Faith Based Organizations And Other Non-Profits May Apply For ...

Posted on 19 December 2012.

TRENTON ? Synagogues, mosques, temples, churches, other religious centers and non-profit organizations that suffered damages in Hurricane Sandy may apply for disaster assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

While many may think that faith based organizations are not businesses, as non-profits they are eligible to apply for SBA?s low-interest disaster business loans. SBA loans can help fund repair or replace disaster-damaged property such as real estate, furniture, fixtures, equipment, vehicles, damaged contents and leasehold improvements.

Any interested organization may apply with the SBA, even before their insurance claims are settled. SBA loans must be paid back, but they can be financed up to 30 years making them affordable for most organizations.

Small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture entities and most private non-profit organizations are also eligible to apply for SBA?s Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help provide funds for fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. These loans are available regardless of whether physical damage was sustained.

The maximum SBA loan amount for business disaster loans is $2 million.

For more information:

? Call SBA?s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955, TTY 800-877-8339.

? Visit a disaster recovery center or a business recovery center and speak with a SBA customer service representative.

To apply for a loan:

? Visit SBA?s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/, or

? Download an application from www.sba.gov.

Registration with FEMA is also recommended. Call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Online registration is available at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

Don?t wait to apply, the deadline for physical losses is December 31, 2012.

Source: http://www.amboyguardian.com/2012/12/19/faith-based-organizations-and-other-non-profits-may-apply-for-disaster-assistance-with-sba/

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Senior depression on the rise during holidays

Posted: Dec 19, 2012 5:35 PM by Cameron Polom, KSBY News Updated: Dec 19, 2012 5:39 PM Rating: 0.0 (0 votes) According to mental health professionals, depression is on the rise among seniors, and increases during the holidays.In fact, there are more suicides among seniors than any other age group due to depression. Everyone feels sad or blue sometimes, and the stress associated with holidays may stir feelings of loss or separation.According to Sonnie Brown, director at Hospice of San Luis Obispo, seniors can be depressed for a number of reasons. Those can include issues with health, finances, loss of independence or being alone or separated from loved ones. She also says there are ways to identify if a loved one is becoming depressed."For someone reaching the end of their life they've experienced a lot of losses, and depression is often related directly to their losses," says Brown, "Whether it's their own physical abilities, or having fewer friends and family that may be nearby that they can engage with, even a loss of income can have a significant effect," says Brown.She also added sleep changes, dietary changes, excessive crying and lack of interest in things that were once enjoyable are all additional symptoms that could be indicators of a real problem.Brown says if you think someone may be suffering from depression, don't be afraid to talk to them about it. Verbal acknowledgment can help lead to the proper treatment options. She also says always try and seek out professional help.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senior-depression-rise-during-holidays-011205522.html

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Tune in and listen to Ms. Karen Perkins, director of G1, IMCOM on Military City...

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Video: Sideshow: Former U.N. amb. doubts Clinton?s concussion

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/hardball/50241163/

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The 2012 Apocalypse, or why the world won't end this week

If you believe The Daily Mail, we?re all convinced that the world is going to end on 21^st December 2012. Apparently people are stockpiling food and weapons, flocking to remote villages and heading for mystical peaks from whence ?an extra-terrestrial mothership? housed for centuries in an alien temple inside the mountain ?will pluck believers to safety?. ?With ten days to go before the Mayan apocalypse supposedly casts Earth into oblivion, time is running out for believers to find alien salvation? the Mail proclaims.

So why all the recent hysteria? According to Maya myth, the world was created on 11 August 3114 BC in the Gregorian Calendar; or 13.0.0.0.0 by the Maya count. This creation was the fourth incarnation of the world, the previous age having ended after the thirteenth b?ak?tun (a c.400-year cycle). On 21^st December, it will once again be 13.0.0.0.0 and the ?Great Cycle? will be completed, bringing the thirteenth b?ak?tun of the current age to an end. Some translations of the glyphs from a partially illegible Maya stela suggest that the end of the present b?ak?tun will see the ?descent? of the god Bolon Yookte? K?Uh (sometimes translated as the ?Nine-Footed God?). This convergence of dates and prophecies has been seen as marking the transition to the next world, and hence the end of this one.

For many years, a scarcity of Maya calendrical references to dates post-2012 was also seen as a possible indication of a cataclysmic end to the world this December. But, quite apart from the question of practicalities (I mean, how many of you have a calendar on your desk which reaches to 2406 ? a b?ak?tun from now?) even this tenuous evidence has recently been refuted ?by the discovery of an early Maya mural in Xult?n which includes calendrical and cosmological calculations stretching some 7,000 years into the future. Certainly, the Precolumbian Maya might have considered 21^st December 2012 a symbolic date, a moment of potential transformation. But does that mean they thought the world would end?

It?s easy to mock The Daily Mail (far, far too easy) but for some people, the prospect of apocalypse is a very real fear. David Morrison, of NASA?s Astrobiology Institute, says that they have received thousands of questions about the 2012 doomsday predictions, some of them from people who have considered suicide, because they are so terrified by the horrific idea of living through the end of the world. Some people are clearly deeply troubled by the recent obsession with apocalypse, but that the origins of their fear lie in a highly disputed and extremely tenuous Maya prophecy is a fascinating and baffling situation.

According to the Maya legends eloquently recorded in the sixteenth-century Popol Vuh, humans were created in this, the fourth world, when the gods moulded our ancestors from maize dough (after unsuccessful attempts at fashioning men from monkeys, wood and clay). I doubt that many of the so-called ?preppers? who are ?preparing? themselves for the end of the world or an ascent into the stars with their alien overlords believe in the Precolumbian myths of creation, so (even if we had conclusive evidence of a Maya belief in a 2012 apocalypse) why would they believe in the myths of destruction? And if you don?t believe me, why not listen to the Maya themselves. Modern-day Maya see the ?apocalypse? as a European invention. For them, the end of the b?ak?tun is a time of renewal and celebration, a new beginning, not an end.

So, despite the spectre of impending doom, I?m going to carry on Christmas shopping, and looking forward to my imminent research leave, secure in the knowledge that the ancient Maya didn?t believe the world will end on Friday. And even if they did, I don?t.

Image: Temple at the Maya city of Chichen-itza. Cross-posted at History Matters.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=e7d76da84fc1436a64a721ab83844266

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In the Middle: Why Elderly Couples Fight - NYTimes.com

George and Gracie (let?s call them that because using their real names would make them even unhappier than they already appear to be) are in their 80s and have been married for more than 65 years. Until recently they seemed to ride the waves that are inevitable in any marriage that spans nearly seven decades; through good and bad, they were partners and best friends.

But lately ? ever since her hospitalization and his fall ? they have been arguing more bitterly than usual (?Do you have to make such a mess in the kitchen??), criticizing each other (?Why haven?t you dealt with the insurance company yet??), withdrawing from each other, and generally making each other more miserable, more often than ever before.

This kind of degenerative relationship is not uncommon among the elderly in even the happiest marriages, marriage therapists and geriatricians said. But that is small comfort to either the couple in the middle of the maelstrom, or the children who care for them, as evidenced by a number of postings on caregiver blogs. As some of the children have wondered there: ?Why can?t we all just get along??

Therapists and others who work with the elderly said the first step to addressing the problem is understanding where it came from.

?A key question is whether the marital bickering is part of a lifelong marital style or a change,? said Dr. Linda Waite, director of the Center on Demography and Economics of Aging at NORC/University of Chicago. Is it new behavior ? or just new to the grown children who are suddenly so deeply enmeshed in their parents? lives that they are only now noticing that something is amiss?

How much of the problem is really just the marriage style? ?Some couples like to fight and argue ? it keeps their adrenaline going,? said Dr. Nancy K. Schlossberg, professor emerita of counseling psychology at the University of Maryland and author of ?Overwhelmed: Coping With Life?s Ups and Downs.?

Sometimes the best judges of whether there is a problem are outsiders, said Dr. William Dale, chief of geriatrics at the University of Chicago Geriatrics Medicine. Pay attention if someone says, ??Gee, Mom seems more argumentative or withdrawn than the last time I saw her,?? Dr. Dale advised.

If the tone or severity of the marital tensions seem new, then it is important to find out why. The causes could be mental or physical, doctors say.

On the mental front, increased anger and fighting could be one of the first signs of mild cognitive impairment, a precursor of dementia or Alzheimer?s, in one or both of the spouses, said Dr. Lisa Gwyther, director of the Duke Center for Aging Family Support Program and an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

Dr. Dale concurs: ?There is good evidence that the earliest signs of cognitive impairment are often emotional changes? ? anger, anxiety, depression ? ?rather than cognitive ones? ? memory, abstract thought.

But these early signs of cognitive decline can be so subtle that neither the spouses themselves, or their grown children, recognize them for what they are, Dr. Gwyther said. So husband and wife blame each other for the changes and allow feelings of hurt and resentment to grow.

Withdrawing from activities that used to give them pleasure can be a telltale sign of mild cognitive impairment ? and can trigger anger and arguments.

?In one couple, the husband just didn?t want to participate in the holidays ? the wife got angry and said he was being lazy and stubborn,? said Dr. Gwyther. But the truth was that his cognitive decline made all the activity overwhelming, and he didn?t want anyone to know that he was anxious about not remembering everyone?s names and embarrassing himself.

Suspicion and paranoia can also accompany mild cognitive decline and precipitate distrust and hurtful accusations. Dr. Gwyther recalled another woman who ?called her daughter frantic because she said her husband dropped her at her chemo appointment, went to park the car, and didn?t return to get her.? The woman couldn?t imagine that her husband could possibly have lost his sense of time and direction, Dr. Gwyther added. She took it personally, complaining to her daughter that ?your father doesn?t seem to care any more.?

Dr. Dale told of a spouse who accused her mate of infidelity because ?she was convinced that when he was out grocery shopping he was really having an affair.?

Hoarding, an early symptom of mild cognitive impairment, can also create tension in a marriage. (For new treatments, see this recent post by my colleague Paula Span.)

When one couple came to a counseling session with Dr. Norman Abeles, emeritus professor of psychology and former director of psychological clinic at Michigan State University, the hoarding spouse finally said she did it because she thought that they would run out of money, ?even though there was enough money to go around.? Dr. Abeles said that incident led to her diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment.

Adding to the confusion, mild cognitive impairment, or M.C.I., comes and goes. ?There are good days and bad days, good hours and bad hours,? said Dr. Gwyther. ?Alzheimer?s and dementia don?t start on Tuesday ? it?s a slow insidious onset.? But the diagnosis is becoming more common: The Institute for Dementia Research and Prevention predicts that 1 in 6 women, and 1 in 10 men, who live past the age of 55 will develop dementia in their lifetime.

?Spouses find it difficult to know when their partner with M.C.I. is acting differently, usually badly, due to the advancing illness or due to ?willful? personality issues,? said Dr. Dale, citing a 2007 study in the journal Family Relations exploring the problems this can create for couples.

Blaming is often easier than understanding. Another of Dr. Gwyther?s patients was furious at her husband for not filing their taxes. ?He?s a C.P.A.,? she said. ?How could we owe back taxes?? It did not occur to her that he might be unable to handle that task ? and was too frightened about his deteriorating mental focus to let her know.

But as harmful as mental decline can be for a marriage, it is just part of the equation. Physical ailments ? even those that seem completely unrelated to marital relations ? ?can upset the equilibrium of the marriage,? according to a study in The Canadian Medical Association Journal.

?Most men get angry at what?s happened to them when they get ill, women get angry and scared when he?s not what he used to be ? so they fight,? said Dr. Schlossberg.

Chronic illnesses, like diabetes, arthritis and heart disease, can have a strong negative effect on mood, said Dr. Waite, who will soon be publishing a study on the subject. Diabetes is so often accompanied by depression that Dr. Waite said ?one of my colleagues argues that that it is even part of the disease.?

And ailments can have an effect on a couple?s sex life ? which can compound the marital problems, doctors said.

?Diabetes brings on neuropathy,? said Dr. Waite. ?That means touching and feeling in sex is not as rewarding.? Without the pleasures of affectionate touching ? whether a passing hug at the sink or more ? tensions can build. That?s why, if a couple is having problems with sex, they are more likely to have problems in the relationship ? and vice versa, according to a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study of sex and health among older adults.

Other changes in circumstances ? retirement, shifting roles, the loss of autonomy, disparities in health and abilities ? can wreak havoc. Losing independence can feel like losing oneself ? and if you don?t know who you are any more, how can you know how to relate to your spouse?

?Fighting may come from a misguided notion that you can regain power by asserting it over your spouse,? said Dr. Schlossberg, whose observations are echoed in a 1984 study in The Canadian Journal of Medicine. ?It doesn?t work, it?s false power ? but they?ll try anything.?

The sheer exhaustion that can come from being the caregiving spouse is also bound to ?make them stressed and angry,? said Dr. Waite. Not to mention guilty and resentful ? never a prescription for happy marital relations.

?Part of the trap for the caregiver is the idea that you have to do it all, and the guilt you feel when you cannot live up to it,? said Dr. Gordon Herz, a psychologist in private practice in Madison, Wisc. Not surprisingly, resentment can soon follow, Dr. Herz added, because it is hard to admit to anyone that, ??this is too much for me.??

What can outside caregivers ? children or other loved ones ? do about these golden marriages on the rocks? Should they intervene ? or butt out? And can marital therapy help ? or is it too late to change?

Share your thoughts and experiences ? and on Tuesday we will try to provide some advice from experts.

Source: http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/in-the-middle-why-elderly-couples-fight/

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Google starts putting Meebo to use: New social sharing bar spotted on Google+

It looks like Google has begun putting its acquisition of Meebo to use after a chat bar looking very much like that of the advertising startup was spotted in the wild on Google+ ? screenshot below.

Google made it clear that it bought Meebo ? which was popular with advertisers but despised by many Internet users for?incessantly?clogging space ? specifically for its Google+ team back in June, and it looks like the company is testing, or beginning to roll out, a Meebo-inspired bar to increase user engagement on the service.

Now the bar has cropped up on the Google social network, where user Clayton Pritchard?ran into it when visiting the TV Guide Google+ page.?As you can see, the bar allows users to see notifications and sharing options on the right side, while it contains information about the page and content with in on the left. The share buttons enlarge when clicked on to bring up a familiar box through which users can share, +1 or comment on a Google+ status.

It?s worth noting that it is unclear whether the screenshot was taken on a phone, tablet or via a computer.

The sharing options are usually present at the top of a page so, by presenting them in the bar which floats at the bottom of a user?s screen, Google could well see more shares and activity from users.

We expect that there is more to come from Meebo and the team working at Google+. Given the lucrative revenues that Meebo was making publishers, we?d expect some kind of money-making initiative ? such as monetized chat ? might emerge, in addition to plans that help increase user engagement levels.

This month saw Google launch Google+ communities, add?16 new features and provide?an update on the service?s overall user numbers. The company says?Google+ has more than 500 million registered users, of which?235 million actively use its features (+1?ing apps in Google Play, hanging out in Gmail, connecting with friends, etc) while 135 million are active in the stream only.

We?ve reached out to Google for comment.

Hat tip Google Plus Updates, feature image via?orijinal/ / Flickr

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TnwGoogle/~3/CaMCcudwZ8o/

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2012: The Year in TV Moments

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Can You Identify Your Weight Loss Barriers | ArticlePDQ.com

There are a lot of weight reduction capsules and dietary supplements available in the marketplace, but none use the same method of medically backed and clinically attempted and tested pounds damage drugs like Proactol. This rebound effect is caused by the body?s natural survival instinct to restock the fuel reserves; unfortunately, it can be responsible for rapid weight gain, in many cases completely erasing any progress that was made while dieting. And finally knowing that you have the ability to return it and get your money back if you hate it is important. Work out and diet while taking Proactol and we are sure that the results you will see are the ones you have always dreamed of seeing! Millions of people want to lose weight fast.

But nothing at all functions due to the fact our physique is so lazy that we do not wish to operate out, even if it is required. It is not available to be purchased in stores at all as of right now. Other customers take 6-9 pills everyday to rush the effect. There are a whole lot of advantages of buying Proactol which make it diverse from other pounds loss dietary supplements. It is definitely OK for you to have it!!

They also offer the cheapest shipping, which is very beneficial if you live far away. This is because you want to make sure you know everything there is to know about the supplement before you take it. This is because natural just agrees with our body so much better. If you purchase proactol from another website, such as EBay or Amazon, you may pay a different price. When you eat fewer calories than you use, you become slimmer.

This Proactol critique gives an array of particulars about this body weight reduction supplement. Since NeOpuntia is natural, there are no side effects from using it. The support of your family can play a big part of your success and if your family is unhealthy by nature, you need to change the household not just yourself. These are pills that will help you lose weight and prevent your body from gaining more fat. The formulation is ideal for burning excess fat and lose weight.

There are many things that are causing individuals to gain weight and the most discussed things are the lack of healthy diet and exercise that is becoming extinct from our daily routines and thus leading us to the point where we are gaining weight and entering the category of being overweight. Buying Proactol online can prove to be tough, especially as they are high in demand at the moment, and there are a lot of sites out there trying to rip you off. This results in weight loss over a period. This is a great rate to lose weight because there is less of a chance that you will gain it back too quickly which is not healthy for the body. It binds the extra unwanted fat consumed and may make it indigestible and ultimately throws it out of the the shape by means of anus.

You are compensating for that unhappiness by stuffing your face with food. This keeps your metabolism confused and burning all of the calories your are taking in each day. If you want to lose weight, there are only two things you need to do?eat differently and exercise. But we will discuss that later in this Proactol Review. How do I reach my goal and are the outcomes guaranteed?

And they hint that all you need to do to look like Angelina Jolie is to send away for a bottle of miracle pills. I set out to locate those solutions to these concerns in a thorough products comparison and analysis. This Proactol review provides a range of specifics about this bodyweight damage health supplement. The stomach finds the viscous solution a lot harder to digest, therefore, it remains in the stomach far longer than an ordinary meal usually would. But these pills need not necessarily cause weight loss.

The answer is ?yes? but you cannot completely rely on them. If your family has a history of weight problems, then you should watch your weight very carefully. As the name suggest, these weight loss pills help in getting rid of the excess weight from the body. Already thousands of individuals have benefited from Proactol?s standing as a 100% organically structured, danger free slimming capsule and with the medical approval of the Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC, you can feel certain that your body is in proven hands. Its users say that they have never ever been so confident since of their excess fat but Proactol Plus has changed their lives forever as now they can do all those points that they always desired to do.

Binding works for many people although the results will vary according to the individual. This results in a feeling of being full for much longer.
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Source: http://articlepdq.com/health-fitness/can-you-identify-your-weight-loss-barriers/

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Russell Wilson soars as Seahawks rout Bills 50-17

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) is tackled by Buffalo Bills strong safety George Wilson (37) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) runs the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first the half of an NFL football game in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

Buffalo Bills linebacker Kelvin Sheppard (55) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during the first the half of an NFL football game in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

Seattle Seahawks tight end Zach Miller (86) celebrates his touchdown reception ahead of Buffalo Bills defensive back Ron Brooks during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Toronto. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)

TORONTO (AP) ? Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks are not only surging toward a playoff berth. They showed they can pile up the points on either side of the border.

A week after a 58-0 win at home against Arizona, Wilson ran for three touchdowns and threw for another in a 50-17 rout of the Bills in Buffalo's annual game in Toronto on Sunday. Wilson's scores all came in the first half.

The Seahawks' opportunistic defense then took over by forcing three consecutive turnovers to start the second half, including safety Earl Thomas scoring on 57-yard interception return.

The 108 combined points over two weeks matched the NFL's third-highest total. The New England Patriots also scored 108 points in consecutive games last month, according to STATS. And the Seahawks became the NFL's third team to score 50 points in consecutive weeks, joining the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants, who both did it in 1950, according to STATS.

In winning for the fifth time in six games, the Seahawks (9-5) inched closer to clinching a playoff berth and still aren't out of the running to win the NFC West. They return home to host division-leading San Francisco in what's become a key showdown.

Wilson, the rookie third-round draft pick, scored on 14-, 25- and 13-yard runs to become the NFL's first quarterback to run for three scores in one half since Daunte Culpepper did it against Chicago on Sept. 3, according to STATS. And Wilson's 4-yard touchdown pass to Zach Miller was his 21st of the season, moving into a tie for second with Cam Newton among NFL rookies. Only Peyton Manning, with 26 in 1998, has more.

Wilson had 92 yards rushing to give him 402 on the season, setting a Seahawks record by passing Rick Mirer, who had 343 yards rushing in 1993. He also went 14 of 23 for 205 yards before giving way to backup Matt Flynn with 5 minutes left.

Wilson ran circles around the Bills (5-9), who were entirely outclassed in being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for a 13th season. That's the NFL's longest active drought. And their performance further raises questions about coach Chan Gailey's job security.

C.J. Spiller scored on a 14-yard run, while Stevie Johnson scored on a 20-yard catch from Ryan Fitzpatrick.

This was an utter meltdown by a Bills defense that had allowed an average of 16.75 points and 254.25 yards offense over its past four games. Buffalo's now allowed 45 or more points three times this season.

The Seahawks scored 31 points on their first five possessions, and 40 points on their first eight, a stretch in which Canadian-born Jon Ryan punted just once.

The Bills rallied by scoring 10 unanswered points in the final 1:10 of the first half to cut the Seahawks' lead to 31-17. But any chances of a comeback ended on Buffalo's first possession of the second half, when Fitzpatrick forced a pass over the middle and was intercepted by linebacker K.J. Wright, who returned it to the Bills 20.

Two plays later, Marshawn Lynch scored on a 13-yard run.

On the next possession, Fitzpatrick had the ball stripped from his hand by defensive end Chris Clemons and the fumble recovered by teammate Bruce Irvin. That led to Steven Hauschka hitting a 33-yard field goal to make it 40-17.

And then it got ugly.

Fitzpatrick turned the ball over a third straight time, when he was intercepted by Thomas. The touchdown was reviewed, and the crowd cheered loudly when referee Scott Green announced that Thomas had caught the ball before it hit the turf.

The announced crowd of 40,770 was well below the downtown domed Rogers Centre's capacity of 54,000.

The Bills dropped to 1-4 in regular-season games at Toronto since the series began in 2008, with their lone win coming last year when they beat Washington 23-0.

The Bills and Toronto-based Rogers Communications are closing in on a deal to extend the series, which expired after this game.

Torontonians might want to reconsider after this. With 5:20 left, fans in one end zone began chanting "Let's Go Blue Jays!"

At least they were entertained by both the Seahawks and at halftime by Korean pop star PSY performed his hit "Gangnam Style" at midfield. Many fans stuck around and stood during the performance, with some doing the dance the song has inspired.

Bills in Toronto series organizers hired PSY to perform in a bid to boost ticket sales for a game that has had difficulty selling out over the previous four years. PSY was greeted by loud cheers and performed in front of a group of cheerleaders and youngsters dressed in blue shirts who all wore PSY-styled sunglasses.

The crowd was slow-arriving and featured a wide diversity of NFL fans. While there were numerous fans dressed in Bills and Seahawks colors, fans were spotted wearing a Steelers' Troy Polamalu jersey, and another wearing a Tom Brady No. 12 Patriots jersey.

The Seahawks wore their third uniforms ? "wolf grey" jerseys and pants with green numbers and names ? for the first time since introducing them this offseason.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-16-Seahawks-Bills/id-6ebff2ca73a14a43afd45ad4986a3a46

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US skier Steven Nyman wins World Cup downhill

Steven Nyman, of the United States, celebrates after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Steven Nyman, of the United States, celebrates after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Steven Nyman, of the United States, celebrates after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Course workers clear the snow in the finish area ahead of a men's Alpine Ski World Cup downhill race ,in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)

Steven Nyman, of the United States, is airborne as he competes on his way to win an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Steven Nyman, of the United States, celebrates after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) ? It was about time some good fortune fell Steven Nyman's way.

The American skier's once promising career was derailed for the past five years by a list of injuries longer than most athletes in a sport known for blown knees and ugly crashes.

Fully healthy for the first time in years, Nyman took advantage of changing conditions Saturday for an improbable win in a World Cup downhill that was shortened because of heavy snowfall and low visibility.

Nyman started 39th, long after the top-ranked skiers battled through rough conditions. When he began, the snow had nearly stopped and the fog had lifted.

"I'm pretty psyched," Nyman said. "Weather is definitely a huge factor. ... On days like today you just got to hope for good conditions and take advantage of it. ... In the start I looked down and I saw no fog in front of me and I just said, 'It's on, this is it, let's go.'"

Go he did, posting faster times than previous leader Rok Perko of Slovenia at each checkpoint.

Perko, who started 35th, finished second for his first career podium, 0.19 seconds behind Nyman's time of 1:28.82. Downhill world champion Erik Guay of Canada was third, 0.24 back.

Norway's Kjetil Jansrud was fourth and teammate Aksel Lund Svindal, the overall World Cup leader, was fifth.

"When I heard Rok coming on the lead I was like, 'Right on, the door is open,'" Nyman said "And I came off the camels (the biggest jumps on the course) and flew so far and I was like, 'My skis are running. Just dial your line and then everything is good.' I had a little mistake exiting Ciaslat (the course's most technical section) and then everything kept running and I came down with the green (leader's) light and I was fired up."

It wasn't just luck, though. Nyman also won this race back in 2006, when he was 25 and poised to follow in the footsteps of Daron Rahlves and Bode Miller as the next great American downhiller.

Nyman was also fifth in the first downhill training session on Wednesday.

"Obviously the guys in the back got a lucky break, but Steven skied fast in the first training run and he knew he was skiing well, so he took advantage of a good situation," said U.S. teammate Marco Sullivan, who was 18th.

While Miller is still out recovering from knee surgery, the U.S. speed team is starting to click without him. Sullivan finished third in Lake Louise, Alberta, last month for his first podium finish in nearly three years.

"We're moving in the right direction," Sullivan said.

New U.S. speed coach Andreas Evers, lured over from the powerful Austrian team for this season, also has helped.

"He's an amazing coach," Nyman said. "He has this quiet confidence about him. He teaches us what we need to do."

Still, no coach could teach Nyman how to remain calm and focused during a race affected by bad weather with multiple delays.

The start of the race was delayed for more than two hours due to the weather conditions, which also led to the start being lowered, which cut about 30 seconds from the race.

Dominik Paris of Italy took the early lead before about a 20-minute delay due to fog rolling in across the course. When the fog moved out, Guay put down a blistering run that might have been good enough to win on a normal day.

But it then stopped snowing and the fog lifted even more and all of a sudden later starters had a chance.

No man had won a downhill with such a high start number since Fritz Stribl wearing No. 43 in Val d'Isere, France, in 1996.

Perhaps the most surprising result of the today, even more than Nyman, was 21-year-old Dutchman Marvin van Heek finishing eighth with the No. 53 bib. His previous best finish was 39th.

"That's why it's good that there's more than one race every year," Svindal said. "I mean if this were the Olympics it would be a joke ? you can't have an unfair race for Olympics ? but for World Cup it happens. But I don't want to take anything away from Nyman."

In 1993, Markus Foser of Liechtenstein won the downhill here with bib No. 66 ? the lowest start number ever to win a men's race.

"It's typical to have races like this in Val Gardena," said retired Italian skier Kristian Ghedina, who shares the record of four victories on the Saslong course with Austrian great Franz Klammer.

Nyman grew up in Sundance, Utah, and mowed Robert Redford's lawn as a kid.

He won both the slalom and combined at the 2002 junior world championships and back in 2006 and 2007, he posted three World Cup podium finishes in a 12-month span.

But then the injuries hit: A bulging disk in his back that pinched a nerve and required him to wear a custom-fitted cast for six weeks; a badly bruised shin; operations on both knees; and a year ago, a torn Achilles tendon, which kept him out all of last season.

"I had a lot of confidence and then I lost it because of the injuries, but now it's back," Nyman said. "It's just been a journey. I've always believed I had the speed and I hope to continue proving it throughout the year ? that's my goal: consistency."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-15-SKI-Men's-World-Cup/id-11387a01438b491f99e83ac58afb16c8

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Best Board Games For School-Aged Children | Alphamom

Nov08

by Wendi Aarons

With the cold winter months quickly approaching, you?re no doubt looking for ways to keep your family busy when you?re all trapped in the house together. (By ?trapped,? I of course mean ?spending quality time.?) And what better way to entertain everyone than with a fun, challenging board game?

My two boys, Sam (11) and Jack (9) absolutely love playing games, so the three of us were very excited to test out a few and see what we liked the best. Please note that they beat me at every single one of these games, but I will not let my bitterness influence any of the following reviews because I am a mature person. (But couldn?t they have let me win at least one round of something? Is that too much to ask from your children?)

Here are the games we tried out:

MANCALA

Centuries old and played around the world, Mancala is a ?count-and-capture? game designed for two players. There are many versions of it, but the one we played was called ?The Game of Collecting Gemstones.?

Our Mancala was very simple in design; just a wood, foldable playing board with carved out holes to hold the ?gemstones.? The object of the game is to move all of your gems out of your small holes and into your large pocket (or Mancala) before your opponent does. It?s deceptively simple because, as we discovered, it actually requires sharp counting, strategy and planning skills to win. Sam really liked this one. Ages 6 to Adult. Price $9-10.

The Good: Portable, great price ($9-10), challenging

The Bad: Only two players, kids who aren?t drawn to slow strategy games might be bored

APPLES TO APPLES JUNIOR

I?m always leery of anything touting itself as a ?hilarious party game,? but we actually had a lot of fun playing this card game of comparisons. Players hold Red Apple Cards with words on them like ?Unicorn? or ?Ghosts,? then the judge (a position that alternates each turn) plays a Green Apple card with a one-word characteristic on it like ?Chewy? or ?Scary.? Players must then play the card they think is the best match and the judge determines who?s right.

The fun part is when the players try to convince the judge why their word works best. One of the best lines from our game was Jack telling me, ?Swamps totally works with Relaxed because alligators are never stressed out because they do yoga!? Well, maybe you had to be there. Ages 9+. Price $18-22.

The Good: Verbal, fast action, high potential for humor and laughs, easy to play

The Bad: A little pricey at $18-22 considering it?s just stacks of cards.

BLOKUS

This ?abstract strategy? board game has won every award in the book and I can see why. The kids and I were immediately engaged in the challenge of placing our colored, differently shaped pieces on the 400 squares of the board/grid so they touched at least one other piece, but only at the corners. The winner is the player who has the fewest pieces remaining.

Blokus develops logic and spatial perception because kids have to eye the board and figure out where their pieces will fit. However, they?re so wrapped up in doing so, they don?t notice how hard their little minds are working. Gotta love that. Ages 5+. Price is $16-$30 range.

The Good: Challenging, but fun. Easy to understand.

The Bad: A big pain to clean up if it?s knocked on the ground.

QWIRKLE

Another multi-award winner, Qwirkle is a game where players ?Mix, Match, Score and Win.? Consisting of 108 wooden tiles, each with a brightly colored shape on it, players score points by building lines of tiles that share the common attribute of either color or shape. It?s sort of like Dominoes.

Both boys liked playing this, but didn?t love it because it?s pretty slow and repetitive. It takes a long time to finish, considering players have to get through 108 tiles with only 1-2 tiles played a turn. Also, someone has to keep score and write down points on paper, and that kind of complicated what should be a simple game. Not a favorite. Ages 6+. Price $17-34.

The Good: Tiles are kept in a drawstring pouch, so very portable and can be played on any flat surface. Easy to understand.

The Bad: Not very challenging, time consuming, must keep score on paper.

SPOT IT!

This is a fun, fast-paced matching game that the boys really loved playing. (And they keep asking me to play it again.) Players are given coaster-sized cards, each with illustrations of eight objects on them. They then try to spot a symbol that appears on both the changing center card and their own card. (The instructions also include five different variations on this basic game.) Spot It! requires visual perception and matching skills and can be played almost anywhere. It also comes in themed versions, like MLB and NHL, animals and Spanish. Ages 7-12. Price $12.

The Good: Fast, easy, great price, can be carried in your purse.

The Bad: Kids might constantly bug you to play it with them.

SKIPPITY

This is an extremely easy game to learn and to play. Similar to Checkers, players cover each square on the board with ?skippers,? or little discs that come in five different colors. They then take turns making straight-line leaps with any disc over any other discs to capture the colors they need to make a complete set. The player with the most complete sets win.

The boys had fun playing this, but at ages 9 and 11, it was a little simplistic for them to really get into. Kids younger than they are would probably enjoy it more. Ages 5+. Price $20.

The Good: Easy, quick, colorful.

The Bad: Best for younger kids, flimsy and sort of cheaply made

SET

Sam and I were excited when we opened up Set, a ?visual perception? card game that?s won over 25 best game awards. However, try as we might, we just couldn?t?figure out how to play this game. Per the wordy directions, players start by putting 12 cards, each with a different visual shape, color, number or shading on it, on the table. They must then find a ?Set? of three cards that are either different or the same. Sounds easy enough, but the directions then show a picture of a green diamond, a blue outlined diamond and a red outlined diamond and note, ?All three cards have the same shape, different colors and the same number of symbols, but they are not all the same or all different in shading; two are outlined and one is not.? Huh? Instant headache.

But based on the awards given, I?m sure this game is worthwhile and we?ll definitely give it another shot. Wish us luck. Ages 10+. Price $13.

The Good: Portable, since it?s just a card deck. Award winning.

The Bad: Pricey for a stack of cards. Very hard to understand using the included directions.

If I had to pick one game as my family favorite, I?d have to go with Blokus. It?s one of those games that you know you?ll be better at each time you play it. But with all of these choices, you?re sure to find the perfect game to keep your family entertained this winter. Good luck and have fun!

Lastly, would love to hear what board games you enjoy playing with your family. Please share.

Photo source: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

No related posts.

Source: http://alphamom.com/family-fun/party-play/best-board-games-for-school-aged-children/

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Judge to rule on Romney testimony: Staples' value may be key

CANTON, Mass (Reuters) - A Massachusetts state court judge delayed for a day a decision on whether to make public testimony that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave more than two decades ago in divorce proceedings involving the founder of the Staples Inc office products chain.

The testimony included a disputed June 1991 assessment by Romney of the value of Staples, according to a person who spoke with the founder's ex-wife.

Maureen Sullivan Stemberg, the former wife of Staples founder Tom Stemberg, appeared at a court hearing in Canton, Massachusetts, outside Boston, to say she had no objection to making public Romney's testimony in her divorce.

The testimony could become public less than two weeks before Romney faces incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

The Boston Globe newspaper on October 15 asked the court to make the testimony public before the election. Its attorney, Jonathan Albano, argued in court on Wednesday that it was appropriate for the court to reassess the need to keep the records private now that Romney is seeking the presidency.

While there were no hints at Wednesday's court hearing about the contents of the testimony, an independent film maker said he had been told by Sullivan Stemberg that Romney testified that her holdings in Staples were worth very little.

"She felt that he devalued the stock. And what really kind of proved it was that one minute it wasn't worth anything at all and all of a sudden it was worth a whole lot," according to Edmund Druilhet from Dragon-Lion Media, who interviewed Sullivan Stemberg in 2008 for a movie on her life that was never completed.

"He was stating for his best friend to save money in a divorce that the stock was worth very little," Druilhet said in a phone interview.

Romney campaign officials did not directly address Druilhet's assertion. His attorney raised no objection to the testimony being made public.

"From the governor's perspective, the sooner we get at it, the better," attorney Robert Jones said during the court proceedings.

Staples had been publicly traded for more than two years by the time Romney testified. The company had a $264.4 million market capitalization on June 26, 1991 - the first of two days of Romney's testimony that the Globe is seeking to make public.

Over the next year, it nearly doubled in value, reaching $507.1 million by June 26, 1992, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Today Staples has a $7.72 billion market capitalization.

Sullivan Stemberg's attorney, Gloria Allred, said her client supported making the testimony public.

"We have no objection to the motion by the Boston Globe, because we believe the people have a right to know what Mitt Romney's testimony under oath was," Allred told reporters before the hearing, at Norfolk Probate and Family Court.

STRONG OBJECTION

Allred, a well known civil rights attorney, declined to discuss the contents of the testimony with reporters and declined to comment on Druilhet's assertion.

Tom Stemberg, who spoke at the Republican National Convention in Orlando in August, was not present at the hearing. His attorney, Brian Leary, strongly objected to making public the testimony, contained in two inch-thick bundles of paper that Allred produced in court and another volume she said she had.

"This is not an issue involving Governor Romney," Leary said in court of the former Massachusetts governor, whose private equity firm, Bain Capital, funded Staples' launch. "This is a private divorce matter."

Leary later declined to comment on Druilhet's statements.

Assistant Judicial Case Manager Jennifer Ulwick, who denied Leary's request to keep media out of the court proceeding, gave Leary, as well as attorneys for Romney and Staples, a day to review the testimony to see if it contained confidential information before deciding on whether to make it public.

She told the attorneys as well as Sullivan Stemberg not to discuss the case with the media prior to her ruling on whether to make the documents public.

An attorney for Staples asked for time to review the documents to ensure they contained no confidential information that would damage the office supply retailer's business interests.

Leary described it as expert testimony on investment matters, while Allred said it was unclear whether it was limited to that.

Ulwick granted a request to have a television camera present for Thursday's court session to rule on whether to make Romney's testimony public.

The Globe and Staples declined further comment.

Allred donated $2,500 to the Obama campaign in September, according to the OpenSecrets.org, a website run by the Center for Responsive Politics.

(Reporting By Scott Malone; Editing by Martin Howell and Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-rule-romney-testimony-staples-value-may-key-221500167--finance.html

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Clearing Up The Confusion: It?s ?The New Windows 8 UI? ? Not ?Metro UI?

Ever since we heard the first rumors about Microsoft dropping the "Metro" moniker for its new touch interface and its app, there has been a lot of confusion about what the new interface should be called. Is it the new Windows UI? Windows 8-style UI? Are they Windows 8 apps or Windows Store app? Is it still Metro and all the rumors were false? Even just a day before the launch of Windows 8, most people still don't know what to call it (and I just spent most of the day in briefings with Microsoft partners ahead of the launch). To clear things up, I asked Microsoft for its own official guidance today (because inside of Microsoft, people are using different names as well).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/A1wCvsfiqJ8/

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NCAA FB: USC vs. Tennessee (moneyline)

Yesterday, 11:11 PM ? #1

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Ballseye's Boomers: Second Piece of Good News I Heard Today

THE RED ZONE

Scroll down through the Red Zone to read my disclaimer, find out more about me, find contacts for government officials, get some basic information about our most cherished national documents, discover ways to help support U.S. Troops overseas, and to find links to help you learn about the Flag of the United States of America.

DISCLAIMER

Use of any information or advice that I supply or to which I link is done at your own risk. Your use of my blog, in any manner, is your consent to hold me harmless and indemnify me and other sources mentioned herein, from any claim(s) against me, or those other sources, said claim(s) arising directly or indirectly from your use of this blog or any content therein or linked to it, or arising from your passing on of information from this blog to any party and their use or passing on of it ad infinitum.

Source: http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2012/10/second-piece-of-good-news-i-heard-today.html

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T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard

T-Mobile silently killed off its $10 per month 200MB data plans, a leaked document reveals. A company spokesperson verified the news with Fierce Wireless. This decision is most likely due to the growing demand for mobile data as smartphone applications continue to evolve. Grandfathered customers will not be affected by this new policy, but will need to pay full price for a device and sign up for a "Value" plan when upgrading in order to maintain their existing service plan. T-Mobile now requires its smartphone customers to have a minimum data plan of 2GB or higher, which starts at $20 per month. While this change may make sense for most smartphone users, existing customers who are light on data and heavy on savings might have a different perspective when it's time to buy a new phone. Check out an extreme closeup of T-Mobile's document after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, T-Mobile

T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Scoop, Fierce Wireless  |  TmoNews  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/19/t-mobile-drops-200mb-smartphone-data-plan/

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Solar power is contagious

ScienceDaily (Oct. 18, 2012) ? People are more likely to install a solar panel on their home if their neighbors have one, according to a Yale and New York University study in the journal Marketing Science.

The researchers studied clusters of solar installations throughout California from January 2001 to December 2011 and found that residents of a particular zip code are more likely to install solar panels if they already exist in that zip code and on their street.

"We looked at the influence that the number of cumulative adoptions -- the number of people who already installed solar panels in a zip code -- had on the probability there would be a new adoption in that zip code," said Kenneth Gillingham, the study's co-author and assistant professor of economics at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. "Our approach controls for a variety of other possible explanations, including clustering of environmental preferences or marketing activity."

They calculated that 10 extra installations in a zip code increase the probability of an adoption by 7.8 percent. If there is a 10 percent increase in the total number of people with solar panels in a zip code -- the "installed base" -- there will be a 54 percent increase in the adoption of solar panels.

"These results provide clear evidence of a statistically and economically significant effect," said Bryan Bollinger, the other co-author and assistant professor of marketing at New York University Stern School of Business.

The study also shows that the visibility of the panels and word-of-mouth led to larger installations. "If my neighbor installs a solar panel and tells me he's saving money and he's really excited about it, it's likely I'll go ahead and do the same thing," said Gillingham. "Then there are others who'll install because they don't want to be one-upped by their neighbors."

The researchers found that white males between the ages of 45 and 65 who have a 30-minute commute and home repairs were associated with higher adoption rates. Gillingham suggested that a disproportionate number of engineers working in Silicon Valley may explain the result. In addition, larger households and people with longer commutes were more exposed to solar installations, thus more likely to adopt the technology, compared to people who carpooled and lived in smaller households.

"These findings have clear implications for marketers who are striving to reduce the high cost of consumer acquisition in the solar photovoltaic market," said Bollinger.

In January 2006 the California Public Utilities Commission established the California Solar Initiative, a $3.3 billion, 10-year rebate program encouraging the installation of 3,000 megawatts of solar infrastructure over the ensuing decade. These subsidies, according to the authors, have increased the number of solar installations to 17,000 in 2010 from fewer than 1,000 in 2001. The authors used the 85,046 requested residential installations during that time in their calculations.

"Our finding of an increasing effect of new installations in a zip code suggests that targeting marketing efforts in areas that already have some installations is a promising strategy," said Gillingham.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Yale University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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. B. Bollinger, K. Gillingham. Peer Effects in the Diffusion of Solar Photovoltaic Panels. Marketing Science, 2012; DOI: 10.1287/mksc.1120.0727

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/STfXuwO0mB0/121018162213.htm

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4 Myths About Feeding Your Baby | Modern Alternative Mama

Julian at 8 months feeding himself avocado

There is a plethora of information at the disposal of parents today regarding feeding your baby. Unfortunately, it is difficult to know what is good advice, what is well-intentioned and what is just plain wrong, especially when people you trust, such as your mom or pediatrician, are the ones doling out the advice. I hope to dispel some commonly held ideas today and give you encouragement to do what is best for your child regardless of what others think.

Myth # 1: The best first food is rice cereal.?

What is the best first food for my baby? Ask your pediatrician and the answer will most likely be rice cereal. Unfortunately, any grain-based food is not a good choice when starting solids with your baby. The Weston A. Price foundation, a source I highly respect, has this to say,

?Grains, nuts and seeds should be the last food given to babies. This food category has the most potential for causing digestive disturbances or allergies. Babies do not produce the needed enzyme to handle cereals, especially gluten-containing grains like wheat, before the age of one year.?

The needed enzyme, pancreatic amylase, is not produced by the body until at least one year of age, although some experts say it is not fully produced until somewhere between 5-12 years of age (1, 2). After researching this, my husband and I decided to wait on feeding our son any grains until all of his first year molars came in. For us, that meant that we have been eating grain-free as a family for about a year now. My son?s molars recently all came in and, while we plan to introduce properly prepared grains slowly over the next few months, I must say that after we discovered how delicious ?baked goods with almond flour (such as these muffins) are over the past year, it would be hard to cut that out completely!

Myth #2: You must wait ____ days between introducing each new food.?

Some websites say three days, your pediatrician says five and your best friend?s grandma says two if your baby is a girl and four if your baby is a boy. In my research, I could find no evidence that this is necessary. My best guess is that this idea surfaced because of how young most babies are when they are given solid food for the first time. Any reaction to food they are given is more likely than not due to the fact that their little bodies are not ready to consume anything other than breast milk. Delaying solid foods until at least 6 months of age may make a big difference for your baby. For my family, we chose a baby-led approach to feeding, which means that your baby eats what the rest of the family eats. I can assure you that I do not feed my family one food at a time and I do not want to spend any more time preparing food than I already do. Not only is this ?rule? unsubstantiated, it is rather impractical!

Myth #3: Babies are ready for food when ________.

Only you truly know your baby. There is no magical milestone that clearly indicates your baby is ready to eat solid food. While there is certainly a ?window of opportunity? to introducing solid food to your baby, usually between 6-9 months, there is no one indicator, be it age, weight or sleep patterns. It is also interesting to note that several reputable sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) suggest that?all babies be?exclusively?breastfed (no cereal, juice, water etc.) for the first 6 months of life. I don?t know about you, but our pediatrician began recommending rice cereal when our son was merely 4 months old. I politely told her we would not ever be giving him rice cereal and that was the last I heard about that! Kelly Mom?gives several good reasons why exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of age is the best choice. For my family, we chose to keep our son exclusively breastfed for 8 months.

Myth #4: Babies need baby food.?

When I was pregnant with my now 17 month old son (and before I started researching real food), I knew that when the time came for introducing solid food to him we would not be buying jarred (or boxed, pouched, plastic encased) baby food. While my parents, in the late eighties and mid nineties, did occasionally use jarred baby food, they also tell me stories of throwing whatever they were having for dinner in the blender to feed my sister and I. I figured that would not be too difficult and would definitely save some money. Then, when I started researching real food, I realized that not only do babies not need jarred baby food from the grocery store, but they don?t even need pureed food. What a relief this was to me! I had visions of myself standing in front of the blender for hours mixing up food for my little guy.

I came across this book?in my research and, while I don?t agree with everything the author suggests, her idea were the catalyst I needed to firm up my philosophy on feeding my baby solid food. Like I mentioned earlier in the post, we adopted a baby-led feeding (you may hear this called baby-led weaning, but I don?t like that term because it insinuates ceasing breastfeeding, which was not our goal in the least bit) approach, which means that we fed our son what we ate. We did not spoon feed him (except when eating something like soup), but rather put the food directly on his high chair tray and let him at it! Sure, this often times resulted in a messy baby and a messy floor, but, for my family, the benefits of feeding him this way far outweighed the mess.

What About Toddlers?

Julian at seventeen months feeding himself brown rice spaghetti

I have spent quite a bit of time talking about babies, but what about toddlers? How does this look in real life? To be honest, when we are at home, I don?t often think about the food/lifestyle choices we make as being counter-cultural. It isn?t until we are out in public at restaurants, extended family events, church potlucks or even in the nursery on Sunday mornings that I am reminded that we are, for lack of a better term, odd.

Our son ?has never eaten typical kid food. Chicken nuggets, fish crackers, animal cookies, puffs etc. have no place in our home or in my toddler?s tummy. He eats what we eat for meals and snacks on real food, like raw milk cheese cubes, organic raisins and mushrooms. Since he chose to stop breastfeeding, he drinks non-homogenized, low temp, vat pasteurized whole milk (we don?t have a source for raw) and filtered water.

I don?t say these things to brag (I am certain there are families out there who eat better than we do!), but to offer encouragement to other mommas (and dads!) who are worried about the choices they are making for their little ones. You may be given blank stares, scoffed at or even openly ridiculed by others, but hold your head up high and know that you are doing the best you can with the information you have available.

If you need a source of in-depth information on baby and toddler feeding, plus healthy recipes they?ll actually eat, try Breast to Bib! ?And yes, you can even find homemade chicken nuggets in there.

Other Sources

There are several e-books available to help you navigate the waters of baby feeding. One of my favorites is Kate?s Breast to Bib! Here are also some other blog posts that cover this topic that are worth perusing:

Source: http://www.modernalternativemama.com/blog/2012/10/20/4-myths-about-feeding-your-baby/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=4-myths-about-feeding-your-baby

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The Importance of Consumer Reviews for Web Store

The e-commerce industry has expanded the consumer market. Online businesses have global access because there are no physical or geographical limitations to their consumer base. For example, a physical shop can only target the local community in the surrounding area, whereas, a web store can reach an international audience via the internet. As such, many entrepreneurs have created an online presence for their businesses. To remain competitive in this saturated industry, your web store must be visually attractive as well as display useful information for potential clients.
Consumers are now more astute when it comes to purchasing. With the knowledge available to them through the internet, consumers can make more informed choices based on online research and product comparison. As an web store owner, make sure your website includes product reviews and assessments. This is an essential element which helps buyers decide if your product is suited to their needs and wants.
Most buyers will not purchase an unknown product. Since they cannot see or physically touch the products sold on a web store, they rely on client testimonials to evaluate the quality of the product and the reputation of the company. The reviews help dispel any doubts a buyer may have because they document real experience of the product. The buyer feels secure knowing that the merchandise has been tried and tested. Furthermore, these reviews give the website a more 'human' element because people can read about how the product was satisfactory and helpful in real life situations.
Clients also appreciate the display of product reviews and client assessments as it lends credibility to your web store business.

The image it conveys is that your company is legitimate and that you are confident enough to allow people to post their opinions about your product.
Feedback and product appraisals from satisfied clients is often the most effective mode of advertising for your e-business. Best of all, it is free. Visitors who browse through your web store will often read the reviews before they decide to purchase. Most times, a good review is all you need to convince a person to buy your product. Also, with the use of web links, product reviews have the power to increase the flow of traffic to your website which, in turn, will translate into more sales.
Consider the benefits a customer review page can bring to your web store. If you want to increase the visibility of your e-business in the cyber world, the best way is to compile positive reviews from existing customers and post them your website. Customers will always look for testimonials and peer assessments to help them decide whether or not they should buy your product.
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Source: http://product-review.ezinemark.com/the-importance-of-consumer-reviews-for-web-store-7d37f1ffde5c.html

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