ubisoft has responded quickly to this issue and a Uplay update has already been released. As the screenshot below shows, the browser plug-in will no longer allow access to anything other than the Uplay application. Even so, this was a major oversight on Ubisoft?s part and I doubt this is the last we?ll hear of it.

Ubisoft is one publisher that has fully embraced the use of always-connected DRM in its games. They believe this cuts down of piracy, but at the same time it frustrates gamers who legitimately purchase Ubisoft titles because without a reliable Internet connection they can?t play the game they have bought.

Those same gamers may have another reason to get very angry with Ubisoft today. It has been discovered that the Uplay system Ubisoft uses to both check a game is legal and offer up gaming achievements, multiplayer, and additional content, actually contains a rootkit.

The discovery was made by Tavis Ormandy, and information security engineer at Google, when he installed Assassin?s Creed: Revelations on his laptop. He noticed that during the installation Uplay installed a browser plug-in that allows any website to gain access to your machine through a backdoor and take control of it.

The plug-in can be classed as a rootkit because it is thought to allow continued privileged access to a machine without a user?s consent. If this was limited just to the Uplay service with regard to checking games are legal it would still be a major concern, but the fact any website could potentially use the plugin escalates the seriousness of what is happening here.

The rootkit was only disclosed yesterday, so it?s unlikely anyone at Ubisoft has had time to look into the claims. What?s worrying in the number of games this affects due to their use of Uplay. In total there are 21 titles including 5 Assassin?s Creed games, 3 Tom Clancy games, as well as popular titles such as Driver: San Francisco, and Settlers 7, which together will mean potentially hundreds of thousands of PCs are at risk of being exploited.

We?ll keep an eye out for Ubisoft responding to the rootkit claims and let you know what they say. If they have been installing rootkits then we could see a backlash on the same scale as Sony faced back when it shipped a rootkit on music CDs a few years ago.

More at Seclists.org and discussion at HN

Source: http://www.geek.com/articles/games/ubisoft-uplay-drm-found-to-include-a-rootkit-20120730/

lindsay lohan snl lindsay lohan on snl real housewives of disney awakenings phantom of the opera agoraphobia andrew lloyd webber

Computer Gaming Headset

I'm planning on building a gaming computer nearing Christmas, and I'm starting to plan out my build. This will be my first build and I'd like to make it last. I plan on continually upgrading it (probably yearly) and slowly turning it into a better machine while adding any new products that come out. I realize that new hardware may come out before I build it in Christmas, but might as well start planning now.

With that said, I'm not on a completely strict budget (yet), but I would like to keep the computer below $750. I have my peripherals picked out already (R.A.T 5, AOC 20" Widescreen LED Monitor, ThermalTake KB-CHP001US eSports Challenger. Already have a gaming headset. Feel free to critique the peripherals, also.) and it will end up being around $1,000 at the end.

Anyway, this computer will be used mostly for gaming and a bit of video/graphics editing, so a strong video card and some good memory are must. I'd honestly prefer an Intel i5 2500k processor, but it would probably be more cost effective to get a AMD x4 Phenom II BE. I'm also REALLY wanting a GeForce GTX 560 Ti, as it is a recommendation for BF3 coming out in a few weeks; a game I really want to play. Everything else is basically up for negotiation. I'd just like to get some input on what I should do.

Here is a short build I wrote up that may work. I do not know much about various parts, though, so please help me out and tell where I could improve it. Could some also please confirm for me that this build would be completely compatible?

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Quad Core Processor - $115
Asus M4A88T-V EVO USB3 Motherboard - $100
Kingston KHX1600C9D3B1K2/8GX DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) RAM - $55
EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti - $250
Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black Hard Drive 7200RPM 64MB - $80
Asus DRW-24B3ST/BLK/G/AS Internal 24x CD/DVD Drive - $25
Cooler Master RC-310-RWN1-GP Elite 310 Mid-Tower Case - $40
Corsair CMPSU-750TXV2 Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750-Watt - $95

Total Computer - $760

Thanks in advance, guys.

Source: http://www.myarticle.worthtips.info/education/computer-gaming-headset-24/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=computer-gaming-headset-24

kansas vs ohio state winning mega million numbers bruce weber boston globe google maps 8 bit mirror mirror robyn

OlympicVillage Live Blog: Day Three

Sunday, 4:15pm ET, 9:15pm London: Girl Power!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/2012-summer-olympics-behind-scenes-day-three/1-a-475544?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3A2012-summer-olympics-behind-scenes-day-three-475544

ohio state basketball collateral dick cheney heart umf peter frampton elite eight stephon marbury

Shift Health And Fitness Fitness, Fitness And Attractiveness | e ...

You are here: Home ? Health and Fitness ? Shift Health And Fitness Fitness, Fitness And Attractiveness

Swim Spa Fitness, Health insurance and splendor

Swim Spa
Fitness without the Pain
health and wellness beauty
Pounding the streets will seek to you fit but have you ever keep in mind the cartilage as part of your knees?

A swim spa combines the benefits of a swimming pool, spa and health and fitness in a package. It provides opportunities for exercise, relaxation and therapy.

Check out the sports injury statistics below then inform me water doesn?t seem sensible.

* 65% of runners suffer at least one injury a year and miss ten percent of coaching through injury.
* 85% of badminton players are injured every growing season
* Squash players suffer 14 injuries for every single thousand hours of exercise.*
fitness and beauty
It is a nice profit around the operating table for surgeons across America.

Swimming would be the kind of exercise that is least likely to give you mobility problems in later life. Water supports the body and takes the pressure off joints and bones. Warm water eases stiffness. Water is really a cushion in case you fall.
health and elegance
And your fun!

*Injuries in Recreational Adult Fitness Activities,? The American Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 21 (3), pp. 461-467, 1993
The area Saving and Cost Effective Replacement for Swimming Pools

Swim spas are getting more and more common as cost and space efficent ways of getting safe and effective exercise, it does not matter suit your hand positioning ranging from fitness-wise.

A top of those range, above ground swim spa, is approximately 16 feet long, 9 feet wide and up to six feet deep and costs between $30,000 and $40,000. The cheaper models are smaller but still usable and weigh in at around half that figure.

Special lightweight portable pumps are there for turn existing spas into swim spas- providing these are appropriately big sturdy to let swimming set up. These cost around $3,000 to $4,000.

To you needing to boost fitness, swim spas supply an substitute for jogging or gym training. They allow for serious workout sessions without the hazards of traffic or maybe inconveniences of crowded gyms. There will be no sweating, showering, travelling or queuing to take out coming from the pleasure of a workout. They even outperform conventional swimming pools with regards to endurance training as there can?t be a way will need to spin in the end of each lap.

After what you do out, many swim spas offer the best aspects of a promising tub for pure relaxation
Aquatic Gyms

Injuries from water based training are much rarer than those suffered during land based activities where joints are routinely damaged by high workload exercises and muscles can be torn or skin blistered.

Swimming spa systems are versatile and easily adjustable to suit the demands of a typical individual. They usually are used for anything from triathlon training or aerobics to very gentle water walking on that underwater treadmill.The addition of weights, webbed gloves, ankle tethers and rowing machines can turn a spa into an aquatic gym.
Swim spas in chicago Therapy and Rehabilitation
Advantages
health and beauty
The good selling point of exercising in water the fact that joints and muscles suffer far less stress and damage than is really suffered during jogging or running. They are often excellent therapy if anyone is recovering from sports injuries and might provide complete rehab programs including treadmill and graduated walking programs. Take into consideration, though, to achieve the full benefits of hydrotherapy you would like input from a trained therapist.

For many people, especially arthritis suffers, the obese and the very elderly, aquatic exercise will be the only exercise option. A great plus for older people is the idea that falls in water are rarely serious which is is known as a confidence booster for anyone with fragile bones. For anyone with very limited mobility, lifts are available to help them backward and forward of your water.
Reward
Various reports have figured out that even gentle swimming spa and pool workout sessions help with cardiovascular fitness, weight management, mobility, stiffness reduction, diabetes, depression, lumbago, prenatal health and wellness sleep problems- and that is an impressive list.
Paddle-wheels, Propellers and Jets

If you would like a very good swimming-in-place experience, the way the current is generated is vital.

* Swim jets provide current by pumping water at fast through nozzles. The nozzles can be adjusted to give a swimmer buoyancy and a more leisurely swim but jets often generate a large amount of turbulence.
* Propellers generate a steadier current leaving the edges of the pool clear of turbulence.
* Paddle wheels give you a steady, turbulence-free current that is both broad and deep.

Whichever system you decide on, be certain current speed is all it takes for your needs. Very strong swimmers can require up to eight miles a couple of hours for only a good join boot camp.

Technorati Tags:: Fitness, health

Source: http://www.e-prescribe.biz/health-and-fitness/shift-health-and-fitness-fitness-fitness-and-attractiveness

jenelle evans jenelle evans mlb 12 the show sabu google play franchise tag lesotho

5 Olympic things to know for Saturday

LONDON (AP) ? Here's what to watch for at the London Olympics on Saturday:

___

1. FIRST GOLD: Seven golds are up for grabs. China's Yi Siling took the first in the women's 10-meter air rifle.

2. ALL TO DO: Michael Phelps barely, barely qualified for the final of the 400-meter individual medley. He's in the unpopular Lane 8. Can he recover?

3. US WOMEN: They play Colombia at soccer and Croatia in basketball.

4. CYCLING: Britain is hoping for an early gold in the men's cycling road race, with Mark Cavendish the man to beat. Also on the team: Bradley Wiggins, who's just won the Tour de France.

5. BIKINIS: Fear not, fans of the beach volleyball bikini. Talk of cold weather stoked fears that the women would go for shorts and T-shirts. That's not happening.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/5-olympic-things-know-saturday-125508043--oly.html

ufc 144 james jones james jones aladdin black forest ufc 144 fight card ufc 144 results

Building A book Business | ApostolicCM.com Answers

Most significant methods for small internet businesses to get going is through promoting eBooks. Certainly, you?ll be able to build a guide publishing business to just about any level you desire. But are aware that quite a bit should be there and enter into your efforts. You need to recognize at this point that all markets crave information for one reason or any other. Avoid wanting to see this as a thing that is actually difficult or simple to do; just decide what you need to complete.

We will do what we can to ensure you get important pointers, here.

There are just a couple of social media sites which might be worth your time, but they?re well worth it if you know utilizing it. You skill there?s generate qualified traffic that?s perfect for your ebook offer. You may use websites like Facebook to allow others learn about your ebook. If you need to really ramp it up, then do yourself a favor and integrate fan pages at Facebook. When on Twitter, you?ll be able to gather people who are curious about your subject and tweet about your ebook.

Also, you must not visit to creating one ebook ? but instead, your aim must be to create multiple eBooks at multiple prices. However, what you ought to work toward is having a comfortable of eBooks that are all selling at the same time. An individual will be selling more than one, after that your customers may buy again from you should they be in the same niche. All you need to do is provide excellent value and make a robust relationship together with your customers. Just commit to bringing people to your business fold, and then you can marketing in their mind as necessary.

One way to have more sales for the ebook is usually to help audience feel more at ease about buying it. Give your prospect reasons to buy by you through providing a pleasant quick preview around the content within your ebook. This makes readers convenient about buying your ebook, since they could have already read a quick selection from it. You can give your prospect a sample of what they?re able to expect in the ebook, which will obviously instill more confidence inside your prospects. Many major web sites including Amazon help it become quite simple that you can set this up -in fact, whereby traders undertake it automatically.

We truly have just touched the tip in the iceberg with regards to marketing your ebook, as there are a lot more one can learn. You will need to take smaller than average effective steps to obtain more sales on your ebook, for example the ones we discussed above. Carry out some form of advantage that is a part of your ultimate goal, after which over time something good are going to happen. Avoid getting impatient and seeking a lot of crazy methods which are not proven, and don?t spend your entire cash on the gimmick every week, either.

Olympic 2012 Live Stream

Source: http://answers.apostoliccm.com/2012/07/building-a-book-business/

prime rib ny knicks prime rib recipe norad santa tracker vince carter sweet potato casserole safeway

Columbia MD Personal Training ? It Will Never Be The Same

COLUMBIA MD ? David Johnston Training and Dave Shutler Fitness have teamed up at the Colosseum Gym in Columbia, MD. This combination of the region?s top personal trainers will provide clients with the best possible personal training available in the Howard county, Columbia MD, Ellicott City area. Whether you are looking to prep for your first bodybuilding competition, trying to get into peak athletic condition, or just starting your weight loss journey, David and Dave will get you there. Both personal trainers have been running their own very successful personal training businesses for many years. They will continue to operate their own individual businesses while teaming up and consulting with each other to provide the specific type of training that each client needs.

?Dave Shutler has been involved in almost every possible facet of the health and fitness world: from running a successful personal training business, to massage therapy, to earning his certified nutritionist degree, to competing successfully in both bodybuilding and men?s fitness modeling? Dave Shutler has done it all!?, said David Johnston.

David Johnston has numerous credentials relating to health and fitness: National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification, as well as specialized certifications from NASM (Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) and Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES)). David has transformed and coached hundreds of individuals in achieving significant weight loss goals and overall living/creating a better lifestyle for themselves. David has competed and won in several bodybuilding competitions, including taking 1rst Place in the Superheavyweight Division of the 2010 NPC East Coast Classic, Dave Shutler said, ?This guy is one of, if not the most knowledgeable guys in the health and wellness field today.?

Both trainers believe that their services offer so much more than teaching you how to work out. Client Kristin N. said, ?David provided everything: support, tools, knowledge, patience, accountability and experience that I needed all in one place.? Another client, Arianna R. said, ?What I didn?t realize was that David was going to train my body and mind. I quickly was bombarded with his philosophies, because he doesn?t sugarcoat anything. He is abrupt, to the point and indifferent to excuses. However, if you do what he says, it works. David taught me what it means to work hard. David has shown me that I am unstoppable. David has given me the gift of myself.?

On their websites both David Johnston and Dave Shutler provide all the proof anyone would need to confirm that they don?t just talk the talk .On their sites you can find client testimonials, before and after pictures, photos and video of their own competitions, and well as articles on weight loss, fitness and motivation.

Are you ready? truly ready? to discover the best within you, and redefine yourself? your life, your soul, your body and your person? from the outside in? Contact Columbia, MD?s premiere personal trainers, Dave Shutler and David Johnston, exclusively at the Colosseum Gym. And discover that which you were meant to be? the warrior within.

Visit http://davidjohnstontraining.com/personal-training-columbia-md/ and http://shutlerfitnessdc.com/personal_training_columbia_md.html to find out more and to book a free personal consultation with David and Dave. Do it now!

David Johnston Training and Shutler Fitness provide life changing guidance through personal training, nutrition counseling, and lifestyle coaching. Both David Johnston and Dave Shutler have competed in regional bodybuilding and figure competitions. They work with clients from all walks of life: Weight Loss, Sports Performance, Bodybuilding and Figure Competitors and more. The train clients exclusively at the Colosseum Gym in Columbia MD.

Contact
David Johnston Training
David Johnston
(410) 429-0609
moc.liamgnull@gniniartnotsnhojdivad
http://davidjohnstontraining.com/

Shutler Fitness
Dave Shutler
(571) 643-5919
moc.liamgnull@cllssentifreltuhs
http://shutlerfitnessdc.com/

4 views

Source: http://www.freepressreleases.com/columbia-md-personal-training/203787

ferris bueller god bless america earned income credit super bowl commercials florida primary 2012 super bowl matthew broderick

OUYA to get OnLive gameplay at launch, console's full controller gets pictured

Some happy news for the many who've already plunked down their hard earned cash on OUYA -- the Android-based gaming console will be getting streaming gaming courtesy of the folks at OnLive. The prospective console maker broke the news on its Kickstarter page, noting that the experience will also include 30 minute free demos of "nearly every game" in its library, including Ravaged and Darksiders II. Also, some news for those wondering if the other side of the console's controller was a radical departure [see above]. Check out a press release detailing the OnLive partnership after the break. Oh, and for those of you keeping track: the Kickstarter page is currently at a whopping $5.5 million pledged, with a dozen days left.

Continue reading OUYA to get OnLive gameplay at launch, console's full controller gets pictured

Filed under: Gaming

OUYA to get OnLive gameplay at launch, console's full controller gets pictured originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  Kickstarter  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/qNGMjFA0gDc/

kenyon martin kenyon martin big miracle slab city super bowl snacks appleton super bowl recipes

Door clues can pinpoint home's construction date | Real Estate ...

Top 5 details to look for

Top 5 details to look for

Arrol Gellner
Inman News?

There's a little parlor trick I like to pull when I'm doing consulting at people's homes. I ask them what year their home was built, and before they can answer, I quickly stop them with a raised hand.

"No, don't tell me," I insist. After a brief show of Kreskin-like concentration, I give them my guess with a flourish. I'm almost always within five years of the correct year of construction. Often, I'm within two years, and occasionally I'm right on the money. The look of astonishment on the homeowners' faces is always gratifying.

Like most parlor tricks, this one is easy to explain. It relies on a simple and rather prosaic yardstick found in every house: its doors. Unless the place has gone through one of those ghastly home-improvement-emporium "renovations" -- in which case the owners would not bother to call me in the first place -- the doors are usually original to the house, offering a clear indication of when the place was built.

Right off the bat, a quick glance at the door panel arrangement will usually get you within 10 or 15 years of the construction date. For example, very tall doors with pairs of narrow vertical panels are a dead giveaway to Victorian-era work, yielding a construction date between 1850 and 1900. This broad range can be further narrowed using another test: The more ornate the doors, the later in the 19th century the house was built.

Doors with four stacked horizontal panels, on the other hand, indicate a Craftsman-era pedigree -- roughly 1900 to 1925. Those with a single large recessed panel indicate a vintage between 1925 and 1950 or so. Doors with no panels at all -- so-called flush or slab doors -- point to a modernist-era construction date between the early 1950s and 1980. Molded hardboard doors imitating various traditional panel arrangements point to a construction date between 1985 and the present.

The type of lockset that's installed in a door furnishes other clues. If the door has a mortise lock (evidenced by a tall, skinny plate in the door edge and doorknobs fastened to a square shaft by setscrews), the house almost certainly predates 1925, although such locks were still used in basement rooms and garages for another decade or two.

On the other hand, doors with just a small rectangular latch plate in the door edge invariably mean the house postdates 1920 -- the year when Walter Schlage invented the easier-to-install cylindrical lockset that quickly drove the mortise lock off the market.

Doorknobs, too, have a tale to tell. Mortise locksets with ornate metal or glass knobs suggest late 19th-century construction dates, while those with plain white, brown or black glass knobs are more typical of early 20th-century houses. Cylindrical locksets with knobs resembling giant glass jewels easily peg a home's construction date between 1920 and 1935.

Even hinges can provide clues. Ornate hinges with spiky ornamental pins typify Victorian-era houses. Hinges with plain leaves and ball-tipped pins hark from the Craftsman era, but remained popular through the Depression. Hinges with plain, flat-tipped pins indicate houses postdating World War II, while those with round-cornered plates are a hallmark of mass-produced prehung doors, putting a home's construction date after 1970.

Read Arrol Gellner's blog at arrolgellner.blogspot.com, or follow him on Twitter: @ArrolGellner.

Copyright 2012 Arrol Gellner

*/ var formWrap = $( 'add_comment_form' ); var formDivs = $$( '#add_comment_form div' ); for ( i = 0; i ' + name + ' said... on ' + timeStamp }); var commentPar = new Element( 'p', { 'html': '?' + comment + '?' }); var ruleDiv = new Element( 'div', { 'class': 'rule' }); authorPar.inject( commentDiv ); commentPar.inject( commentDiv ); commentDiv.inject( commentWrap ); ruleDiv.inject( commentWrap ); } else { msgPar.innerHTML = "Comment has been sent for approval"; } } } // FUNCTION TO DISPLAY LATEST COMMENT ON MULTIMEDIA PAGES TRIGGERED BY AJAX CALL BACK function showMMComment(theName, theComment) { // 'name' and 'comment' have placeholder content for testing, actual data would be sent from DB var name = theName; var comment = theComment; var flagged = false; var status; var error; /* COMMENT HTML MARKUP STRUCTURE

TheDude said...
Mandy Moore is pretty smokin. I wish I was cool enough to date her. Does anybody know how I can get her number?

*/ var formWrap = $( 'media_add_comment' ); var commentForm = formWrap.getElement( 'form' ); commentForm.setStyle( 'display', 'none' ); var msgPar = new Element( 'p', { 'html': 'Thank you, your comment has been added.' }); msgPar.inject( formWrap ); if ( comment != '' ) { if ( !flagged ) { if ( name == '' ) name = 'Anonymous'; var commentWrap = $( 'comments_wrap' ); var commentUl = commentWrap.getElement( 'ul' ); var commentLi = new Element( 'li', { 'class': 'clear' }); var numDiv = new Element( 'div', { 'class': 'num', 'html': '?' }); var commentPar = new Element( 'p', { 'html': '' + name + ' said...
' + comment }); numDiv.inject( commentLi ); commentPar.inject( commentLi ); commentLi.inject( commentUl ); } else { msgPar.set( 'html', 'Comment has been sent for approval' ); } } } function displayNewComment() { var msgP = document.getElementById("msg"); msgP.innerHTML = "Thank you for your submission. Your comment has been added below."; if(comment != "") { if(!flagged) { var commentSection = document.getElementById("ajaxSection"); var commentDiv = document.createElement("div"); var timeStamp = 'Jul 28, 2012 at 12:54PM'; commentDiv.innerHTML = ''; commentSection.appendChild(commentDiv); } } } function validateCommentForm(form){ var fieldEmail = document.getElementById("field.email"); var fieldName = document.getElementById("field.name"); var nameValue = fieldName.value; var emailValue = fieldEmail.value; var filter = /^([a-zA-Z0-9_\.\-])+\@(([a-zA-Z0-9\-])+\.)+([a-zA-Z0-9]{2,4})+$/; if (filter.test(emailValue)) { var fieldBody = document.getElementById("field.body") var bodyValue = fieldBody.value; bodyValue = bodyValue.replace(/&/g,"&"); bodyValue = bodyValue.replace(/,"/g,">"); bodyValue = bodyValue.replace(/\r\n/g,"
"); bodyValue = bodyValue.replace(/\n/g,"
"); bodyValue = bodyValue.replace(/\r/g,"
"); fieldBody.value = bodyValue; if(navigator.appName == 'Microsoft Internet Explorer') { if(document.getElementById('submit').disabled) { document.getElementById('submit').disabled=false; } else { document.getElementById('submit').disabled=true; } } return insertComment(form,true,function(){return showEditorialComment(nameValue, bodyValue)}); } else { alert('Please enter a valid Email below.'); form.elements[field.email].focus(); return false; } }

Source: http://www.southphillyreview.com/real-estate/door_clues_can_pinpoint_homes_construction_date-164022506.html

nba playoff schedule rondo morris claiborne mothers day gifts clippers lisa lampanelli lisa lampanelli

PFT: Seahawks taking a look at Braylon Edwards

Getty Images

It?s been a while since we?ve heard anything about veteran wide receiver Braylon Edwards, but he?s back on the radar as camps open around the NFL.

Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network reports that the Seahawks will have Edwards in for a workout. Edwards was released by the 49ers near the end of the 2011 season after he caught just 15 passes in nine games before being sidelined by a knee injury. There were rumors of interest from the Bengals and Jets over the course of the offseason, but they never amounted to much.

Edwards had a productive season as a deep threat for the Jets in 2010 and there will likely be some team that gives him a shot at recapturing that glory if he proves he?s healthy enough to get back on the field. That?s a big if, of course, but, as the Texans working out Roy Williams shows, teams are looking for help at wideout.

The Seahawks opened a spot in their receiving corps when they released Mike Williams and LaCanfora?s report indicates that the team is also looking at other free agent wideouts. That would suggest that they aren?t thrilled with the current group ? Sidney Rice, Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, Deon Butler, Ricardo Lockette, Kris Durham and Ben Obomanu ? although Edwards will likely have to prove he can be a major part of the offense since he offers no special teams value.

?

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/26/seahawks-taking-a-look-at-braylon-edwards/

conrad murray sentencing conrad murray sentencing urban meyer adam shulman adam shulman nfl power rankings week 13 nfl power rankings week 13

'The Obesity Olympics': Marketing junk food to kids | MinnPost

Somehow I doubt that the athletes competing in the London Olympics trained on a diet that included regular servings of McDonald?s Happy Meals, Coca-Cola soft drinks and Cadbury?s chocolate bars.

But that?s what our children may think as they?re bombarded with ads from these three official Olympic food sponsors over the next two weeks. For, as a public health official told a BBC news reporter earlier this year, research suggests that children perceive junk food to be less unhealthy when it?s associated with sporting events.

And the food manufacturers know this. Cadbury?s (the games? official ?treat? sponsor) has called the Olympics ?the biggest sales opportunity of our lifetime.? That?s not hyperbole. Cadbury?s pre-games Willy-Wonka-like ?Unwrap Gold? promotion was the most successful in the company?s history.

Coca-Cola also had huge pre-game success with its sponsorship of the Olympic torch relay celebration that (literally) ran throughout England for weeks. The company?s logo was constantly visible at these family-oriented events, and Coca-Cola promotional products and samples were handed out to children as well as adults by people in tracksuits along the relay route. (Marketing junk food directly to children is normally banned in Britain.)

McDonald's has celebrated the Olympic spirit by building its largest-ever restaurant (seating capacity: 1,500). The company expects to sell 50,000 Big Macs, 100,000 servings of french fries and 30,000 milkshakes during the 29 days of the Olympics and its companion event, the Paralympics.

?The Obesity Olympics?

Earlier this week, the London-based Children?s Food Campaign (CFC) released a scathing report called ?The Obesity Olympics? that takes the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to task for permitting junk-food manufacturers to continue to sponsor the Games.

?Even before a medal has been won, McDonald?s, Coca-Cola and Cadbury?s are already big winners of the Games,? write the authors of the report. ?Their sponsorship buys them unchallenged prominence and it gives them a particularly valuable association with athleticism and success. They want people either to forget that their flagship brands are high in calories, sugar and fat, or believe instead that consuming such food and drink is part of a healthy, and ?winning? formula. The increased emphasis these companies place on ?obesity-offsetting? ? funding sports equipment and exercise schemes ? is also part of their drive to convince us that they are trying to be a positive force for the nation?s health.?

You?d have to do a lot of ?offsetting? to counter the calories in the flagship junk-food products sold by McDonald?s, Coca-Cola and Cadbury, the report points out. To burn off the calories in a meal that includes a Big Mac and a medium-sized Coca-Cola, you?d need to bicycle for 110 minutes, for example. And to undo the calories in a Cadbury?s Dairy Milk chocolate bar, you?d need to swim laps for 30 minutes.

?The Olympics have become a celebration of 'big,'? a CFC official told the Guardian. ?For the junk food companies who sponsor the Games, that means big restaurants, big audiences, big brand value, big profits. But for children that could also mean bigger waistlines and bigger health problems later in life."

A cynical strategy

IOC president Jacques Rogge acknowledged this summer that there might be a ?question mark? over the suitability of having fast-food manufacturers sponsor the Olympics. But that didn?t keep the IOC from letting McDonald?s and Coca-Cola sign up for another two rounds of the Games.

?What we now see coming to fruition in London2012,? write the authors of the CFC report, ?is a cynical money-before-health strategy that values pounds in the pocket, but ignores the pounds of fat in our already obese society, contradicts medical advice and undermines parents? best efforts to encourage their children to eat healthily.

?Members of the International Olympic Committee must hold up their hands and recognise that they bear some responsibility,? the report adds. ?Ultimately though, it is up to all of us ? whether spectators, armchair fans or Olympic refuseniks ? to make a stand against the double standards which see companies making fat profits out of a sporting event at the expense of the health of our children and young people. If we do so, London2012 could yet have a more positive legacy: as the start of a successful movement to change the way the Games, and other major sporting events, select their sponsors and expect them to behave.?

Don?t hold your breath.

Countering the message

Parents will need to make an extra effort this Olympics to point out to their children that athletes don?t become top competitors by eating nutrient-poor and calorie-laden burgers, soft drinks and chocolate bars, no matter what the TV ads suggest. In fact, not eating such foods is what makes them more competitive.

Take the example of Ryan Lochte, the 27-year-old American swimmer who is likely to win several medals in London. He overhauled his diet after not performing as well as he hoped in the 2008 Olympics.?

Before, his typical breakfast was often ?two or three McDonald?s egg McMuffins, some hashbrowns and maybe a chicken sandwich,? he told People magazine?s Kristen Mascia. And he?d down a whole bag of chips before each practice. Now, however, Lochte starts his day with scrambled eggs, fruit and oatmeal, and eats salads or healthy wraps for lunch and dinner. His new diet has made him much fitter, he told Mascia.

That?s a great message for our children ? and one no Olympics sponsor will be promoting.

Source: http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/07/obesity-olympics-marketing-junk-food-kids

puerto rico primary manning peyton florida state meghan mccain wilson chandler bristol motor speedway

SugarSync (for iPad)

File synchronization software has saved my hide more times than I can count. I never worry any more about whether I have access to the files I need when I'm out of the office or need to skip town for a few days. No more toting around laptops or uploading and downloading files from USB keys. All my work is backed up and made accessible with SugarSync (free for 5GB), including through the SugarSync iPad app (free).

SugarSync, a PCMag Editors' Choice product, is a cloud-based, file syncing program and service, similar to Dropbox (also an Editors' Choice). You use SugarSync to sync files to the cloud, so that you can access, edit, or share them from the SugarSync website or any SugarSync app. The app selection for SugarSync is sweet indeed, with versions for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian. A Linux client is in beta. The SugarSync iPad app (free) is the focus of the review here, and it's a worthy app to have, although at times I wish it had one signature feature found in Google Drive (formerly Google Docs): the ability to edit documents. Let me clarify that you can only edit documents with Google Drive on an iPad if you access the service via Safari or open your documents in another app, so it's not supported directly in the Google Drive app. Still, editing is a key feature that attracts my attention, and it's a big reason Google Drive is also an Editors' Choice.

The Competition
While I still adore both Google Drive and Dropbox, and will emphasize that they're worthy of our Editors' Choice award, SugarSync does a few things slightly differently that I like, too. SugarSync is extremely simple to use, and it preserves your folder structure?no need to move files into a special folder, as Dropbox has you do during setup. SugarSync also gives you more space with a free account (5GB compared to Dropbox's 2GB) and unlimited bonus space for referrals. Google Drive is comparatively new to the syncing scene and thus still something of a work in progress. On the iPad, it's not as easy to see the source of your files, although it has a great search tool, which SugarSync lacks.

That said, let me be the first to admit that I use all three services mentioned above, but I use each one for different types of documents. I keep my work files in SugarSync, my home computer files (photos, personal documents) in Dropbox, and household files that I collaborate on with my family in Google Drive. . Who says you have to choose just one?

Features
SugarSync's iPad app is free to download, but you do need a SugarSync account to use it. The first 5GB of any account are free, but you can upgrade to 30GB for $49.99 per year, 60GB for $99.99 per year, or 100GB for $149.99 per year (monthly payments are also available, see the pricing page).

The graphical opening page is the first indication that SugarSync's iPad app is easy to use. All the icons and names you've given to your synced devices appear along the left side. See the slideshow for an example. Tap on any of the icons, and SugarSync will pull up a list of the folders and files that devices houses. You'll also see buttons for Photos, Recent Documents, Magic Briefcase, and a few others.

Say you're away from the office but need to quickly reference a spreadsheet that you (wisely) set to sync with SugarSync. From your iPad, you can navigate to the file, view it, share it via email, sync it to your iPad, rename it, copy it, or move it. You can't edit it on the spot, however, as I mentioned previously.

You can apply all the actions supported in the iPad app to batches of files, making light work of otherwise heavy lifting.

The Recent Documents button proves useful for me. It shows documents that SugarSync has identified as being recently created, or changed and synced. For day-to-day work files, this area is great for quick access to files you're likely to need the most.

Photo syncing on SugarSync for iPhone is a little less intuitive than the rest of the app, and it can become very complicated quickly, especially if you use other photo-syncing services, such as iCloud. I had a hard time figuring out where photos lived after landing on the Photos area. It's just not clear where or how they're stored.

One missing feature is a search tool, a critical omission that easily knocks this otherwise stellar app down to its four-star rating. The difficulty I had with photos would disappear almost entirely if I had a search tool at the ready.

Security
SugarSync provides decent security, encrypting your data while at rest and while in transmission. The iPad app adds another layer of security as well in the form of an optional four-digit PIN. For anyone using SugarSync to sync data that could be considered sensitive or personal, this extra protection definitely helps to make you feel more secure and keep out malfeasants.

Syncing Made Simple
If you use SugarSync and have an iPad, you'll definitely want to download the SugarSync iPad app so that you can get at your files quickly and from virtually anywhere, although you may lament the lack of a search tool. SugarSync remains a great file-syncing choice for anyone who wants simple setup, a preserved folder structure, and intelligent interface on the mobile apps. Sugar Sync is an Editors' Choice for file-syncing on the iPad.

Seeing as SugarSync and its strongest competitors are free, there's no reason you can't have them all. You might use them as I do to store files of different types or for different purposes.

More iPad App Reviews:
??? SugarSync (for iPad)
??? Songza (for iPad)
??? The Dark Knight Rises (for iPad)
??? Google+ (for iPad)
??? Priority Matrix (for iPad)
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/kgdZUuMXoHA/0,2817,2407624,00.asp

travis pastrana aj jenkins shea mcclellin nfl draft 2012 whitney mercilus 2012 nfl draft picks andrew luck

Find The Internet Marketing

This article has been viewed 6 times.

The particular emergence of Net has taken benefits as an example low-cost transmission of knowledge along with communication (media) towards the many receiver, the message is transmitted in many different forms for example text, images, sounds, films, games, ? the fun nature of E-marketing, communication recipients can respond immediately or primary communication with the subject sends a message. It is a major advantage of E-marketing when compared to other forms.

E-marketing combines technological innovation and the Web, including design, advancement, advertising and purchasers. The particular E-marketing activities including google search marketing, banner advertising web, e-mail marketing, affiliate marketing, interactive advertising, blog site marketing and viral marketing.

E-marketing is the method of development along with market your business using online media. E-marketing just isn?t simply a building internet site. E-marketing should be a part of on-line marketing strategy and should certainly be a reasonable investment.

An advantage of E-marketing may be the option of considerable amounts of knowledge. Customers can access item information and perform transactions, sale anywhere. Enterprises using e-makerting can save cost of sales as cost rents, reducing the number of sales people, .. E-marketing will also help businesses access to a large market in addition to global development. Furthermore, comparison along with other press for example print press, television, e-marketing is a huge benefit for low cost.

E-marketing activities as possible easily implemented keeping track of and evaluation. As an example, the Website and providers ?Web Analytics? allow to track the quantity of visitors, content in which interest can assess the message is sent in accordance with customer desires not. Not surprisingly, E-marketing expands more powerful than other kinds.

Effectiveness of internet marketing brings enormous as the web has control the marketplace, just a few computer mouse button clicks anywhere for this world you can understand information of any product or service or because the info you would like.

The internet ads will help you choose to find potential customers, target buyers thus saving substantial expense to assist companies improve efficiency in the market.

As well as the current amount of Online users is growing with a rapid rate, therefore the ad network customers are a best opt for business.

However, E-marketing is still equipped with some limitations. 1st, technically, E-marketing requires buyers to use new methods and never all consumers may use them. Slow-speed links is another difficult providers. Also, if firms build large and sophisticated web site to promote their products, numerous customers may have issues while using website along with download information about the particular slow line as well as on cellular devices. Second, when it comes to sales, customers can not touch, tastes, feel or try out before you purchase products on-line.

For more information about home business visit our website.

Source: http://www.article-i.com/computers/accessories/find-the-internet-marketing-4/

weather new orleans orcl the hartford illinois primary 2012 michael bay zsa zsa gabor illinois primary

New gene mutation associated with congenital myopathy

ScienceDaily (July 25, 2012) ? University of Michigan researchers have discovered a new cause of congenital myopathy: a mutation in a previously uncharacterized gene, according to research published this month in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

About 50% of congenital myopathy cases currently do not have a known genetic basis, presenting a clear barrier to understanding disease and developing therapy, says James Dowling, M.D., Ph.D., the paper's co-senior author and assistant professor of Pediatric Neurology at the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Finding a new myopathy gene opens the possibility of providing a genetic explanation for disease in these individuals where no genetic cause is currently known.

In addition, "the identification of a new myopathy gene is an essential first step towards understanding why this disease occurs and how we combat its effects." says Dowling, who worked with Margit Burmeister, Ph.D. and her team from the University of Michigan's Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute to study the new myopathy gene (CCDC78).

Dowling says the gene, which has not been studied previously, is an important potential regulator of muscle function and, in particular, part of an important muscle structure called the triad.

"Many myopathies and dystrophies have abnormal triad structure/function, so finding a new gene product involved in its regulation will help researchers better understand the triad and its relationship to muscle disease," Dowling says.

Congenital myopathies are clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases that typically become evident in childhood with hypotonia and weakness. They are associated with impaired mobility, progressive scoliosis, chronic respiratory failure and often early death.

Currently there are no known treatments or disease modifying therapies for congenital myopathies.

The researchers performed linkage analysis followed by whole exome capture and next generation sequencing in a family with congenital myopathy. They then validated the gene mutation and provided insights into the disease pathomechanisms using the zebrafish model system.

Dowling says the researchers' next step is to further model the disease using zebrafish, in the hopes that this knowledge can be translated into therapy development.

"The study provides the first descriptions of the zebrafish model, and gives insight into how we will use it," says Dowling, who also is director of the Pediatric Neuromuscular Disorders Clinic at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

"Once we develop and characterize a model of the disease, we can then use it as a platform for therapy development."

Funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, The A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute, Anderson Family Foundation.

Additional authors: Of the University of Michigan: Karen Majczenko, M.D.; Ann E. Davidson, Ph.D.; Sandra Camelo-Piragua, M.D.; Xingli Li; Sucheta Joshi, M.D.; Jishu Xu; Weiping Peng; Alan H. Beggs, Ph.D.; Jun Z. Li, Ph.D.; Margit Burmeister, Ph.D. Of Boston Children's Hospital: Pankaj B. Agrawal, Ph.D; Richard A. Manfready.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Michigan Health System.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Karen Majczenko, Ann?E. Davidson, Sandra Camelo-Piragua, Pankaj?B. Agrawal, Richard?A. Manfready, Xingli Li, Sucheta Joshi, Jishu Xu, Weiping Peng, Alan?H. Beggs, Jun?Z. Li, Margit Burmeister, James?J. Dowling. Dominant Mutation of CCDC78 in a Unique Congenital Myopathy with Prominent Internal Nuclei and Atypical Cores. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.06.012

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120725142503.htm

tim lincecum ryan oneal file taxes online tupac shakur sledge hammer tax day freebies madison bumgarner

The Port Authority: A Few Of Gaming's Most Ported Titles - Features ...

Some ports are exciting, like when Metal Gear Solid 2 made its way to the original Xbox. Some ports are less exciting, like Myst appearing on every interactive device on the face of the Earth. These are the games that we have seen re-appear more often than any other game. Some are old, like the original Prince of Persia, and some are young, already making their way to as many platforms as possible like Angry Birds. Here they are ranked in order of appearances.

Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Appeared on Nintendo 64, PC, Dreamcast, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Color, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, iOS, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS for a total of 9 ports.

I?m not sure why Ubisoft holds this admittedly decent 3D platformer with such high regard. It was great when it came out, but every time it is re-released, it just seems to be a reminder that the game is aging very quickly. If you want to see for yourself how the game plays, just pick it up for pretty much everything you have. I think there is a refrigerator version coming soon.

Final Fantasy I
Appeared on NES, MSX2, WonderSwan Color, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, mobile phones, PSP, Wii, PlayStation 3, iOS, and Windows Phone 7 for a total of 10 ports.

Final Fantasy I made its first appearance on the NES in 1990, and it stayed quiet for a long time. Square (pre-Enix) was too busy making legitimate sequels to the franchise before they thought in 2002, ?hey let?s just redo that old game,? with the PlayStation version of the game.

Angry Birds
Appeared on iOS, Android, PSP, PlayStation 3, Mac OS, PC, Windows Phone 7, Google, BlackBerry Tablet, Facebook,? Kindle Fire, and Xbox 360 (coming soon) for a total of 11 ports.

If you haven?t heard of Angry Birds, then you were probably born in the last twenty minutes, and your new parents are reading this to you. If you want to play Angry Birds, just find a screen, preferably one with a touch screen.

Myst
Appeared on PC, Mac, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, 3DO, Atari Jaguar, CD-i, AmigaOS, PSP, Nintendo DS, iOS, and Nintendo 3DS for a total of 11 ports.

Myst released today for the 3DS, and while it is very important in the history of the advancement of video game design, it?s basically a game where you are clicking pre-rendered images. It begs the questions, why is this game 535 MB large for iOS devices. I don?t think that game took up that much disc space when it originally released for PC.

Prince of Persia
Appears on Apple II, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, PC, Sega Master System, Sega CD, TurboGrafx, NES, Game Boy, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy Color, and Wii (unlockable in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands) for a total of 13 ports.

There are 13 ports of Prince of Persia since it first released on the Apple II computer, and that is not including the numerous Prince of Persia games that dealt with the Sands of Time. Something about the way the original Prince moved with his rotoscoped animation technology just demanded that everyone be able to play the game no matter what interactive console they owned.

Out of This World
Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, PC, Sega Mega Drive, SNES, Mac OS, 3DO, Tapwave Zodiac, Mega-CD, Mobile phones, Windows Mobile, iOS, and Android for a total of 13 ports.

The appeal of Out of this World, strictly from the porting point of view, is that the game has a simple art style with impressive animation that is dripping with a timeless sense of style. I can?t imagine a day when Out of this World won?t offer an instantly inviting experience. The complete lack of dialogue also means that you will never be hiring a team of voice actors to give dialogue to the assorted characters.

Sonic The Hedgehog
Appeared on Genesis, iOS, PC, Wii, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Android (Japan only), Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PSP for a total of 14 ports.

Sonic's first game has appeared on tons of consoles thanks to the never-ending stream of Sega Genesis compilations. We theorize that Sega constantly re-releases Sonic the Hedgehog to balance out the steady flow of new, awful Sonic games.

Dragon's Lair
Appeared on arcade, Sega CD, Game Boy Color, PC, DVD, HD DVD, Blu-ray, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, Android, Xbox 360, and Laserdisc for a total of 14 ports.

Dragon?s Lair has the rare distinction of appearing on DVD, HD DVD, Laserdisc, and Blu-ray, something no other game on this list claims. Since the game is more or less an animated feature, it will always look solid no matter which platform it's released for. How it plays is?another story.

Street Fighter II
Appeared on arcade, SNES, Mega Drive, Master System, Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, PC, Game Boy, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, PSP, Apple iOS, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii for a total of 18 ports.

Capcom is no stranger to re-releasing its games, often within the same console generation, but it can?t seem to help itself when it comes to Street Fighter II. It has appeared on compilations, it has had words like ?Super,? ?Turbo,? and ?HD? added to the front and back of it, and it?s not even done yet. In September it will appear again as part of the 25th Anniversary Collection, and that's after it already appeared on the collection honoring the 15th anniversary eight years ago (yes, I am aware that the math does not make sense). Capcom loves releasing this game, and we must love it too, because we keep buying it.

Tetris
What hasn't Tetris appeared on?

Tetris has made appearances in hundreds of different forms, on hundreds of different consoles, computers, calculators, and arcade cabinets. If it has the computing power to run a game, then there is a version of Tetris for it.

Tetris was hugely popular on all manner of PC before It arguably gained its biggest splurge in popularity on the Game Boy. Since then, the game has appeared on everything, and it will continue to appear on everything until the Universe lines up its tetraminos and we're all deleted. The game has been, and will be ported into oblivion.

It's highly possible that I've overlooked a game that his been ported a similar amount than the games above. Is there a game that you are tired of seeing over and over? Or maybe one you never tire of seeing over and over? Or perhaps, a game you wish you saw over and over?

Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/07/24/the-port-authority.aspx

texas chainsaw massacre uk vs louisville university of kansas buckeye west side story final four 2012 bridesmaids

Study: Online retail contributes to decline in quality | The Rock River ...

Yunchuan ?Frank? Liu, a professor of business administration, says when manufacturers bypass retailers and sell directly to consumers online, product quality can suffer. (Photo by L. Brian Stauffer)

By Phil Ciciora
Business & Law Editor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign News Bureau

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ? Consumers may revel in the convenience of online shopping, but the low prices on the Internet are often accompanied by even lower product quality, warns new research co-written by a University of Illinois business professor.

Yunchuan ?Frank? Liu says when manufacturers bypass retailers and sell directly to consumers online, product quality can suffer.

?The research shows that there is a negative effect in that the quality of the product can go down,? he said. ?Although there are many positive aspects to e-commerce, the issue of declining product quality is a very big negative, which could increase in significance in the future. This should be alarming to consumers and public policy makers who champion the convenience of online shopping.?

The study, which will appear in the journal Management Science, studies the effect of channel structures ? that is, online versus offline channels ? on the product quality of goods produced by manufacturers, said Liu, who co-wrote the study with Nicholas C. Petruzzi, a professor of business administration at Illinois, and Hongyan Shi, of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Although shopping is more convenient than ever before, Liu says manufacturers have little incentive to produce high-quality goods when selling their wares online.

?In the traditional approach, manufacturers had to go through a ?middleman? to get their products to market,? Liu said. ?If consumers purchase goods through a retailer, they have to physically drive to the shop, talk to a salesperson and compare it to the competition. Compared to an online transaction, where the consumer is pretty much relying on information supplied by the manufacturer, the purchase of a product at a bricks-and-mortar store is complicated.?

So, how can retailers ensure their products survive this complicated purchasing process? The answer is that the product quality has to be really good, Liu says.

?If you sell a lousy product, consumers will not be willing to drive to retailers,? he said. ?That?s why your product quality has to be really, really good.?

For example, before the advent of the Internet, if you wanted to buy a computer, you had to drive to an electronics store. With the Internet, ?you can buy one directly from Dell, which is very convenient for consumers ? they can shop from home, and the prices often are cheaper than at an electronics store,? Liu said.

But then there?s the issue of product quality.

?Dell computers have a reputation for being cheap but of low quality,? Liu said.

The study warns against the ?Dell-ization? of other online goods.

?In the Internet age, many people believe the traditional way of doing retailing is too old-fashioned,? he said. ?But in this case, the traditional retail channel still has a lot of value, because there?s a lot of incentive for manufacturers to produce high-quality products when they know they will be displayed on a shop floor and tested by consumers before they?re purchased.?

According to Liu, out of the most highly successful traditional retailers, none sells directly to consumers, which, for consumers, turns out to be a bulwark against declining product quality.

?If you?re talking about clothing, prices are higher at the older department store chains but the product quality is usually very high,? he said. ?However, if we look at the direct channel manufacturers ? that is, the factory outlet stores, the direct-to-channel outlet manufacturers ? the price is lower but the product quality is not high.?

According to Liu, there are two types of consumers: Those who care about quality over price, and vice versa.

?The latter type of consumer wins with the advent of e-commerce, because they don?t care about quality ? they only like low price,? he said. ?But the first group of consumers are hurt, because quality as a whole is dragged down by manufacturers who cater to the Internet.?

For consumers, the take-away from the research is simple: ?If you want a high-quality product, buy from a physical store,? Liu said. ?If you want the cheapest possible price, buy through the Internet.?

Although the reports of the demise of traditional retailers have been greatly exaggerated, Liu says they can survive and even thrive in the e-commerce age by playing up the quality angle to consumers.

?Since they?re not going to win in a price war versus the Internet bricks-and-mortar stores not only need to stock high-quality products, they need to let consumers know that they can out-compete the Internet with the quality of their products,? Liu said. ?As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.?

From the July 25-31, 2012, issue

Print This Article

Read

Read in Nation & World Online Exclusives

Source: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/07/25/study-online-retail-contributes-to-decline-in-quality/

april fools global payments the killing eli young band wrestlemania country music awards 2012 wrestlemania 28 results

London 2012 Olympics: US President Barack Obama could fly to Games to watch basketball final

The US First Lady, Michelle Obama, who has a warm relationship with the Queen, will also be at Buckingham Palace and represent her husband at the Olympics although the White House has not confirmed if the Obama daughters, Malia and Sasha, will also attend the Games.

But President Obama has less pleasant Olympic memories, being humiliated when the IOC awarded just a handful of votes to Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid despite his last minute glad-handing of voting members in Copenhagen in 2008.

But with the presidential election four months away, Obama may not want Romney to be the only leader associated with the Games, especially if the US are strongly vying with the Chinese at the top of the Olympic medal tally.

One of the test scenarios put to the Olympic basketball venue manager over the past few months was determining who would be ejected from the VIP seating if Obama and his extensive security entourage turned up with just 30-minutes notice.

Earlier this week Obama and vice president Joe Biden witnessed the USA Olympic basketball team in their final exhibition game against Brazil before leaving for England.

"Obviously the talent that we have got at this point is unbelievable," said Obama in the half-time break of the match as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant dominated the court.

?So there?s no reason that we shouldn?t bring home the gold. We just have to stay focused.?

Romney will also attend two UK fund-raisers to help his election campaign, now organised by a host of global banking leaders after former Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond resigned in the wake of the Libor rate scandal.

Lanhee Chen, Romney's policy director, explained the overseas trip was to "listen and learn, to visit countries that share common values, common interests and in many cases share heritage with people in the United States".

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568303/s/219e25f6/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Csport0Colympics0Cbasketball0C9420A1410CLondon0E20A120EOlympics0EUS0EPresident0EBarack0EObama0Ecould0Efly0Eto0EGames0Eto0Ewatch0Ebasketball0Efinal0Bhtml/story01.htm

st nicholas st nicholas mindy mccready mindy mccready cliff harris cliff harris josh turner

Italy urges Russia to help end Syria crisis

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-urges-russia-help-end-syria-crisis-150703770.html

small business saturday small business saturday hank baskett beyonce dance for you beyonce dance for you nba lockout over nba lockout news

Is Your Real Estate Business Ready for Another Recession?

The typical definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. I predict and expect that both Q3 and Q4 FY 12 will show negative GDP growth with a strong possibility that Q1 FY13 will also be negative.

So what is an investor to do if they see another recession coming on the back of 3 years of slow growth after the ending of the ?Great Recession??

I believe that successful real estate investing is about understanding local markets and local conditions. However, there are certain macro trends that every investor should pay attention to, and a recession is at the top of the list.

Given that I see a national recession coming, one might ask, what I am doing in my business?

First, I am beefing up my cash reserves.? This will allow greater flexibility as we head towards the end of this year and the recession kicks in.? If the recession begins as expected, the press will start getting very negative around October.? When the press gets negative, the average buyer/investor typically gets nervous and doesn?t want to do deals.? When I see this, I will jump in and pick up several deals that I would have normally missed because competitors will spend more than me in good times.

Second, I am watching rental trends.? Rentals have been hot, especially single family homes in my market.? I suspect that if the recession commences, apartment type rentals will increase in popularity while single-family homes might get a little soft.

Third, I expect the Federal Reserve to push back their time period for raising interest rates.? Currently I believe they are expecting the earliest increases in late 2013.? I believe we won?t see meaningful interest rate rise until 2015-2016 as the world needs to deleverage and low interest rates help this process.? This means that private investors will be very interested to learn about returns earning 10% secured by repaired and leased properties. Said another way, private money investors will be actively looking for solid returns with proven methods.

Finally, I will be looking for larger deals with which I can construct win-win structures with the seller.? Perhaps I will find a 10-20 unit apartment at a steep discount and set up a deal in which the owner carries back 20-30% of the purchase price, ensuring that my out-of-pocket cash is reduced.? I have found that owner-carry-back deals have the most success during recessions during which time the seller knows they need to be flexible to get a deal done.

What if I am wrong?

Fair question, as it happens all the time.

Let?s say we continue to grow at our current rate of 1-2% a year.? Let?s also assume that rental real estate stays hot, we have really hit bottom, and we are about to kick off the next boom in investment properties.

If this happens, it will mean that I have a large cash cushion, as I am not currently buying anything given my expectation for a recession.? It will also mean that the portfolio of properties I have bought over the last couple of years will become a lot more valuable.? As the value rises, I will once again have the opportunity to sell my single-family homes and leverage the equity into small apartment buildings via a 1031 Exchange.

In the end, I am getting ready for a double dip recession, but if it doesn?t come, I am ready to enjoy the ride of appreciation.

Good Investing

Photo: F Delventhal

Welcome to Our Blog!
Welcome to the BiggerPockets Blog. Our blog brings together experts in various fields of real estate with the goal of keeping our readers informed and up to speed. Whether you're a real estate professional (lender, Realtor, banker, etc), investor (landlord, flipper, wholesaler, etc.), or simply a consumer, renter or homeowner interested in the world of real estate, this blog is the place for you to get involved!

You can subscribe to our RSS feed, get blog updates by email, join our free mailing list, or best of all, join our social network along with 63,000 others interested in real estate education, dealmaking, networking, and marketing.

Author: Michael Zuber

Michael's Website: http://www.wealthbuildingpro.com

Michael has written 46 articles for us.

Michael Zuber is an active buy-and-hold real estate investor who still has a full-time job. Michael is not an agent or broker, and simply uses the internet and agent relationships to drive his business. He currently averages at least one deal a month and has developed laser focus on his 5 step process.

Source: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/07/23/ready-for-another-recession/

nitrous oxide rihanna thug life tattoo chuck pagano arizona governor seal team 6 patrick witt leprosy