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Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/1428702/select-the-correct-cheap-mlb-baseball-jerseys.htm

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Obama tears up in video as he thanks campaign staff after re-election

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Groupon revenue growth slows in 3Q, stock down

In this Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011, photo, employees at Groupon pose in silhouette by the company logo in the lobby of the online coupon company's Chicago offices. Groupon Inc., the No. 1 online deals service, failed to show investors on Thursda, Nov. 8, 2012, that its business is growing as quickly as they would like, as it was hurt by what it called "continued challenges" from the economic weakness in Europe. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

In this Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011, photo, employees at Groupon pose in silhouette by the company logo in the lobby of the online coupon company's Chicago offices. Groupon Inc., the No. 1 online deals service, failed to show investors on Thursda, Nov. 8, 2012, that its business is growing as quickly as they would like, as it was hurt by what it called "continued challenges" from the economic weakness in Europe. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

(AP) ? Groupon Inc., the No. 1 online deals service, failed to show investors on Thursday that its business is growing as quickly as they would like, as it was hurt by what it called "continued challenges" from the economic weakness in Europe.

The company booked a small loss in the third quarter as higher revenue wasn't enough to make up for stock compensation and other expenses. Though revenue grew by nearly a third, it was below Wall Street's expectations. The Chicago-based company's stock fell sharply in after-hours trading following the announcement, indicating that it'll likely open at its lowest level ever when regular trading starts on Friday.

Groupon's net loss was $3 million, or a breakeven per share, in the July-September period. A year ago it lost $54.2 million, or 18 cents per share. Groupon said adjusted earnings were 3 cents per share in the latest quarter, matching Wall Street's expectations.

Revenue grew to $569 million, below Wall Street's expectations of $591 million as surveyed by FactSet. In August, Groupon forecast revenue of $580 million to $620 million.

Groupon's growth rate has steadily declined: In the fourth quarter of 2011, in its first earnings report as a public company, Groupon said its revenue nearly tripled. That fell to 89 percent in the first quarter of this year, 45 percent in the second quarter and 32 percent in the third.

Slowing revenue growth is a problem that's plagued many of the young Internet companies that have gone public in the past year or so at valuations that can seem astronomically high in hindsight.

CEO Andrew Mason said weakness in Europe offset Groupon's "solid performance in North America" in the third quarter.

Gross billings, a closely watched figure that shows the total amount that customers spent on Groupon's deals, were at $1.22 billion, up 5 percent from a year earlier. Revenue is a subset of that because Groupon has to pay out the merchants offering the deals.

Groupon pioneered the online daily deals market, which offers subscribers deep discounts on everything from spa sessions to restaurant meals to toe fungus treatments. The model sparked a flood of copycats such as LivingSocial and Amazon Local. Together, deals flood online mailboxes multiple times a day.

To expand its business, Groupon has been trying to establish itself as a local e-commerce company, transforming the market the way Amazon.com Inc. transformed online retail. It launched a payments service in September that lets businesses accept credit card payments using their iPhone or iPod Touch. The company has also expanded to selling physical goods such as electronic gadgets, housewares and clothes.

Groupon had 39.5 million active customers as of the end of September, up 37 percent from a year earlier.

For the current quarter, Groupon is forecasting revenue of $625 million to $675 million. The midpoint of this, $650 million, is higher than the $634.9 million that analysts had expected.

Groupon's stock fell 62 cents, or nearly 16 percent, to $3.30 in after-hours trading Thursday. Groupon's stock made its public debut last November at a price of $20, but it has fallen sharply since amid concerns about the long-term viability of its business model and its ability to grow. The stock ended Thursday's regular-trading session at $3.92 and hit an all-time low of $3.68 a week ago, on Nov. 1.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-11-08-Earns-Groupon/id-a47e1c86614547c29ea9780e66d1f366

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The Power of a Woman with a Meme - HBR Blog Network - Harvard ...

If the Republican Party learned one thing this election cycle, it's that women with opinions are a force to be reckoned with. But do brands understand that?

Women dominate nearly every major social media network. Weekly, 67.5 million women are logged on to social media sites. They drive 62% of daily Facebook activity, and 68% of traffic on Pinterest. They comprise 53% of Twitter users and tweet more frequently than men. Women who are active on social media also tend to be active across many social platforms.

This election cycle was filled with derisive remarks about rape, birth control, and pay equity. The internet, through social media, provided a safe space for women to act on, create communities around, and have conversations about these issues ? and generate gaffe-specific memes that went viral. For Democratic candidates up and down the ticket, this spelled victory.

Akingraphic.jpg

And yet, with the exception of consumer products companies reaching out to the large and influential community of mom-bloggers, many organizations don't seem to understand the organizing power of women connected online. And it boggles my mind that in this day and age, rather than listening to what women really care about, communicators simply often "pinkwash" products in an attempt to gain women's support ? from the ill-fated "Bic for Her" pen to Ann Romney's "I Love Women" RNC Convention speech to the new pink Honda Fit.

The people who comprise women's social networks are more than just strangers on the internet ? women trust their online friends and followers. Seventy-seven percent of women active on social media now turn to blogs for information. Women are influencing each other's decisions through non-stop conversations on social media. In the 2012 elections, these conversations helped organize women against Republican candidates like Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock, and Mitt Romney.

Strong online networks build strong social capital, which study after study has shown increases civic participation. While some have cast doubt on social media's ability to spur action, as opposed to discussion, the case of Todd Akin is instructive. Social media erupted within hours of the TV interview in which he stated that in the case of "legitimate rape," women's bodies have a way of shutting "that whole thing [pregnancy] down." My Facebook page lit up with frantic fact-checking and ideas about how we could mobilize support for Akin's Democratic opponent for Senate, Claire McCaskill. Darkly hilarious animated gifs, Tumblrs, and memes exploded. But it wasn't just talk: When the third quarter fundraising numbers were announced, Akin had raised $1.6 million, less than a third of McCaskill's $5.8 million.

In election cycles past, one gaffe may have died quickly in the rapidly moving 24-hour news cycle, long forgotten come Election Day. This year, social media created a continuous story arc of Republican candidates' remarks, highlighting the condescension and disrespect many members of the GOP showed toward women. These stories were disseminated across networks in a way that spoke to women.

What blogger Ananda Leeke calls the #digitalsisterhood spans geography, ethnicity, social class, and even party identification. My online influencer network, The Mission List, created #blogforobama, a network that quickly disseminated political content across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others to provide a safe space for women bloggers to share political opinions, questions and fast-breaking news. This is a magic combination. When a powerful meme meets a network of digitally connected women, the result is change.

Social media marketing ? whether for a political campaign or a brand ? must be multi-pronged and personal. In my networks of women online, it was our personal stories that resonated most with our audiences. From Instagramming our photos of voting with kids in tow to writing moving personal "endorsement" blog posts, or even doing silly things like "Baking for Obama," we shared our political journeys in the social graph. And this meant, when news happened, it spread like wildfire.

The results are in the numbers: Barack Obama was re-elected, and 55% of women who voted supported him. In swing states, the gender gap was even wider. There are now a record number of women in the U.S. Senate, and all the candidates whose "rape" gaffes went viral were defeated.

From selling diapers to selling a President, women's opinions make the difference. Social media offers marketers an opportunity to really listen to what women want (earth friendly diapers that really absorb!! A president who believes women can make their own healthcare decisions!) and to connect with these women in a meaningful way. It's not good enough anymore to patronize our femaleness (Binders Full of Women, anyone?) or simply launch a pretty product wrapped in pink. Ask our opinions, respect our authority, hang out where we live: in social media. Your brand will win in the end.

Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/the_power_of_a_woman_with_a_me.html

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When Do You Take Down Your Online Dating Profiles?

Roy S. Gutterman wrote a great (although somewhat unrelated) article a few years ago at the Jewish Exponent, discussing what he felt to be a "bogus" online dating profile. It seems a newspaper wedding announcement struck him as odd for a couple of days,

"...until I went on to JDate, and saw the same photo for the 30-something woman whose impending nuptials were just announced in the paper. It seemed peculiar that she was maintaining an active profile on the online dating site. In fact, she had just logged on within the past few days."

Which led me to question: when do people remove (or hide) their online dating profiles after starting a relationship with someone new?

Do you have an expectation as to when someone you are dating removes their online dating profiles? Does it even matter to you?

Related: 20 Questions To Ask Your Date About Communication, When Not to Date, Couples Communication Skills Quiz

Source: http://dating.about.com/b/2012/11/08/when-do-you-take-down-your-online-dating-profiles.htm

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OTA Jelly Bean 4.1.1 update arrives on Galaxy Note 10.1 in Germany

OTA Jelly Bean 4.1.1 update arrives on Galaxy Note 10.1 in Germany

Live in Germany, own a Galaxy Note 10.1 and need a Jelly Bean-based sugar fix? You're in luck, as the Android 4.1.1 update Samsung promised back in September has touched-down in Deutschland. The 300MB OTA update brings with it several improvements, including greater multitasking and S-Pen functionality, new Quick Commands and the Paper Artist app from the Galaxy Note II. It might be an isolated release, but for all those still waiting, take it as a good indication your update isn't far off.

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OTA Jelly Bean 4.1.1 update arrives on Galaxy Note 10.1 in Germany originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/08/note-10-1-jelly-bean-germany/

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Top Democrat: Boehner's "fiscal cliff" remarks "a good first step" (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/261554461?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Spotlight Interview With Electro Pop Artist BAKER - Celebrity News ...

He?s sexy, he?s smart (?went to Harvard!) and he makes music that will make you get on your feet and dance. Meet?BAKER. The hottest new face in the world of Electro Pop music.?Micah Jesse caught up with Baker:

Describe to me when you first knew you wanted to make music. What was it about making music and/or performing that attracted you?
When I was 8 years old at summer camp, it was my counselor?s idea for all of us to perform ?Stand By Me? for the other groups. I remember the counselor loved my voice so much she put the microphone right in front of me, so even though everyone was singing, the crowd could only hear me. And I think on the surface, I enjoyed the attention (I still do) but really it was more about communication. If someone has a voice of their own ? whether that means singing or public speaking or writing, they should develop it and share it.

- ?to the ?electro pop? genre specifically?

That?s the style that fit my writing and my voice the best; it was a pretty clear choice right from the start.

Who do you make music for? Who is your target audience?

I don?t have one; I?ve been amazed by how many different people of all ages and places and walks of life that have discovered my music, so I hope it only continues to expand.

KEEP READING FOR MORE FROM MICAH JESSE?S INTERVIEW WITH BAKER!

Do you remember the first time you heard your song come on the radio or played in a club? Describe that ? feelings, etc.
Complete shock. I was in a club in New York about 2 years ago and I didn?t believe it. My friends were going insane but I had to walk up to the DJ and look at his screen to make sure it was actually my song before I could be happy too.

Love your cover of Britney?s ?Hold It Against Me?? Are you team Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera?
Thanks! And I think there?s room for both of them.

How would you describe your personal style (fashion)? Favorite brands or stores to shop (NYC and LA)?

I?m inspired a lot by the 50s but really I just try to wear what fits me and makes me feel comfortable. I go to Topman in New York and I love American Rag in LA.

List (5) things people don?t know about you:
I played cello from the ages of 5 to 16
I don?t eat meat.
I have about 6 cups of coffee a day
I never sleep. Ever. (That might be a result of #3 right?)

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Source: http://micahjesse.com/music/spotlight-interview-with-electro-pop-artist-baker/

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Early humans were smarter than thought

Rocks carved into ancient stone arrowheads or into lethal tools for hurling spears suggest humans innovated relatively advanced weapons much earlier than thought, researchers in South Africa say.

The researchers' finds, partially exposed by a coastal storm, suggest ancient peoples were capable of complex forms of thinking, scientists added.

"These people were like you and I," researcher Curtis Marean, a paleoanthropologist at Arizona State University in Tempe, told LiveScience.

The early human brain
Modern humans originated in Africa about 200,000 years ago, but when modern human ways of thinking emerged remains controversial. For instance, some researchers note that the first signs of complex thought such as art appeared relatively late in history, suggesting that genetic mutations linked with modern human behavior occurred as recently as 40,000 years ago. Other scientists argue that modern human thought originated much earlier but that the evidence was largely lost to the rigors of time. [Top 10 Mysteries of the First Humans]

One potential sign of complex thought would be an elaborately produced artifact that would have required capabilities such as language to pass along the technique to future generations.

Some have argued that advanced technologies in Africa frequently appeared and disappeared over time. Now, however, tiny stone blades discovered on the south coast of South Africa and dating back about 71,000 years suggest advanced stoneworking techniques persisted for vast spans of history instead of flickering in and out of use.

"Every time we excavate a new site in coastal South Africa with advanced field techniques, we discover new and surprising results that push back in time the evidence for uniquely human behaviors," Marean said.

Continuity of history
These artifacts were discovered over the course of nine years at a site known as Pinnacle Point, in a storm-prone area with a temperate climate like San Francisco's. Initially, Marean found many artifacts and fossil bones on the beach. Then, one day, a storm exposed deposits of these materials from a cave higher up. So far the researchers have found sediments about 45 feet (14 meters) deep containing artifacts and fossils dating from about 50,000 to 90,000 years ago.

"As an archaeologist and scientist, it is a privilege to work on a site that preserves a near-perfect layered sequence capturing almost 50,000 years of human prehistory," said researcher Kyle Brown at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. "Our team has done a remarkable job of identifying some of the subtle but important clues to just how innovative these early humans on the south coast were."

The scientists uncovered thin blades of stone, known as microliths, each about 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) long at most. These were blunted along one edge so they could be glued onto slots carved in wood or bone. The stone used to produce these blades, silcrete (quartz grains cemented by silica), was carefully treated with heat to make it easier to shape.

  1. Science news from NBCNews.com

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      Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: The climate change issue has been virtually a non-issue during the presidential campaign ? but it's primed to take a higher profile after the elections, in part due to Hurricane Sandy's horrific aftermath.

    2. How to cope with lab-animal tragedy
    3. Elephant can speak Korean ? out loud
    4. Bulgaria claims to find Europe's oldest town

These microliths could have found use as the earliest known arrowheads. However, researchers suggest they were more likely incorporated into spear-hurling devices known as atlatls. These spear-throwers were essentially sticks with spurs or cups to hold the projectile. Swinging the atlatl provided leverage to increase the distance and killing power of the hurled dart or spear.

The microliths may have served as spurs in these atlatls. [See images of the ancient tools]

"They are parts of a complex composite weapon," Marean said.

Mastered complex technique
Past research suggested microlithic technology appeared briefly between 60,000 and 65,000 years ago.

"Eleven thousand years of continuity is, in reality, an almost unimaginable time span for people to consistently make tools the same way," Marean said. "This is certainly not a flickering pattern." Moreover, heat treatment of stone was seen at Pinnacle Point about 160,000 years ago, suggesting people there mastered this complex technique for nearly 100,000 years.

The researchers suggest these projectile weapons were pivotal to the success of modern humans as they left Africa and encountered Neanderthals, who apparently possessed only hand-thrown spears.

"When Africans left Africa and entered Neanderthal territory, they had projectiles with greater killing reach, and these early moderns probably also had higher levels of pro-social, hyper-cooperative behavior. These two traits were a knockout punch. Combine them, as modern humans did and still do, and no prey or competitor is safe," Marean said. "This probably laid the foundation for the expansion out of Africa of modern humans and the extinction of many prey as well as our sister species such as Neanderthals."

The flickering pattern seen previously with such technologies is likely due to the relatively small number of well-excavated sites in Africa, he said.

"This is why continued and well-funded fieldwork in Africa is of the highest scientific priority if we want to learn about what it means to be human, and where and when it happened," Marean said.

It remains uncertain how exactly these microliths were used, since the material they were mounted onto has apparently rotted away over time. "We need to determine exactly how the microliths were mounted and to what," Marean said. "That will be very hard to do."

The scientists detailed their findings online Wednesday in the journal Nature.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on? Facebook? and Google+.

? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49729542/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Going Further With Ford - On A Lot Less Gas - Ask Patty ...

Thanks to record gasoline prices in Southern California this fall, a lot of people I know are giving hybrids a serious look. And why not? There are now close to 50 hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles available in the United States. And four of the most fuel-efficient ones are being made by Ford, who invited us to their latest Go Further with Ford Open House, so we could compare them side-by-side.

Ford Focus Electric

Ford_Focus_ElectricI made a beeline to the Focus Electric at Ford's last open house, and I liked it then. This time, I wanted to be able to compare it with the other hybrids in Ford's energy-efficient lineup.

What's striking about the Focus Electric (aside from the knowledge that you will never need to wait in a line to gas it up) is how easy it is to drive. Acceleration is good, it handles well and the ride is smooth.

And you cannot beat the fuel efficiency, which EPA estimates as 100 mpg(e) city/110 mpg(e) highway. (For a full explanation of these ratings, visit the EPA website.)

I love the fact that Ford is not only making vehicles that are fuel efficient, but that they are also making strides to reduce their carbon footprint. Many of the cars in the Ford line utlize sound deadening materials made of recycled, shredded jeans. The company has replaced old petroleum-based foam padding with a new foam derived from locally sourced, organic soy.?

However, as much as I like driving the Focus Electric, I cannot get over my range anxiety. Perhaps some day I'll have an opportunity to see what it's like to live with one of these for a few days, so I can do more than just take it for a short spin.

119_3969C-MAX Hybrid

I had the pleasure of taking the C-MAX out on a spin a few months ago, just before the model started showing up on dealers' lots. At the time, I raved about its exceptional roominess and all the little nooks and crannies that have been built into the vehicle to stash your stuff.

The CMAX looks like a cute little crossover vehicle -- except when you get inside, it doesn't seem so little any more. In fact, you get slightly more passenger space in the CMAX than you do with Ford's Escape SUV -- which is not being offered in a hybrid model this year.?

CMAX also offers options you might expect in a higher-end car, like Ford's hands-free liftgate and automatic parking assist (check out the video in our previous review of the car to see how that works).

This time around, I got to take it on a more extended drive, including a short stint on the freeway. It did not disappoint: it felt powerful. Off the freeway, I noticed how responsive it was when hitting curves. And I absolutely loved sitting in?the driver's seat, which felt so comfortable, I didnt want to get up. I spend a lot of time in my car, and I felt like I could do it easily in the CMAX.

119_38102013 Ford Fusion Hybrid

I got to attend the Ford's launch of its sexy, redesigned sedan and was suitably impressed by its spaciousness, luxuriousness and comfort. It's quiet, it's powerful, its electric power steering gives you supreme handling abilities.

But I think the Fusion's most impressive feature is its EPA-estimated gas mileage: 47/47/47.?

I think the Fusion would be a fabulous replacement for my own aging sedan. I have just one gripe with the hybrid model: trunk space that's limited by the location of the battery packs. If you shop at big warehouse stores, you're not going to get too many huge cartons of things in there. Then again, you'll be saving so much money at the pump, you may not mind stashing some of those groceries in the back seat.?

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Source: http://caradvice.askpatty.com/ask_patty_/2012/11/going-further-with-ford-on-a-lot-less-gas.html

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Working in HR Does Not Make You a Leader ? Make HR Happen by ...

Human Resources as a profession has come a long way from the days that carved out a ?personnel? function to do the grunt work for managers that were too often insensitive to the people needs of a company. In a mad search for improved productivity, business leaders and academics arrived at similar conclusions that workers are not slaves to their masters? every whim, but are indeed a valuable ?resource? along with other components of success. Giving the ?human resource? equal footing with financial and physical assets this triumvirate of management thinking has guided the evolution of HR and its significance as a steering wheel for setting the course of a company? not through its own actions but through its involvement with company leaders. Management depends on HR for direction on leadership selection and grooming. Ironically HR folks are human too. In a classic analogy, where does the priest go for confession? Who leads the human resources resource? All professional groupings of people are a mirror reflecting the culture and environment that created them. HR professionals are no different. Being human is a condition that will always include a wide range of leadership talent. There are good leaders and bad leaders at the ends of a spectrum and everything else in between. Obviously, being in HR grants a certain amount of influence over management and employees, but not leadership. There are a number of variable factors that define leadership in human resources. ?

Expectations ? If the management of the business expects HR to be a closet full of paper shufflers, then it doesn?t really matter if HR has leaders or pencil sharpeners. The force to change this perspective comes from human resources professionals proving the value added by their work. The leaders will set an example. The followers will shuffle paper.

Environment ? A leading human resources manager not only focuses on individual business unit goals but also on the interface between all business units and all other employees. The environment is not stationary but moving. Management perspective will be favorable if the direction is productive and the employee perspective will be favorable if there is an environment of open communications regarding productivity.

Education ? Formal schooling only goes so far in providing the necessary tools to be a human resources leader. Continuous on-the-job learning is needed to become acclimated to each unique problem that arises. Ongoing external self-learning through professional associations and contacts keeps the mind fresh and affords solutions to leadership challenges. The true HR leader gives to the community as much or more than she takes.

Example ? An HR leader shows the way to go by setting the pace. Caution flags can mean that the organization must slow down or shift directions, so the pace setter must be conscious of key indicators of success and failure. Navigating around obstacles is standard procedure for a leader.

Engagement ? Engagement is a dialog? a two-way street? to an HR leader: The leader must be fully engaged with the company goals and objectives and drive employee?s engagement accordingly. ?

The key element of leadership in human resources professionals seems to be not how they got there but what they do with the job. The management of the human resource in an organization requires untainted professionalism, objective rationalization, and dedicated humanitarianism. Selecting a person to join the ranks of people defined by the initials H and R does not instill some magical power that suddenly propels them into wise all-knowing and infallible gods any more than throwing them into the ocean makes them a fish. In a living leadership laboratory, the true human resources professional rises to the occasion and only then can push or pull others to positions of leadership.

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Image credit: LeadershipMenu iqoncept / 123RF Stock Photo

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Source: http://leute.com/wordpress/?p=3504

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