Deep in the Heart of Texas: Private Donors Build a Medical Complex ...

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The Philanthropy Roundtable

When Americans think of oil executives, they tend to conjure up the image of J. R. Ewing: slick smile, sharp suits, cowboy boots, and a 10-gallon hat packed with bluster, vanity, and greed. According to Gallup, no industry is more widely reviled than oil and gas?not even banking, real estate, or heath care. The poll found that 64 percent of Americans disapprove of its activities. Only the federal government fared worse.

The image is unfair in many ways. It?s true that the energy sector can be brutal; the business of pulling hydrocarbons from the earth seems to attract more than its share of ruthless personalities. But there?s a more nuanced character to the oil and gas industry. At heart?and yes, it has a heart?it?s an industry with a surprisingly charitable nature. And nowhere is the pulsing heart of the industry more evident than in Houston, where the fortunes generated by profits from energy companies have fueled some of the most impressive personal giving in the world.

Take, for instance, the massive Texas Medical Center (TMC). Based in Houston, it is by far the world?s largest center for healing the sick. Among its 52 member institutions are world-famous research and treatment facilities like the M. D. Anderson Cancer Clinic, Methodist Hospital, St. Luke?s Episcopal Hospital, and the Texas Children?s Hospital. Every year, the TMC serves as a campus where some 34,000 full-time students work toward degrees in the healthcare professions. It?s also home to smaller nonprofits like a Ronald McDonald House (a comfort home for families of children getting treatment), a Fisher House (a comfort home for families of hospitalized service members and veterans), the Institute for Spirituality and Health, and St. Dominic Village (a Catholic retirement community). All in all, it represents ?probably the biggest confluence of philanthropy in the world,? says TMC chief executive officer Richard Wainerdi, ?and a lot of it is oil money.?

West Campus of the Texas Medical Center

All of that oil money has fueled a massive experiment in private, voluntary initiative?a major healthcare system that is more private than public, more charitable than profitable. Its scale can only be described as Texan. The campus is equal in size to the Inner Loop of Chicago. It currently has over 28.3 million square feet of office space?more than downtown Houston, even more than all of downtown Los Angeles. (By the end of 2014, its square footage is expected to exceed 41 million square feet, which would make the medical campus the nation?s seventh-largest business district of any sort.) Every day, 160,000 people enter the area, which has grown into Houston?s largest employer. Every year, TMC hosts about 7.1 million patient visits, including 350,000 surgeries and 28,000 newborns delivered.

Houston?s real philanthropic achievement, however, is not just the scale of the TMC. It?s the extraordinary quality of its institutions. In the 2013 U.S. News & World Report hospital rankings, TMC-affiliated institutions topped the charts. Methodist Hospital was a nationally ranked leader in 13 of 16 adult specialties. (Of the 4,793 hospitals included in the rankings, only 148 facilities?roughly 3 percent of the total?were considered a nationally ranked leader in even one of the 16 specialties.) St. Luke?s Episcopal Hospital, likewise on the TMC campus, earned national ranking in 10 adult specialties. The Texas Children?s Hospital was ranked fourth among all U.S. children?s hospitals. M. D. Anderson has been named the best cancer center in America for 9 of the past 11 years, including 2012.

None of it would be possible without private philanthropy. M. D. Anderson, for instance, began a capital campaign in September 2006, with a goal of raising $1 billion within six years. Donations poured in from across the Lone Star state. From San Antonio, Clear Channel co-founder Lowry Mays and his wife, Peggy, donated $20 million. From Dallas, H. Ross Perot kicked in another $20 million. T. Boone Pickens contributed $50 million, with one condition. Before putting the funds to use, M. D. Anderson was required to turn the gift into a $500 million corpus within 25 years. Anderson hit the target within three years, and used the funds to establish the Pickens Research Endowment. Two years ahead of schedule, the capital campaign passed the $1.2 billion mark. There were more than 630,000 individual gifts, and a staggering 127 donors gave at least $1 million.

It?s testimony to an extraordinarily generous culture?one that?s driven by energy profits. Of the top 10 corporate foundations in the region, for instance, eight are directly tied to the energy industry. As Federal Reserve Bank economist Bill Gilmer notes, Houston?s economy rests on the energy sector?not only drilling and exploration, but also downstream industries like refining, finance, and petrochemical production. It is there that much of Houston?s wealth has been generated, and from which much of the funding for good works like the TMC is likely to continue coming.

?The people who founded the Texas Medical Center believed that for Houston to thrive, the city had to have a great medical establishment,? explains Ann Stern, president of the $1.5 billion Houston Endowment, the charitable legacy of Houston patriarch Jesse Jones and his wife, Mary Gibbs Jones. ?There?s a long history of generosity and a healthy peer pressure among people in the energy business?and other civic leaders?to contribute. They may have not gone to college, they may have made their money in the oil fields, but the Texas Medical Center has become in large part their legacy.?

Deep in the Heart of Texas

To be sure, the extraction of sweet, light crude from deep in the earth is hardly animated by sweetness and light on the business side. The energy business is capital-intensive and very competitive. It requires leaders who can adapt and make things happen.

Anthony Petrello fits that bill. Petrello is the chief executive officer of Nabors Industries, the world?s largest land-based drilling contractor. Nabors is hired by oil companies to drill oil and gas wells. Like many other leaders in the energy industry, Petrello is competitive and looking for ways to differentiate his company. His pedigree is perhaps a bit unusual for the industry: it includes bachelor?s and master?s degrees in mathematics from Yale?and a law degree from Harvard.

Petrello is a Newark native. He left his job in New York as managing partner of Baker & McKenzie, arriving in Houston in 1991 to become president of Nabors. ?The first five years I was in Houston,? Petrello recalls, ?I worked six or seven days every week, and with my wife?s work schedule, we did not have much time to socialize.? He and his wife, Cynthia, a former New York actress, focused on their careers and kept mainly to a small group of close personal friends.

Anthony and Cynthia Petrello (Photo courtesy of Longines)

Then in 1997, Anthony and Cynthia had a baby girl at Houston Women?s Hospital. Carena Francesca was born at 24 weeks, weighing only 20 ounces, and experienced PVL (periventricular leukomalacia), a disorder in premature infants caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. First came a rash of operations to save her sight and heart. Then it became clear Carena would suffer from cerebral palsy. Despite having financially successful parents, she was entering life with enormous challenges. ?It changed everything,? Petrello says. ?It was the turning point in our lives.?

As Carena matured, she started to lose abilities. She gained language, but lost it at age five. Today, she cannot get around without a wheelchair. She can?t speak or feed herself. ?It caused a major change in our perceptions,? Petrello recalls. ?My wife thought we?d have a dancer. I thought we?d have a mathematician. Instead, we had to adjust our expectations.?

Carena?s difficult circumstances impelled the Petrellos to rethink their priorities. ?You realize that your time here on earth is short and you want to make a difference,? Petrello says. ?You don?t have time to feel sorry for yourself.? By instinct and training a problem-solving mathematician, Petrello wanted to understand what caused Carena?s condition?and find out if there were better ways to treat it. In 2000, he consulted with a team of specialists at a prestigious eastern hospital; they held out little hope and less understanding. ?The doctor told us he couldn?t do anything for her,? Petrello says, his voice showing clear disappointment. ?He just said we needed to get a good estate planner for her.?

Petrello looked for serious research into childhood neurological diseases. He was shocked to find how little of it actually was taking place. Particularly troubling was the lack of research into what he calls the ?DNA arithmetic? of these disorders, which range from mild forms like ADHD to cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. ?The lack of knowledge about this problem is astounding,? says Petrello. ?And the lack of resources is sinful.?

He found kindred spirits at the Texas Children?s Hospital. He conceived of an institute dedicated to exploring the causes of neurological afflictions for children. In 2006, he made a commitment of $7 million. ?I had lunches with friends?many, when judged by my weight gain?and they were eager to hear more,? says Petrello. ?My wife and I were overwhelmed by the support of friends and energy industry colleagues who came on board to help.?

And in the process he found some impressive allies, like Dan Duncan, the now-deceased chairman and director of Houston-based Enterprise Products, a leading North American provider of midstream energy services. A self-made man who grew up in rural east Texas, Duncan turned a small business with one truck, two partners, and $10,000 in cash into a multi-billion dollar energy company that today ranks among the nation?s most successful.

Duncan and his wife, Jan, were among Houston?s most generous healthcare philanthropists. In 2006, they donated $100 million to Baylor College of Medicine to establish the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center; two years later, they gave M. D. Anderson $35 million to create the Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment, which addresses the risks?genetic, lifestyle?that can lead to cancer. In 2007, the Duncans made news with a $50 million gift, earmarked to create a collaborative institute that would research and treat pediatric neurological disorders. The Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute opened in 2010. Today, it occupies 300,000 square feet at Texas Children?s Hospital. The center has more than 130 researchers led by Huda Zoghbi, a renowned Lebanese neurogeneticist.

Petrello sees the center as a leading-edge institution that can change the odds for millions of children with neurological disorders. ?Everyone needs a dream to keep them motivated,? he explains. ?It may not help our daughter, but we cannot accept her fate for so many others. We have to do something.?

The Great Equalizer

Ever since he left his small hometown of Wharton, Texas, Lester Smith has lived, from a strictly economic point of view, a rather charmed life. At age seven, he knew he wanted to be a wildcatter; to his nose, oil ?just smelled like perfume.? Today, he heads up Smith Energy, a Houston-based firm that specializes in the exploration and production of oil and gas reserves.

In Smith?s social circles, nobody looks down on making money and living well?even lavishly. But it?s not all big cars, big houses, and big hair. Like Petrello, Smith was brought down by disease, and has chosen to dedicate much of his fortune to fighting it. Smith struggled for 17 years with prostate and bladder cancer. He has undergone some 40 surgeries at the Baylor College of Medicine??no fun,? he recalls?until 2001, when both organs were removed. ?I?m a bladder and prostate cancer survivor,? he reflects. ?My wife?s sister died at 50 from breast cancer. My former wife was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago, but she is doing well because of what they did at Baylor. This sticks with you.?

Lester and Sue Smith with Gloria Gaynor (AP photo / Dave Rossman)

These personal tragedies have driven much of his philanthropy, $40 million of which has gone to Baylor?s medical school, where it supports research into and treatment for breast cancer, urology, and oncology. Smith also serves on the board of M. D. Anderson and Baylor College, and has donated an additional $20 million to the cancer center at Texas Children?s Hospital. ?I never considered giving away so much,? he admits, ?until cancer affected me and my loved ones personally.?

Cancer, adds Smith, is ?a great equalizer,? one that doesn?t respect class or wealth. For that reason, he has donated $15 million to the Harris County hospital district to set up a clinic to treat poor families, like many of those that he grew up around in rural Texas. It now treats some 160,000 underserved people annually. ?Illegal aliens, the indigent?they should get the same care that my wife gets,? he insists.

Smith also raises money for cancer causes by hosting social events?most notably, ballroom dancing. The galas that he and his wife put on have become highlights of Houston?s social season. In February, the Smiths hosted 1,100 guests at the Legends Event for Texas Children?s Cancer Center, featuring Gloria Gaynor, the Pointer Sisters, and Nile Rodgers. The evening raised $32 million. It was again heavily underwritten by Houston?s oil-and-gas philanthropists.

?It?s the oil guys who give the most money to things that matter in people?s lives,? he suggests. ?They may be tough people to deal with, but they are very philanthropic.?

A Culture of Leadership

David Wolff is not one of Houston?s oilmen, but he has made his fortune selling land to the energy corporations and developers who serve them. He left Philadelphia in 1970. Once he landed in Houston, he started his own company?at age 29. ?This was not considered crazy in Houston,? he recalls, ?but back in Philadelphia it would have been. What I liked about Houston is people didn?t just think about doing things. They really did them.?

Over the next three decades, Wolff did quite a lot of things. His real estate firm has office parks all around Houston and led the development of what is widely known as the ?energy corridor? along Interstate 10 in the western part of town?now home to a working population of 80,000 people. ?It was all cows and rice fields back then,? he recalls. All the while, he was involved in the city?s philanthropic community, serving as chairman of the Houston Parks board, as well as Metro, the regional transit agency, and on the board of the Houston Grand Opera.

But these days Wolff?s great passion is medical philanthropy. He donated 10 acres of prime land for the new TMC West Campus, which now includes Texas Children?s Hospital, Texas Methodist, and others. He is now working, largely through additional land he has acquired, to aid the expansion of the TMC toward Beltway 8 (Houston?s outer-loop freeway) and the surrounding suburban communities.

The idea, Wolff explains, is to bring the hospitals closer ?to where the patients are.? For generations, Houstonians?particularly those with children?have been moving to the city?s periphery. As the TMC?s main campus has expanded, traffic and parking have become more difficult for people coming from the communities surrounding Houston. The market is certainly there: Texas Children?s CEO Mark Wallace estimates there are 400,000 children within a 10-minute drive of the new campus. In 20 years, says Wallace, the west-side hospital will be as large as the original site.

?We are making it easier for the medical center to serve people,? Wolff says, beaming with pride in the bright new lobby of Texas Children?s Hospital?West Houston. ?For those coming from the suburbs, or for the folks coming from the smaller towns in central and southeast Texas, this is an easier place to get to, and one where they can still find the same quality health care you would get in the city.?

That sense of service reflects the spirit that made the Texas Medical Center possible in the first place. In a state where the proportion of uninsured is higher than the national average, the TMC provides critical services for the poor?and is sufficiently well funded to deliver them at the highest level. ?Like other cities, Houston has its challenges,? observes Houston Endowment?s Ann Stern. ?But Houston is exceptional in that philanthropy makes up for a lot of it. It?s kind of a calling here. It?s a culture of leadership?of getting things done.? And it has made Houston perhaps the most philanthropic city in America today.

Source: http://www.joelkotkin.com/content/00639-deep-heart-texas-private-donors-build-medical-complex-size-small-city

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Auto bailout could be key to Obama victory in Ohio - NewsOn6.com ...

By PHILIP ELLIOTT
Associated Press

LORDSTOWN, Ohio (AP) - President Barack Obama's decision to help America's automakers could end up being what helps drive him back into the White House.

Some 850,000 jobs in this critical battleground state are tied to autos and Obama's campaign constantly reminds voters they'd be jobless if not for the decision to inject taxpayer dollars into General Motors and Chrysler. However, the move has not translated into automatic support for the president, even in areas that depend on the industry. Republican Mitt Romney also is pitching these voters hard with his message that Obama hasn't balanced Washington's checkbook the same way voters must.

One in eight jobs in Ohio can be linked to the auto industry - whether it's working on a factory floor or selling groceries to plant workers. The presidential race's outcome could boil down to whether voters interpret Obama's move as saving Detroit or bailing it out. But like other flashpoints in this rough campaign, there is little middle ground between the versions of events and what it means for voters' neighbors.

"I couldn't imagine what Lordstown would be," said Brian Axiotis, a 37-year-old Obama supporter who works in information technology and lives in nearby Newton Falls. "A lot of folks would lose their houses. Consider the mess that would have resulted. It'd be a ghost town all over the area."

Since its restructuring, the General Motors plant in this town of 4,000 people southeast of Cleveland has added a third shift - and 1,200 new workers with it - to produce the popular compact Chevy Cruze. GM has pledged $220 million in updates to the factory and to keep the 4,500 workers, suggesting this town in the former steel-heavy Mahoning Valley has some stability ahead.

Romney volunteer Frank Perrotta still finds Obama's decision to loan automakers billions a misuse of public dollars. Between calls to voters at Romney's office in Stow, he shakes his head when talking about the government's move to prevent the collapse of GM and Chrysler. The bailout began in 2008 under Republican George W. Bush and Obama extended it.

"I have to run my business responsibly. No one is coming to bail me out if I get into trouble," said Perrotta, a 63-year-old Hudson resident who runs a medical imaging business that employs nine workers. "The bailout was just not fair."

Romney opposed using direct government money to save the car companies in a 2008 op-ed piece in The New York Times, titled "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt." Romney preferred a managed bankruptcy, without direct federal money, but was open to post-bankruptcy loan guarantees from Washington. He has maintained that the rescue - as it was executed - was unfair, unnecessary and political payback to labor unions.

"If we had taken your advice, Gov. Romney, about our auto industry, we'd be buying cars from China instead of selling cars to China," Obama said in Monday's presidential debate.

His statement sparked one of the most contentious moments of the evening, with the two interrupting and arguing over one another about what impact Romney's idea would have had. "I would do nothing to hurt the U.S. auto industry," Romney said, touting his affection for American cars, his Detroit roots and his father's leadership of American Motors Corp.

Obama insisted Romney was "trying to airbrush history" and suggested voters should check the record.

While GM paid back its loan and the government took an ownership stake, the Treasury Department estimates Washington might lose about $25.1 billion on its investment. It smacks of government waste for its critics.

"They should've followed the bankruptcy process that applies to the rest of us who don't have union bosses for friends. They bailed out their buddies," said Loretta Hurite, a 74-year-old Romney supporter from Cuyahoga Falls working the phones in Stow.

And so it continues through the state, where polls are close and both campaigns are in overdrive. No Republican has ever won the White House without carrying Ohio, and John F. Kennedy's 1960 campaign was the last Democratic effort to win the presidency without it. Voters here are bombarded with campaign ads and candidate visits, mail at the ends of their driveways and phone calls at all hours.

Obama's allies never hesitate to raise the bailout in visits to the state. "Osama bin Laden is dead, and General Motors is alive," Vice President Joe Biden roars at rallies, always a sure-fire applause generator.

Obama's team even has former President Bill Clinton making the point.

"It's important to remember than one in eight jobs in the state of Ohio is tied to the auto industry," Clinton told voters in Parma last week. "When you were down and you were out, the president had your back. Now, you've got to have his."

Not so fast, says Dennis Muniak, a 60-year-old Parma resident who attended the Clinton rally near Cleveland.

"Seven out of eight jobs aren't auto jobs," countered Muniak, who is drawing disability benefits.

Back in Trumbull County's city of Warren, just across the railroad tracks from the Lordstown plant, General Motors retiree George Vukovich cast his ballot early for Obama.

"In this valley, we are autos. Obama took care of us. He kept his promise. Now, we have to have his back," the 61-year-old Vukovich said before acknowledging the auto industry's heyday might be in its past.

Across the street from the early voting site, weeds are growing high at a car audio shop that has shut its doors. A retail plaza next door is vacant.

"We were lucky. We worked through the glory days of the 1970s, '80s and '90s," Vukovich said. "Those days are over. But I have great insurance and I have a great retirement."

Thanks to the taxpayers, Chuck Wirebaugh clucks.

"Obama sold out to the auto unions. GM would be better off had it gone through bankruptcy like everyone else has to. Instead, they got special treatment and a sweetheart bailout," the 69-year-old retiree from Cortland said after he cast his ballot early for Romney.

"Obama shouldn't have the job," Wirebaugh said. "He should be a used car salesman. It's about the only thing he's qualified to be."

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.newson6.com/story/19904343/auto-bailout-could-be-key-to-obama-victory-in-ohio

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89% Frankenweenie

Tim Burton's stop-motion remake of his own 30-minute short is a cute movie, even with the creepy subject matter. It's the story of a boy and his dog and coming to terms with loss, although that seems to get stalled since the kid brings his dog back to life. Frankenweenie is, as my pal Eric said, Burton's love letter to the Universal monsters of old, as other kids resurrect their pets into mummies, vampires, werewolves, etc. As a story, it's pretty plain and seems thin and padded out. The animation is fun to watch but I couldn't shake my questions about the character design. It feels like the only parts that move on these bulky faces are their tiny mouths. It's a strange design that undercuts the animators' efforts, and I couldn't help comparing it to the superior and expressive animation from ParaNorman. I'd say this is the weakest stop-motion film with Burton's name attached to it, but by no means is Frankenweenie a bad film. It's got some fun jokes and any story about the loss of a beloved pet is going to have plenty of heart. There are some pretty solid jokes but they all seem to pool in the first act. I enjoyed Sparky the dog's romance with the neighboring poodle, more so than any of the human relationships. Beyond the kid/dog aspect, I found it hard to engage with the movie. If you have to see one stop-motion animated film about the supernatural, check out ParaNorman instead. Nate's Grade: B-

October 20, 2012

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/frankenweenie_2012/

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Israeli official: Egypt not doing enough in Sinai

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's vice premier voiced rare public criticism of Egypt on Thursday, saying it isn't doing enough to curb Islamist militants operating in Egypt's Sinai desert.

The timing of Moshe Yaalon's comments also appeared unusual, given that Egypt spent the previous day brokering an end to the latest round of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip after several days of rocket fire from Gaza and Israeli airstrikes.

Militants operating in the lawless Sinai, which borders both Israel and Gaza, have launched attacks on Israel and smuggled weapons through tunnels into Gaza for use against Israel. The Islamist bands have also targeted Egyptian forces.

Asked whether Egypt was doing enough against weapons smuggling through Sinai, Yaalon told Israel Radio that Israel cooperates on security matters with Egypt's new government headed by President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Hamas parent movement.

Still, Yaalon added, "To say that we are satisfied with Egyptian activity in Sinai, I can't say we are satisfied yet."

"Sinai has become lawless territory," he said. "It's a question of Egypt deciding to assert its sovereignty the way it should and acting resolutely against terrorists. I hope that's what will happen. It hasn't happened yet."

Government spokesman Mark Regev had no comment when asked whether Yaalon was articulating his personal opinion or an official government position.

Israel's ties with Egypt, never warm, have been strained since the ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising in February 2011.

Israel is worried that Egypt's new Islamist government might not preserve the two countries' landmark 1979 peace treaty, and security in Sinai has deteriorated, with a sharp rise in militant attacks on targets both in Egypt and across the border in Israel.

For all that, Israeli officials have been careful to keep their criticism of Egypt quiet since the formation of Morsi's government. The peace agreement with Egypt is critical to Israeli security, and Israeli leaders do not want to damage the already strained relationship.

The Brotherhood has reaffirmed its commitment to the treaty, while calling for changes in the limits on troop and equipment deployments in Sinai that the 1979 agreement imposed at Israel's insistence.

Since the Mubarak government fell, the Egyptians have deviated from those limits in efforts to crack down on militants, obtaining quiet Israeli permission in all but one case.

Yaalon told Israel Radio that Israel would not formalize changes in the treaty.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-10-25-Israel-Egypt/id-86e36f7980f941aaa36a9bfdd28464b7

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Church

http://www.rssmicro.com/?q=Church&f=0 RSS feed search results for ChurchWed, 24 Oct 2012 09:25:56 GMThttp://www.rssmicro.com/images/rssmicro_logo3.gifhttp://www.rssmicro.com 1440http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wkms/events.eventsmain?action=showEvent&amp;eventID=1296658 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.publicbroadcasting.com --- Wednesday, October 24, 2012</font><br />October 25, 2012 At First Presbyterian <b>Church</b> of Murray ...</p>http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wkms/events.eventsmain?action=showEvent&amp;eventID=1296658Wed, 24 Oct 2012 09:05:52 GMThttp://arborweb.com/articles/from_church_to_fraternity.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: arborweb.com --- Wednesday, October 24, 2012</font><br />This fall, the former Memorial Christian <b>Church</b>, on the corner of Tappan and Hill, starts a new life as the chapter house for Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. A clever redesign by Hobbs and Black Architects has turned offices and schoolrooms into bedrooms, the basement social hall into a dining room, a... ...</p>http://arborweb.com/articles/from_church_to_fraternity.htmlWed, 24 Oct 2012 08:49:04 GMThttp://www.monroetalks.com/events/events/index.php?com=detail&amp;eID=45057 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.monroetalks.com --- Wednesday, October 24, 2012</font><br /><p>First Congregational <b>Church</b> of Gibraltar, 29885 Bayview St., Gibraltar, will host its annual Community Hayride from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday Oct. 29.</p><p>The event includes a sloppy joe dinner, desserts, and children's activities.</p><p>This is a free event, open to the public. For information, call the <b>Church</b> at (734) 676-5266.</p> ...</p>http://www.monroetalks.com/events/events/index.php?com=detail&amp;eID=45057Wed, 24 Oct 2012 08:29:05 GMThttp://brooklyneagle.com/articles/religion-grace-church-honors-paul-olson-20-years-gifted-musicianship <p><font color="Gray">Source: brooklyneagle.com --- Wednesday, October 24, 2012</font><br /><img src="http://brooklyneagle.com/sites/default/files/2012%2010%2021_Grace%20Paul%20Olson%20center%20with%20Tom%20and%20Wendy%20Chittenden%2020th_0141-by%20Franklin%20Stone.JPG" & width="150" & height="101" style="margin: 5pt 10px 0px 0px; float: left;" border="1" align="left" alt="" />By Francesca Norsen Tate Brooklyn Daily Eagle Paul Richard Olson was honored on Sunday as he completed his 20th year of service as Organist and Choirmaster of Grace <b>Church</b> Brooklyn Heights. Religion ...</p>http://brooklyneagle.com/articles/religion-grace-church-honors-paul-olson-20-years-gifted-musicianshipWed, 24 Oct 2012 08:25:32 GMThttp://www.granthampeople.co.uk/event/Coffee-morning-St-Wulfram-s-Church-Save-Spire/event-17167562-detail/event.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.granthampeople.co.uk --- Wednesday, October 24, 2012</font><br />Event ...</p>http://www.granthampeople.co.uk/event/Coffee-morning-St-Wulfram-s-Church-Save-Spire/event-17167562-detail/event.htmlWed, 24 Oct 2012 08:22:36 GMThttp://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/24/2295691/video-tries-to-link-romero-jz.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.theolympian.com --- Wednesday, October 24, 2012</font><br />A video showing Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Romero and Ramtha School of Enlightenment president JZ Knight has caused a stir among both political parties, as well as the community. ...</p>http://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/24/2295691/video-tries-to-link-romero-jz.htmlWed, 24 Oct 2012 07:05:00 GMThttp://www.catholicanchor.org/wordpress/archives/8325 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.catholicanchor.org --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />CatholicAnchor.org Approximately 50 Alaska pilgrims were in Rome to witness the Oct. 21 canonization ceremony of seven Catholic saints, including Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha who will become the first Native American to be formally recognized by as a saint in the Catholic <b>Church</b>. ...</p>http://www.catholicanchor.org/wordpress/archives/8325Wed, 24 Oct 2012 05:00:54 GMThttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wtsp/topstories/~3/OPF26om5xiQ/Arrest-made-in-sex-assault-on-70-year-old-woman-in-church <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.wtsp.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />Suspect Demetreius Morris was arrested back in 2003 for allegedly molesting a 7-year-old girl. ...</p>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wtsp/topstories/~3/OPF26om5xiQ/Arrest-made-in-sex-assault-on-70-year-old-woman-in-churchWed, 24 Oct 2012 04:57:30 GMThttp://www.facebook.com/LCSUNNEWS/posts/479299605443536 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.facebook.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />The Holy Family <b>Church</b> of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, on Parker Road, listed to be auctioned tomorrow for $14,000 in back-taxes, won't be sold after all. However, the Santa Teresa Country Club and its two golf courses are still on the list, an official said. Las Cruces <b>Church</b> removed from auction rolls - Las Cruces Sun-News ow.ly LAS CRUCES ?A Las Cruces <b>Church</b> that had been on a list to be auctioned for back-taxes on Wednesday wont be sold after all. ...</p>http://www.facebook.com/LCSUNNEWS/posts/479299605443536Wed, 24 Oct 2012 04:00:05 GMThttp://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/Redhill-church-group-homeless-centre-High-Street/story-17108494-detail/story.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br /><img src="http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/images/localpeople/ugc-images/275797/Article/images/17108494/4229011-thumb.jpg" & width="80" & height="60" style="margin: 5pt 10px 0px 0px; float: left;" border="1" align="left" alt="" />A HOMELESS shelter and religious centre could be built in Redhill High Street. ...</p>http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/Redhill-church-group-homeless-centre-High-Street/story-17108494-detail/story.htmlWed, 24 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMThttp://feeds.ew.com/~r/ew/hollywoodinsider/~3/E9VdiH0fbb4/ <p><font color="Gray">Source: insidetv.ew.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />Justified showrunner Graham Yost was the interviewee at Tuesday night?s New York Television Festival creative keynote conversation and offered a ...</p>http://feeds.ew.com/~r/ew/hollywoodinsider/~3/E9VdiH0fbb4/Wed, 24 Oct 2012 03:17:30 GMThttp://www.newson6.com/category/121535/video-page?clipId=7874288&amp;clipFormat=&amp;topVideoCatNo=118582 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.newson6.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />West Tulsa <b>Church</b> Offers New Community Shelter As Red Cross Shelter ...</p>http://www.newson6.com/category/121535/video-page?clipId=7874288&amp;clipFormat=&amp;topVideoCatNo=118582Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:42:00 GMThttp://www.herkimertelegram.com/news/x470409889/Structural-problems-threaten-Indian-Castle-Church <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.herkimertelegram.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />The Indian Castle <b>Church</b>, located just off Route 5S, three miles east of Thruway Exit 29A in the town of Danube, survived a fire more than three decades ago, but the building is facing another serious threat now. The foundation is in need of repair and the building needs strengthening to avert a possible collapse, according to members of the Indian Castle <b>Church</b> Restoration and Preservation Society, which owns and maintains the structure. ...</p>http://www.herkimertelegram.com/news/x470409889/Structural-problems-threaten-Indian-Castle-ChurchWed, 24 Oct 2012 02:38:47 GMThttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wtsp/video/~3/ZIso-hBuyjg/default.aspx <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.wtsp.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />Tampa Police officers have located and arrested the man suspected of sexually battering an elderly woman at a local <b>Church</b>. ...</p>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wtsp/video/~3/ZIso-hBuyjg/default.aspxWed, 24 Oct 2012 02:34:25 GMThttp://wearecentralpa.com/fulltext?nxd_id=407812 <p><font color="Gray">Source: wearecentralpa.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />The <b>Church</b> of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints in Hollidaysburg opens it's doors for the public, about two weeks before the Presidential Election. ...</p>http://wearecentralpa.com/fulltext?nxd_id=407812Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:27:17 GMThttp://www.kens5.com/news/local/Watchdog-group-takes-aim-at-Leakey-churchs-political-sign-175516091.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.kens5.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />A Leakey <b>Church</b> posted a political sign and now a Washington, D.C.-based <b>Church</b>-state watchdog group wants the IRS?to investigate. The sign, posted by the <b>Church</b> in the Valley pastor Ray Miller, says, "Vote for the Mormon, not the Muslim! Vote for the capitalist, not the communist!" But Americans United wants the IRS?to punish the <b>Church</b> for violating federal tax law that prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from intervening in political elections. Americans United issued a press release Tuesday that said: ?This sign is a blatant attempt to intervene in a political campaign,? said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. ?I urge the IRS to crack down on this over-the-top law-breaking.? ?Miller may indeed have strong feelings about the election, but that does not give him the right to use his tax-exempt <b>Church</b> to endorse a candidate,? Lynn wrote to IRS officials. ?In fact, Miller?s actions are a clear and flagrant violation of the law.? They said they delivered a letter to the IRS outlining their complaint. ...</p>http://www.kens5.com/news/local/Watchdog-group-takes-aim-at-Leakey-churchs-political-sign-175516091.htmlWed, 24 Oct 2012 02:17:59 GMThttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49525036/ns/local_news-tampa_fl/ <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.msnbc.msn.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />Demetreius Martees Morris was linked to the rape after swabs taken from the woman matched his DNA. ...</p>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49525036/ns/local_news-tampa_fl/Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:16:58 GMThttp://feeds.newadvent.org/~r/bestoftheweb/~3/xlPENfik7jQ/a8703760-1cf4-11e2-8817-41b9a7aaabc7_story.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.newadvent.org --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />The Vatican tribunal that convicted the pope?s ex-butler of stealing private papal correspondence sharply condemned the theft on Tuesday as causing ?reprehensible? damage to the pontiff, the Holy See and the entire Catholic <b>Church</b>, and said investigations are continuing. The three-judge tribunal issued its written explanation of how it reached its Oct. 6 verdict against Paolo Gabriele, who was convicted of aggravated theft and sentenced to 18 months in prison, currently being served under house arrest. ...</p>http://feeds.newadvent.org/~r/bestoftheweb/~3/xlPENfik7jQ/a8703760-1cf4-11e2-8817-41b9a7aaabc7_story.htmlWed, 24 Oct 2012 02:04:10 GMThttp://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_21831129/las-cruces-church-appears-tax-auction?source=rss_viewed <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.lcsun-news.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br />LAS CRUCES ? A Las Cruces <b>Church</b> appears on the list of properties to be auctioned Wednesday for $14,750 in unpaid back taxes. ...</p>http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_21831129/las-cruces-church-appears-tax-auction?source=rss_viewedWed, 24 Oct 2012 01:45:41 GMThttp://newsbusters.org/blogs/jack-coleman/2012/10/23/romney-sweating-whore-church-opines-stephanie-miller-based-experience <p><font color="Gray">Source: newsbusters.org --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012</font><br /><img src="http://newsbusters.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/thumb_100x72/thumbnail_photos/2012/October/nb miller oct 23 12 second.jpg" & width="100" & height="72" style="margin: 5pt 10px 0px 0px; float: left;" border="1" align="left" alt="" />Her experience as a frequent churchgoer. Obviously. Libtalker Stephanie Miller on her radio show today used a pithy analogy to describe Mitt Romney appearing to sweat during last night's final presidential debate (audio, h/t, Brian Maloney at mrctv.org ) -- read more ...</p>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jack-coleman/2012/10/23/romney-sweating-whore-church-opines-stephanie-miller-based-experienceWed, 24 Oct 2012 00:10:49 GMT

Source: http://www.rssmicro.com/rss.web?q=Church

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EARTH: Earthquake? Blame it on the rain

Public release date: 23-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Megan Sever
msever@earthmagazine.org
American Geological Institute

Alexandria, VA The U.S. Geological Survey's website states it in no uncertain terms: "There is no such thing as 'earthquake weather.'" Yet, from at least the time of Aristotle, some people have professed links between atmospheric conditions and seismic shaking. For the most part, these hypotheses have not held up under scientific scrutiny and earthquake researchers have set them aside as intriguing but unfounded ideas. However, in the last decade new efforts to identify effects of weather-related, or in some cases climate-related, processes on seismicity have drawn new interest.

Researchers are beginning to take a closer look at the Main Himalayan Thrust in northern India and Nepal, inland regions of Taiwan and seismically active semi-tropical regions like Haiti for evidence of weather-induced seismicity. These groups postulate that tremendous excesses of rainwater falling over short amounts of time may alter the stresses acting on faults, potentially triggering earthquakes to occur sooner than they otherwise would. How will this research affect earthquake preparedness in the future? Read the full story online at http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/blame-it-rain-proposed-links-between-severe-storms-and-earthquakes.

###

Make sure to check out this story and more in the November issue of EARTH Magazine. Pluto takes its revenge; a new catalyst shows promise for methane oxidation; and geoscientists reveal their own "Earth telescope" all in this month's issue.

Keep up to date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH magazine online at http://www.earthmagazine.org/. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.

The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.

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?

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

Public release date: 23-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Megan Sever
msever@earthmagazine.org
American Geological Institute

Alexandria, VA The U.S. Geological Survey's website states it in no uncertain terms: "There is no such thing as 'earthquake weather.'" Yet, from at least the time of Aristotle, some people have professed links between atmospheric conditions and seismic shaking. For the most part, these hypotheses have not held up under scientific scrutiny and earthquake researchers have set them aside as intriguing but unfounded ideas. However, in the last decade new efforts to identify effects of weather-related, or in some cases climate-related, processes on seismicity have drawn new interest.

Researchers are beginning to take a closer look at the Main Himalayan Thrust in northern India and Nepal, inland regions of Taiwan and seismically active semi-tropical regions like Haiti for evidence of weather-induced seismicity. These groups postulate that tremendous excesses of rainwater falling over short amounts of time may alter the stresses acting on faults, potentially triggering earthquakes to occur sooner than they otherwise would. How will this research affect earthquake preparedness in the future? Read the full story online at http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/blame-it-rain-proposed-links-between-severe-storms-and-earthquakes.

###

Make sure to check out this story and more in the November issue of EARTH Magazine. Pluto takes its revenge; a new catalyst shows promise for methane oxidation; and geoscientists reveal their own "Earth telescope" all in this month's issue.

Keep up to date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH magazine online at http://www.earthmagazine.org/. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.

The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/agi-eeb102212.php

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NCAA Hockey rankings 2012: Boston College back to No. 1

After falling to No. 3 in the previous poll, the Boston College men's hockey team is back to No. 1.

After falling to No. 3 in the poll after losing its season opener, the Boston College men's hockey team is back to No. 1 in the USCHO.com poll.

The Eagles received 27 of the 50 first place votes and moved ahead of Minnesota, who was No. 1 in the poll last week. Boston College has 962 overall points, giving them a 52 point lead over Minnesota. The Eagles moved up thanks to a 2-0 weekend in which they knocked off Massachusetts on the road then Northeastern at home. BC is now 2-1 on the season.

Boston College wasn't the only area team in the top 20 of the poll this week as Massachusetts-Lowell, Boston University, Northeastern and Harvard were also ranked. Massachusetts-Lowell dropped one spot from last week, falling from No. 10 to No. 11. BU also dropped, falling two spots to No. 13 while Northeastern dropped one spot to No. 15. Harvard is yet to open its season, but remained No. 17 in the poll.

Massachusetts received two votes in this week's poll. This is the first time it received a vote since the first poll of the season.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Source: http://boston.sbnation.com/hockey-east/2012/10/22/3540610/2012-college-hockey-rankings-standings

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Obama, Romney Gird for Final Debate (WSJ)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/257378573?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Video: Video shows how to ?pick up? girls at the gym

>>> and with a title of how to pick up a girl at the gym, it's no wonder this video has racked up more than 1.1 million hits on youtube in the last 24 hours , but before you take notes, be aware. his approach is a bit literal. ha, ha, ha, ha. yeah, yeah, yeah

>> you might want to clare that with a female weightlifting partner before you try it. 7:21 right now. back over to savannah, matt and al. not recommended to try that.

>> a good way to ruin a relationship right there.

>> what's the opposite of having game? throwing someone down on the gym mat.

>> thank you very much.

>> mr. roker.

>> not going anywhere that. let's

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49515660/

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What&#39;s So Special about Content Marketing? | Search Engine Journal

These days, it seems like you can?t even open an article online without hearing the importance of content marketing being mentioned.? Hell, I?ll even admit that I?m guilty tossing this particular piece of marketing terminology around all too frequently, as I?ve mentioned it recently on my own site, for articles on my company blog, and in the posts I write for various industry websites.

But what is content marketing really, and why can?t anyone online seem to shut up about how important this new strategy is for digital marketers?

In fact, there are a number of different definitions out there that attempt to explain what content marketing is. According to Wikipedia, we hear that:

?Content marketing?is an umbrella term encompassing all marketing formats that involve the creation or sharing of content for the purpose of engaging current and potential consumer bases. Content marketing subscribes to the notion that delivering high-quality, relevant, and valuable information to prospects and customers drives profitable consumer action.?

Next up, Jason Falls of Social Media Examiner?offers the following definition, which provides more detail on the various concrete elements involved in content marketing (in contrast to the business jargon thrown out by Wikipedia):

?Content marketing?is using any type of content (newsletters, blog posts, white papers, videos, Tweets, podcasts, wall posts) to attract an audience you wish to market to. Capturing their attention through great content gives you the opportunity to present calls-to-action to them to purchase or try your product or service.?

And finally, Sam Decker of Mass Relevance provides the following description of this now-prominent digital marketing technique:

?Content Marketing?is creating or curating non-product content?be it informational, educational, entertaining, etc.?and publishing it to contact points with customers to get their attention, to focus on the topic around your solution, and pull them closer to learning more about you.?

From these definitions, we can infer that content marketing involves two primary objectives:

1. Publishing high-quality, non-product content, and
2. Using this content to build relationships with your customer base.

Let?s look at each of these two elements in more detail?

Without this ?high-quality, non-product content,? content marketing couldn?t exist (obviously). Because content marketing is based on the idea that people will be more likely to share good content pieces and form a good opinion of the companies that release these marketing materials, it?s easy to see why mediocre content simply won?t cut it.

If you distribute sub-par or average level content, who?s going to take the time to pass these materials on to their friends and family members? Certainly, you?ve read plenty of ?bare bones? articles that provide only surface-level knowledge on the subject at hand.? How often did you go out of your way to share these content pieces with others?

At the same time, content marketing materials must be published free of charge (as in, not released as part of a paid product) in order for the viral nature of content marketing to function effectively. While you can use your content marketing pieces to introduce readers to a sales funnel, releasing them in paid product form creates a significant barrier to person-to-person online sharing.

Considering these qualifications, it?s easy to see why practitioners of content marketing tend to stick to a few standard formats when releasing new marketing materials. The most common types of content marketing pieces you?ll see include:

• Downloadable ebooks, guides, or ?manifestos?
• Case studies and white papers
• Infographics and instructographics
• Youtube videos
• Extensive (2,000+ word), high-value blog posts

As mentioned above, the distribution of these content pieces helps you to build relationships with your customer base. When you go to the trouble of releasing high-value information products for free, you both expand the reach of your brand?s name (as a result of the viral sharing that often occurs with free, high-value pieces) and improve your customers? perception of you as a leader within your industry.

As such, content marketing is a type of ?inbound marketing,? a phrase that?s often used to distinguish new authority-based marketing tactics from their old-school, ?outbound marketing? counterparts.

Outbound marketing techniques involve (as their name suggests) reaching out to new customers in order to interest them in your brand. In the past, companies utilizing outbound marketing strategies might have called targeted leads, sent direct mail pieces to carefully curated mailing lists, or purchased TV advertising spots during the hours that were most likely to reach their target demographics.

And while these methods were and still are, to some extent, successful in forming new customer relationships, inbound marketing techniques like content marketing can bring about the same results for substantially less time and effort.

To see just how successful content marketing can be, take a look at any of the case studies out there. In particular, take a look at Mint, a personal finance tool that utilized the distribution of infographics and other content marketing pieces to grow large enough to garner a $170 million buyout offer from Intuit. Or check out the example of Coca Cola, which aims to double its business by the year 2020 through the use of content marketing promotions.

But although these examples are exciting, there?s something about all the recent fervor over content marketing that always leaves me cold. After all, if content marketing is all about building exceptional value in order to connect with customers, what makes it so different than, say, the way you should be running a website anyways?

In fact, content marketing isn?t new. The principles that make this technique so successful are the same things that have made websites, and, indeed, businesses in general?successful from the earliest days of the Web. It?s not exactly a new market innovation to say that delivering good content will help you to form stronger connections with potential customers. That?s pretty much what every white-hat Web expert has been saying since the dawn of the Internet.

But what is new is that content marketing is increasingly becoming one of the only strategies to produce consistently good results in the face of widespread search engine algorithm changes.

In the past, it was widely acknowledged that content marketing works, but at the same time, similar results could be achieved and sustained using link schemes and other grey hat techniques. And so, for many webmasters, the question became, ?Why invest time and money into producing high-value content pieces when I can get the same amount of traffic from a few forum links or link wheels??

Sure. Not everyone took these shortcuts. But enough webmasters chose to cut these corners that the search engines have found it necessary to reign in rampant SERPs manipulation with algorithm updates like the recent Panda and Penguin changes.

As I doubt we?ve seen the last of these low-quality crackdowns, it?s becoming increasingly obvious that content marketing isn?t just the latest technique to gain favor amongst SEOs.?It?s one of the few strategies left that offers both good business results and protection from future search engine changes.

If you?re ready to start taking advantage of the power of content marketing, there are plenty of tutorials out there that will give you step-by-step processes to follow in order to launch these campaigns. However, keep in mind that content marketing isn?t some dense, inaccessible piece of marketing mumbo jumbo. Focus on providing your customers with the types of high-value, free content pieces that meet their stated needs, and then test and tweak your results as you go. The benefits you see will be more than worth your efforts!

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Nenov Brothers Photography

Sujan Patel is the co-founder of Single Grain, an SEO Agency based in San Francisco, CA. Single Grain specializes in helping start ups and Fortune 500 companies with their digital marketing strategy. You should follow Sujan on Twitter.

Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/whats-so-special-about-content-marketing/49983/

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Can Brain Training Reduce Cancer Risk? | SharpBrains

By: SharpBrains

Penn Researchers Receive Major Grant to Explore Use of Brain Train?ing To Help Peo?ple Change Behav?iors that Increase Can?cer Risk?(press release):

?Most peo?ple know that smok?ing, a bad diet, and phys?i?cal inac?tiv?ity can lead to cat?a?strophic per?sonal health con?se?quences, includ?ing can?cer. Yet mil?lions con?tinue to smoke, eat poorly, and fail to get enough exer?cise. A new project led by researchers from the Perel?man School of Med?i?cine and the School of Arts and Sci?ences at the Uni?ver?sity of Penn?syl?va?nia aims to devise pro?grams that help them change these risky behav?iors and cut their risk of cancer?Caryn Ler?man, PhD and Joseph Kable, PhD have been awarded a $4.9 mil?lion grant through the National Can?cer Insti?tute ini?tia?tive called ?Provoca?tive Ques?tions,? which will allow them to study how the brain?s cog?ni?tive con?trol sys?tem can be enhanced to improve decision-making processes that con?tribute to risky behaviors?The study?s authors aim to show if tak?ing part in the neu?rocog?ni?tive train?ing results in bet?ter decision-making and behav?iors on the part of par?tic?i?pants. Will they, for instance, forego the short-term, risky reward of smok?ing a cig?a?rette or eat?ing a fast food meal, or use their new?found brain train?ing to make deci?sions that pave the way to bet?ter long-term health??

To Learn?More:

Categories: Cognitive Neuroscience, Health & Wellness

Tags: Brain-Training, cancer risk, Caryn Lerman, cognitive-control, Decision-making, Joseph Kable, National Cancer Institute, neurocognitive, neurocognitive training, personal health, Provocative Questions, University-of-Pennsylvania

Source: http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2012/10/22/can-brain-training-reduce-cancer-risk/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-brain-training-reduce-cancer-risk

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Lawyers, CEOs boosted Obama's Sept. donations

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WA land sales fall | | MacroBusiness

By Leith van Onselen

I noted last week how the RBA and Treasury?s hope that the void left by the unwinding of the mining boom will be filled by a pick-up in housing construction looks overly ambitious.

Even in Australia?s boom state ? Western Australia (WA) ? the housing construction outlook is weak, with data released by Landgate showing that land sales have tanked to their lowest level in the series? 11-year history, despite land prices coming off by -$30,000 from their November 2007 highs (see below chart).

The news for the established home market is better, with house sales rallying 30% from their January 2011 lows, but still highly subdued relative to pre-2006 levels.

Housing Industry Association (HIA) new home sales data is a little more optimistic for the construction industry, with new house sales rising this year, albeit from decade low levels. However, dwelling approvals data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that house approvals continue to trend lower, suggesting that WA developers have been clearing excess inventories (see below chart).

With WA?s population currently growing by 3% per year, the construction industry will need to turn things around fast. WA rents are surging ? up 15.4% in the year to September, according to Australian Property Monitors ? suggesting that housing supply is extremely tight.

New house and land sales, along with dwelling approvals, will need to rise sharply from their current depressed levels in order to both alleviate the rental squeeze, as well as support the WA economy as the iron ore price boom, and related mining projects, come off the boil.

?Twitter: Leith van Onselen. Leith is the Chief Economist of Macro Investor, Australia?s independent investment newsletter covering trades, stocks, property and yield. Click for a free 21 day trial.

Source: http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2012/10/wa-land-sales-fall/

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