Vice President for Marketing and Donor Communications (Worcester ...

Title: Vice President for Marketing and Donor Communications

Division: Executive

Reports To: CEO

Department: Marketing

Lutheran Social Services (LSS) is one of New England?s largest faith-based human service organizations, with more than 65 programs, nine lines of service, 1,800 employees, and 20,000 clients served annually. LSS has programs in all six New England states. LSS combines personalized, compassionate care with high standards of clinical sophistication and operational excellence to deliver a broad range of service to children, youth and families; persons with disabilities, mental illness and deafness; the economically disadvantaged; refugees; and older adults. In keeping with our mission, LSS serves and cares for people in need, regardless of background or belief.

Summary
Strategic Position: Lutheran Social Services is a high performing nonprofit organization. LSS is a powerful difference maker and go-to resource, driving ourselves to constantly anticipate futures that are different from the past.

The Vice President serves as the chief communications officer for Lutheran Social Services and is charged with execution of the following strategic priorities in order to shape the organization for futures that are different from the past:
- Advance the LSS brand throughout New England to exert regional visibility and impact;
- Assure that communications and marketing drive the strategic direction of the organization.
- In collaboration with the LSS Foundation, increase volunteer and philanthropic support for LSS.

Primary Responsibilities
? Implement the marketing plan endorsed by the executive staff.
? Lead and manage the communications team.
? Work collaboratively with the LSS Foundation to assure that communications tools are donor centric and that the organization achieves fundraising goals
? Lead the marketing staff responsible for promoting growth in client census and service.
? Serve as agency spokesperson to the media when the occasion requires: in times of crisis and noteworthy achievement
? Communicate effectively in all media the strategic priorities, services and the goals of the agency as a whole as well as all LSS market segments (service lines/programs/geographies) to all constituents; generate and maintain excellent personal relationships with all audiences
? Attend meetings of the LSS executive and management staff as appropriate
? Additional duties, as assigned.

Performance results
? Successful communication of the agency?s strategic priorities, services, and funding needs; success will be measured against the metrics and goals identified in the strategic marketing plan.
? All internal and external communications needs are met and the LSS mission and message are presented with frequency, coherence, high quality and measurable success.
? Success in leading the organization into the future by anticipating and employing cutting edge communication technologies.
? Adherence to the board approved Communications Policies and Procedures and oversight of their ongoing adaptation to changing needs
? Increase in media placements
? Increase in donor numbers, retention, and charitable giving.
? Measurable increase in market segment visibility and impact.

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Finance And Business | Get a Bad Credit Home Equity Loan - 5 ...

?Mobile Home Equity Loan But With Bad Credit 5 Tips to Get the Lowest Rate
When you own a mobile home, you get to enjoy the pride of ownership that comes from having your own home. At the same time, you can appreciate the investment you are making in your future. Sometimes, you need to borrow against the equity in your mobile home in order to get the cash you need. If you are looking for a mobile home equity loan but with bad credit, here are 5 tips to get yourself the lowest rate: 1. Understand that a mobile equity loan is also known as a second mortgage: A mobile...

?Find a Guaranteed Home Equity Loan With Bad Credit 5 Tips
A home equity loan is the ideal financial instrument for a person who is in the following type of situation: a. needs money to pay down high-interest credit card debt, make home improvements, or pay for other major expenses b. has a home with equity in it (i.e., they owe less on the home than it is worth) A person in this situation has an advantage over somebody who has no home with equity in it. That is because an equity loan is a form of a secured loan, since the lender gets to use the home...

?Which is Better A Home Equity Loan Or an Equity Line of Credit 5 FAQs
When you need cash, borrowing against your home can be a smart way to go. Since this is a form of collateralized loan, your bank can afford to offer you the loan at a lower interest rate than with most unsecured loans. This is because your bank knows that, if you were to default on the loan, they would be eligible to claim part of the proceeds on any sale of the home. Equity loans are smart money because the interest rates for getting access to cash via this type of loan are on average much...

?No Down Bad Credit Home Loans 5 Tips
Getting approved for a home loan these days is harder for most folks - especially if your credit score is in poor shape due to having lost your job or having made a few bad financial decisions in the past. Having had a bankruptcy, missed a few (or a lot) of debt payments, or just having too much debt can all affect your credit score in a big way. Still, you need a roof over your head, and in many cases buying a home can be a much smarter financial decision than is continuing to rent. After...

?Mobile Home Refinancing Loan 5 Tips For How to Get Funded With the Best Interest Rate
Owning a mobile home is a pleasure for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it represents a solid investment. Provided that a person plans to own their mobile home for a number of years, buying one is an investment not only in the physical comfort and safety of one's family - but also in one's financial future. For the homeowner who chooses to hold onto their mobile home for a number of years, they will stick with making the same mortgage payments month in and month out....

?Should You Refinance After a Mortgage Purchase 5 FAQs
Owning a home is and should be a major source of pride for anybody who has attained this accomplishment. Only a small percentage of people in the world own modern, free-standing homes of their own. Of course, the only real downside to having a home is paying the mortgage each month. Mortgage payments are a fact of life for all but the few homeowners who have completely paid off their home mortgages. For the rest of us, we will probably be stuck making payments for some time to come after a...

?Best Mortgage Refinance Interest Rates 5 Tips
Having a home mortgage represents a huge achievement, one that not everybody sees in their lifetime: that fact that you are a homeowner. It is a wonderful feeling to own a home. Well, technically the bank still owns it until you pay off your mortgage. Your goal should be to pay off your mortgage as quickly as you can, while paying as little interest as possible in the process. Makes logical sense, right? But, if that is true, why do so many homeowners wait so long before they decide to...

?First Time Home Buyers Can Refinance Home Loans 5 Ideas
As a first-time home buyer, your home is one of your most valuable assets. And, no doubt buying your home was the most important financial decision you ever made. At the time that you took out your mortgage loan, you were able to qualify for a certain interest rate. The rate for which you qualified was determined in large part by your FICO, or credit, score at that time. Now, if more than a year or so has passed since you took out your loan, one of two things may have happened: a. average...

?Get the Best Interest Rates on a Personal Loan in 7 Steps
The law of lending and borrowing is almost as old as money itself, namely: it costs money to borrow money. The wonder of borrowing, of course, is that the borrower can get instant access to cash at a speed with which they could never have earned it on their own. The downside of borrowing money is that you have to eventually pay it back, with interest. The most common types of loans are those that are issued to buyers of big-ticket items like cars and homes. However, there exist many...

?Where Can I Get a Loan Quick With Bad Credit 4 Tips
These days, having a good credit score is so important for getting approved for most types of loans. Even if you know you are good for a loan in terms of being able to repay it on time, most lenders will refuse to take into account how trustworthy, honest, or well-intentioned you say you are. In today's world, the almighty Credit Score is all that most banks and other lenders rely upon to judge your creditworthiness. However, if you have bad credit but are in need of a quick loan, you are in...

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Afghanistan presses for answers on long-term U.S. military bases

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Boxing game to win the fight for health Whitmore Mansion. Medicine ...

We are developing and testing pilot program of ?years, but we believe that a session of 10-15 minutes in total, three times a week may be sufficient for the benefit of the participants, said Dr Batterham. A real punch Dr. Spears explained that despite his success, the Nintendo Wii and its motion capture system has a weakness that people can be deceiving.Sedentary middle-aged men in Teesside in the North-East of England could soon be using a set of high-intensity exercise videos to improve their health. For researchers at Teesside University have developed an alternative to the Nintendo Wii that does not allow users to cheat.

Now who want to try getting an average age of members to participate in ?virtual? boxing matches workers with a computer-generated opponent.

This is because the accelerometers in the systems to capture the console can not usually distinguish between full and smaller films.

Teesside Home Grown system has a combination of sensors connected to a controller in each hand, a gang leader and a piece of chest. The two controllers for the hands are tied to the belt via a rubber resistance band, so that participants have to spend real effort to pull a punch. LEDs and inertial measurement units on the hand controller, chest piece and headband allow a computer system to keep an eye on the movements of the hand, body and head.

The exergaming developed by the multidisciplinary research team at the University led by Dr Iain Spears, Reader in sports and exercise.

And what better way to start than where men go for a pint of beer, rather than waiting to join a gym or take a team sport?

Mr. They found 15 of 27 maternal relatives had high blood pressure, even after treatment. It reflects the pressure when the heart contracts.

The objective is to generate enthusiasm for a population that is generally reluctant to do sports or exercise using a fun game in a non-threatening, family and social context.

Research Associate of Teesside, Dr Paul Crawshaw, medical sociologist, said the goal was not necessarily lead people to lose weight, although it could be a side effect. We want to see if we can reduce health inequalities between rich and poor ? and among the richest regions and Teesside -. Alan Batterham, Professor of Science motor, which is a co-investigator of the project, said: The exercise is high intensity interval training, with relatively short periods of playing the game interspersed with recovery periods, as a smaller version of a round of boxing. There is a growing body of evidence that the short, relatively high-intensity exercise of this kind is beneficial to health, he said.

So we adapted the Wii and made our way to ensure that participants exercise real power.

It ?s basically a cross between the new movement Sony PlayStation and Nintendo Wii controllers, said Dr.

Spears.

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Take Your Dog To The Office And Stress Less

Brian Smith/Flickr

Patch, a Great Dane, has a memo for you.

Any dog owner will tell you that they're a lot less stressed out when they're with their dog. Even at work. And now science agrees.

People who took their dogs to work in an office in Greensboro, N.C., had lower stress levels through the work day, as reported on self-reported test.

The employees who hadn't brought their dogs to work said their stress levels increased through the work day. So did the non-pet owners. But the dog owners said they stayed mellow as the day went on.

The researchers say that dogs in the workplace may help buffer work stress, and make the job more satisfying for non-dog owners, too. Their results were published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management.

?

A quick poll here at Shots Central reveals that Scott Hensley and Julie Rovner would be far less stressed if their dogs were snoozing under their desks. Of course, they'd also be less stressed if they were outside tossing a ball with their dogs on this beautiful spring day, rather than boning up on health care policy.

This leads us dogless workers to wonder if workplace dogs function as an excuse to take a much needed break from work; a healthy version of stepping outside to take a smoke, or going to the vending machine.

That could well be true, according to Sandra Barker, a professor of psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University and one of the study researchers. During the week of the study, she saw people borrowing co-workers' dogs to go for a walk instead of sit in the cafeteria during breaks. "People may be getting more exercise," she told Shots.

The company that hosted the current study, Replacements LTD, is clearly pro-pet. They've allowed dogs in the office for the past 15 years. The average tenure for a worker there is 10 years, which is high in the industry, says Barker. But it's unknown if that worker satisfaction is dog-related.

This current study is hardly dispositive. It followed just 75 employees, paging them four times a day to report on their stress levels using a standardized quiz. And Barker and her co-author and husband, management professor Randolph Barker, are avowed dog lovers. So there may be some bias here.

But there is plenty of data that shows that interacting with pets can make people healthy, or healthier. Earlier this month, shameless pet partisan Julie Rovner reported on studies that found that petting one's dog lowers the owner's blood pressure, and that interacting with animals increases people's level of the hormone oxytocin. It's a neurotransmitter that's said to increase trust and reduce fear.

Barker speculates that workplace pets could be a low-cost intervention to keep employees happier and healthier. But this only works, she admits, if the dogs in question are friendly, clean, and well-behaved.

This raises the question of whether supervisors would have to vet pet behavior, and banish troublemaking pets. That sounds like a recipe for stress.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/03/30/149684409/take-your-dog-to-the-office-and-stress-less?ft=1&f=1007

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US consumer spending up 0.8 pct., but income lags

FILE - In this Feb. 28, 2012 file photo, Laurie Hanson looks over clothing at the Adorn clothing store in Montpelier, Vt. U.S. consumers boosted their spending in February by the most in seven months. But Americans' income barely grew, and the saving rate fell to its lowest point in more than two years, according to the Commerce Department, Friday, March 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 28, 2012 file photo, Laurie Hanson looks over clothing at the Adorn clothing store in Montpelier, Vt. U.S. consumers boosted their spending in February by the most in seven months. But Americans' income barely grew, and the saving rate fell to its lowest point in more than two years, according to the Commerce Department, Friday, March 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. consumers boosted their spending in February by the most in seven months. But Americans' income barely grew, and the saving rate fell to its lowest point in more than two years.

The Commerce Department said Friday that consumer spending rose 0.8 percent last month. Income grew 0.2 percent, matching January's weak increase. And when taking inflation into account, income after taxes fell for a second straight month.

Still, consumers are spending more after the best three-month hiring stretch in two years. Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics, suggested that estimated annual growth for the economy in the current January-March quarter may be revised up ? to around 2.5 percent, compared with earlier estimates of about 2 percent.

Dales cautioned, though, that at some point, consumers won't be able to draw further on their savings. Further job gains are needed to boost consumers' income.

Some of the higher spending last month reflected surging gas prices. But consumers spent more on other goods and services, too. After excluding inflation, which was due mainly to gas prices, spending rose a solid 0.5 percent.

The saving rate dropped to 3.7 percent of after-tax income in February. That was the lowest level since August 2009. The saving rate had been 4.3 percent in January. It had averaged 4.7 percent for all of last year.

The economy has added an average of 245,000 jobs a month from December through February. That's lowered the unemployment rate to 8.3 percent, the lowest in three years. Most economists expect a similar number of net jobs added in March.

So far, more robust hiring has yet to lift growth. The economy grew at an annual rate of 3 percent in the October-December quarter and most analysts expect that pace slowed in the January-March quarter.

Consumer spending drives 70 percent of economic activity.

Economists expect growth to rebound later this year as further hiring lifts the economy. The spending increase in February follows other data showing that may already be under way.

Americans stepped up spending on retail goods in February, the government said earlier in the month. Consumers bought more autos, clothes and appliances. They also paid higher prices for gas.

On Friday, the national average price for a gallon of gas was $3.92, according to AAA. In 11 states, the price is more than $4 per gallon.

Higher gas prices could eventually slow growth by causing some people to cut spending on other goods, from appliances and furniture to electronics and vacations. Gasoline purchases provide less benefit for the U.S. economy because about half of the revenue flows to oil-exporting nations, though U.S. oil companies and gasoline retailers also benefit.

Despite paying more to fill their tanks, consumers remain optimistic about the economy. The Conference Board, a New York-based private research group, said its gauge of consumer confidence held nearly steady in March after reaching its highest level in a year in February.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-03-30-US-Consumer-Spending/id-a28784e26be44bf68124aced40d39be2

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Very simple Tips For Good results At Your Next Home Improvement ...

Simple Guidelines For Becoming Your Own Handyman (or Handywoman)

Every day of your life, your house makes a big impact on how you feel. It is normal to spend a lot of time at home, so it should be comfortable. When your home is a relaxing, inviting and functional space, you experience less stress and a better overall feeling of well-being that will help you get more done. The following ideas can help you transform your home into a place you love to be.

Consider the level of comfort within your home. The minor inconveniences in your home may be causing you a bigger annoyance than you are aware of. You should fix any things you don?t like about your home. If you have something that is outdated, get rid of it and replace it with something more current. Take down or lower the shelf that you must stand fully upright to reach! Easy changes, like replacing a rectangular coffee table with a round one, can increase your comfort level.

Try increasing the area of your home. Over time, the walls of your home can seem to close in. Short of moving to a bigger house, you can take steps to increase your usable space and make yourself more comfortable. Even what may seem like a tiny bit of extra room can go a long way in eliminating the stress of clutter.

You can add more fun areas to your home to increase the value. Big-ticket additions like spas and swimming pools are certainly appealing, but you can also consider smaller-scale options like a basketball hoop or home gym. Not only will these increase the value of your property, but they will also increase your family?s enjoyment of the area, and your home, more.

The effect that new lighting can have on a house and a room can be dramatic. A properly lit room allows you to notice details that have previously been obscured by shadows. It doesn?t take a lot of home improvement experience to install a few new lights. Lighting is the simplest answer for many problem rooms in your home!

Now that you have read this far, has that stirred your opinions in any way? portable air conditioners is a huge area with many more sub-topics you can read about. A lot of people have found certain other areas are beneficial and contribute good information. You should be careful about making too many assumptions until the big picture is more clear. If you are uncertain about what is required for you, then just take a better look at your particular situation. We will tie everything together plus give you a hint of other important information.Make your home more exciting by adding some greenery. Turn your yard into your personal oasis by planting some flowers or putting up an archway. Hire a gardener or landscaper if you want to completely re-vamp your outdoor areas. You will end up with a relaxing spot to read a good book or to hang out with friends and family with the added benefit of healthier air. This would be a great space to incorporate small gardens for herbs, vegetables or even flowers.

You can enjoy and be proud of a nice update to the exterior of your house. Things like a new roof, upgraded windows and fresh paint can revitalize the look and feel of your house. You and your visitors will enjoy the looks of your home even before stepping inside.

You spend so much time in your home that having a comfortable and inviting living area affects the way you live your life and how satisfied you are with it. Because of this, anything you can do to improve your home will benefit the house and your personal satisfaction.

Source: http://sharepointcroatia.org/very-simple-tips-for-good-results-at-your-next-home-improvement-project/

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Bad debt? Repair your credit! Step by step instructions | Finance World

We sometimes think there is no option for new credit with adverse credit history. You may already know that you must look further into products when you are applying for further credit. And still, if granted a new finance, you have a chance to be offered other terms, like higher APR or a shorter term, this is called risk factor in financial terms. They only half-trust you, so make sure to reduce the risks.

That said, you want to tell them about your consolidation plans, besides this is an appealing method that has been easily used by others before. The lender is going to more likely to grant you a finance for consolidation than topping up your existing bad looking credit. So you want to clearly indicate the consolidation purpose in the beginning of the application, as they choose to look at your existing bad credit when checking your details with credit reference agencies, you cannot keep it secret.

You want to make a careful choice, and be extra cautious with the so called guaranteed acceptance bad credit financial products with some of them having a really high APR, avoid further damaging your credit file. Attempt to avoid IVA-s and other easy financial solutions in any way. Do not abuse the use of it like many others. You have to distinguish that it is just tremendously easy to get hooked up but very hard to obtain a good credit rating after. With some of the bad credit products on the market you are going to throw away the option to solve your bad credit, just imagine to hold no chance for credit for at least some years. Request a professional advice before you jump into any product you don?t fully understand and know how it is going to solve your bad debt.

Start with using getting a credit file copy. You can get it for free at many agencies. Make sure you read every detail in order to see clearly about your credit situation. When you found out your credit score you could go to agencies that could determine and provide you the best advertised product for your score.

You need to review all the financial offers available, read the small print, before you apply make sure you do hold a chance to be be accepted and the monthly payments fit your budget. Applying for even more than one credit can swiftly reduce your credit score to a level where you will be stuck to having no options to get out of bad credit anymore. So it is OK to shop around but it is not to submit plenty of credit applications.

If you don?t think you are very good at finances, and in case you are not considered to be a good negotiator, you can opt for a debt advisor?s help who might explain the features of the financial products and detect the most suitable one that will not damage your credit rating further and provide you the extra finance you need as well.

---

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Source: http://www.iire.info/2012/03/Bad-debt-Repair-your-credit-Step-by-step-instructions/

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Scientists reveal genetic mutation depicted in van Gogh's sunflower paintings

ScienceDaily (Mar. 29, 2012) ? In addition to being among his most vibrant and celebrated works, Vincent van Gogh's series of sunflower paintings also depict a mutation whose genetic basis has, until now, been a bit of a mystery.

In a study published March 29 in the journal PLoS Genetics, however, a team of University of Georgia scientists reveals the mutation behind the distinctive, thick bands of yellow "double flowers" that the post-Impressionist artist painted more than 100 years ago.

"In addition to being of interest from a historical perspective, this finding gives us insight into the molecular basis of an economically important trait," said senior author John Burke, professor of plant biology in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "You often see ornamental varieties similar to the ones van Gogh painted growing in people's gardens or used for cut flowers, and there is a major market for them."

The most common sunflower phenotype is a composite flower head that contains a single whorl of large, flattened, yellow ray florets on the outer perimeter and hundreds to over a thousand individual, tubular, disc florets that can produce seeds. The double-flowered mutants that van Gogh depicted in many of his paintings, on the other hand, have multiple bands of yellow florets and a much smaller proportion of internal disc florets.

To understand the genetic basis of this difference, Burke and his colleagues began by using the same plant crossing techniques that Gregor Mendel, a 19th century contemporary of van Gogh, used to lay the foundation of modern genetics. The scientists crossed the common, or wild type, variety of sunflower with the double-flowered variety. Their initial findings suggested that a single, dominant gene was responsible for creating the double-flowered mutation. Subsequent crosses of the offspring revealed that a second mutation, which is recessive to both the double-flowered mutation and the wild-type version of the gene, results in a third flower type that is intermediate in form -- being elongated and yellow -- but tubular and containing the reproductive structures of the interior florets.

The scientists identified the responsible gene and sequenced it to show that in the double-flowered mutation, the portion of the gene that functions as an on/off switch is disrupted so that the instructions for making the outer rays are turned on in the portions of the plant that would normally produce the internal disc florets. In the second mutation, which results in the tubular florets, the insertion of a "jumping gene" disrupts the ability of the plant to produce normal ray florets. As a result, tubular florets are produced in place of the normal ray florets.

Finally, the scientists screened hundreds of sunflower varieties -- wild type, double-flowered and tubular -- and found that wild-type sunflower varieties never have a mutation in the HaCYC2c gene, while the double-flowered varieties always have the same mutation in the on/off switch. In addition, the tubular varieties always have a disrupted copy of the gene.

"All of this evidence tells us that the mutation we've identified is the same one that van Gogh captured in the 1800s," Burke said.

Additional authors include former post-doctoral researchers Mark Chapman, Shunxue Tang and Dorthe Draeger, current post-doctoral researchers Savithri Nambeesan and Jessica Barb, undergraduate Honors student Hunter Shaffer and former UGA professor Steven Knapp.

The research was funded by the Gloeckner Foundation Floriculture Grants Program and the National Science Foundation.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Georgia. The original article was written by Sam Fahmy.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Mark A. Chapman, Shunxue Tang, D?rthe Draeger, Savithri Nambeesan, Hunter Shaffer, Jessica G. Barb, Steven J. Knapp, John M. Burke. Genetic Analysis of Floral Symmetry in Van Gogh's Sunflowers Reveals Independent Recruitment of CYCLOIDEA Genes in the Asteraceae. PLoS Genetics, 2012; 8 (3): e1002628 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002628

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/CHcQbdHEiQI/120329225232.htm

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92% Beauty and the Beast

All Critics (84) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (84) | Rotten (7) | DVD (36)

The greatest animated film ever made and one of the screen's great musicals hardly needs this (3D) sort of sprucing up.

What you gain in an extra, faked dimension you lose in lively, genuine beauty.

The set pieces are narcotically pleasing, especially the Busby Berkeley-style dancing-kitchenware spectacular, "Be Our Guest," and the romantic ballroom centerpiece that brings Beauty and her Beast together.

The 3-D pops out to enhance the drama or energy of scenes in which settings are large and integral to the action.

Some youthful memories are better not revisited, but this definitely isn't one of them. Sometimes you can go home again.

It is a surprise, in a time of sequels and retreads, that the new film is so fresh and altogether triumphant in its own right.

I admit it: I wrote this more than 20 years ago. But, like " Beauty and the Beast" itself, I think it stands the test of time.

Disney, please understand ... what people are actually showing up for ... they just want to see classic Disney on the big screen. The 3D is incidental.

Disney's gorgeous 1991 animated version of the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" gets the same 3D treatment that was recently given to "The Lion King."

Watching this in a theater definitely makes it feel less like a "cartoon" and more like a significant film. Cogsworth poking Le Fou in the butt with a sword aside.

One of the brightest jewels in Disney's crown, Beauty and the Beast's 3D reissue takes nothing away and makes the film's brilliance even easier to appreciate; the movie is more beautiful and timeless than it ever was.

Beauty and the Beast is just as enchanting 20 years after its initial release.

The apex of an art form, a justly celebrated classic, and the best animated movie of any sort ever put on screen at any time.

The lines have begun to show in Belle's tale, which remains enjoyable but feels more like a quaint artifact than the masterpiece it once was declared to be.

Both TANGLED EVER AFTER and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST are sure to enthrall audiences everywhere, even if the 3D doesn't really add much of anything to this animated classic.

A serviceable version of a classic fairy tale minus that crucial touch of magic.

And it is a joy to revisit the timeless pleasures of traditional Disney storytelling, with no attempts to add sizzle from celebrity voice talent or radio-friendly pop songs.

3D doesn't downplay the inherent artistry of the effort, but it doesn't enhance anything outside of ticket prices.

Beauty and the Beast looks beautiful and is sure to entertain, but this experience is superfluous at best-it was already a three-dimensional story long before these new technics.

Better remembered than seen, Beauty and the Beast has been treated unkindly not just by the years that have passed since it was released to enormous acclaim in 1991, but by a faddish 3D conversion.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beauty_and_the_beast_1991/

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#SciAmBlogs Tuesday - red wolves, pink slime, Ides of March, orangutans, hoodies, and more.

By Bora Zivkovic?| March 28, 2012 |??

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Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

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Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

More??

#SciAmBlogs Tuesday ? red wolves, pink slime, Ides of March, orangutans, hoodies, and more.

About the Author: Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

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The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=a3df0e6b80c8027537eaa23cadd492c9

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Azealia Banks Dropping 1991 EP In April

GQ gives Harlem MC a splashy look in next month's Style issue, where Banks talks meeting Kanye and getting money.
By Rebecca Thomas

Azealia Banks in <i>GQ</i>
Photo: Matt Irwin/ GQ

Don't be fooled by her Twitter tussles with rap vets: Azealia Banks is on her grind. The Harlem MC didn't let expulsion from this year's XXL Freshman Class keep her down. Instead, she's kept up her buzz up, at a noise level guaranteed to pick up a few decibels when she drops a new EP next month.

Banks confirmed via tweet this week that 1991 is due April 17 and will include the title track, plus "Grand Prix." The project's title is a nod to the year that gave us seminal albums like Nirvana's Nevermind, and artists like the 20-year-old Banks.

As for sonic expectations, we're hoping her brand-new "F--- Up the Fun" is a hint at what's to come. On the Diplo-produced number, the "212" rapper channels another New York femcee — Bedford-Stuyvesant's Foxy Brown — spitting rapid-fire over a relentless bass line. (Still no word on the whereabouts of her promised 212 EP, though, as Pitchfork pointed out.)

And while Banks took issue with fellow upstart Iggy Azalea landing a prime spot on the aforementioned XXL cover, the Aussie rapper can't yet claim a full page in men's bible GQ. The potty-mouthed Yung Rapunzel gets glossy revenge in the magazine's April "Style" issue, where they styled the cocoa beauty in a striped tank and petal-shaped yellow shorts; her smile is sly and her locks wind-blown.

After breaking through on last fall's viral smash "212," Banks is at work on her Interscope debut, due in September. She's tapped A-list U.K. producer Paul Epworth (Florence and the Machine, Foster the People) for an assist on Broke With Expensive Taste. In the accompanying GQ interview, Azealia spouts off about being an Internet sensation, Kanye West and who inspires her musically ("Azealia Banks") — all with that unmistakable Uptown 'tude.

"It's cool," she says of meeting bold-face fans like Yeezy. "But they're just people. The skies don't part and glow orange." Are you looking forward to Azealia's EP? Tell us in the comments!

Related Artists

• Azealia Banks

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682016/azealia-banks-gq-1991-ep.jhtml

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Recognizing and Cultivating Trust: The Primary ... - Nonprofit Webinars

Marketing and Communications, Operations, Past Webinars | March 28, 2012 by npwadmin |

The Knowledge Network (or Community of Practice) is a powerful organizational model for organizations to innovate, coordinate, build capacity, and translate ideas rapidly into action. On November 30, 2011 Kate Pugh of AlignConsulting and Columbia University led a Nonprofit Webinar on ?knowledge networks.? We introduced recent research funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and discussed the six behaviors of an enduring network: common objectives, collaborative behavior, working platform, cohesion, generous connectivity, and trust. More than half of all webinar participants were concerned about the levels of trust in their networks, and the resulting compromised collaboration. What builds trust in a network? What erodes it? What can we design into the network ? into its structures, relationships, measures ? to build trust and trustworthiness? We?ll look at recent research on the mechanics and science of trust, and look at several case studies of networks where trust translates into volunteerism, innovation, and collaboration. We?ll also revisit each of the 8 network design dimensions with a trust lens.

Takeaways:

• A tale of two networks: What sobering lessons can we take?
• What does trust look like? What behaviors do we look for? What impacts result?
• What perspectives on trust have emerged in recent research?
• What are the dynamics of trust: What builds trust in a network? What erodes trust in a network?
• How can the eight network design dimensions build or revive trust?

Katrina (Kate) Pugh is author of Sharing Hidden Know-How (Jossey-Bass, Wiley, 2011), and is president of AlignConsulting, a firm that helps for-profit and nonprofit organizations plan business and technology change by channeling insight into action. She formerly was VP of Knowledge Management for Fidelity, Senior Technical Program manager for Intel Solution Services, and held leadership roles at JPMorganChase and PwC Consulting/IBM. Kate is on the Advisory Board of Knowledge Management Institute of Canada and Mitokine Bioscience, formerly Concord Academy, and is a lecturer at Columbia University?s Information and Knowledge Strategy Masters? program.

AlignConsulting helps organizations channel insight into action. Putting conversation back into the center of strategy and knowledge-transfer, we work closely with our clients to harness untapped knowledge to solve business problems. Whether your organization is experiencing a transition, seeking strategies to accelerate innovation, making knowledge management and social media initiatives more productive, AlignConsulting can help.

Tags: action, AlignConsulting, capacity, collaboration, Columbia University, community, connectivity, coordinate, cultivating, driver, impact, innovate, Kate Pugh, measure, model, network, non-profit, nonprofit, organization, practice, recognizing, research, translate, trust, webinar

Source: http://nonprofitwebinars.com/past_webinars/recognizing-and-cultivating-trust-the-primary-driver-of-network-impact/

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English Grammar Using Connectives To Enhance Your Speaking ...

Total Articles: 130175 Total Authors: 49498 Total Downloads: 2065235 Newest Member Aaron Brooks.

?

You are at : Home | Education ??? By : Gerald Cooper ?? Submitted 2012-03-26 15:32:58 Have you ever used connectives when writing or speaking English? I know I have, and I'm certain you have too. Are you aware of the importance connectives have in our speaking and writing? We use connectives when we connect phrases, sentences, clauses, or words; and the more connectives we can incorporate into our use of the English language the more choices we have when conversing or writing. Connectives are used to show the relationship between the first phrase and the second phrase in a sentence, between the first part and the second part of a sentence, between the first description and the second description in a sentence. In an effort to avoid confusion when we're writing or speaking, we also use connectives to alert the listener or reader that we are about to place emphasis on a topic or about to change the direction the conversation is going. If you're not familiar with grammatical connectives, here are just a few examples: Therefore Nevertheless Although But Furthermore Maybe Following are some examples of sentences using the list above in the order presented. The kitty was hungry, therefore I fed him. I was tired, nevertheless I had to go to work. I bought the comfortable shoes, although they cost more than I expected. I saw the blue shirt, but I bought the red one. Yes, the item has been paid for, furthermore I paid with a credit card. It's wasn't raining this morning, maybe it will start this afternoon on the way home. Now here's something really interesting, and that is, if you remove the connectives you still have valid sentences that still make sense. Here are the same examples in the same order with the connectives removed: The kitty was hungry. I fed him. I was tired. I had to go to work. I bought the comfortable shoes. They cost more than I expected. I saw the blue shirt. I bought the red one. Yes, the item has been paid for. I paid with a credit card. It's wasn't raining this morning. It will start this afternoon on the way home. Notice the big difference between the two sets of sentences. They are the same sentences but the meaning changes when we add or remove the connectives. Connectives are great! They help enhance our speaking and writing skills and the more connectives in our repertoire the more options we have as writers and/or public speakers. Think about this next time you write your speech and/or write your next proposal. As a freelance writer I find connectives quite intriguing, I hope you do too. Author Resource:- custom dissertation Article From Article Directory Related Articles HTML Ready Article. Click on the "Copy" button to copy into your clipboard. <title>Article Directory | English Grammar Using Connectives To Enhance Your Speaking And Writing Skills</title><h3>English Grammar Using Connectives To Enhance Your Speaking And Writing Skills</h3> By: Gerald Cooper Have you ever used connectives when writing or speaking English? I know I have, and I'm certain you have too. Are you aware of the importance connectives have in our speaking and writing? We use connectives when we connect phrases, sentences, clauses, or words; and the more connectives we can incorporate into our use of the English language the more choices we have when conversing or writing. Connectives are used to show the relationship between the first phrase and the second phrase in a sentence, between the first part and the second part of a sentence, between the first description and the second description in a sentence. In an effort to avoid confusion when we're writing or speaking, we also use connectives to alert the listener or reader that we are about to place emphasis on a topic or about to change the direction the conversation is going. If you're not familiar with grammatical connectives, here are just a few examples: Therefore Nevertheless Although But Furthermore Maybe Following are some examples of sentences using the list above in the order presented. The kitty was hungry, therefore I fed him. I was tired, nevertheless I had to go to work. I bought the comfortable shoes, although they cost more than I expected. I saw the blue shirt, but I bought the red one. Yes, the item has been paid for, furthermore I paid with a credit card. It's wasn't raining this morning, maybe it will start this afternoon on the way home. Now here's something really interesting, and that is, if you remove the connectives you still have valid sentences that still make sense. Here are the same examples in the same order with the connectives removed: The kitty was hungry. I fed him. I was tired. I had to go to work. I bought the comfortable shoes. They cost more than I expected. I saw the blue shirt. I bought the red one. Yes, the item has been paid for. I paid with a credit card. It's wasn't raining this morning. It will start this afternoon on the way home. Notice the big difference between the two sets of sentences. They are the same sentences but the meaning changes when we add or remove the connectives. Connectives are great! They help enhance our speaking and writing skills and the more connectives in our repertoire the more options we have as writers and/or public speakers. Think about this next time you write your speech and/or write your next proposal. As a freelance writer I find connectives quite intriguing, I hope you do too. Author Resource:->??custom dissertation Article From Article Directory Firefox users please select/copy/paste as usual

Rate This Article Vote to see the results! Do you like this article?

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Source: http://www.articlesurge.com/Art/478337/300/English-Grammar-Using-Connectives-To-Enhance-Your-Speaking-And-Writing-Skills.html

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Finding reason in delusion

Public release date: 27-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University research advocates behavior-based treatment as an option for dementia patients

Dementia -- an acute loss of cognitive ability -- can be marked by memory loss, decreased attention span, and disorientation. It occurs in severe disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Despite the fact that the condition is common, especially among older persons, there is still a lack of effective treatment.

According to Prof. Jiska Cohen-Mansfield of Tel Aviv University's Herczeg Institute on Aging and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, dementia sufferers are often prescribed psychotropic drugs to mitigate symptoms such as delusions. But this tactic can cause more harm than good, she says. Many of the delusions experienced by dementia patients may have a rational basis and could be more effectively treated through behavioral therapy than by medications, suggests Prof.Cohen-Mansfield. A better understanding of delusions has direct implications for the care and perception of those who suffer from dementia.

The study, done in collaboration with Prof. Hava Golander of the Department of Nursing and Drs. Joshua Ben-Israel and Doron Garfinkel of the Shoham Medical Center, was published in the journal Psychiatry Research.

A rational basis for delusion

The researchers examined six common categories of delusion, including fears of abandonment, suspicions that patients' possessions were being stolen, and feelings that they were not "at home." The participants in the study were 74 adults from nine nursing homes in Israel who had received a diagnosis of dementia. The research team questioned caretakers, including registered nurses and nursing home staff, who had daily interactions with the patients.

Researchers assessed elements including the patient's mental state, behavioral pathology, and incidents of past trauma. Caretakers were asked to describe not only the patient's delusions, but to explain the circumstances under which they emerged. Taking into account all these parameters, researchers discovered that a large percentage of the delusions that the caregivers described seemed to have logical explanations. Some were even the result of the patient re-experiencing traumas they had suffered earlier in their lives.

"If you begin to think about these delusions from the point of view of the dementia patient, you begin to understand that their delusions are explainable reflections of the reality they live in," explains Prof. Cohen-Mansfield. For example, for patients who felt that they were not at "home," the nursing home did not satisfy their definition of home. Anxiety often accompanied separation from the outside environment or from their loved ones a rational response.

A better quality of care

These findings can have an impact on the way heath care providers and family members respond to dementia patients, says Prof. Cohen-Mansfield. Characterizing their delusions as "psychotic" puts them in the category of severe mental illness, which is frequently inappropriate. Instead, caretakers can devise methods to work with patients that take context into account.

Prof. Cohen-Mansfield also notes that participants in the study were highly medicated, with 47 percent on antidepressants, a third taking sedatives/hypnotics, and 13.5 percent on antipsychotic medications. "If you can ascertain why the patient is experiencing these 'delusions,' you can create another treatment plan that addresses issues of orientation," she explains.

In people with dementia, delusions do not really match the psychiatric definition of psychosis. A closer analysis of these behaviors is likely to promote empathy, understanding, and ultimately a more humane and compassionate treatment, the researchers concluded.

###

American Friends of Tel Aviv University (www.aftau.org) supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.

Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 27-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University research advocates behavior-based treatment as an option for dementia patients

Dementia -- an acute loss of cognitive ability -- can be marked by memory loss, decreased attention span, and disorientation. It occurs in severe disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Despite the fact that the condition is common, especially among older persons, there is still a lack of effective treatment.

According to Prof. Jiska Cohen-Mansfield of Tel Aviv University's Herczeg Institute on Aging and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, dementia sufferers are often prescribed psychotropic drugs to mitigate symptoms such as delusions. But this tactic can cause more harm than good, she says. Many of the delusions experienced by dementia patients may have a rational basis and could be more effectively treated through behavioral therapy than by medications, suggests Prof.Cohen-Mansfield. A better understanding of delusions has direct implications for the care and perception of those who suffer from dementia.

The study, done in collaboration with Prof. Hava Golander of the Department of Nursing and Drs. Joshua Ben-Israel and Doron Garfinkel of the Shoham Medical Center, was published in the journal Psychiatry Research.

A rational basis for delusion

The researchers examined six common categories of delusion, including fears of abandonment, suspicions that patients' possessions were being stolen, and feelings that they were not "at home." The participants in the study were 74 adults from nine nursing homes in Israel who had received a diagnosis of dementia. The research team questioned caretakers, including registered nurses and nursing home staff, who had daily interactions with the patients.

Researchers assessed elements including the patient's mental state, behavioral pathology, and incidents of past trauma. Caretakers were asked to describe not only the patient's delusions, but to explain the circumstances under which they emerged. Taking into account all these parameters, researchers discovered that a large percentage of the delusions that the caregivers described seemed to have logical explanations. Some were even the result of the patient re-experiencing traumas they had suffered earlier in their lives.

"If you begin to think about these delusions from the point of view of the dementia patient, you begin to understand that their delusions are explainable reflections of the reality they live in," explains Prof. Cohen-Mansfield. For example, for patients who felt that they were not at "home," the nursing home did not satisfy their definition of home. Anxiety often accompanied separation from the outside environment or from their loved ones a rational response.

A better quality of care

These findings can have an impact on the way heath care providers and family members respond to dementia patients, says Prof. Cohen-Mansfield. Characterizing their delusions as "psychotic" puts them in the category of severe mental illness, which is frequently inappropriate. Instead, caretakers can devise methods to work with patients that take context into account.

Prof. Cohen-Mansfield also notes that participants in the study were highly medicated, with 47 percent on antidepressants, a third taking sedatives/hypnotics, and 13.5 percent on antipsychotic medications. "If you can ascertain why the patient is experiencing these 'delusions,' you can create another treatment plan that addresses issues of orientation," she explains.

In people with dementia, delusions do not really match the psychiatric definition of psychosis. A closer analysis of these behaviors is likely to promote empathy, understanding, and ultimately a more humane and compassionate treatment, the researchers concluded.

###

American Friends of Tel Aviv University (www.aftau.org) supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.

Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/afot-fri032712.php

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Sony gets a Kaz-style kick to its corporate guts, emphasizes its oneness

Kazuo Hirai doesn't officially grab the reins as Sony's CEO and President until April 1st, but in reality he's already at the stirrups. He's making a number of exec-level switches that he hopes will deliver "rapid and optimized decision-making processes as 'One Sony'." His strategy? An inner circle consisting of himself and fellow reformers -- such as CFO Masaru Kato -- who will engage with department heads and, you know, make 'em do stuff faster. Digital imaging, gaming and mobile will be considered pillars of the electronics business and receive more "concentrated" resources as a result. Meanwhile, Kaz will directly oversee the struggling TV business in an effort to turn it around, which means his days of enjoying life and staring out of windows are probably numbered. See the press release for more tectonic detail.

Continue reading Sony gets a Kaz-style kick to its corporate guts, emphasizes its oneness

Sony gets a Kaz-style kick to its corporate guts, emphasizes its oneness originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/27/sony-gets-a-kaz-style-kick/

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